Choosing a camping tent can be a hard task given the large number of tents on the market. To make this task easier, here are tips for choosing a camping tent:
Sleeping Capacity
Choose a tent that can accommodate the number of people you would be willing to accommodate while on a camping trip. The sleeping capacity of tents varies from one to as many as eight people. Check the manufacturer’s label for information on number of people a tent can accommodate.
Design
Design is an important factor one should consider when buying a tent. Design touches on aspects such as floor space, doors, storage options, and height. For instance, floor space dimensions allow one to determine how many people can fit inside a tent as well as available space for storing personal effects. If you are planning to go camping in winter or during a rainy season, go for a tent with enough space to stand and turn without bumping into another person or the roof.
Waterproof Capability
A tent should keep you and any other person sleeping inside dry. To keep the inside of a tent dry, manufacturers use waterproof coatings like silicone, polyurethane, or a mixture of both. In addition, they use numerical figures, which range anywhere from 1200mm to 3000mm, to show the capability of a tent to keep inhabitants dry. In general, the higher this figure, the better a tent is in terms of waterproof capability. For instance, 2000mm means your tent’s fabric can prevent a water column 2000mm tall from seeping through.
Material
Most tents are made of synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon. In fact, the upper part of a tent, the canopy, is usually made of tough, nylon material. Before buying a tent, check the denier value of its nylon fabric. In essence, a higher denier value denotes a heavier and stronger the nylon fabric and vice versa. Polyester fabrics are usually reserved for the rainfly or floor. Nevertheless, you will come across tents with polyester fabric canopies and nylon fabric floors or various combinations of synthetic materials.
Some of the important factors to consider when choosing a camping tent include the sleeping capacity, material, waterproof capability, and design.
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