July 3, 2023 - A good family size camping tent will help you to comfortably enjoy your outdoor adventure with family and friends. You will be protected from the elements like rain, pesky bugs, etc.
You will want to select your tent based on the number of people in your group, including pets. There is really no industry standard that defines per person tent dimensions. So, you will want to consider the size of the people in your camping party, whether or not they toss and turn when they sleep, is anyone claustrophobic, are some of the members children or pets and just how much elbow room everyone really needs.
Some tents have room dividers which also give more privacy for everyone.
What Is The Weather Like Where and When You Camp
3-Season Tents
A lot of people only camp during the year when the weather is fairly warm. 3-season tents are lightweight and are designed for the relatively temperate conditions of sprint, summer and fall. These tents are usually designed with ample mesh panels to boost air flow and keep out insects. Properly pitched with a rainfly these tents can hold up nicely during some pretty good downpours but are not the best tent choice for sustained exposure to violent winds or heavy snow.
3-4 Season Tents (3+ Tents)
Often termed extended season tents, these 3-4 season tents are engineered for prolonged 3-season usabe. They are suitable for summer use but also camping adventures in early spring and late fall when moderate snow might be encountered.
Usually they will include 1 or 2 more poles and fewer mesh panels than a pure 3-season tent. This makes them sturdier and warmer for the extended season periods. Yet, they are still not as fully fortified as those tents designed for 4-season use.
4-Season Tents
Mountaineering tents are engineered to withstand substantial snow loads and fierce winds and thereby can be used in any season.
They use more poles and heavier fabrics than 3-season tents. Because of their rounded dome designs snow can not collect like on more flat roof spaces.
They offer few mesh panels and rainflys that extend close to the ground. This does hinder ventilation and therefore they can feel warm and stuffy in mild weather. But, when those high winds begin to howl a 4-season tent provides a reassuring place of refuge.
Tent Feature Considerations
Tent Height
A tent with a tall peak height will give you the ability to stand up when changing clothes or just enjoy the airiness of a high ceiling.
Tent Floor Length
If you are over 6 feet tall or like additional space then you might want to consider a tent with a floor length of 90 inches (tather than the more typical 84-88 inches).
Dome Style Tents
These style tents offer superior strength and wind-shedding abilities, which you will love on a stormy day or night. They stand tall in the center, but livable space is slightly reduced because their walls have more of a slope to them.
Cabin Style Tents
These style tents feature near-vertical walls to maximize overall peak height and living space. The cabin style tent often has room dividers, awning, screened areas, vestibule door, eports and other family-pleasing features.
Tent Doors
If camping with your family, multiple doors will keep you from having to crawl over others to get out during the night for your bathroom break. Doors with YKK zippers resist snagging and breaking better than others.
Tent Poles
The pole structure of a tent helps determine how easy or hard it is to pitch and setup. Just about all family tents today are freestanding. This means they do not require stakes to set up. The big advantage here is that you can pick up the tent and move it to a different location before you stake it.
When you have a tent with fewer poles you will have a faster setup. It is also easier to attach poles to clips than it is to thread them through long pole sleeves. Many tents use a combination of clips and short pole sleeves in an effort to balance strength, ventilation and tent setup ease.
Aluminum poles are stronger and more durable than fiberglass and color-coded corners and pole clips also make setup faster.
Rainfly
A rainfly is a separate waterproof cover designed to fit over the roof of your tent to help protect from rain or dew. It would also provide and extra layer in order to retain a little extra warmth.
There are two common types of rainflies; roof-only rainflies allow more light and views while still offering a fair amount of rain protection. Where full-coverage rainflies offer maximum protection from wind and rain. Check out the predicted weather where you are going camping.
Interior Pockets and Loops
Interior pockets in your tent help to keep your stuff organized. Similarly, loops on interior tent walls can be used to attach a mesh shelf, called a gear loft (usually sold separately) to help keep small personal items off the tent floor.
To hang a lantern inside your tent a lantern loop is often placed at the top center of a tent's ceiling.
Electrical Cord Access Port
If you want to power some items inside your tent then you will either need to setup at a campsite that provides electrical outlets for your use or to bring along your own portable generator. No matter what generates your needed power you will need to get it inside your tent via an electrical extension cord. Some tents have electrical access ports which can be closed when not in use.
Other Features and Accessories
The list above are primary considerations when selecting your new tent. There are a number of other features and accessories that we will cover as we discuss each of these popular and favored camping tents.
