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!