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Family Tent Recommendations: Shapes & Weather
Howdy,
Tents come in four basic shapes: A-frame, umbrella, goedesic or dome, and wall. The A-frame is the common "pup" tent shape, but can also be quite large. The umbrella is a very commonly used family camping tent, as it has lots of standing room, with large windows and a rain fly over the top. The geodesic comes in many shapes, but all look like combinations of connected triangles. The wall tent is like an A-frame tent, but is generally much larger and has vertical side walls.
Tents with square floor shapes are more efficient when laying out sleeping and gear arrangements. If you buy a round floor, or nearly round like with the geodesic dome tents, yo should allow some extra floor area to make up for the less efficient layout.
Choose a tent with a good fabric. Nearly all tents today are made of nylon. Coated nylon is used for waterproofing. Nylon mesh is used for inner walls. No-see-um mesh is used for the window screens. Better tents use thicker fabric and rip-stop fabric.
Test the zippers. The zippers should open and close freely, and should not catch and bind up on the tent fabric. The zippers should not be of a rusting type material and most are not.
Make sure seams are reinforced with nylon tape. The tape is stitched into each seam, and will make the seam stronger and more waterproof. All waterproof seams in a nylon tent, such as on the fly and floor must be waterproofed with a seam sealer. Your new tent should come with a bottle of seam sealer. Set up the tent in the backyard or nearby park and apply the seam sealer. Let it dry before packing the tent. Remember to do this yearly. If you only camp during the summer of every year, it is recommended that you re-seal your tent just before you go camping again.
Weather Conditions:
One must always consider potential weather conditions. Wind, rain, sun, heat and cold all have different demands on the tent. Windy areas will require sturdy poles, stakes and anchor ropes. Geodesic tents are excellent in the wind. Their igloo-like shape reduces the wind's effect, and their pole arrangement provides great strength.
Rain creates two considerations. First, keeping the rain out. Second, giving you enough room so you will be comfortable if you have to "weather " the storm by entertaining yourself indoors for a while.
Your tent shaould have a completely waterproof rain fly made of coated nylon. The fly should wrap around and over the tents and reach down the sides nearly to the ground. This will keep out all types of rain, even if it is windy. The fly should extend far enough over the door, so it keeps out the rain when you open the door to enter or leave.
The floor should also be waterproof coated nylon. The fabric should cover the the floor and turn up the sides for about 6" or so. There should be a few seams as possible. This is called a "tub" floor. It will keep out any wtaer that runs down and under the tent. Also when it rains it is a very good idea not to have anything laying against the sides of the tent, condensation occurs when the tent is closed and it is warmer inside the tent than outside. Always try to have a space that is protected by the rain fly but can stay open on the tent so condensation is kept to as little as possible. If too much condensation occurs it could possibly "rain" inside the tent while it's raining outside and this is never good!
Sun and heat creat the need for shade and airflow. The rain fly will provide the shade for the tent. Large screened windows on opposite sides of the tent or a screened window opposite a screened door, will also allow air flow through the tent.
Cold weather brings special needs. Unless you will be dealing with camping in the snow(when you would need a mountaineering tent), you can use a "three-season" tent that has good features. The most important features will be a rain fly that fully covers the top and sides, and an interior layer made from an open mesh fabric to allow water vapor to pass through it. In cool weather, warm water vapor inside the tent, from damp fresh air and moist air you exhale, will condense on the cooler surface of the tent's exterior. The only way to prevent this is to allow the excess water vapor to escape from the tent by passing through the mesh fabric.
Finally, the tent size may also be a consideration if you plan to camp in cool weather. Your body heat will keep a small tent much warmer that outside. However, some campers will use a tent heater in their large tent. Heaters are not safe and should be used with extreme caution due to the closeness of tent walls and the possiblity of creating a fire.
Tents come in four basic shapes: A-frame, umbrella, goedesic or dome, and wall. The A-frame is the common "pup" tent shape, but can also be quite large. The umbrella is a very commonly used family camping tent, as it has lots of standing room, with large windows and a rain fly over the top. The geodesic comes in many shapes, but all look like combinations of connected triangles. The wall tent is like an A-frame tent, but is generally much larger and has vertical side walls.
Tents with square floor shapes are more efficient when laying out sleeping and gear arrangements. If you buy a round floor, or nearly round like with the geodesic dome tents, yo should allow some extra floor area to make up for the less efficient layout.
Choose a tent with a good fabric. Nearly all tents today are made of nylon. Coated nylon is used for waterproofing. Nylon mesh is used for inner walls. No-see-um mesh is used for the window screens. Better tents use thicker fabric and rip-stop fabric.
Test the zippers. The zippers should open and close freely, and should not catch and bind up on the tent fabric. The zippers should not be of a rusting type material and most are not.
Make sure seams are reinforced with nylon tape. The tape is stitched into each seam, and will make the seam stronger and more waterproof. All waterproof seams in a nylon tent, such as on the fly and floor must be waterproofed with a seam sealer. Your new tent should come with a bottle of seam sealer. Set up the tent in the backyard or nearby park and apply the seam sealer. Let it dry before packing the tent. Remember to do this yearly. If you only camp during the summer of every year, it is recommended that you re-seal your tent just before you go camping again.
Weather Conditions:
One must always consider potential weather conditions. Wind, rain, sun, heat and cold all have different demands on the tent. Windy areas will require sturdy poles, stakes and anchor ropes. Geodesic tents are excellent in the wind. Their igloo-like shape reduces the wind's effect, and their pole arrangement provides great strength.
Rain creates two considerations. First, keeping the rain out. Second, giving you enough room so you will be comfortable if you have to "weather " the storm by entertaining yourself indoors for a while.
Your tent shaould have a completely waterproof rain fly made of coated nylon. The fly should wrap around and over the tents and reach down the sides nearly to the ground. This will keep out all types of rain, even if it is windy. The fly should extend far enough over the door, so it keeps out the rain when you open the door to enter or leave.
The floor should also be waterproof coated nylon. The fabric should cover the the floor and turn up the sides for about 6" or so. There should be a few seams as possible. This is called a "tub" floor. It will keep out any wtaer that runs down and under the tent. Also when it rains it is a very good idea not to have anything laying against the sides of the tent, condensation occurs when the tent is closed and it is warmer inside the tent than outside. Always try to have a space that is protected by the rain fly but can stay open on the tent so condensation is kept to as little as possible. If too much condensation occurs it could possibly "rain" inside the tent while it's raining outside and this is never good!
Sun and heat creat the need for shade and airflow. The rain fly will provide the shade for the tent. Large screened windows on opposite sides of the tent or a screened window opposite a screened door, will also allow air flow through the tent.
Cold weather brings special needs. Unless you will be dealing with camping in the snow(when you would need a mountaineering tent), you can use a "three-season" tent that has good features. The most important features will be a rain fly that fully covers the top and sides, and an interior layer made from an open mesh fabric to allow water vapor to pass through it. In cool weather, warm water vapor inside the tent, from damp fresh air and moist air you exhale, will condense on the cooler surface of the tent's exterior. The only way to prevent this is to allow the excess water vapor to escape from the tent by passing through the mesh fabric.
Finally, the tent size may also be a consideration if you plan to camp in cool weather. Your body heat will keep a small tent much warmer that outside. However, some campers will use a tent heater in their large tent. Heaters are not safe and should be used with extreme caution due to the closeness of tent walls and the possiblity of creating a fire.
A canvas campateer
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