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Christmas Guide to Shopping For Camping Gear & Tents

LOOKING FOR A Family Camping TENT

For the beginning camper, a tent is a great way to start. And the first question you need to ask yourself is how big do you want it? Go check out www.americanoutdoorsupplies.com.  A two-person tent has very little elbow room or extra storage space. Multi-room tents are usually either two room styles with an inside tent wall that separates the bedroom from the kid's room or screen room or a three-room with an added screen room for changing wet or dirty clothes before entering the rest of the tent or a dining room where you can set up chairs and a table if it's raining.

If you are traveling with your vehicle, the size or weight of your tent or tents is not much of an issue for transporting it. Most will easily fit in your car trunk. Many experts suggest that size is determined by how many people will be using the tent. Always get a tent that is listed for at least two people more than the number of campers. For example, if two people will be camping, get a four-person tent, four people, a six-person tent, etc.

Some features you need to look for include:

• • Aluminum poles. Fiberglass poles are more fragile and consequently, more likely to break.
• • An adequate rain fly. This is the umbrella for your tent. The bigger it is, the better. It should come down the sides of your tent, not just over the top. Unlike the walls of the tent, which are water repellent, the rain fly should be completely waterproof.
• Folded seams and double stitching. You shouldn't be able to pull material on either side of a seam and see stitches. Strained seams will lead to tears and your tent won't provide much shelter then. And remember to use seam sealer on all seams when you first get your tent and before every new camping season.
• • One piece floor. The floor should be waterproof and should come up a few inches on the sides of the tent before it is sewn to the walls. There should be no seam in the floor.
• • Adequate guy lines. These are loops sewn near the middle of the tent and are used to attach guy lines (usually rope) that pull out the walls so they are taut. You don't want your tent flapping in the wind.
• • Meshing for all windows, small enough to keep tiny bugs called noseeums out
• • Roof vent. You need a vent at the top of your tent for air circulation. It will also eliminate condensation inside your tent so that it remains dry when dew develops in the morning
• • Heavy zippers. These zippers will be used frequently. You want them to last.

Family and Outdoor Camping Tent Designs

A-Frame Tents

This is the traditional tent shape. It is light but has little headroom because of the steep slope of its walls. Some new campers describe it as claustrophobic. It will need a tarp and usually consists of two poles and wires to stabilize the structure. It is the least sturdy in wind.

Modified A-Frame Tents

These tents use curved poles for added stability and more interior space. They can be freestanding and often come with rain flies.

Cabin Tents

These provide lots of interior space but are much heavier and often more difficult to set up. They need to be staked properly so the fabric doesn't sag and let water in.

Tunnel Tents

These tents have two or more poles running along their width and provide very good internal space. They are very stable if pitched directly in the wind but offer little protection from side winds.

Hoop Tents

Designed with curved poles at each end, these need guy ropes and pegs staked carefully so that unsupported fabric doesn't flap in the wind. Both doors and interior space are roomy and, because of their design, snow and water flow easily off exterior walls. They are not as stable as dome tents. They have fairly good floor space and are the smallest and lightest packing tent.

Single-Hoop Tents

Ideal for backpacking, these are very lightweight and use only one curved pole. They are quite small and, at most, have enough room for two people only.

Dome Tents

A popular choice, dome tents are stable and simple to assemble. They use two or three poles which pass through the center of the roof and the ground area is either square  or hexagonal. They offer adequate headroom and sometimes even include separate rooms. Their design means you can utilize interior space efficiently. The hexagonal shape adds to the stability and offers maximum headroom space but less floor space than the square shape. If high, these tents can be unstable in strong winds. They handle snow better than most. Free standing, they are the most popular design for general camping.   For a Variety of Tents go to American Outdoor Supplies. For Adventure check out the Gear section.  For Outdoor Adventure and Feeling Better to enjoy, check out the Health and nutrition page.

About the Author

Everett Tent & Awning,Everett, WA