If one of your hobbies is camping, and you’re engaged in this activity regularly, you might want to consider buying a camping tent of your own. It’s a good investment if you love going outdoors, but during the off season, it will still be useful when you want to spend quality time with your family in your local park.
But before you buy a camping tent, here is a list of what you need to consider first:
1. Budget
With a lot of camping tent options available in the market, the price can be a major determining factor when you’re thinking of purchasing one. From a consumer’s perspective, low-priced items are attractive. However, the downside of getting a cheaper camping tent is that the quality might be compromised.
Do some research on the best camping tent most hikers or campers would recommend and choose to buy, but make sure that these will also fit within your budget. You don’t even have to get the model that comes with a hefty price tag. Expensive tents don’t necessarily mean that they are the best in terms of quality.
2. Quality
Speaking of quality, you want to make sure that you’ll get the best value for your money when you buy a new camping tent. You should carefully examine first the overall quality of the tent before deciding which one to choose. Here are some pointers you need to consider to check the quality of the tent:
- Material – Make sure that the tent is made of high-quality fabric that is thick enough to protect you from the harsh environment of the camping site. Avoid tent fabrics that seem to be flimsy. Double-lined camping tents tend to be more durable and are of higher quality compared to single-lined tents. Moreover, you need to make sure that it’s waterproof to protect you from the rain.
- Stitching – You can quickly determine the quality of the tent by looking at the stitching. Make sure that all ends are properly stitched. Double-stitched ends and linings make sturdier tents, allowing them to withstand wear and tear for a more extended period.
- Poles – Since the poles of your tent will determine the stability of the whole structure, you have to make sure that it’s of the highest quality. Make sure that it’s made of high-quality metal that is not easily malleable if the current condition is windy. However, it should also be lightweight since it’s quite difficult carrying around a heavy tent, especially if you’ll be hiking on elevated areas to reach your campsite. Fiberglass and aluminum are the most common materials used for tent poles. It’s recommended to get the aluminum one because of its durability. Fiberglass, although lightweight, tends to break easily if there are harsh wind movements.
3. Size
The next consideration when buying a camping tent is the size. If you’re commonly camping in a group or with your family, you might want to consider getting a bigger tent. On the other hand, if you’re a solo traveler and you don’t like sharing your personal space during camping, you might want to get a smaller tent.
Think of its long-term use when buying a tent. You might choose to get a smaller tent as of the moment, but if you plan to join hiking groups in the future or bringing your family along, you might end up buying another one to fit your needs. Proper decision making will allow you to experience the value of your money on your tent purchase.
4. Additional features
Camping tents have other features that you can consider when buying. Here are some:
- Roof vents – These act as a window on the top of your dome tent and provides better ventilation.
- Footprint – If you’re not sure whether the camping site you’ll be going to is grassy or rocky, your tent’s footprint might bring you additional comfort. Especially if the tent base is not waterproof, having a footprint will prevent the bottom from getting wet.
- Tent mesh – If you think bringing an insect repellent will not be enough to protect you from insect bites, you might want to choose a tent with a mesh that will keep insects from entering inside. This can also provide ventilation as well.
Final Thoughts
Before buying a new camping tent, you have to consider a few things to make sure that you’ll get the most out of your purchase. You have to focus on the quality of the tent by checking the materials of the fabric and poles, as well as the sturdiness of the stitching. Size also matters if you’re camping with a group. Moreover, you can also consider other tent features that can provide you with added comfort and protection from the outside environment.