Beginner Series on Camping - Selecting a Tent

Hopefully you have made a commitment to get outdoors a bit more this year.  Are you hesitant and just need a little help getting started.  A great way to enjoy the outdoors either solo or with friends and family is camping.  I'm doing a series of blogs just for beginners who want to try camping but are not sure where to start.  I know that cost can be a hurdle to getting started with camping and I will keep that in mind as I recommend some of the basic gear needed.  So, as you read through the series we'll outline the basics to get you started.  First you will need shelter.  This may be one of your larger investments but you can get great return on a good tent that is durable and versatile.   For beginners,  I expect that your first outing will be via car camping.  Car Camping means you are packing all your camping gear in your car and parking very close to where you will setup camp.  This allows you to be less concerned about the size and weight of your tent and accessories.   Now, without further delay, here are a few pointers to consider.

Tent Size

How many people will be occupying your tent?  I recommend getting a tent that is rated double the size as the number of people who will be sleeping in your tent.  For example, I use a 2 person tent when camping solo.  This provides  enough room for me and additional gear that I like to keep close or inside my tent.  Using this as a guide, two people would likely be more comfortable in a 4 person tent.  This depends quite a bit on the individuals, sleeping styles and how close you actually want to be but it's a good guideline.  Two people can be just fine with a two person tent and the same goes for a four person tent.  Just remember the size the manufacturer advertises assumes 'shoulder to shoulder' sleeping.  Also, If it rains you could be spending more time than expected inside your tent so it helps to have a little extra space.  

Type of Tent

Dome tents are a great option as they are easy to setup and usually only have 2 - 3 poles that intersect at the roof of the tent.  They are sturdy and hold up well in wind and rain.  The dome design also provides a good amount of headroom.  Three Season tents are mostly what you'll find in stores and online and are good for spring, summer and fall camping.  Additional concerns come into play for low temperature winter camping so we won't cover that here.  Make sure your tent has adequate ventilation for those beautiful nights when the skies are clear.  Look for tents with mesh openings that allow air to flow through on warm days/nights.  On some tents the rainfly can be attached to your tent and rolled back to allow maximum airflow and then quickly rolled out when rain is expected.  Here are a few great options for tents. The Mountainsmith is a 2 vestibule, 2 door small tent which will be good for those who want to take the minimalist approach.  The Coleman 4 person cabin is a larger 'instant' tent.  This means the poles unfold to allow for a potentially easier setup but don't expect it to be effortless.     

Mountainsmith 2 person tent

Coleman 4 person tent.  There is also a six person version of this tent. There is no vestibule for this style tent.

Rainfly w/Vestibule

While a rainfly isn't required as long as the mesh opening in your can't can be covered zipping closed the window/door openings, a vestibule is a very nice feature to have with a tent.  The vestibule can be best described as a 'covered porch'.  The size of that 'porch' is proportional to the size of your tent so don't expect to get all the contents of your trunk under this small area.  This is a great option when you want to store stoves, backpacks, tools, coolers, firewood... or other gear out of plain sight and not inside your tent.  At night you can keep your muddy boots just outside your tent and protected from the rain.  Just be sure to check the inside of your boots before putting them on in the morning.  Follow the link for the Mountainsmith tent above to see it with the rainfly/vestibule setup.

Protect the bottom of your tent

This tip is often viewed as optional but is recommended.  When you purchase your tent be sure to purchase the footprint that fits your tent or to save a few dollars buy a tarp that is large enough to cover the bottom of your tent.  This helps prolong the life of your investment.  

Setup your tent 'before' you go camping

This is really important.  Make sure you take a practice run at setting up your tent for the first time before you go camping.  You want to have confidence in your shelter and know how to set it up quickly if the need arises.  I have been on camping trips where the rain started 15 minutes after we reached camp.  Immediately after a 4 mile hike to get to our campsite.  We could smell the rain behind us.  Let's just say that some of us were dry when the rain stopped and some weren't.  Shelter is important, so make sure you are confident in your ability to setup your tent and make sure you have all the parts and nothing is torn or broken.  You don't want to find this out in the field.  

Protect your investment

A parting note.  Never store your tent away when it's wet.  Once you return from your camping trip make sure your tent is dry and clean before you store it.  Mold and mildew will grow and ruin your investment.  Purchase a tent you are comfortable with and take care of it.  

Okay campers!  Send any question and be on the lookout for the next post to help make your first camping trip a success.