How to Weather-Proof Your Tent

If you want to add additional weatherproofing protection to your tent, treat your tent with a sealant. You can increase the water-resistance of the fabric by applying a chemical sealer. Sealants can be purchased in most hardware and camping supply stores.

If you decide to apply a sealant to your tent, there are a few things to remember:

• Like any product, you may get what you pay for. If you skimp to save money, you might end up getting soaked anyway.

• Read labels to make sure the sealant that you purchase will work for the type fabric that your camping tent is made of. It’s best to buy one that is designed specifically for tents, rather than an all-purpose sealant.

• Be sure to follow the directions carefully. You will usually have to apply at least two coats. Even if the label does not specify two coats, you should do this anyway.

Apply sealant outdoors to avoid inhaling fumes. Allow to dry thoroughly between coats. You should allow a minimum of 24 to 48 hours of drying time. This will ensure that the sealant adheres strongly to the fabric. Allow the second coat to dry another for 24-48 hours before using your tent.

Tent seams are very prone to leaking. This includes the stitching around zippers. It’s important to note that spray sealants do not always provide the best coverage for seams. To rainproof seams, you should use a brush-on gel or wax.

Apply at least two coats (both to the outside and the inside of seams) and allow each coat to cure between applications.

Finally, give your tent a test run before you hit the woods. Pitch it in the backyard and make sure it really does stand up to rain. If you can’t wait for a downpour, give it a good soak with the water hose and see how it performs.

If water is still breaching the fabric, apply another coat of sealant and try again. This will ensure that you stay warm and dry the next time you camp out.

One of Mankind’s Greatest Inventions

Have you ever experienced the beauty of a hike with house building materials strapped steadfastly to your back?

No, of course not. You don’t have the size-to-strength ratio of an ant. And we surmise that unless you’re the greatest architect/lumberjack/construction worker the world has ever known, it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to cut down the trees on a mountain side and slap together a sturdy log cabin at a moments notice either.

For centuries, humankind has accepted these simple yet disadvantageous facts, giving rise to one of the greatest inventions man still widely employs today: the tent!

Sometimes Simple is Best

One of the most unheralded creations of all time,. From early nomadic tribes to every army the annals of time has since documented, tents have been there, sheltering men and women from the ire of the elements. Without tents, some of the greatest discoveries and expeditions never would have been possible.

Imagine, for example, some of the very first journeys into the western world without tents. Explorers sleeping under the stars, rain dripping onto their faces while a cougar waits patiently for their eyes to close, the cat planning its next move…

The Most Mobile of Mobile Homes

Tents are the most cost-effective and easy-to-use temporary (and sometimes extended) homes available today. When you want to get out and explore, a tent is the best way to keep yourself shielded from the weather and stay warm. For many of us, our best memories can be associated with tents, hiking and camping.

If you’re ready to embark on a journey into the bright center of a swirling tent-filled universe, take some time to visit. You may enter wondering how much there could possibly be to learn about tents and camping, but you’ll leave overflowing with tent know-how and a desire to plan a return to nature.

How Screen Tents Improve the Camping Experience

Camping is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a few days. When you’re camping, you can fish, make s’mores, have a campfire and tell ghost stories. You can also get bitten by hundreds of mosquitoes.

When mosquitoes are thick, you might consider using a screen tent.

Sometimes known as a “screen house,” this piece of equipment can dramatically enhance the enjoyment of your camping trip. It can provide you with comfort, protection, and an appearance that adds appeal and charm to your campsite. In addition, they protect you and your food from insects and wind-born particles like leaves and other air-born particles.

The most basic type of camping screen tents is the canopy, which is normally made from a canvas or vinyl-type material stretched over a framed roof covered with tent poles. There are some canopies that come without walls.

Make sure your canopy has screened walls, or that screened walls can be added to it. There are screen tents with zip-out walls, and ones with built-in walls. Having zip-out walls gives you added flexibility, but these tend to be more expensive.

A screen tent can become the centerpiece of your campsite, and the hub of your camping activity.

For example, you might use your screen tent to store all of your outdoor gear and food supplies, such as coolers, backpacks, hunting, fishing, or bird watching gear, water jugs, unlit stoves, lanterns, pots and pans. You can also add a picnic table in the center of the tent, and you have an immediate kitchen, pantry, and storage closet.

For added charm, you can decorate your screen tent with colorful lights in the evenings. The benefit of using ornamental camping lights is that they give you a soft, warm, glow - exceptional for activities like dining or playing cards.

Make sure you choose the right location when setting up your screen tent. Don’t place it too close to the fire, and don’t place it on the outskirts of your campsite, as it will be the center of activity.

Know Your Tents

Understanding the different tents that are on the market can make buying a tent much easier. You can have a focused shopping expedition, online or offline, when you know exactly what type of tent you need to buy. Doing your research makes the process less time-consuming, which leaves you more time for outdoor enjoyment.

Here are some basic tents and their features.

Dome tents. These tents are popular with backpackers, mountaineers and hikers. These are hexagon-shaped and usually made from nylon. Nylon is a tough, synthetic material that is great for those who need durability but don’t want to be weighed down. These tents require simple anchoring with stakes.

