What Are The Best Tents For Camping
Everything you need to know about selecting a tent for your individual needs.
Whether you intend to spend one night camping or multiple nights, possibly the single most important purchase you will make beforehand is your tent. Your form of shelter is a crucial decision that you will have to make if you intend to survive your camping trip. In this article, we examine the best options for camping tents.
What to know about buying a tent
When selecting a tent for camping, be forewarned that you can go as cheap or and expensive as you are willing to go. You can go “bare minimum” and purchase a single-person shelter with no protective zippers or mesh screens or you can upgrade to a larger model that has a little more comfort and luxury in its design. It’s all about your personal preference (and the amount you are willing to spend).
The first thing you need to consider when purchasing a form of shelter for camping is the duration of your wilderness expedition. If you merely intend to set up a tent in your back yard so the neighborhood kids can have an outdoor sleepover then, by all means, seek out the cheapest, easiest to assemble tent that you can find. If you’re just spending the night in the back yard with the kids then, worst-case scenario, you can always go inside if things get too intense. However, if you are looking to spend several days in the wilderness then you might want to invest in something slightly sturdier.
When you go to purchase a tent you need to be looking for a model that is structurally sound, that will hold up and protect you through moderately intense conditions. Additionally, you’ll have to take into account the number of people you’ll have with you on your camping expedition. If you are camping alone then there are a variety of tent models for a single person that you can choose from. However, if you will be accompanied by another person or a group of people then you will need to look at models that will accommodate your group.
An important thing to remember is that the number of people a tent is said to accommodate is often a greatly overstated to reflect the most strained conditions. Meaning, if you’re looking to purchase a tent that is reported to shelter two adults, you should know that those to people will be virtually sleeping on top of one another in the tent. There will be little to no extra room for added comfort and in some cases, the space in question might be insufficient to house the occupants camping gear. We recommend “over-shooting” the occupancy capacity for a tent you intend to purchase. This means that if you and one other friend intend to spend a weekend in the woods, it would be wise to look into tents that comfortably sleep three or four adults rather than go “bare minimum” and try to squeeze into a two-person tent. However, always remember that opting for larger equipment means that you will have to lug this larger tent around to your campsite. If you truly want to minimize load without sacrificing comfort, it might be worth having everyone in your camping crew purchase their own single individual tent.
When purchasing a tent for any long duration of camping, you need to remember a few key points:
The size of the tent – what is its overall housing capacity in terms of adults it can sleep?
The weight of the tent – You’re going to have to lug this thing around in the wilderness until you find a suitable spot to set up camp. Therefore, you’ll need to be aware of how heavy a load you’re taking on when it comes to the tent you intend to purchase.
The Season Rating- this is usually on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being a tent that can withstand the harshest conditions. We will go more in depth into this momentarily.
Price – as we mentioned before, you can go as cheap or as expensive as you are willing to when it comes to a tent. Consider intended camping frequency. Will you be camping every weekend or once a year? This will play a large role in how much you should invest in a tent.
The Season Rating for Tents – What does it mean?
1 to 2 Season– tents with this rating are generally your more delicate models. They aren’t designed to withstand harsh conditions and likely will not suffice for extended, multi-day camping trips. They usually lack efficient waterproofing and rarely are they able to withstand rainfall greater than a light drizzle. These are also usually more inexpensive tents due to lacking insulation and lower quality material.
3 Season– These are typically your “middle of the road” tents when it comes to quality. They can shelter you from moderate temperature swings and they can usually withstand a fair amount of rain or snow. Additionally, strong winds should be no problem for these tents to withstand. You’ll likely find that your average tent found on the market is ranked as a 3 season tent.
4 Season– these tents typically show a higher degree of insulation and sturdier materials. Ventilation can be an issue with these types of tents and they are often geared more toward survival in colder climates. Be sure to read the reviews on a 4 Season tent before purchasing to see if it meets your needs. If you intend to camp primarily in the summertime then an overly insulated and warm tent might not be necessary for what you need.
5 Season– these tents are designed to withstand the most extreme conditions. Predominantly geared toward withstanding intense cold climates, this is the type of tent you will likely use when camping on the side of a mountain or anytime during the frigid winter. These tents are designed to withstand precipitation from any angle and they offer protection from sharp gusts of wind making them the optimal source of shelter for the most extreme campers. (1)
The best tents for camping:
Now that we’ve discussed what to know when buying a tent for camping, we can start to take a look at some recommended tents and their benefits to campers.
Top pick for 4-5 Season Tent: Hillman 2- Person tent (B01CS4AKZA) –
Let’s face it. If you’re in the market for anything over a 3 Season tent then you have a big expedition planned. What is it? A weekend stay on a glacier? Mountain climbing? Or maybe you just want to get away for a night or two in the dead of winter. Doesn’t matter. The Hillman is our pick for your camping needs during the harshest winter. It’s the harsh cold that provokes people to buy a higher caliber tent and you can’t go wrong with the Hillman. Weighing in at just over 6 lbs, this tent is essential for the camper on the move in the coldest temperatures. If you’re camping where it’s really cold then odds are you aren’t bringing the whole family with you. That is why this two-person tent is perfect for you in the most frigid conditions. Not just a barrier from the cold, the silicone fabric creates a reinforced water barrier to keep you dry throughout your entire camping trip. Use our link to AMAZON to take a close look at the specification on this tent.
Top 3 Season Tent: NTK Texas GT (B01MA253N3)-
If you’re going to be camping in the in the spring to the early fall, this is the tent for you. With a seven-person occupancy and reinforced waterproofing to keep even the strongest monsoon off of you, this tent is a must have for the average camper. It offers UV protection and a mosquito mesh that provides ventilation while you can enjoy the outdoor view. Measuring 14 ft x 14 ft x 6.9 ft this tent comes in a little heavy at 44 lbs. However, the heavy-duty carrying bag with compression straps makes carting this tent around a piece of cake. Check out our link to AMAZON to view current prices and shipping details.
Top 2 Season tent: Coleman Sundome (B004J2KDH0 ) –
For the casual camper, you can’t go wrong with a Coleman. This two-person dome tent is perfect for the weekend camper or anyone wanting to make an outing with a friend or loved one. This tent is extremely simple to set up and the welded floors do an excellent job of keeping you dry. Measuring 7ft x 5ft and weighing in just short of 6.5 lbs, this tent is essential for anyone making a camping trip in comfortable weather conditions.
Whenever you select a tent to bring on your camping trip, always remember to outline the points listed above. List your specific needs and what you will require in a potential tent and then do your research to make sure that you have purchased a sufficient tent but not necessarily a tent that is so extravagant you can’t manage it while hiking to your campsite.