Camping Tents

You can find camping tents to suit any budget, and to do just about any task. Whether you're after a $20 bargain so the kids can play (or even 'overnight' camp) in the back yard, or if you're willing to invest $1,000 or more for a tent that could well last a lifetime, you'll find a supplier here - or elsewhere on the Internet - to accommodate you.

Unless you're extremely broke, money isn't everything... or it really shouldn't be. A decent tent should last you for ten years or longer. A top-quality one for a real lifetime. When you divide the purchase price of your camping gear, including the tent, over a number of years, you'll see how cheap camping can be.

Anyway, there are a few things to consider when selecting a tent for camping, such as:

How many people will sleep in your camping tent? How often do you plan to go camping with it? How long will your camping trips be?

A tiny tent is all very well for an overnight sleep out while hiking, but you'll go stir-crazy if bad weather or driving rain keeps you cooped up inside the tent for a week and you can't get out.

Do you plan on camping only in warm weather, or do you expect to do your camping out during winter as well? If you plan on camping in cold weather, then you will need a 'Four Season' quality tent to handle the extra harsh conditions. (And you will need extremely high-quality sleeping bags and camp mattresses.)

There are big tents and small tents, but if you want to hike and camp ultra light, you may choose to get by with just a bivy bag (a waterproof cover for your sleeping bag). The best quality bivy bags are made of Gore Tex or similar material which keeps raindrops out, but allows the warm water vapor (sweated out of your body or your breath) to escape to the outside. This avoids condensation collecting inside the bivy bag, so it keeps you cosy and dry.

Other people prefer to hike or backpack with a flysheet (a tarp) and a waterproof groundsheet. That way, you have waterproofing above and below, but no insect protection. It's light, to be sure, but it's only good where you know there will be no flies or mosquitoes, and no heavy wind-driven rain.

The Hennessey Hammock is a modern version of the US Army Jungle Hammock, it's a comfortable insect-proof and rain-proof sleeping space you hang between two posts or trees. (I have one and I just love it, because the whole thing only weighs a couple of pounds all up.) The only downside to the Hennessey Hammock is that it's not the best way to sleep out in really cold weather because it can get really cold underneath - unless you have a lot of extra insulation there.

So do your homework, here on the Internet, and in your local camping supply stores. Ask questions, look and feel the merchandise, and make your own decision after asking the experts. And whatever you do, have fun! Going tent camping is a great way to relax and unwind.