META: Every camper has different requirements and there are many differnt kinds of tents available today. It is therefore imperative that you look for a tent that best serves your needs and at the same time is durable and suitable for the weather type of your camping site.
Camping can be fun, exciting and one big adventure but make sure you are cosy, comfortable and sheltered; otherwise it can be a nightmare. It is up to you to decide which kind of tent will suit your needs best as each indiviudal has different preferences. You can choose a tent depending on the space that you will require, the weight you can carry and the weather conditions of the area you are planning to visit. Tests are carried out by most manufacturers to test the standards of the tents in terms of quality, reliability, durability and material.
Materials used for tents are generally lightweight nylon or polyester fabric. The groundsheet or base of the tent suffers from constant abrasions from the ground below. For this reason, they are made out of a far more durable fabric. This type can tear easily so to prevent this they use ripstop nylon. All camping tents are made to be waterproof by using a coating of polyurethane. Drizzle or a sudden shower will mean that water can seep in from the outside. This however, will prevent this from happening. The forming of condensation can be prevented on the tent with certain coatings. Make sure you check this out before you purchase otherwise you could end up with a tent that has no ventilation.
The kinds of tents include ridge tents, geodesic tents, dome tents and tunnel tents. There are many factors which can determine whether your tent can withstand severe weather conditions; these include, the arrangement of the poles for the tent, the location of the guy points and the aerodynamics. Geodesic tents are the most sturdy and made to the standards that are fit for harsh weather conditions and therefore these types of tents are more suitable for expeditions. This has been designed uniquely in the sense that, the poles interconnect to each other to form a strong structure which means there is more room inside the tent. The added bonus is it can also take the weight of snow and reduce wind penetration.
The curved roof on the tunnel tent gives more height than the sloped pointed roof on the dome tent, which provides you with more space. This means you have more room available inside the tent and do not feel constricted. If you are looking for a lightweight tent then you should consider the dome tent. This tent only requires two poles to support it and three if it includes the porch. If you were going backpacking this would be most approrpriate.
If you are looking for a family tent then you must look for designs that are structured keeping in mind a base camp environment. Such tents are erected only once and remain until the end of the trip. Because these are larger and heavier, it is safe to assume they can accommodate more people for a longer period of time. You will not regret having more space, so if you can, take a tent that is size bigger than your actual requirement. With the above descriptions of the different varieties of tents, you can now easily select one of your choice.
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