Tents
Posted by outdoormole on Mar 16, 2009Choosing a tent can be a bewildering exercise, there are so many options! Do you go for an old-school rigid A-frame or a dome affair? What about a tunnel tent? Well as with most decisions relating to outdoor gear, first you need to have a realistic idea of what situation you’ll be using your tent in. Are you travelling light? Do you need to be able to carry the component parts with your backpack? Or are you taking a drive with family to pitch up and stay a few nights in the one place? Whatever you decide, Outdoormole has some tips for you…
If you’re planning a few nights in one place and want to make the place feel a bit homely, do buy a tent that you can stand up in! There’s nothing worse than sitting cramped and bent over because there’s not enough clearance for your head when you are taking shelter from the elements but aren’t actually ready to lie down to sleep just yet. One generally good rule is to make sure you have seen the tent in its full glory, erected, to make sure your gauge on the size is accurate. Next, buy a tent that is designed to hold one more person than will be accommodating it to give you a bit more room. If, however, your tent is simply a shelter for one night at a time and weight is an issue, then buy the lightest and most efficient to erect tent that your budget will allow. And do put it up in the garden before you leave to make sure you know how it goes together and to check all of its parts are present and correct!
If you’re buying a tent to take to a festival like Glastonbury then buying one that you will be able to spot amid everyone else’s might be your priority – now you can even buy tents that you can paint yourself with your own unique design! They may not boast the technical performance of an ultra sophisticated hiker’s tent but it’s about getting the right tent for your needs.
Bivouacs (or bivy bags or bivy sacs as they’re often referred to) are probably the lightest way to travel, but not for the claustrophobic camper.
If the thought of a night under canvas still doesn’t quite hit your hot buttons, there is an alternative, it’s called “glamping” and it basically involves heading for a campsite with ready- pitched large tents, each with their own power supply. It might not be “proper camping” but if you’re new to it, then it’s a sound first step.
