Choosing a tent
There are several types of tent on the market, ranging from large family designs to smaller, lightweight backpacking tents. This guide will help you decide which one is best for you.
1. Types of Tent
1-2 person
Usually dome-shaped, lightweight and compact enough to fit into a rucksack.
Ideal for backpackers, cyclists, festivals and weekends away travelling light.
3-4 person
These usually have larger porch areas for storing gear.
Ideal for groups or small families on short breaks.
Group and Family
Well-featured tents with large living space, storage for gear and, typically, sectioned off sleeping compartments.
Ideal for larger groups and families.
Expedition
Lightweight, compact and highly waterproof tents, equipped with strong alloy poles.
Ideal for expeditions, where the weather could be volatile and harsh.
Bivibags
One-man shelters, usually lightweight with small pack-down size.
Ideal for solo travellers or those on serious expeditions.
Emergency shelters
Waterproof shelters, ideal for any trip where conditions can suddenly change without warning.
2. Seasons and Conditions
When selecting a tent, you need to consider the conditions you're likely to encounter, the number of people you need to accommodate, and how much bulk and weight you are prepared to carry.
Three-season tents provide weather protection in everything but heavy snowfalls and very high winds, and they offer good ventilation in spring, summer, and autumn. They tend to be less expensive, lighter and more compact than four season tents, making them ideal for backpackers and cyclists.
Four-season tents offer protection in all weathers. They have low, curved shapes to offer less resistance to high winds and reduce snow build-up and they will have more, and heavier, poles. Additional guy-points and lines provide more staking options. Fabrics are usually heavier, with thicker waterproof coatings. These tents are well suited to ski touring, winter camping and mountaineering.
Single wall tents are suitable for serious expedition and four-season use. With no separate inner canopy, they are lighter to carry and easier to erect, and they provide more headroom and useable floor area. They are usually made in waterproof and breathable fabrics, so they are well suited to the cooler, drier conditions found above the snowline but they do not function so well in the heat or high humidity of summer and/or sea-level locations.
3. Sizes and Shapes
Freestanding tents, usually domed or geodesic in shape, assume their basic shape and rigidity when you add the poles. Once erected you can pick them up to change position or shake them out. They usually provide generous usable floor space and overhead room, making them ideal for families and groups who want to use them as a meeting space. As they use more poles for bracing, they are usually quieter in wind and less prone to swaying.
Tunnel tents are lightweight structures that hang from hoop or arch-shaped poles, and they form their shape when the ends are pegged out. In mild conditions, they may require as few as three pegs or anchor points, but they can be braced with additional guy lines and anchors in rougher weather. Because they are lighter and they pack smaller, they are ideal for backpacking and weekend breaks.