Selecting a Good Tent

Tents

Recently I enjoyed a weekend jeeping with friends in the San Bernardino Mountains. Midsummer is a wonderful time in this location. Long days, warm weather, beautiful skies and afternoon thunderstorms. This particular weekend there was a substantial amount of monsoon moisture working its way up from the sub-tropics. As a result the thunderstorms were not just the usually afternoon event but were occurring in various locations day and night. That night we were pounded by one of these cloudbursts. As I lay in my tent, dry and comfortable, I thought about how glad I was to have chosen a good tent. I also wondered how many novice family campers and weekend warriors were out there wet and miserable.

A good tent is an essential piece of equipment. It is after all your shelter. Most survivalist will tell you that it is more important than water. This is based on the survival “rule of threes”. A person can only survive 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter (adverse conditions), 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. So yes, based on this, shelter in adverse conditions will be needed long before anything else. If you are car camping in a crowded National Park campground this is all meaningless to you. But if you are even a short distance out in the “sticks” it is important. Even in 60 degree weather, wet clothing can bring the onset of hypothermia. Or a vehicle breakdown in the summertime desert, without shade, can quickly put you in an emergency situation.

The variety of tents available today is far greater than it was only two decades ago. New high-tech materials are constantly being utilized in new models. In selecting a tent one must consider what type of camping they do and what their comfort needs are. I do a variety of different types of camping so over the years I’ve collected six different tents. I have a 1-1/2 pound ultralight backpacking tent for, well, backpacking. To a big heavy stand up inside, 6 person, all season, home for two weeks kind of tent. And four more in between. This is because I have found that comfort lies with good selection. So honestly consider your needs in selecting your tent. Keep in mind that the “x person” size given by all tent manufacturers is based on people sleeping together packed in like sardines. My 2 person North Face is my personal favorite when it’s just me. My large 6 person tent is just right for three people on a weeklong outing.

Tent Categories

  

 

 A typical family summer tent.

Tents fall into three basic categories; summer family tents, 3-season tents and 4-season tents. The summer family tents are the inexpensive, roomy, light fabric varieties found at Big 5 or Target. These are very popular with car campers, especially on a budget. These are generally of the dome or wall type. I’ve had several of these over the years. They are all gone, didn’t stand up to my needs. I’d have kept them if they hadn’t come apart. The last one came with fiberglass poles. One very windy winter night in the Mojave Desert the tent was blown down, breaking the poles and tearing out a fly panel. I repaired the fly panel and replaced the poles with new Easton ½” aluminum poles. Well, the tent design suffered from too much nylon and not enough poles. It got blown down again in a driving rainstorm.

 A tunnel design has a rectangular footprint. This is a well designed tent with full rainfly and covered entry.

The 3-season is the widest range of types and styles from light backpacker tents to big multi-room car camping types. They come in a vast selection of quality and price as well. Unless you know your reasons differ, this is the category you will most likely find your favorite tent.

 My favorite 4 season tent. Notice the outer fly covers the entire tent. The roomy entry vestibule is also a very nice feature.

The next category is the 4-season, winter or outfitter tent. If you are shopping in this category you already know tents and are probably not reading this commentary. At one extreme end is the high end mountaineering tents. In the middle are the well made, sturdy, durable tents that can stand up to winter weather, driving rain, gale force winds and snow. Most of us don’t make our first tent purchase here but some of us wind up here just from our experiences. Also within this category are some of the outfitter tents that are not very common in the Southwest. These are canvas wall tents. Their designs have been around for a couple hundred years. People that have them swear by them. They are very heavy, sturdy and very well made.

 A canvas wall or outfitter tent. These are very sturdy, roomy and comfortable.

Materials

The tent poles are the structural framework of the tent. Generally poles are of three types, fiberglass, aluminum and carbon fiber. The latter is expensive, very light and found on high quality mountaineering and backpacking tents. Most all tent poles are either fiberglass or aluminum. Fiberglass being found on the budget tents. If you’re a fair weather camper staying close to home these are just fine. Many seasons of use can be had with proper care. If there is one thing I’ve learned about fiberglass poles is don’t run your hand along it. As they age with use some of the fibers separate from the resin as microscopic glass whiskers. A handful of these are most uncomfortable. Aluminum poles are the best value. They are sturdy, durable and easy to assemble. These are what I look for in a tent. When comparing tents note the number of poles used. More poles makes for a stronger tent, if that is what you need. It also takes longer to setup. My large 4 season tent uses six aluminum poles that also tie together at each intersection making it very strong.

