Spending a night or 2 camping can be an exciting way to enjoy the outdoors, but there are a
few pieces of equipment and things you need to know, that will ensure your trip is an
enjoyable experience.
I'm Jon Simons and I'm a bushcraft instructor, but this weekend I'm out camping with Go outdoors
equipment expert Jenny Dennis.
We want your first family camping trip to be a complete success so we are here to help
you choose the right family tent, and to give you some tips on pitching.
Lets go over and talk to Jenny and find out more.
Hello, I’m Jenny, I’m one of GO Outdoors’ equipment experts, I’m also a keen outdoor
enthusiast and experienced camper.
Hi Jenny, this dome tent would make a really comfortable home for the weekend.
What are the advantages of this tent design?
Hi John, yes, this is the Atakama 5, it’s a classic dome design, and like all dome tents
it offers a good compromise between internal space and stability.
Dome tents are reasonably easy to pitch, they have two poles that cross at the apex of the
tent.
This crossing increases the stability of the tent.
Family dome tents will often have fibreglass poles that are suitable for most conditions
and they keep the cost of the tent down.
Alloy poles tend to be stronger and more durable, but they are more expensive and are mostly
supplied with high-end tents.
I’ve always found that some dome tents can take a little longer to pitch.
JD.
Yes that’s true, so another popular design is the tunnel tent.
They are generally the quickest to pitch and give you a lot of space, especially headroom
that extends the length of the tent.
Probably the best way to demonstrate this is if we pitch this tunnel and have a look.
OK, but, before we start there’s a few general tips about tent pitching that are worth mentioning.
The most important tip is best carried out at home, before you leave for a campsite:
make sure you have all the parts to your tent before you leave home.
Also, practise pitching your tent and read through the instructions that come with it.
At the campsite try to find a level piece of ground and check over the pitch; imagine
what would happen after 24hrs of rain and don’t pitch where a puddle might form.
Also, try to avoid pitching under trees – the sap will damage your tent – and remove any
large stones or twigs from the ground.
It’s a good idea to use a durable footprint like this [squats and shows footprint] to
help further protect the life of your groundsheet.
OK Jenny, I’ll follow your lead, lets pitch this tunnel tent.
Lay out footprint and then tent (doors closed) Peg out taut, starting from one corner
Open doors slightly Assemble poles, insert middle pole and set
aloft Push remaining poles through sleeves working
from centre Close doors and peg out guy lines
Now even speeded up that’s a very quick and easy tent to pitch!
So, Jenny, I can see this is a very spacious design and there is plenty of room for entertaining
a young family if the weather is bad.
But how stable is this tent?
Well, that’s an important point.
You must always peg out the guy lines on a tunnel tent, regardless of the conditions,
also it’s worth trying to pitch a tunnel with either the tail, or nose into the wind.
Tunnel tents generally come with either fibreglass or steel poles, and the additional strength
of steel is definitely preferable if you are going to use the tent on exposed coastline
or in the hills.
In fact if you intend to do a lot of family camping in more exposed areas then there are
family tents that use a stronger combination of poles, like the tent we slept in last night.
Lets go and take a look and see if those teas Jon made earlier are still warm!
JS.
Our tent for this weekend uses a greater number of poles than a standard dome: you can see
that the poles cross in several places and provide this tent with even more stability.
JD.
This stronger tent design usually features fiberglass poles, but the greater number of
poles makes the tent a little heavier and a little more complicated to pitch.
JS.
You can see that between tunnel and dome variations there are pros and cons of each design and
your camping experience will benefit from choosing the right tent for you and your family.
Looking beyond the overall design it is important to choose a tent that is large enough for
your family; for example, if there are 4 of you and you like to spread out and enjoy a
little extra space, our advice would be to go ‘two up’ and get a 6 person tent.
It’s also worth considering outer or flysheet fabrics.
All of our tents are waterproof and most family tents use nylon or polyester with a waterproof
coating on the outer fabric.
This combination is both lightweight, and quick and easy to dry.
Many high-end luxury family tents use poly cotton flysheets, which are heavier, but more
durable.
Poly cotton is ideal for camping in warmer climates as natural cotton fibers reduce the
risk of condensation and help the tent ‘breathe’.
Whichever flysheet fabric you opt for, when combined with a sewn-in groundsheet, you’ll
find that modern family tents are excellent at keeping out rain and wind.
Yet, even with poly-cotton it’s normal for all tents to suffer from a little condensation.
This moisture build up on the inside of the tent, usually the flysheet, is best minimised
by using doors and vents to encourage air circulation.
Good tent ventilation is also a useful design feature if you have young children who still
sleep in the daytime.
JD.
Thanks John, yes, most family tents come with a number of design features.
Alongside air vents and multiple entrances, other useful features to look out for are
removable sleeping compartments, storage pockets, clear PVC windows and optional mesh doors.
JD.
We hope that you now feel more confident to select the right family tent, and pitch your
‘home from home’ in the great outdoors.
Choosing the right tent for your family is an important decision that will help provide
days and weeks of enjoyment.
Happy Camping.