Tunnel tents. These tube-like tents offer easy set-up and great ventilation. They are ideal one-person tents. Tunnel tents are lightweight and normally are made of nylon. They are suitable for winter camping because they are durable and moisture-resistant. They offer ease of storage and can fit into a backpack or a tent bag.

A-frame tents. These tents are suitable for backpackers, climbers, hikers, hunters and anglers. They are fairly spacious and allow room for storing some supplies. With these tents, you can add a canopy entrance to the front of the structure. This provides a porch effect: you have the extra space outside, but you’re covered from any rain that might fall.

Cabin tents. Cabin tents are great for family camping trips. They offer a spacious environment with the option of multiple rooms. You also can add room dividers to this type of tent. While they offer more room, their set-up is more complicated. These tents are heavy, so it’s best if two or more adults work at raising them. These tents are best transported by vehicle because they can be quite heavy and cumbersome.

Pop-up tents. Pop-up tents are easy to set up and take down. They are easily set up through pushing tent poles through the tent fabric. They are highly portable and can fit into a backpack or small tent bag with ease. These durable tents are great for the solo hiker or backpacker who needs to travel light.

With the variety of tents available today, you can get any size, shape or color to suit your needs and tastes. You can find tents on the Internet or at your favorite outdoor gear retailer.

Once you decide which one is exactly right for your specific outdoor needs, shopping for a tent can be easy and fun.

Low-Cost Camping

Camping can be expensive. You can spend several thousand dollars, even tens of thousands of dollars, on an RV, for example. There are literally hundreds of products available to make camping more convenient, as well, from shower tents to binoculars. The fact of the matter is, however, that you don’t need all of those things to camp.

Low Cost camping is often a great alternative to staying at a hotel, as well. In some areas, you can stay at a campground for less than a third of the cost of a hotel, and camping affords you a lot more space than most hotel rooms, to boot.

Camping does have some up-front costs. You need some basic equipment to camp. You need a tent, sleeping bags, flashlights and a cooler. Beyond that, a camp stove and some used pots and pans are extremely helpful, as is an air mattress or sleeping pad. Overall, you should expect to spend at least $600 on these items. These are one-time expenses, however, and can be used over and over again.

As for the actual camping trip, the expenses will be much smaller. Here are the things you can expect to have to pay for on a camping trip, at a minimum:

A Campsite

If you stay at a public campground, such as can be found in a state park, you can expect to spend less than $30 per night for your campsite. On the other hand, there are expensive private campgrounds that may cost more than $100 per night. Sticking to public campgrounds should help keep the costs of your camping trip down.

Gasoline

Depending on how far away you want to camp, you might have to invest quite a bit in gas to get there. Don’t forget to factor that in when you’re choosing a campground. Choose a nearby campground to save on travel costs.

Disposable items

There are some things you’ll need when camping that you use up when you use them. This includes things like food and drink, batteries, sunscreen, and bug spray.

How a Shower Tent Expanded Our Camping Options

Our family likes to camp in a rustic setting. We don’t need electricity when we camp, and getting water from a pump is just fine. However, one of the things that we can’t live without is a shower.

Unfortunately, that limited us to camping in places where shower facilities were available. We couldn’t camp in State or National Forest campgrounds, because they don’t have any facilities for showers.

That was, until we found our shower tent. What is a shower tent? Most simply, a shower tent is a tent in which you shower. Shower tents typically are as tall as 8’ at the center, and have a base as large as 5’ x 5’. Shower tents usually have mesh windows that can be zipped shut, and may have mesh sky panels that you can cover with the help of a closure.

How does it work? Shower tents use a bag of water attached to a hose. The hose has a spray valve on the end of it that you use to get wet. Some camping shower tents have a remote-controlled light that can be attached easily for giving you excellent nighttime security and visibility.

There are several things to look for in a shower tent. When choosing a shower tent, makes sure that it is roomy and there is enough space in one section to allow for a drying-off area. The best shower tent is one that is perfect for a large person as well so that he doesn’t feel awkward in the tent. It should have a place for all your things, including a towel bar. It should be sturdy enough so that it easily stays up during strong winds.

Here are some things you can do when considering a particular shower tent:

• Before buying, make sure that the tent does not have any defects.
• Check to see if it has accessories such as shelves, towel bar, and gear loft.
• Analyze whether or not the carrying bag is well built.
• Always opt for a tent whose door zipper does not get jammed after a few uses.

Last, but not least, make sure that the tent has thick metal stakes. The cheap plastic ones break very easily after just two or three uses.

Small and Basic Tents

The great outdoors: For centuries, we’ve headed outside when we want to relax. There’s no better way to change up your routine and get away from the rush of everyday life than camping.

You don’t need fancy, expensive equipment to enjoy yourself on a camping trip, but the type of tent that you use is an important part of the experience.

When choosing a camping tent, the different varieties can be confusing. Do you need a three-season tent? Do you need a hiking tent? What size tent do you need? What shape is the best?

The type of camping tent that you choose will depend largely on how you plan to use it. If you are going on a single summer camping trip by yourself, a small and basic tent may be right for you. A small tent doesn’t allow much room for moving around or storing supplies, but it is easier to carry and set up.

