Nothing can ruin an outing as quickly as a leaky tent with poor ventilation — one that’s damp and hot as a sauna.
Pick the wrong tent for the job and your trip to the Great Outdoors might not be so great.
So to give you the inside line on buying a new tent, whether it’s a backpacking model or a group shelter for you and five fellow Scouts, we turned to world-renowned rock climber Tommy Caldwell, who spends more than 80 nights a year sleeping in tents. “On those expeditions, your tent ends up being your little home,” he says.
Here are the rules to pick the best “home” for your next outing.
THE LOW-DOWN
Pick a design that fits your needs. Tents come in all shapes and sizes. Backpacking tents are most often shaped like domes, tunnels or wedges. Group shelters (or car-camping tents) are generally domes or rectangles with straight (or semi-straight) walls. Some tents are freestanding, meaning they can stand on their own without stakes, while others require guy lines and stakes for setup.
“You want the tent to be built for how you’re going to use it,” Caldwell says. “Mountaineers like dome tents because they’re the sturdiest and best in multi-direction heavy winds.”
Domes are also freestanding and roomy but tend to be heavier than other designs. Wedges are usually the lightest weight but not so roomy. Tunnels provide good space for their weight and are generally well suited for bad weather. A good rule: The more poles the tent has, the sturdier it’ll be.
Don’t underestimate the importance of space and weight. Though some people prefer tiny solo tents, Caldwell recommends picking a tent that’s at least big enough for you to sit up inside.
“I made the mistake once of going on a two-month trip with a one-man tent the size of a coffin,” he says, laughing.
Solo tents should have between 15 and 25 square feet of space. For larger tents, add another 10 to 15 square feet per person. When evaluating space, also consider the square footage of any attached vestibules, which are like little garages for storing backpacks, boots, even your dog.
Weight doesn’t matter as much for car-camping tents, but if you’re backpacking, obviously you’ll want the lightest tent that’s still large enough for your needs. Aim for a tent that weighs no more than four to five pounds per person. When backpacking with a group, the best strategy is to share a tent—and the pack weight — with your buddy. One guy carries the tent body while the other carries the poles and rain fly.
Don’t overspend. Why buy an ultralight, tricked-out $500 tent when the $150 model will work just fine? In general, the higher the price tag, the lighter-weight and more durable the tent and its poles will be.
Naturally, durability is important, says Caldwell: “I’ve trashed a lot of tents in my lifetime.”
And just think: That $75 tent might seem like a great deal now, but if it wears out and you have to buy a new one every season, where’s the savings in that?
Do not confuse seasons. Most tents are designed for three-season use. That means they will handle the temperatures and weather of spring, summer and fall. Four-season tents are sturdier and designed for camping in snow, but they are usually heavier and less breathable.
Look for breathability. Airflow is your friend.
“For camping in warm weather you’ll want a tent that’s going to breathe and be vented,” Caldwell says.
Look for a tent with plenty of mesh panels and vents that promote airflow. For rainy conditions, make sure there’s ample space between the rain fly and the tent.
Without proper airflow, you’ll roast and “get a lot of condensation that’ll create a little rainstorm inside your tent,” Caldwell says.
Even if your tent is freestanding, you still must stake it out properly for maximum airflow and to avoid pesky leaks and condensation. Unless you’re winter camping, stay away from single-walled tents (which are notoriously less breathable and lack mesh and large vents).
Try before you buy. “It’s always a good idea to set up a tent before you buy it,” Caldwell says. “Otherwise it’s hard to get an idea of what it looks like.” So pitch the tent and crawl inside. If the salespeople won’t let you, go to another store.
Besides checking for space, pitching it in the store will give you a better idea of how easy it is to set up. Tents with hub-style poles and color-coded quick clips will be simplest—and quickest—to pitch.
Not sure which gear to buy? Need tips for maintaining your equipment?
wenzels are the best tents ever i’ve had mine for 5 years
If your going solo use a two man, twosome three man and so on
I would say a 1 person tent because they are light,small,easy to pack,and good for long hikes.
Look for a tent with heavy zippers and aluminum poles, it will last you longer and actually cut weight over a fiberglass poled tent. Most importantly, the tent won’t lay down in a heavyer than usual wind. I perfer Eureka and Kelty outfitter grade.
I always use my U.S. army issued pup tent ive camped in that in four feet of snow and on a philmont trek, the only downside is it does not have a floor so just bring a footprint for another tent to stake down and it can be split up into halves
I would do a light,easy to pack tent because then they could last longer
you would not need weight because the stakes are holding the tent down
I don’t suggest Coleman Brand for Scouts. You’ll replace them every year due to cheap fabric and poles.
who needs tents? do it like Bear Grylls
Anybody got any recommendations for tents I live where it rains a lot.
Bear Grylls rocks!
I’m a Venturer in Florida and I use the Peak 1 Blaze tent. They don’t make it any more. I love it because it holds up to hurricane season and it is all mesh inside. It is really warm when the temp drops below 32 (yes it does that here). I’m short so it works for me really well. I can fit myself and some gear inside it. I only wish I could sit up in it. I have had it for 4 years now and it is only now needing a coat of seam sealer.
I always use an tarp because they are way coller and versatile. I suggest the army IPK tarp for roughly $20
Try using a hammock, it weighs almost nothing, with the right gear you can sleep comfortabley, in tempetures down to -0
I like the hammock idea Iuse mine constantly however i dont use a mosquito net i use bullfrog bug spray i put one strip down the bottom of the hammock I live in florida so lots of bugs here.
i purchaced a boy scout tent model#c8332 at a sale .does anyone know anything about it .i have not set it up yet.
my troop uses 4 person alps mountaineering tents that i think are 4 season
You should get the REI 3-4 season tents.
i lik our coleman tent
works well
Anyone use the Chinook Cyclone?
Could someone suggest a good quality, 4 people, 3-weather tent to use for boyscouting.
You should look at Spring Bar Tents. They are walled and are super durable!
what would be the best 4 person , 3-weather tent for boyscouting in texas weather?
There are some quality tents on-line that are good value.
Good tips to tent buying. I recommend buying quality. We’ve had the same family cabin tent for 16 years and love it.
There is a cabin like tent at Academey Sports.
i have a 3 tent 30$ its great had it for 7 yrs. and it looks brand new
The Eureka Apex 2xt is pretty good for the price
Alps mountainering give a great discount for Scouts on their high quality stuff
My tent was fairly cheap, small even for a (4) person, and now it leaks even if it dosen’t rain… now that just says that my tent wasen’t worth the money until I bought a Tarp to cover it with…
This is so cool. I love it.
My troop (Troop 9) has a few Kelty Teton 2′s and 4′s, and they work fine. The interior is tiny though, and the Teton 2 is definatley not a 2 person tent!!! The Teton 4 is pretty good though.