Choosing the Best Camping Tent for the Seasons

So you’re thinking about going camping. This can be one of the greatest times of your life, an experience that you'll remember for years to come. There are a couple of things that you'll want to keep in mind when starting your adventure:

Start by checking out the campgrounds that are accredited by the American Camping Association and Campgrounds of America. Next, will you be backpacking into the back country or renting an RV, using a pop up or parking and just pitching a tent. Perhaps you’re pulling a travel trailer. Maybe that’s too much luxury for you. You’re a real mountain man and all you need is a warm coat and a tarp.

One of the most important things is choosing a tent for your trip. What type of weather conditions are you expecting? Will you be hiking long distances? Some tents only weight 2 to 3 pounds, and some weight 6,7, or 8 lbs. or more. Like a boy scout always be prepared. A four season tent is heavier than a three season tent.

One thing to note which is somewhat obvious, is that these contain additional poles than 3 season tents have. More poles help them to withstand the elements such as snow and heavy winds. Most of us won’t camp out in the winter so a three season tent is suitable.

If you’re a back packer you’ll want to keep your load as light as possible. We like to go camping as a couple and so the tent needs to be for 2 people. A tarp tent or a small one man tent may be the one for you, or if you’re camping in summer a lightweight warm weather tent may work.

If you like to a drive up base camp area because you are with children then the weight of a tent will not be an issue for you. You will probably be more concerned with how many people can fit in the tent. For example, a two man tent will be uncomfortable for two large adults and all their gear. What you really want to look for is at least 35 square feet of floor space per person.

If you’re traveling with kids you definitely want to look into a larger model of tent. You’ll want a large area inside your tent, especially as there may be bad weather, and have the kids inside the tent for extended periods of time. But it would be nice to have a separate tent for the kids.

What I do before spending my money is go to the local outdoor store. They usually have the tents set up. I walk around in it. I sit in it. Stand up straight in it. Most importantly, I check out what I can get for the money. Then I go online and find it here.