| Product: |
Tents in General |
| Date: |
22/04/01 (284 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Being close to Nature
Disadvantages: Cold in Winter!
I love camping (not the 'ooh, ducky' type, the tent type)
Its that feeling of protection from the elements, hiding under your thin sheets of nylon.
There are so many choices of tent maker, model, size, cost, style available these days. How do you pick which one is right for you?
Firstly, when are you likely to go camping?
Summer only? Earlier/later in the year? All year round?
Secondly, where are you going to camp?
Safe, sheltered sites? Out in the wilds? High up mountains?
Thirdly, how many people will use the tent?
Just you? 2? 3? The whole Everest expedition?
These factors are the most important guides to your choice. Once you have 'identified your needs' you are ready to start looking for types of tent.
The earlier categories listed above require the least of the tent, the later ones require a lot more tent (and also, a lot more money)
Styles of tent.
Nowadays, tent shapes are generally divisible into; Hoop, Semi-geodesic, Tunnel, Cross-over dome and Geodesic dome. There are others but most are variations on these shapes.
Geodesic and semis are the strongest geometric shapes, followed by the tunnel.
The majority of tents which are designed to withstand extreme (ie High Mountain) conditions are geodesic domes. These tents are fully freestanding and very strong, capable of withstanding buffeting from every direction.
Hoop tents are usually only used as solo tents as they cannot be very large without the wind-resistance being severely compromised.
Tunnels are very wind-resistant when pitched end-on to the wind, these tents can be very long allowing a lot of room to live and store gear making them a good choice for cycle-touring.
The old fashioned ridge tents (the one your parents probably had, triangular in cross-section) have all but vanished from the market place as they offer a lower space/weight ratio than more modern styles.
Once you ha
ve identified the requirements you have for your tent and therefore have some idea of the style, the choice becomes much easier. Size and weight are just about all there is left to choose (except colour!).
Specialist outdoor-equipment retailers should stock a variety or tents from a range of manufacturers and will be able to advise you further.
Whatever you want your tent for, choose wisely and enjoy the great outdoors!
Summary:
|
Last comment:
 |
rob_writer - 22/04/01 The only camping I do is with my Sniper Rifle in Strike Force (a mod for UT)!!
Good op though. |
|
