Things To Consider Before You Purchase A Family Camping Tent

by ron on November 2, 2010

Wenzel Great Basin 18 X 10-Feet Nine-Person Two-Room Family Dome Tent (Light Grey/Blue/Taupe)
The spacious and weather-resistant Wenzel Great Basin is an 18-by-10-foot dome tent that sleeps up to nine campers. The ... Click Here for More Surprising Details >>

Before you purchase a family camping tent, answer these basic questions on how you will be using the tent and what type of camping you will be doing.  By determining what type of camping tent is right for you before you buy, you will save money, time and have the perfect tent for your camping experience.

What Type Of Camping Tent Do You Need?

This all comes down to one question.  What type of camping do you plan on?  If you want to experience the thrills of hiking through the back country, a light weight camping tent for two is the best choice for you.  If you are family camping in one location at a camp site, then you might want to opt for some creature comforts of home!  Such as room camping tents and large family camping tents that will not only comfortably sleep your entire family but will hold all their personal gear as well.

How many people will be using the tent?  And for what purposes?

As this article is geared toward family camping, we’ll stay with the large family style camping tents.  First decide on how you will be using your tent.  Are you just going to sleep in it?  Are you also storing personal items (clothes, entertainment, toiletries) inside?  Will you be using the tent to store other camping gear?  These are all important to consider before you purchase a camping tent, because when a manufacturer states that a tent sleeps four people, what they really mean to say is – this tent will only fit four normal sized sleeping bags with room for little else!  So if your family of four plans to use the tent for more than just sleep, then it’s wise to buy a large family camping tent that sleeps six and quite possibly a tent with more than one room (for those who are planning on camping with pre-teen and/or teenage kids – you know what I mean!).

What Kind Of Camper Are You?  And Why This Affects The Type Of Camping Tent You Buy

Again ask yourself what kind of camping you are planning – gentle backpacking, extreme wilderness trekking or family campsite?  Typically, if you are a family campsite camper, the amount of time or complexity of setting up your tent is less critical.  Obviously, the simpler the better, but for family camping the ease of setting up a large or multiple room family camping tent is not as important of a feature.  That is unless you get to your campsite after dusk, then you had better have packed your camping lanterns last!  These days most large family camping tents can easily be set up in about 15-20 minutes – if you have read the set-up instructions and have all the guy lines, stakes and tarps handy and ready to use.

What Seasons And Typical Weather Are Most Likely To Encounter?

Obviously spring, summer and fall are the seasons we camp during the most.  Yet depending on the geographic area, ask yourself how often could you experience more extreme weather?  We all know that sudden rain storms and high winds do happen, and if you typically camp in areas where the possibility of extreme weather can happen, you want to be prepared.  Every tent is water resistant to some degree, yet if you camp in an area where frequent rain storms occur, you may want to purchase a tent specifically designed to repel rain.  The same thing can be said for high winds, scorching sun and heat and the camping tents that are designed for those types of camping situations, such as stronger poles, sun screens and lots of vents.  Buy the tent with the proper features and your camping experience will be that much more wonderful!

Tent Design And Why It Matters

Camping tents come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors and formations.  Choosing the best one for you again depends on what style of camper you are, where you typically camp and what you will be using your tent for.  When purchasing a tent for family camping, remember you only have to set it up once and take it down once.  So during your camping experience your tent should be comfortable for everyone to use and function for all activities.  Here are several considerations:  Height of tent – if you’re 6’4” and you purchase a dome tent that is 5’6” high at the tallest point, be prepared for lots of stooping, otherwise you may want to purchase a family style camping tent with enough height clearance for the tallest member of the family!  Weather – if you camp in a constantly windy area (like some beaches) a dome style of tent would be better as it’s specifically designed to buffer high and constant winds.  Humidity – camping in high humidity areas can bring lots of wonderful insects to your camping experience!  You may want to purchase a tent with lots of screened vents and possibly a screened eating canopy as well. Personally, I’m not a bug-in-my-food kind of camper!

A Final Note On Family Camping Tents

Before you embark on your fabulous family camping vacation, set up your tent!  Make sure all the guy lines are intact and that you have enough stakes (plus extra just in case) to set up your tent.  Also clean the inside and outside of your tent in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions before you repack, you’ll be thankful you did when you get to your campsite!

Jana Puckett free lance writer & marketing consultant to industries including building products, camping, karate franchisees & pet grooming. Ms. Puckett is also owner of www.KazooCamping.com, a website devoted to quality family camping gear. Ms. Puckett lives in north Georgia and can be reached at dreamlivecamp@kazoocamping.com.

