| How to Buy the Perfect Tent |
Tents have a pretty big price range, so be sure to put some research into your purchase and buy wisely. |
Steps
1. Determine the intended use of the tent before you make your purchase. For fair-weather camping, a well-strung tarp can serve as a shelter, and tarps are lighter and cheaper than tents. |
2. Get a tent that doesn't require many stakes. Stakes are heavy, easy to lose and make it difficult to pitch the tent on hard or soft ground or on snow. |
3. Look for a tent with a fly that closes completely and has a vestibule for storing packs and boots out of the rain. |
4. Stick with the three-season variety of tent, which can handle moderate winter use, unless you plan extreme mountaineering or expedition use. Four-season tents, designed to handle extreme weather, are much heavier than their three-season cousins. |
5. Find a big stuff sack for the tent so that you don't have to go to extreme lengths to cram it into the bag and potentially cause damage to the tent. |
6. Buy the lightest tent that meets your needs and budget. |
Tips
Don't be oversold by sales representatives when you are shopping. What you need is what you need - nothing more, nothing less.
Make sure you know how to set up your new tent before you take it into the wilderness. Practice in your backyard. |
| Warnings |
Remember not to store food in your tent so animals won't chew their way in. |
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