Four questions to ask yourself before you buy a tent
If you ask Coleman’s head tent guy, Nick Vaughn, how to go about buying a tent, he’ll tell you to go about it the same way you would buy a cooler.
Where will I use this?
First, think about what types of events you’ll take it to. If it’s always rainy, you’ll want one that’s seam-sealed on all the exposed areas. If you’re headed to a music festival, look for one you and your friends can put up easily. It may be worth it to get to the stage in time to see your favorite band perform.
What size should I look for?
Next, Nick says check out the size. Sure you need one for the six of you, but that may not mean a six-person tent is big enough for the air mattresses, gear and clothes you plan to keep inside. If you don’t want to carry around an eight-person tent, there are some that offer closet and other storage spaces.
How often will I use it?
Before you go spending an entire paycheck on that top-of-the-line tent, think about the performance you need from it. Someone who plans to pack up and head home at the first threat of rain may not want to spend the extra money on a tent that will withstand a monsoon. The same is true for a person who’s just getting into camping or hasn’t done it in years. A moderately priced tent will usually do you just fine until you figure out if camping is something you can see yourself doing a lot. If you’re an experienced camper and you know you’ll use the heck out of it, the higher quality tent is probably a good investment.
How much time do I want to spend setting it up?
After you ask your cooler questions, pole yourself. No, that’s not a typo. Those tent poles can sometimes make or break a campout. Do you like the challenge that comes with pitching a larger, more involved tent? Maybe you’re happier with the two-pole, dome option. Sure, they’re generally smaller, but buying a couple of them for your group may just save you a headache later. Others would rather be pulling a cold one from the cooler five minutes after arriving onsite. The Instant Tent is likely the best option for that kind of camper.
No matter which tent you choose, Nick suggests you first put the tent up at home. If you run into any frustrations, you can work them out in the relaxing comforts of your yard. It’s easy to put down the project for a while when your living room is just a few steps away. It’s more difficult to do that when the kids are restless and ready to go swimming—you know, as soon as that tent is up.
Do you still have more questions about buying a tent? Let us know. We’ll track down the answers from our experts. Happy hunting then happy camping, folks.