Buying A Tent Guide - Tents For Camping Information

It's important when buying a tent that we understand the various designs. The main designs are the A-frame tents, Cabin tents, Dome tents and Tunnel tents.

If you are unaware of the various tent styles you may find using the choosing tents for camping guide useful, before checking what the best features are to look for, when buying a tent.

When choosing a camping tent; the quality of the materials used will be a higher standard when the cost rises.

• Important Tent Features


• Rain Fly
• Tent Pole Sleeve - Clip Design
• Free Standing Tents Design
• Single Skinned - Double Skinned Tents For Camping
• Inner Tent - Outer Tent Pitching
• Tent Poles
• Tent Stakes (tent pegs)
• Camping Tent Footprint (groundsheet)
• Vestibule
• Tent Ventilation
• Bathtub Floor - Tent Floor

Tents For Camping Information

This design feature allows a tent to be stable without tents stakes and guy lines. However, the tent will need to be staked out to protect against poor weather conditions.

For hot weather camping many of these can be pitched with just the main tent without the fly, that provides comfort and a great stargazing experience, but wont protect a camper from wet weather.

The rain fly will cover the inner tent partially ( awning type) or fully for weather protection. This is what protects the tent body from UV rays and precipitation.

Poor weather conditions will require a full rain fly for better protection. An awning for family tents is useful for providing shade from the sun. A rain fly that covers the main tent is usually a few inches above the ground.

Sleeves are used to thread tent poles through. The easiest is the clip design without the need to guide the pole through a sleeve making setting up much easier. Kelty tents are a great example of using the colour-coded clip design.

When buying a tent most will be double skinned type , that has an inner tent and outer (rain fly).

Tarp shelters for backpacking are single skinned that can be seen as just a rain fly with no inner tent. For the ultralight backpacking crew.

Tents for camping can either be set up with the outer or inner tent first. A tent that is set up with the outer tent first will provide protection when setting up in the rain to keep the main tent dry., although you have to get inside to assemble the inner tent that takes more time.

There are a few of these tents on the market where you can pitch and pack away the inner and outer together, making pitching a breeze and keeping it dry.

Outer tents to be set up first are the most popular and easiest to assemble, by setting the rain fly up over the top of the main tent, once the main tent is pitched.

The lightest and strongest tent poles are made from aluminium, Easton aluminium or DAC. Fibreglass poles are easily broken and splinter, weigh more and don't like the cold.

Most tent poles are elastic shock-corded that allow the pole's to remain as a hole unit, that fold's for easier pitching and packing like a magicians wand.

If your going to be buying a tent to last, avoid fibreglass pole completely.

All tents will come with stakes, although many tents for camping can be high quality, but the stakes can still be flimsy.

Check them out first, and replace for better quality stakes if needed. Tent stakes are mostly made with aluminium, plastic, steel or titanium. Titanium being very strong and lightweight.

Using a footprint to protect a tent from being damaged underneath is advisable, and they make a tent easier to keep clean.

These have to be made to fit under the tent by a few inches to prevent water leaking underneath.

Cheap to buy or easy to make from tarp.

A camping tent vestibule is an extended rain fly that creates a sheltered area where you can keep wet clothes, boots, and camping equipment if its a larger vestibule. The vestibule size makes all the difference for storage space.

Tents for camping need good ventilation whilst having the ability to keep you warm. Various vents, that can be closed, and situated in different positions will determine how well your camping tent is ventilated. Vents will need to provide air, prevent condensation whilst keeping the warmth in at night.

Often you will see no-see-um mesh within the tent's spec that provides ventilation.

This type of flooring when choosing tents for camping is the best design for protecting your self from leaks, because seams have no contact with floor. Factory taped seams are the best protection against wet conditions.

Some tents, shelter types have no tent floor that can be used with or without a tent foot print.

Ready For Buying A Tent ?

When buying a tent this guide should have taught you about the main features of the popular tents for camping used today. If you are unsure on the best camping tent design take a look at the tents for camping guide for designs.