 Without the fly. Six aluminum poles that tie at each intersection.

Most all tents today are made of nylon or polyester fabric. This is very durable, lightweight fabric. In shopping for a tent, the fabric weight is important. This is measured as denier, which is actually a measurement of thread weight. (Technically fineness, weight in grams per 9000 meters of yarn). The higher the number the heavier the thread. If you are car camping weight is probably not an issue. If you are packing your tent you already know why you need a good balance of strength vs. weight. Going to a sporting goods store that displays the tents is a great way to become familiar with fabric weight. If not you can use the info to compare tents. Keep in mind that a tent will use a lighter fabric above and a heavier fabric for the floor. More on this later. Some manufacturers may specify thread count, such as 190T. Nice to know but not as important as weight.

 My good friend’s 4 season tent. He swears by this tent, it has never let him down.

The other component of fabric characteristic is resistance to water intrusion as untreated nylon or polyester will not stop water. These fabrics are generally coated with polyurethane. It is noticeable as the fabric will have a shiny side. There are some high-end, cutting edge materials like Gore-Tex that by design are inherently waterproof. But again, if you are shopping for these you already know why you’re going to pay big bucks for high tech materials. The water resistance is measured by hydrostatic head. That is, a sample piece 4” round is clamped to the bottom of a tall cylinder. Water is poured into the cylinder and the height at which the sample begins to leak through is noted in millimeters. Therefore the greater the number the better the water resistance. Typical ratings for a good tent would be 1000mm to 2000mm for the fly (the top part of the tent) and 2000mm to 5000mm for the floor. Cheaper tents will not specify either the fabric weight or water resistance. You can assume it is less than desirable.

One last thought on material that is often overlooked… color. Now you may not think that’s a big deal or maybe if you are a guy you don’t even consider it. Well if you buy a dark colored tent you may find in the summer that it gets unbearably hot inside. That could be just the time you wanted an afternoon nap away from the bugs.

Tent Design

Dome tents are very common these days. They are supported by poles that are tensioned or bent to form the dome over top of the actual tent. The tent is attached to the poles by sleeves or clips. I find clips are quicker to setup than sleeves. The upper portion of the tent is made of light “mosquito” netting, the lower portion common uncoated tent fabric. The bottom most being the floor is heaviest. Over top of all this, the waterproof fly is placed over the pole frame to keep out rain. In selecting a tent how all this is brought together is an indication of quality. Ideally the fly would cover almost the entire tent coming down all sides to within 6”-10” of the ground. Most of the inexpensive, summer family tents only have a fly that covers the top. These are only good for light rain falling straight down.

A nice roomy family tent, but the rainfly does not cover very well. Rain falling at even a slight angle will hit the sides and most likely leak at the bottom of the zippered doors and windows.

With our ideal tent the floor would be higher than the bottom of the fly giving an overlap. Several advantages to this. First this is known as a “bathtub” floor, except that all the water is outside. Second, even driving rain is blocked. The 6”-10” gap at the bottom is needed for proper ventilation. Good ventilation is critical for a comfortable tent. Allowing air in at the bottom while allowing it to escape high up is important for good ventilation. The average person exhales about a quart of moisture during one night. Without proper ventilation you may awake to find the inside of the tent is wetter than the outside. Take time to look at how your prospective purchase will ventilate. In general most tents these days are very easy to set-up as the designs are similar.

 Typical medium sized 3 season tent shown here without the fly. Inner tent attached to aluminum poles with clips. Notice the bathtub floor.

Also take a close look at the construction. The seams should be sturdy, stressed corners should have gussets. Zippers need to be of the highest quality as they tend to be the first place for trouble. You don’t want a fouled zipper at 2AM when you need to quickly go irrigate the foliage. Any part that is waterproofed such as the fly or floor should also have taped seams. The fabric is coated at the mill. When the tent is fabricated each hole for stitching becomes a small leak. A good tent manufacturer will apply waterproof tape to the inside of the seams to seal them and maintain the overall water resistance.

Attachment tabs for guy lines is also important. Most of my wintertime camping is done in the Mojave, Sonoran or Great Basin Deserts. They are notorious for strong winds at times. “Guying out” your tent if high winds are expected will keep it standing upright. Stakes in the corners only keep it from blowing away. My big four season tent has twelve guy tabs. I usually attach guys to 3 primary points. If indications are the wind will pick up at night I just add more accordingly.

