Simple Survival Skills

For most campers the most important element of camping is the tent.  A tent allows people to get in from extreme temperatures and weather such as rain.  It also gives you a place with some privacy.   But how do you know which tent is right for you?  There are so many different options.                                                 

1^st, When selecting cheap tents you can’t simply look at a price and if it’s low enough say “great” and buy it.  You need to understand if the tent is going to fit your needs and protect you from the great outdoors.

Some of the most important factors are:

Ventilation:  You don’t want a tent that is poorly ventilated.  It will trap all of the hot air right back in the tent with you creating a miserable night.  It’s important that the tent has more than one vent and can thoroughly help circulate the air into the tent.

Rain Fly:  Make sure your tent includes a rain fly and a good one at that.  A flimsy rain fly that will barely cover your tent isn’t much better than not having one all.  A good rainfly will covere your tent and a little area around your tent so that you don’t have to worry about the ground immediately outside of your tent being muddy.

Seams Sealed:  It doesn’t matter whether or not the tent company that designed the tent seals it or if you seal it later, it just needs to be made sure that it is done.  It’s really inportant that the seams are sealed and if they are not you can fix this up with duct tape.  You don’t want to have to worry about leaks or holes getting in your tent.

3 season tent or 4 season tent ?  There is also the debate over 4 season tents and 3 season tents and which you actually need.  For the majority of campers a 3 season tent should be plenty sufficient.  They are made to withstand most of the temperatures and climates that come their way.  However, if you know that you will be doing winter camping as well a 4 season tent is essential to keep you from the extreme weather.  They are built better and last longer because they are being designed to go up against such harsh conditions.

You are also going to want to consider what size tent you want.  Do you want a large tent or just room for yourself?  Do you need a 2 man, 4 man or 6 man tent or one that fits even more.  Are you bringing a lot of stuff that has to fit in the tent with you and how long and far do you have to carry it.  Will the weight of the tent be too much to carry if you are hiking a long distance.  If you are going to be hiking a long distance you probably don’t want a 40 pound tent coming along with you.

So when you are comparing cheap tents make sure that you don’t let the price be the only factor of whether or not you buy the tents.

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