The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Tent for Your Adventure

March 27, 2023

A lightweight frame with a single-layer coating or a double-layer application with a heavy frame, not afraid of bad weather, squally gusts of wind? Have the seams been treated with silicone, and has flame retardant been applied? What was the standard hydrostatic test: European EN 20811 or American AATCC 127? And will the "roof" not leak when there is a heavy downpour, and will the "walls" be able to withstand a violent side wind? And it wouldn't hurt to test the floor for durability. It's all about temporary accommodation for a hiker, a house in the backpack, portable comfort, a pledge of vigor and good mood - the tent. This little miracle will largely depend on a short or stretched over time, well-planned on a skurpulozhno route trip. And it doesn't matter where. In the mountains, on a rocky plateau, in a forest clearing, near a body of water, on a plain or dense forest. So how to choose the best tent for your upcoming hike? What to pay attention to, and what type should it be for the chosen route? You should agree that this is not an idle question. It does not matter what period you have planned your hike for, two or three weeks or a few days. Without temporary shelter, in any case, can not do. And the best protection than a tent, which is hard to find. It's not a dabble, as amateurs or novice hikers try to imagine. It is, figuratively speaking, a second temporary home behind. And the choice of personal "housing" must be approached with knowledge and a high degree of responsibility. When choosing a tent and paying attention to functional features and types, you'll understand what they give and what it's all for. And if you are aware, then you are armed.
Let's start with the things that sometimes seem apparent to us. What do you need a tent for anyway? Many people will not hesitate to answer - for a comfortable pastime. And they would be completely wrong. Comfort is a permanent home; the tent is a temporary shelter from the sun's heat, bad weather, wind, and rain. It will not freeze at sub-zero temperatures. The central postulate - is not a dwelling. It is a temporary shelter. It is a paradox, but its strengths are connected to its weaknesses. The beautiful word "compactness" can be interpreted as fragility, and "lightness" is far from reliable. The quickness of assembly will complicate the design. So choosing ease of movement when traveling and the ability to quickly assemble and disassemble the temporary housing, you sacrifice your comfort. Losing one, we find the other. And what you want from it, you choose.

Types of tents
The tent has, as a rule, its purpose depending on the task at hand. Conventionally, they are divided into four types - camping, hiking, trekking, and assault. The name "camping" speaks for itself. It is designed for long rest, with a large vestibule and high ceiling, a kitchen, a dining area, and a capacity of four to twelve seats with a weight of up to seventy pounds. They are often equipped with additional awnings and racks, expanding the usable area. This is more of a "shelter" for the family, going out for a picnic or fishing, transported by car. It should be remembered that assembling this construction requires stocking up, not terrific patience and reserve time. And, of course, cross it off the list for use in hiking and mountaineering.
Tourist tents are comfortable and easy to carry, with a weight of up to four pounds, with the ability to accommodate three people, without comfort, with the ability to sit or lie down. It seems to us that the loud name "tourist tent" corresponds only in form. Yes, for a picnic, but not for tourism. Spending the night in nature under good weather conditions is quite suitable. You might as well sleep in a sleeping bag under a bush in the glade. There is no comfort at all. Its price is among the advantages. For your own money with low reliability, you get the possibility of an overnight stay in nature. Indeed without showers and wind.
Trekking tent is lightweight, designed for two people, does not protect against the wind, and is designed mainly for short rest. However, the manufacturers position these tents as a real find for tourism and travel, resistant to gusts of wind, and ready to use in extreme conditions. We will note that the only definite plus is the possibility of its installation by one person. How to perform this action in bad weather is a big question. And the presence of high-tech single-layer models does not change the attitude toward the reliability of this product. It is the same tourist tent, but with good pre-sales advertising and a high selling price. Although mountaineering, climbing such tents is not a wrong choice for hiking. Extreme or assault tent designed for various difficult weather conditions, stable, reliable, despite the lightness to two pounds. And is actively used for long hikes and climbers. You're mistaken if you think that's the end of your knowledge. You have to consider the seasonality of this product, which the classification distinguishes three variants. Summer, well ventilated, with windows and mosquito nets. Three-seasonal, with a thick fabric and stable construction for spring, summer, and autumn, will not keep you from heavy snowfalls and frosts. A universal option - an all-season tent, made of durable materials, can shelter you in the off-season and from the snow, blizzards, and inclement weather. This stage of the choice is precise. It remains to determine the size and shape of our portable house.
The size, as you know, depends on the number of people planning to stay here. Manufacturers have derived a simple formula for calculating it. The calculation is enough for an adult-fit man with a backpack with a standard width of ninety centimeters for a one-person tent. The double and triple "living" area is multiplied by two or three. This, of course, is not a panacea and not a dogma for different manufacturers.
Therefore, before buying, it is necessary to know the length and width of the selected product in advance. You can use completely free and practical advice. Finding out the size offered by the manufacturer, do not be lazy and recreate this "square" at home. After that, try to fit in this "square." This will help you to make an important decision. The question of comfort and reliability can be tied together by stopping at the form of a temporary "home." And the choice here is quite broad. The ability to set anywhere in the tent of streamlined shape in the form of a dome holding structure of crossed arcs, it is customary to call a hemisphere. In a roomy semi-tent, angles hold the tent parallel to each other, often providing one or two vestibules. This design does not have the wind load and can tip over, and the installation should choose the location of campsites or near the trees that provide protection. A tent, in general, can not be used for hiking, as it is bulky, with the ability to pass at full height, in a frame design, and large-sized. This applies to the classic tents with a double pitch roof in the form of a house. Not a bad option with the disadvantages of mounting and instability against the wind. The frameless tent is hard to call home or severe shelter from the weather. This is an ordinary awning stretched on strings and fastened between trees or poles. Meteorologists have nothing to expect except for compactness, lightness, and hope for an optimistic forecast.

