Tents for Camping

By David Harvey

To me, camping means sleeping out in a tent. And tents for camping can be obtained to fit all just about every budget and camping requirement. Let me explain.

The most common type of tent in use at the moment is the Dome Tent. These excellent camping tents can be erected with the minimum of fuss and are held open by a series of bendable poles which create a frame that the tent attaches to by clips or ties.

The best dome tents are created with an inner tent that allows for air circulation but keeps the insects out. Make sure it also has a vestibule area where you can store your rucksack (pack) and boots – they can be outside the inside tent, but out of sight and safe from the rain. Your inner tent should also have a waterproof floor. Cheap camping tents usually have fiber glass poles, which can splinter quite easily. The better quality tents have aluminum or metal alloy poles, which are much more durable.

A waterproof outer tent then covers the outside of the frame, keeping out the rain and wind, but allowing vital air circulation so your breath and natural body sweat – even while sleeping – does not condense on the tent walls and drip on you! Yes. That can happen in poorly-made tents with inadequate ventilation.

If you just want to provide a play tent for the kids to use in your back yard, then a $20 cheapie from the supermarket will do fine. Don’t expect it to last too long, however.

A decent quality tent camping tent is more likely to cost you in the region of $200 or even more, but it should give you years of loyal service as long as you look after it properly and don’t let the kids run rampage with the thing. If you have to break camp in the rain and pack the tent up wet, make sure you open it up and dry it fully when you get home.

Looking after your tent means making sure it’s properly clean and dry before it gets packed away. Otherwise mold and other problems will damage the canvas or other fabric, and corrosion will attack the metal parts.

Clean your tent when you’ve finished with it and pack it away safely. It will give years of service if you look after it. It helps to take care of minor repairs right away, too. Don’t be afraid to use a needle and thread or to apply a patch and stick it down firmly with adhesive. Untangle the guy lines and straighten or replace lost and damaged tent pegs as well. Then you’re all set ready for your next camping adventure.

Tents for camping are normally designed for any number of people ranging from two to eight persons. If you can handle the extra weight and size, it’s more comfortable to be in a tent that’s slightly bigger than what you thought you’d need.

I enjoy camping alone in a 2-person tent, for example. But if there’s a companion with me, I’ll take a 3-person tent or something even larger. It just makes the confined space more pleasant when you have to be inside, and it leaves you room to place your backpack, shoes or boots, and wet-weather clothing nice and handy. In a tiny tent you have to pack up everything you’re not wearing, and may have to place your bags or backpacks outside the tent. That may be fine in the wilderness someplace, but you sure wouldn’t want to do this any place where others might steal your camping gear while you sleep.

You can eliminate unnecessary phone calls from the outside world if you keep your cellphone switched off during the day. Just enjoy the day’s camping activities. That’s why you’re there, isn’t it? It’s a good idea to have a cell phone available for any life-threatening emergency. Just keep it switched off and deal with everything else yourself. Of course, if you can’t quite relax enough to keep your mobile off all the time, try to limit its use to switching the contraption on once each evening so you can check for any really urgent messages.

Isn’t that why you went tent camping, after all… to get away from the office?

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Read Another Post :
How To Choose The Right Camping Tent
Taking Care of Camping Tents
Tents – Choosing Based on Use

David Harvey has enjoyed recreational camping for more than 40 years, sleeping alone or with friends in tents large and small, summer and winter. He has been both a Boy Scout and a Scout Leader, and still makes use of his camping gear whenever he needs a break from his Internet Publishing pursuits. David is a the publisher of several web sites, including 1 Camping Tent.