How to Buy a Tent

Some claim to have fond memories of sleeping out in old canvas Army tents. When pressed for details, they're likely to confess the tents were drafty, musty, leaky and heavy. Modern tents, lightweight and simple to set up, come in a variety of designs to fit your precise needs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide what type of tent you need. For warm-weather or low-elevation use, a car-camping tent from Costco or a sporting goods store will work fine. For general backpacking and moderate elevations, a three-season tent is best. For mountaineering and winter use, you need a four-season or high-elevation tent.

2. Step up to a specialty brand if weight, durability, speedy setup, and resistance to wind noise (tautness) are issues. For a variety of tent options, check out these sites: MarmotMountain.com, Kelty.com, MountainHardware.com, TheNorthFace.com and SierraDesigns.com. Added money buys a lighter-weight tent that lasts a lifetime (if well cared for), pitches easily, resists crumpling in wind (so you don't wake up and find your tent collapsed across your face) and keeps out rain.

3. Investigate prices. Three-season tents cost more than car-camping tents. The larger and/or better built the tent, the more it will cost. An average two-person, three-season tent costs $150 to $250. A two-person, four-season tent can cost up to $700.

4. Assess usable space. Some small two-person tents are fine in good weather, but can feel cramped if two people plus equipment and a dog are waiting out a storm. On the other hand, two hikers don't want to carry a heavier tent designed for four.

5. Shop for tents in person, then buy online if you find a better deal. Crawl in and stretch out. Make sure your feet and head are well clear of the ends. Imagine spending 24 hours in there during a storm. Cozy or torture? Keep looking until you find a cozy one.

6. Consider design trade-offs. Taller tents are comfortable but more subject to wind buffeting. A shorter tent is more secure in high winds and is likely to be warmer, but may feel claustrophobic. Vestibules offer a "porch" to stash your gear or to cook in during rough weather. Some tents need staking to stay upright, while others don't. All backpacking tents, even free-standing ones, perform better when staked out. Unless you have a single wall tent, you'll need a rain fly for protection from bad weather.

7. Practice pitching different tents. Most are erected using a system of collapsible poles. Some are easier to set up than others. The simplest tents have two interchangeable poles; more-complex designs have non-interchangeable poles. If tent assembly seems like a mysterious art to you, go for the simplest design.

8. Buy a single-wall tent, with one waterproof layer for high-elevation mountaineering when weight and wind-resistance are crucial.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice setting up your tent at home. You don't want to be learning how it works in the field.
• Tents are generally sold by how many seasons they can be used. Three-season tents are designed for all seasons except heavy snow. Choose a four-season tent if snow camping is your thing. Car camping designates lower-cost models.
• Interior space is designated by how many people the tent can comfortably accommodate, ranging from two to five. This, of course, depends on the size of the people and their comfort level. Also take into account the need to tuck in small children and dogs when looking at sizes.
• Better-quality tents come with a lifetime warranty. Keep your receipt in a safe place.

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