What to look for when choosing a tent?
There are common features inherent in modern tents. They are simple in design, with a frame base made of aluminum or fiberglass strong arcs, which give the structure a certain shape. This structure is tightened with a tent to protect against wind, weather, and cold. Regardless of the number of layers, it is made of waterproof material. By the way, the presence of a designation with the letter "T" will indicate the number of threads in a square inch of weave, which will correspond to the density of the fabric. And you're sure to find a water resistance rating here, ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 millimeters. The higher this index, the more your temporary shelter will be able to withstand a downpour. One-layer or two-layer, what's the difference? It all depends on the construction. One layer is conditionally a whole waterproof canvas, easy to install, and compact in transport form. In such a shelter, the sun is hot, and condensation is formed in the cold without good constant ventilation. And overnight in the cold and puddle pleases little. For the sake of objectivity, we should note that science is not standing still, and as an alternative to the market offers expensive membrane tents and non-blown fabrics. We advise looking at the double-layered tambour tent, equipped with waterproof outer and inner "breathable" awnings divided between a ten-inch air gap. This will remove condensation and add comfort. By the way, many manufacturers complete their products sewn or removable along the perimeter of the additional strip of fabric, preventing the ingress of precipitation between the layers of the awning. For summer trekking tents, such a "skirt" does not save from condensation but adds unnecessary weight. In winter, this option is quite acceptable. An important point - the bottom of the tent. As a rule, for its manufacture, use a denser material that will protect you from moisture and water flows. The leading indicator of the bottom material is water resistant. It should withstand at least five thousand millimeters of the water column. Sometimes in budget models, the production of the floor is often used very strong and penny material with high water resistance - reinforced polyethylene. Do not be fooled by the cheapness. It has several disadvantages. First, it is heavy; second, if damaged, it isn't easy to repair.
Be sure to pay attention to the seams when choosing a mobile home. This is extremely important. Cheap tents have the usually stitched seams, through which water often oozes out. If you are unhappy with the prospect of getting wet under the roof, make sure they are glued and welded. It is more expensive, but what can not be done for comfort? What else should you pay attention to? Completion. It varies: with windows, vestibule, ventilation system, nets against mosquitoes and flies, and the like. However, this does not guarantee a perfect purchase. The concept of "my" tent comes with the acquired hiking experience long before its acquisition when you have experienced and encountered the problems of living in tents of different types and designs.

Conclusion
It's time to ask yourself, do you need a tent? After all, without food backpack with all the equipment will pull fourteen kilograms, with a week's supply of food at the mark of up to twenty kilograms. So the tent must be lightweight, small-sized for carrying in a backpack, and reliable in design and materials. And, as you have understood, the family budget for buying a good product will lose much weight. And if we consider that there is no limit to perfection, this is only an intermediate "budget" stop. So it will not be superfluous at first on an ordinary sheet of paper to lay out all your "wants. Paper will hold everything, but this way, you'll at least see where to start. Determine what kind of trips you are going on. This will influence your choices. If you're not going to the mountains or along a complicated long route, you don't need an expensive good-quality tent, and a budget will suffice. But if you're planning to storm the peaks, don't try to save money. Many trips fail due to the wrong choice of equipment. In short, turn on the brain first, and then make a purchasing decision. Well, if the purchase was made, then some tips on using the "portable" home. Do not chase the newest models of famous brands, but take a closer look at the past line of these products. The bonus is that you get a great product at a loyal price. Little-known companies also make quality products. Please do not be lazy to study the feedback of those who have already bought something from them; listen to the opinion of friends and experts. Do not hurry with the new tent. Immediately go on a trip. It is also worthwhile to find out everything at home. To do this, it will be necessary to lay it out in a flat place, collect it, and look through all the seams, snaps, and completeness. And the main rule – is proper storage. After the trip, please do not be lazy to dry it, clean it, review the pegs and remove dirt from them, and treat seams with a special agent for elasticity. And then back into the bag. Until the next hike.