Handy Gourmet Set Of 3 Pop Up Food Covers Handy Gourmet Set Of 3 Pop Up Food Covers

List Price: $14.99

See Reviews For This Product

 

Description

3 Food Covers keep vittles fresh, pests out. Just place these pop-up mesh Food Covers over salad, fruit, pasta, pies, layer cakes, chips and other fare... nothing dries out or becomes a feasting spot for flies and other critters, and you can see the food underneath. Fully covers serving pieces up to 8"h. Great for camping, picnics, outdoor parties. Set of 3, measuring 16 1/2", 14 1/2" and 12 1/2" in diam. Each collapses to under an inch for easy packing and storage. Set weighs 1 lb., 1 oz. Gotcha covered! Food Covers Set

Oakton EcoTestr pH 2 Waterproof pH Tester, -1.0 to 15.0 pH Range Oakton EcoTestr pH 2 Waterproof pH Tester, -1.0 to 15.0 pH Range

List Price: $61.75

See Reviews For This Product

 

Description

Simply dip and read— the orientation of the display means no need to turn your head or tilt the tester. This low-cost meter is perfect for most applications. The single-junction electrode is recessed to protect against breakage. The unit offers up to three-point calibration with auto-buffer recognition for quick calibrations, automatic temperature compensation for accurate reading under changing conditions, hold function to lock measure value, and auto-off to prolong battery life. Built-in belt clip allows you to hang your meter when not in use. What's Included: four 1.5 V button cell batteries.

COLEMAN Oasis 6 Person Family Camping Tent w Waterproof WeatherTec 12 x 10
COLEMAN Oasis 6 Person Family Camping Tent w Waterproof WeatherTec 12 x 10 $79.99
Time Remaining: 18d 9h 10m
Buy It Now for only: $79.99

SUISSE SPORT WYOMING FAMILY CAMPING TENT 8 PERSON 3 ROOM EIGHT PEOPLE 3 ROOMS
SUISSE SPORT WYOMING FAMILY CAMPING TENT 8 PERSON 3 ROOM EIGHT PEOPLE 3 ROOMS $120.00 (2 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1h 10m

10 12 Man Person 2+1room Large Tunnel Camping Tent Family Group Tent W Carry Bag
10 12 Man Person 2+1room Large Tunnel Camping Tent Family Group Tent W Carry Bag $175.99
Time Remaining: 15h 12m

Huge Exclusive Large Family Camping Tent The Bostonian 12 15 Person 23X13
Huge Exclusive Large Family Camping Tent The Bostonian 12 15 Person 23X13 $224.99
Time Remaining: 4d 14h 8m
Buy It Now for only: $224.99

Mars 18 X 13 x 6 Premium 6 Person Man Family Camping Tent w Bonuses New
Mars 18 X 13 x 6 Premium 6 Person Man Family Camping Tent w Bonuses New $199.00
Time Remaining: 41m

Tahoe Gear Prescott 10 Person 3 Season Family Cabin Tent
Tahoe Gear Prescott 10 Person 3 Season Family Cabin Tent $149.99
Time Remaining: 13d 19h 33m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99

8 10 Person Family Large Tent Outdoor Camping Fiberglass 210T PU3000 Orange+Gray
8 10 Person Family Large Tent Outdoor Camping Fiberglass 210T PU3000 Orange+Gray $139.99
Time Remaining: 33m

Coleman WeatherMaster 6 7 8 9 10 Person Large Screened Tent Family Cabin Camping
Coleman WeatherMaster 6 7 8 9 10 Person Large Screened Tent Family Cabin Camping $208.84
Time Remaining: 2h 39m

VINTAGE 13 X 9 CANVAS TENT COMPLETE VERY VERY NICE CONDITION EASY SETUP
VINTAGE 13 X 9 CANVAS TENT COMPLETE VERY VERY NICE CONDITION EASY SETUP $250.00
Time Remaining: 29d 17h 13m
Buy It Now for only: $250.00

VINTAGE SIERRA DESIGNS METEOR LIGHT 2 PERSON BACKPACK TENT
VINTAGE SIERRA DESIGNS METEOR LIGHT 2 PERSON BACKPACK TENT $45.00 (12 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1h 29m

HUGE 9 Person 4 Room Tent Rain Cover Dome 18x13x78
HUGE 9 Person 4 Room Tent Rain Cover Dome 18x13x78 $169.85
Time Remaining: 23h 44m
Buy It Now for only: $169.85

Coleman Naugatuck 6 Person Signature Tent
Coleman Naugatuck 6 Person Signature Tent $56.99 (6 Bids)
Time Remaining: 15h 36m

NEW REI Hobitat 6 Tent Six Person
NEW REI Hobitat 6 Tent Six Person $200.00
Time Remaining: 1d 3h 49m

NEW COLEMAN Camping Evanston 8 Person Family Screened Waterproof Tent 15 x 12
NEW COLEMAN Camping Evanston 8 Person Family Screened Waterproof Tent 15 x 12 $149.95
Time Remaining: 27d 18h 40m
Buy It Now for only: $149.95

BIG New Ozark Trail 10 Person 3 Room XL Vacation Lodge Camping Tent 20 x 11
BIG New Ozark Trail 10 Person 3 Room XL Vacation Lodge Camping Tent 20 x 11 $122.50 (9 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 41m

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Leave a Comment

Spam Protection by WP-SpamFree

Previous post: coleman company 6PK ABS 9′ Tent Peg tents & tent accessories

Next post: Texsport Saguaro Bivy Shelter Tent