Also consider if the product has a warranty and what are the terms. Especially if you find yourself looking in the higher price range. You will pay more for a good warranty but it could be worthwhile. Two of the tents shown here have lifetime warranties. One was completely replaced after several years of service because of a zipper problem.

Do yourself a favor after your purchase. Erect the tent at home…. before your trip. When you arrive at camp you will be familiar with it and can quickly get it deployed.

 My favorite small tent. Completely weatherproof!

Care and Maintenance

The single most common way to ruin a tent is to put it away wet or damp. It shortens the life of the fabric and the waterproof coating, causes mold, mildew and rust or corrosion of any metal parts. Should it ever be unavoidable, as soon as you get home pull it out and get it drying. On my last trip the tent was struck and stuffed into the back of the jeep in the rain. Immediately upon getting home I pulled it out and spread it open in the garage.

When pitching your tent select a spot that is flat, level and has good drainage. If expecting rain you can always dig a small (4”) drainage ditch around your tent to carry water away. Clear the spot of any sharp or protruding objects. Always use a tarp of some sort under your tent to protect its underside. Better tents will often have optional “footprint” tarps of the same size and shape of the tent. Some even have the same for the inside as well. This will extend the usable life of your tent.While camping keep the floor swept free of dirt. I use a small piece of lightweight carpet just outside the entrance. And also remove your shoes before entering.

Keep your tent clean. Dirt will also quickly compromise the waterproofing and strength of the fabric. Occasionally while at home open the tent up and gently hose it down if needed. Allow it to thoroughly air dry, neatly fold it up and stow it. I do this with all my camping gear. Clean, repair, maintain then stow it so any time I need it it’s clean and ready to go.

I used to dread inclement weather at night. Things always seem worse in the middle of the night when you’re in your sleeping bag. I’ve had my share of leaky tents and wet sleepless nights. Or knockdowns in the middle of the night or hearing the sound of tearing fabric and suddenly seeing stars in the night sky. I’ve tried many different combinations. Some worked some didn’t. Now with a few tents to choose from I can camp in relative comfort and even enjoy waking to the sound of falling rain at night knowing that I will remain warm and dry inside my shelter.

Happy camping!

Backcountry Navigation

Seeing recent news articles and forum discussions about people getting lost in the backcountry while relying solely on GPS reminded that this subject needs to be covered here. The more recent incidents, taglined as “Death by GPS” involve a fatality and near fatalities. That is what we obviously need to avoid. Getting lost, even as a minor inconvenience, can disrupt your plans for the day as you spend time to find your way again. As a root cause of the more serious examples it appears there is not enough attention focused on where they were and where they were going. This blog will not address backcountry travel beyond finding your way. That is another whole subject that I’ll cover at a later date.

Fortunately I am one of those people that have a good sense of where I’m at, geographically. That is probably because I get real uncomfortable if I don’t know where I am. Being good with maps or geographically astute doesn’t hurt either. However, even more so with today’s technology, anyone can be a good navigator. Like anything else it simply has to be learned. As a small child I enjoyed being navigator while my dad drove on our many trips together. As a boy scout I learned to use a map and compass in the field. And many years of sailing and offshore navigation have only reinforced the basic tenants of good navigation. The recent development of GPS has been a great advantage, although it must be stressed to know the basics.

You should know how to read a map. If not just Google “map reading”. Get comfortable with your map reading skills to the point that you feel you can rely on those skills. Use a map even when you don’t really need one. Look at it while traveling familiar roads. Trust me you’ll learn something you didn’t know before. I’ve done this since my days traveling with my dad and it has developed my geographical knowledge.

First get prepared. You will want to build an inventory of navigation aids. Things like maps, compass, GPS and travel guides. Start with good maps. You’ll need several. The first and foremost rule of good navigation is to never rely on only one source of information. Why several maps? Well first of all, scale. You should have a single map that covers your entire route; this at least for planning purposes or unexpected detours. Detailed map(s) for the specific area you’ll be in. I’ve found two good maps of the same area can represent a different picture or be interpreted differently (i.e. one may show a road or trail, the other may not).

I’ve spent many years collecting maps and charts of all types. AAA has been known for years for their cartography. I’ve found their county maps to be very good. They are clear, easy to read and show most roads you could travel on as you get away from populated areas. The DeLorme state atlases are very good too. There are many excellent specialty maps like Tom Harrison’s or maps published for a particular recreation area or state or national park. The US Forest Service has maps for every national forest. I have many of these maps. Bureau of Land Management, BLM, has equivalent maps for other areas. These are also good to obtain. Of course USGS has topographical maps down to the 7.5 minute “quads” showing every detail be it spring, mine, creek, canyon, trail, road, outbuilding, whatever. These are generally used by hikers but I sometimes use them on 4 wheel drive trips if I’m looking for a particular geographic feature.

