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Choosing a Perfect Tent

Choosing a Perfect Tent

Tents are available in numerous styles, designs & features and their characteristics ranges from a single-person accommodation to huge party tents and swiss cottage tents which come with partition and are ready to be furnished. Tenting experience can be more enjoyable if one chooses the right kind of tent, in accordance with the sort of use and specific requirements.

STEP I – JUDGING REQUIREMENTS

In order to choose an ideal tent, the first step is to judge your requirements on the following criteria:

Which time of the year is it required for? Tents are usually designed to support comfort in specific type of environments, while conforming themselves to other restraint like weight and durability. While some tents are meant to be used for a particular occasion only such as wedding tents, while others may be required round the year such as tents for resorts. Type of activity one is going for Your requirement for tents mostly depends upon the usage you’re going to make out of it. As an example, if one is going for camping using his own vehicle, the weight and size will not be a factor in deciding which tent should be chosen. However, if going out for mountaineering, these factors matter a lot. Size requirement You need to ascertain the size of the tent based on the purpose it is going to be used for. The most popular sizes for smaller tents in the present times are two and three person tents. Since tents considerably vary in sizes, it is important to consider that how many people will be using the product. Weight There are tents that are installed or erected once, but then there are tents which are inflated and installed again and again. And for such tents, weight consideration is an important factor. How will the you carry the tent will help determine which kind of tent is required, as if it would be carried in a trailer or by car, weight will not matter. But if it is backpacked, it needs to be light. Buyers’ Preferences Different people prefer different features while making a buying decision. Some wants to save money or save weight and some look for ventilation, space, sturdiness, versatility, storage areas, tent shape and height, color etc. It is advisable to rate all the preferences in the order of importance.

STEP II – WHAT IS THE TENT MADE OF?

The subsequent imperative consideration is about the fabric of the tent. Tents are made from a variety of different materials like cotton, canvas, polyethylene, nylon, etc. The important factor that should be kept in mind while choosing the fabric is that it should breathe & produce less condensation, should be water-repellant, fire-resistant & UV protected and should come with protection covering which avoids deterioration of the tent.

STEP III – SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF A QUALITY TENT

There are many tent features to consider when choosing a tent and all the alternatives available are important. These attributes are: Strength The tent must be constituted of a sturdy structure, fastened grommets, double sewn seams, and heavy-duty zippers, if required. Rain protection If a tent cannot stand extreme weather conditions, it is not worth buying. Hence, it is important that the tent is completely seam taped to prevent leaks in the rain. Wind resistance A tent should be so designed that it does not get blown away in severe winds. Designs like A-frame, tunnel and dome shaped serve this purpose well. Condensation Ventilation alone does not prevent condensation. Hence, it is something to be concerned about when choosing a tent. One should go for a tent with panels of coated fabric or coated fabric doors and awnings over the doors that can stay unzipped a little in the rain. Easy setup A tent should be easy to erect. Ventilation Ventilation is the most significant consideration while buying a tent as in the past; there have been incidents where people die inside tents due to suffocation.

STEP IV – SOME OTHER TENT FEATURES TO CONSIDER

After deciding on the suitable size, style, weight and have determined the budget range, here are a few other features to look for in order to narrow down the choices: The pole The material & number of poles determines tent weight and sturdiness. Always prefer mild steel over bamboo poles for as mild steel poles are more resistant to water, not affected by fungus & microorganisms, and are reasonably light and much more durable. The seams Beware of low-level seams where the tent floor meets the walls, as it could be an open avenue for water to seep through and be sure the specifications indicate all the seams are taped for water resistance. The floor If applicable, floors of the tent should be fabricated of waterproof polyurethane coating applied in many thin layers to prevent delaminating. Floors of tents used in extreme conditions use more layers of polyurethane for extra protection. The vestibules Vestibules are actually designed to maximize storage and living space without adding weight to the tent. This is the tent approach to put in the camping gear, etc. for maximum living space inside the tent.