Campers who don’t have a lot of experience with camping equipment will find that pop-up tents are easy to use. They also allow more time for having fun. When you don’t have to spend hours figuring out how to set up the tent, you can get to other activities sooner.

Pop-up tents are especially popular with young campers since they don’t require much skill or strength to set up or take down.

With so many types of camping tents to choose from, it’s easy to buy a tent that’s way too big for your needs. Sometimes, sticking to the basics is just enough.

Of course, there are plenty of resources online to point you in the right direction for finding the camping tent that fits you, your lifestyle and your camping plans perfectly.

Tips For First-Time Campers

When you’re camping for the first time, there are many ways things can go wrong. Following these easy tips will help insure that your camping experience is a fun and worry-free one.

• Get the right gear. Get a tent that’s big enough for your family’s needs. Get sleeping bags that are rated for weather appropriate to the season. Beyond picking the right gear, you also need to know how to operate it. When you arrive at the campsite, it’s not time to figure out how to set up your tent. You need to set the tent up for the first time at home to avoid time and frustration while you’re camping.
• Bring all of your gear. Make an extensive list that tells you everything you need to bring with you on your camping trip, right down to the extra pairs of socks. By using a checklist, you’re more likely to keep from forgetting something.
• Plan your food ahead of time. The fact of the matter is that you’re going to get sick of sandwiches and hot dogs. There are plenty of foods that you can cook when camping. Planning a full menu helps you to know what there is to eat. In addition, you can plan quick meals for those days where you’ve got lots of activities planned.
• Along these same lines, make sure you think about how your first day at camp will go. You want to be able to arrive and set up during a time when you don’t also need to worry about cooking. Stop for lunch just before you arrive at the campground, or pack a sack lunch for that first day.
• Know and follow campsite rules. Many campgrounds have rules about quiet hours and other issues. Familiarize yourself with these rules ahead of time.
• Camp nearby. The first time that you go camping, if it is at all possible, you’ll want to camp somewhere near home. This allows you to return home in an emergency for items you may have forgotten, which means you don’t have to purchase extra equipment you may have sitting at home.

Dome Tent Camping Basics

When it’s just you or just you and a friend or spouse, you don’t need to have a huge cabin-style tent with all of the bells and whistles. Generally speaking, a small dome tent will do just fine for one or two people. Depending on the size of those people, a dome tent may be able to accommodate up to three.

In addition, you can use a dome tent as an extra room when you’re camping. You can use it for storage, for example. When children in our family bring a friend camping with them, the child and their friend usually want to sleep in their own dome tent, where they can giggle the night away.

Here are some of the basic things you need to know about dome tents:

• Dome tents are simple to use, and come in a variety of designs and sizes.
• Dome tents are lightweight. You don’t have to break your back carrying a dome tent to your campsite.
• They can come in either single or double skin. These dome tents have a mesh ceiling, and a rain fly is positioned over the top of the tent. This helps keep the inner tent dry during wet or humid conditions.
• They have a rectangular floor and two poles. There are special fittings at each corner of the dome tent that go into the sockets of the poles.
• The pole tension of dome tents keeps everything in shape. Unlike other tents, dome tents do not require guy ropes and pegs to give it a structural format.
• Some dome tents allow the addition of a third pole. This pole is angled away from the tent and is used to create a mini-porch that can be used for extra storage.

There are also larger dome-style cabin tents available that can sleep 8 people or more.
An alternative to the dome tent is the pup tent. Pup tents tend to be more difficult to set up than dome tents, and often have heavier poles than the fiberglass poles used in a dome tent.

Tenting It: Why Canvas?

Tenting has changed over the last decade.

Canvas once prevailed as the fabric of choice for tent construction. Over the years, though, new technology introduced the use of other materials in tent-making.

Nylon is popular today, along with polaris, gala and realite. Each material has unique qualities and may serve well under various conditions.

However, many die-hard campers still swear by canvas tents. Here are a few of the reasons why:

They’re strong. Canvas, which can hold up against the wildest of circus elephants, is also ideal for use in camping tents. It’s perfect for the hunter who spends days in the wild. It can take all of the abuse that nature throws its way. It will withstand wind, thunderstorms and even hail. Even curious forest creatures will have trouble penetrating a canvas tent.

They’re durable. The average life of a nylon camping tent is about three to five years, depending on frequency of use. By contrast, a canvas tent may last 10 years or more.

They’re breathable. Canvas is made from cotton. Unlike other common materials used in tent manufacturing, cotton breathes.

Nylon, polyester and other fabrics do not allow air to pass through easily. This can create a sauna-like atmosphere inside tents made from these materials. By contrast, canvas allows for the exchange of air between the interior and exterior of the structure.

Canvas is so durable that it is also used in the construction of some semi-permanent structures. Canvas covers are frequently used over traditional cement foundations and wooden frames. These “cabents” last for decades and provide a way to maintain low-cost housing.

In poor countries where extreme weather variations are rare, canvas or part-canvas homes are the norm. They stand up well to moderate weather conditions and are a cost-effective alternative to bricks and mortar.

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