Travel guides are also good for information. There are several out there for backroads and 4WD trails, etc. They can give insight that may not be found on a map and could make your trip more enjoyable. It is worthwhile to state the importance of knowing the nature of the route you are going to travel. Is it paved, gravel, dirt, badly rutted or washboarded? Is it rated for high clearance 2WD vehicles? I’ve traveled some that are noted for “experienced 4WD drivers only”. 

You will want to plan your trip. This does not mean you need to develop and follow a rigid itinerary. You can plan to just wander around. Just consider the entire range of your wandering. This will allow you to collect and study the maps, guides or trail reports for your trip. Always let someone back home know at least roughly were you plan to be and for how long. Call the local Ranger or authority ahead of time. They are more than happy to give you information on a particular road including up to date weather conditions. Some roads are closed in wet weather. One of the very few times I didn’t call ahead we arrived to find the entire area we planned on jeeping for the weekend was closed for restoration after a forest fire. Good planning simply helps to eliminate variables and makes the trip more enjoyable.

 Somewhat off topic, calculate your fuel range and should that be an issue keep a mileage log and always know how far you can get with the fuel you have. I bring this up as in most of the longer trips I take in the Southwestern deserts require side trips for fuel (and I carry 2 jerry cans). In fact I always track my fuel consumption in my jeep. You could be very surprised to find that your mileage with aired-down tires, transfer case in low range in deep sand or rough low gear terrain is only a fraction of what you thought. I route plan so that I can gas up without every using that last jerry can of fuel. That is the reserve fuel for the unexpected detours because of washouts or whatever changes come your way.

I’ve found good up to date information on the internet (usual precautions apply) at several forums. In planning routes to places I’ve never been to Google maps in satellite mode or Google earth are good for seeing the terrain. Maps do not necessarily show every road or trail that aerial photography does. I have used this method to find primitive campsites were I’m planning to meet others that are arriving later. I just tell them I’ll be camping at such ‘n such coordinates.

Another navigation method involves time and distance. Sailors have used “dead reckoning” for hundreds of years. Simply put, if the dirt road between the highway and your destination is 20 miles and you’ve been averaging 15 miles per hour and driving for an hour are your there yet? No, you’ve got another five miles to go. Remember use as many different sources of information as you can. This can be over simplified but it is common to find there are many more “roads” than the map indicates. If they are not signed you could make a wrong turn. Use a small note pad to log your time and odometer at each point such as changing roads or a know point that is signed. I use a dry erase marker and log it on the inside of my windshield.

Most of these methods have worked for many people for a long time before the advent of GPS. Unfortunately some people without experience in backcountry travel depend upon a GPS as the sole source of information. This is simply asking for trouble once you’re off the beaten path.

Most of the places I camp and explore in are just a big blank on a typical GPS screen. That is why you need the other sources of information. The GPS screen may be blank but outside isn’t. So I just drove across a small bridge, there’s a mountain on the left and a bigger one on the right, just a little further ahead. I look at my map at where I think I should be. I see the map indicates there’s a bridge and some mountains to the left and bigger ones further to the right. I check the time and based on my average speed I am reasonably confident I know where I am. And I see a few miles further there is some definite landmark to further confirm my location. Life is good.

There are some GPS units designed with back country travel in mind. These have topographical maps that show physical features like streams, contour lines and dirt roads and trails. Most of these are small handheld units. Practice reading the degree coordinates (or UTM) off you GPS and finding that point on your map. In my jeep I use a Lowrance Baja540c. It has a larger than typical screen. When I bought it was the only one with off-road map software. It also allows me to open the map on my PC, customize it with waypoints and routes and such, save it to the memory card and load into the unit in the jeep. It also simplifies my logs as it does track distant, elapsed time and things like that. But I still keep my written logs.

So remember to use as many sources of information as you can get for comparison. Each additional source increases your degree of accuracy and reduces you degree of error. Learn your route ahead of time. Practice these methods even on your easy well signed trips. Eventually you’ll be able to do all this as second nature. Then you’ll be free to enjoy the outdoors with the peace of mind that you know where you are and know where you’re going, geographically that is.