Tents for camping

Well, with the amount of rain we received this weekend we did not go out hiking with the kids.  Some rain I can do but not the torrential downpour we received. 

We also recently adopted a new puppy into our family (details to follow in another post) so it has put a temporary halt on any real hikes this fall. 

So, in anticipation of next summer, let's talk about tents!  Also, if you're like me shopping during the off season is a great way to get super gear at fantastic prices. 

I won't drone on too long here, but if you are new to camping I've got some pointers, and if you're in the market for a new tent this may be of interest to you too. 

First of all you need to decide what kind of tent you need. 

• how many people need to sleep in the tent?
• how much extra space do you want? (ie, playroom for the kids)
• does the weight matter?  For car camping it really doesn't matter.
• ease of set up?  Personally if the tent is complicated to set up it's not worth it.
• pockets!  Basically tent storage on the inside.  This is like storage spaces in your house.  Some of our tents have these great little pockets in the corners and overhead which are so handy for little things you need to reach for during the night.
• Vestibule space--what's this you ask?  The space of coverage between the outside of your tent and the outside of your camping spot.  It's that little bit of room that still has protection from the elements without being inside the tent.  Some have larger areas for either play space or gear storage and some are smaller.  What is important to you.
• Doors and ventilation:  Some tents have two doors, one on either end or side.  This is handy if a few people will be sleeping in the tent.  It's even handy in two person tents (that way you aren't crawling over each other to get out during the night). 

Make sure your tent comes with a fly and a footprint.  Usually they do come with a fly (the cover for rain and wind protection) but the footprint is usually sold separately.  (The footprint is your ground cover that matches the size and shape of your tent to protect the bottom of your tent from damage). 
If you do not want to buy the matching footprint, you can always use a good tarp under your tent instead. 

One more tent tip:  My husband decided to do some backpacking this weekend with some family members in the rain.  They used a very old tent (now in the garbage) which leaked quite badly, had a few holes and a broken zipper. 
It also leaked from the bottom up despite them using garbage bags as their footprint. 

Big tip here:  If you are tenting in the rain, consider moving your footprint or tarp to the inside of your tent instead of the outside underneath.  The rain can easily pool between your footprint and tent but if it's inside you will still stay dry on the bottom of your tent. 

Enjoy the outdoors and just because we're coming into cooler weather is not excuse not to get your family outside!