The main thing in any camping is a tent, which will become your shelter from external factors and allow you to enjoy a trip to nature to the fullest without worrying about your safety.
A wide range of different tents is available today. They come in different types, sizes, and properties. The tent you should take depends on why you are going camping and at what time of the year.
The most common option when people are looking for a shelter is a 1-4 man camping tent. However, tent capacity is only one of many factors to consider. Other factors include:
- Tent shape
- Weight, size, and dimension
- Materials and durability
- Purpose (summer/winter or all-season)
Therefore, when planning a trip, you should ensure that your tent can withstand the challenges that await. Camping with a large company differs from a solo trip to nature, the same story with a summer trip to the lake and ice fishing in winter.
The main thing to remember is that the tent should be comfortable for you in the first place. And one of the decisive factors is its shape. So, let’s take a closer look at the types of tents and their differences.
Dome
It is perhaps the most popular type. The dome design includes two tent poles that join to create a dome shape. These tents come in different sizes and are great for both solo trips and camping with friends or family members.
Among the main advantages of dome tents are that they are usually lighter in weight than other types, and their design provides more headroom. What’s more, many dome tents feature a vestibule, providing additional storage space for gear.
The disadvantages of dome tents include less stability in strong winds due to the design features of this type of shelter. Therefore, when camping in harsh weather, you should pay attention to the reliable fastening of the tent.
Cabin
Another of the more common types, along with the dome, is the cabin tent. Its main difference is that such tents have vertical straight walls and a high ceiling, which gives enough space to stand upright inside the tent.
One of the advantages of a cabin tent is its spaciousness. As such, this type of shelter is perfect for camping with a group of friends or family, as everyone will have a place to sleep in a tent and gear.
The disadvantages of the cabin tent include that such tents are more of a summer/spring option and do not tolerate bad weather well.
Backpacking
This type of tent is most common among travelers and hikers. The main task of a backpacking tent is to be a place to sleep. Such shelters are not designed to be spent most of the time inside.
Among the advantages of a backpacking tent is its lightweight and small size, which makes it easy to carry the tent with you and not feel tired. And since it is not heavy and does not take up much space, it is ideal for hiking.
The main disadvantage of a backpacking tent is the small space, so you won’t be able to store much camping gear inside. In addition, these tents are not good enough for bad weather, so when planning a trip, it is not superfluous to grab a tent footprint and a tarp to protect the tent from rain.
Pop-Up
It is another popular type of tent, also called an instant tent. In terms of properties and purpose, such design is similar to backpacking. However, the core difference lies in how to set up this tent.
The pop-up mechanism does everything automatically in a few seconds, making it a great option. This type of tent is ideal if you do not want to figure out how to set up a tent for a long time, instead, you want to immediately start the activities for which you were going to camp.
The main drawback of the instant tent is the poor protection against bad weather. Therefore, such shelters are best used for summer camping.
Teepee
Also known as a canvas tent, this type of shelter has a high peak height and resembles a wigwam.
Only one central rod is needed to set up such a tent, and the process would not cause any difficulties for a beginner.
In addition to an easy way to set up a tent, the main advantages of a teepee include a high point of inclination of the shelter, which gives extra space above your head, and also provides a quick runoff of water in the rain.
The disadvantages include the fact that some models may not have a floor.
However, such a type of shelter has many variations, so you can even find a teepee hot tent for 4-season camping.
Multi-Room
This type of tent is the perfect choice for family camping with kids. By design, a multi-room is more like a home than a tent: divided sleeping rooms, a lobby, luggage storage, a common area, and much more!
However, all these amenities affect the size and weight of the tent, making such shelters quite heavy and bulky. Therefore, it is best to go camping in a multi-room tent by car.
In addition, the tent’s design also makes it more difficult and time-consuming to set it up. So read the instructions before the trip to make everything faster.
Multi-room tents have different specifications. That’s why this type of shelter is great for both camping in the summer-spring season and for trips in fall and winter. The main thing is to ensure that the materials are reliable and provide protection from weather.
