How To Buy Your First Camping Tent

To begin, I was never into the concept of camping.  The idea of sleeping in a tent on the cold ground didn't appeal to me.  However, some of my friends would go camping every year and swear they loved it.  So last year I decided to take the plunge and I went camping with some of my friends.  I have to admit, I was hooked after the first night.  I think the key was using the correct equipment.  After my first camping trip, I decided to make the investment and buy a tent, sleeping bag and all of the other amenities.  To save you some time, I have written down some tips that helped me buy my first camping tent.
 
The first step begins with determining the size tent you will need.   When you start shopping for your tent you will see that tents are categorized by their capacity.  For example, you will see two-person, three-person or four-person tents.   One footnote is that you will want to buy a tent that is a little bit larger than your need.  For example, if you are only looking for a two-person tent, you might want to consider a three-person or four-person tent.   A two person tent will fit a maximum of two people and not much else.  If you get a three-person or four-person tent you will have room for some of your gear as well.  Now you might say why don't I get a six person tent and have plenty of room?  The only problem here is the extra weight that comes with a larger tent.  Remember, you have to pack up and carry your tent.  If you are like me, I wanted to pack as light as possible so I chose a tent that was just slightly bigger than my need.

After you have chosen the size of your tent, then you have to choose the tent that fits the environment where you will be camping.  A three season tent will make the most sense for you if you are camping in the spring or summer.  A four season tent is designed for extreme cold or harsher environments.

One of the most important parts of tent shopping is choosing the materials used for the tent construction.  You will want a thicker or higher quality denier fabric if you want the tent to last for the long haul.  However, tents will become more expensive when you use a higher quality fabric.  You need to ask yourself how often you will be camping and using your tent. If you are using the tent for limited use you might be able to get away with a cheaper tent. 
Lastly, make sure you pick up a footprint with your new tent.  The footprint will be placed directly under your new tent and it will help protect the base of your tent from unnecessary wear and tear.  

For my final point, after you buy your first camping tent, I would take the time and put it together at home. This will give you an idea on how the tent is constructed and you can make sure you have all the parts.  You don't want to arrive at your campsite after a long hike and realize you are missing a part. 

I hope this article can help you on your first tent purchase.   Again, just take your time and do the research before you buy.  See you around the campsite!