Here is my first bit of advice and that is about choosing your tent. Camping is great fun IF you know which tent to buy and you have the right camping equipment for your needs. Today there are so many to choose from that it can get a little confusing which tent to buy. However, the good thing is that this means there will always be the perfect tent for you!

These are the questions you need to answer.

Size of Tent

How many people do you need the tent for? Do you have children? (You might be interested in our post camping with young children). If so it is useful to have a living area for them to play in if it’s not good weather. Don’t forget to include space you will need for storing things such as clothes and equipment inside. Do you want the option to cook and eat inside the tent? Or you might want an awning to keep your cooking equipment in.

Style of Tent

How confident are you at setting up camp? This is important to think about when deciding which tent to buy. Make sure you choose a tent that you will be able to set up fairly easily with the number of people you have available to help. Do you prefer separate sleeping quarters or all in one? What style do you want? A-frame tents, tunnel tents, hoop tents, dome tents?

Choose one with a rain fly at the entrance to protect from the rain. One that goes right down to the ground and allows you to adjust the tension depending on the weather. You might also consider a vestibule to store your wet wellies and coats so that they are not kept inside the tent.

Do you prefer separate sleeping quarters or all in one? What style do you want? A-frame tents, tunnel tents, hoop tents, dome tents?

Tent Material

Polyester tents are good for prolonged exposure to the sun. Nylon tents are lightweight and good if you are going from one camp site to another on foot. They dry very quickly. Canvas is very heavy especially when wet but of course it is durable. Think about the strength of the material. With the more recent windy weather it is best to have sturdy tent poles even if they are lightweight. Check the grommets are secure and that the seams are double sewn. Zippers should be heavy duty ones as you will be using them often.

It is also worth thinking about when you intend to camp and if you need an all season tent. Don’t forget that whatever time of year you go camping you should always have ventilation. Choose tents that have side ventilation with mesh opening as this will help keep the flies outside!

Taking the time to think about each of these criteria will help you to know which tent to buy that will be right for you.

Below is some more advice on tents and camping for you to look at.