by Lee MacRae

For some, camping means they think of the recreational vehicle “lifestyle” and all the amenities imaginable. But for many “campers’ it’s different. For them, the traditional camping tent in the back woods is how it should be. But with such an amazing variety out there, for so many families, finding the right camping tent for a camping trip is a difficult task. Having great camping trips will hinge on your ability on knowing how to buy camping gear and especially how to buy a tent. Read along as we will review some of the things to consider when buying a tent.

Determine Your Basic Needs
Before you and your friends even ever start to shop for a tent, take time to consider what you and your friends might need in a camping tent. First off, consider getting a tent that is durable and Lousy shelter from the elements will diminish your adventure unnecessarily. As the saying goes “Don’t leave home without it”! Add up as well how many campers will be in your party. you may want to mull over multiple 3-man tents instead of trying to find one large one.

Analyze Tent Shape
Put your thinking cap on when you venture into choosing just the shape itself. Consider the aspect of camping tent shape.

-Dome Tent: Not particularly stable [especially in bigger tents] but a generally good design for maximizing the height of a camping tent

-Tunnel Tent: This is a good design to maximize camping tent room but not increase the weight

-Vis-a-vis Dome Tent: A stable design [especially for larger camping tents] and efficient use of floor space

-Frame Tent: An older design good for large family camping tents but usually very heavy and difficult to put up

-Ridge Tent: An older design rarely seen in new camping tents. Needs guy lines to maintain structure

-Semi Geodesic Dome Tent: A self supporting tent design that is very stable and reasonably lightweight

-Fully Geodesic Dome Tent: A heavy tent design due to the extra pole but the most stable design
Each and every new tent will have various characteristics that corresponds with the price and usage. Weight, stability, space and shape are all factors to consider. The place where you set up camp as well as the time of season as well as the number of people involved all play into tent shape. Camping in weather conditions where you get a lot of wind will mean you need the more stable tent type.

Consider Cost Factors
If you are just starting out and you don’t expect to do a lot of camping, you can probably get away with an inexpensive tent to start. You can always get a better camping tent later and you can give the first camping tent to the kids for a backyard tent. An expensive tent doesn’t make sense if you rarely use it and the mice eat holes in it. A lower-priced tent will serve the same purpose. But keep in mind that the economy camping tent will have a shorter life. Low-priced, poor quality goods won’t last very long. A tent that is regularly priced much lower than others will also be of lower quality and the end result is expenses to repair its problems.

Take Care Of Your Tent
Once you have bought a new tent it would be advisable to apply some seam sealer to fully waterproof untaped seams. You may have to make sure it is re-applied occasionally or in the event of a new leak appearing. To keep the segments sliding easily and to protect the tent poles, use a silicone lubricant and apply a light coat. And on the zippers, apply the same lubricant to prevent them from freezing and to maintain a smooth operation. If you take care of your tent it can offer your family years of service.

Now you and your family can head off to the great outdoors. And there are so may camping grounds around the world to try.