How to Choose a Good Tent for Camping

Finding the right tent isn’t all that difficult, but you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on something you’re not going to enjoy. To choose a good tent for camping, you’ll want to consider a few factors like the kind of camping trip you’re planning, the size of your crowd, and what kind of tent you’ll be comfortable in.

Match the Tent to the Kind of Camping Trip

The first thing to consider when choosing a good tent for camping is what kind of camping trip you’ll be taking. There are just as many options for trips as there are tents.

If you’re just going out to the lake for the weekend, then you can choose just about any kind of recreational tent. Go to any department store that sells outdoor and sporting gear, and you can find a tent that’s perfect for casual camping.

But if you’re going backpacking in the wilderness, then you’ll want a very lightweight tent. Every ounce affects your endurance when you’re backpacking. Ultralight backpacking tents weigh three pounds or less, making them perfect for backpacking, wilderness, and survival camping trips.

If you’re setting up for a long period of time, like weeks or months, then you’ll want a heavy duty, super durable tent. Tents in this category are made of heavy materials such as water-resistant cotton canvas, aluminum poles, multilayer storm windows, and heat tolerant smokestack ports for woodburning stoves.

Get a Tent Big Enough for Your Crowd

According to the numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, the average family size was 3.13 people in 2021…weird math, but okay. A 2022 study by the American Pet Products Association revealed that 65.1 million people in America have dogs in their homes. Lots of people camp with a spouse, kids, and dogs.

If you have a camping squad, your tent can get pretty crowded so you’ll need something big enough for everyone. But if you’re going solo, there’s no reason to bring a gigantic tent with you…unless you’re into that sort of thing.

Each tent has a rating on the package that tells you how many people it can accommodate. That rating shows the max capacity with no room for wiggling. My advice is to think about how many people will be in your tent and add two to find a comfortable rating.

So, if you have two people, get a tent that’s rated for four. If you’re camping alone, you can get by with a rating for one, but a rating for two will give you a little room to move around.

Choose a Tent for Comfort

When you’re shopping for a tent, it’s important to think about how you’re going to spend your time in it. You should also think about the kind of furniture you’ll have in your tent.

As you spend time in your tent, you’ll notice the limitations that come with tent camping. You’ll also notice how well (or how old) your body feels when doing necessary activities in your tent.

Think about crouching to get in and out of your tent…multiple times in a 30-minute timeframe. Once you’re in the tent, you might be hunched over or crawling around on hands and knees. Getting dressed in a small tent can also be challenging. If you have chronic pains or injuries, a tight space may negatively affect your camping trip.

You might want to consider a tent that’s tall enough to stand in, a door that easily opens and closes, and maybe even a privacy screen that divides the tent into two rooms.

On the other hand, tall tents don’t stand up to wind as well as shorter tents. If you camp in windy locations then you might consider a dome tent.

Also consider the furniture you’ll want in your tent. Things like cots, air up mattresses, side tables, and camping chairs. These are important to some campers and not important to others. If they enhance your camping experience, then choose a tent that has space for them.

If you’re not comfortable, then you’re not going to enjoy camping. So pick a tent that will give you and your camping crew the best experience.

Conclusion

To choose a good tent, you should consider the main factors listed in this article. By matching your tent to the kind of trip, your crowd size, and your comfort, your camping experiences will be something to look forward to.