 |
Getting The Right Tent
by Ambra Sidoro
http://www.famtent.com
The two factors which should be considered when it comes to
buying a tent are firstly - what you are thinking of
spending on it? and secondly, what type of use is it going
to get? These things are connected and even if money is
not a problem there is little benefit to be had spending a
fortune on something for the kids to play in on the beach
every year. The answer is to purchase a quality tent that
fulfills your purpose.
Tents are not usually permanent homes, though there are
exceptions: for example, the nomadic tribesmen in Mongolia
use tents (known as Ger or Yust) as their only home, moving
on as the seasons dictate. But for most of us the tent is
a holiday base that allows us to get more closely connected
to nature, move easily from place to place as the mood
takes us, and perhaps to save a few dollars.
One important consideration is what form our travelling is
going to take. If we are taking the automobile then we do
not have to consider weight, although space is still a
factor. One idea would be to purchase a trailer tent.
These are something like a caravan that packs away and has
its own trailer. One benefit with these is that it is much
more simple to tow than a proper caravan. Alternatively,
if you are hoping to pack all your stuff into your
automobile then the amount space the packed tent will take
up is something you will need to account for. So it is a
compromise, whilst you want something that is nice a roomy
when it is put up, you don't want your tent to take up all
the room in your vehicle. It can be surprisingly how much
gear a family can need to camp: mats or beds and sleeping
bags; cooking equipment; fuel and stove; food; toys and
clothing. There is a lot to take.
There are tents that make the best use of space without
adding lots of bulk-creating material. Awnings make the
tent living space much bigger, keep the showers and the sun
off but do not take up much packed space. All the common
hall and living areas do not need a sewn-in ground sheet -
it just adds size to the packed tent. You will want the
bits reserved for sleeping to be insect and weather proof,
but the rest does not need to be. Yet you will want
standing room is your plan is to cook with the awning for
protection. Search out the best middle ground in terms of
living space verses size in the bag, but do not get overly
concerned about the poundage of the tent because you have
the automobile.
Certain tents are designed to resist severe weather. The
necessity of this is something you need to think about if
going on a camping trip with the family. Are you going to
brave the bad weather, or head for the motel down the road?
I would advise you to buy a tent that can put up with as
much bad weather as your family and leave it at that.
Tents that are built to weather severe storms usually mean
that they weigh much more, are larger and cost a great deal
more.
Automobile-backed camp trips are not the only choice.
Backpacking is a sensible consideration, even with a
family. But the things you need to think about are
different - almost everything suggested above you want to
reverse. Do not ignore weight - it is you back that is
going to be hauling this stuff. If you are interested then
you might want to look into the ultra light backpacking
revolution. There are fantastic active discussion lists on
the web, and small suppliers specializing in featherweight
gear. Tapping ultra light backpacking into your favorite
search engine will take you there.
Submit An Article
|
|  |
