The best firms of tents for rest. How to choose a tourist tent. Tips for newbies. Tent bottom material

KNP club

My material will be useful to those who are puzzled for the first time by choosing a tent and who want to approach this process more consciously. Here's how to choose a camping tent designed for camping, fishing, hiking and travel from a few days to longer trips. I do not consider tents for specific and extreme conditions: I have no such experience.

About appointment

We will analyze here only the choice of a tourist (trekking) tent. These are tents used by travelers, tourists, cyclists, hikers, fishermen, hunters and other mobile people. You can carry such tents with you for many days, quickly put them up, quickly dismantle them. Actually, the entire article “How to choose a tourist tent” is dedicated to them.

Main characteristics

To choose the right tourist tent, you will have to understand its characteristics. It is quite simple and even interesting. Having correctly selected these characteristics “for yourself”, you, firstly, will remain healthy, and secondly, you will spend your money rationally.

Number of seats

classical tourist tent for a hike 2-seater. A single can already be perceived as extreme, and a 3-seater as camping. But this is certainly a rough judgment, it all depends on the situation. How many places to choose a tent, you will have to decide for yourself from your needs. For example, I have two types of tents in terms of capacity for different situations, but a two-person tent is the main and most in demand.

Approximate dimensions of various beds for comfort are shown in my figure below.

Some reflections and observations from experience

• A double tent is the most versatile option. When you decide to choose a tourist tent, remember that a two-person tent can be used for solo trips, trips for two, and even three. If desired, it can accommodate more people. A living example is our overnight stay, when four adults of average build spent the night in a double cheap Chinese tent. Uncomfortable but warm.
• It’s good when you are autonomous while traveling. Even if my fellow traveler takes a double tent with him, I will also strive to take my own tent in order to be completely independent.
• A single tent will always find a place for its installation: a 1x2 m site is easier to find than 2x2 m.
• The number of places in a tent is assigned based on a comfortable stay in it, but in reality you can spend the night in a 2-person tent for three people, in a 3-person tent for four. In principle, it is possible to spend the night with a larger number of people, but this is already according to the principle “just to change the edge somehow”.

The weight

When thinking about how to choose a tourist tent, be sure to pay attention to its weight. This is a very important characteristic for those who will carry their own things and at the same time walk far and long, less critical for cyclists and motorists. The lower the weight with the same other characteristics, the more expensive the tent. So in this regard, motorists are very lucky: you can reasonably save money. In general, if the weight of the tent is more than 3 kg, its place is in the trunk of a car, and not in the backpack of a traveler, who is best to look for something closer to 2 kg. But for two or three, the weight of the tent of 3-5 kg ​​seems to be scattered for everyone.

Although situations may be different. For example, I have to carry a 3.2 kg three-man tent, because there is no budget lighter alternative, and a two-man tent for a family of four (2 adults + 2 children) is too small.

The optimal weights of budget and high-quality tents are roughly distributed as follows:

It is unlikely that you will find a budget lighter option without sacrificing quality. But motorists, as I said, are lucky: their weight is not critical, which expands the options for choice. They can opt for a camping tent that is heavier, but with decent performance, made from heavy, cheap, but reliable materials.

Number of layers of tourist tent

single layer tent- a tent in one layer of material, which is an awning. Ventilation occurs through a small window at the top of the tent, covered with a cape.

• Pros: cost, weight, the tent is quickly set up and removed.
• Minuses: more condensate accumulates, among the representatives of such tents there are a lot of low-quality Chinese consumer goods.

There are times when the choice of such a tent is justified.

double layer tent consists of an inner tent (first layer) and an awning (second layer). Between these two layers, when setting up the tent, a gap is formed, which provides ventilation and condensate rolling off into a non-residential area. The inner tent is breathable (ventilated), and the awning protects residents from rain and wind.

The inner tent can be set up separately (without an awning). We sometimes do this when it's hot during the day so that the tent is blown through, and we spend the night without an awning when it's stuffy.

• Pros: less condensation.
• Minuses: more expensive, heavier, the tent takes a little longer to set up and take down.

As you understand, all these troubles with two layers are mostly due to condensate. When the tent is not sufficiently ventilated, water drops accumulate on the walls. If there are a lot of them, then it is very uncomfortable - damp. And in winter, frost forms in the tent. If you choose a camping tent with two layers, this will reduce such undesirable phenomena to the maximum.

Awning (second layer of the tent)

I recommend taking the water resistance of the awning seriously. Actually, this is its main purpose. Simply put: one awning will let water through during a downpour, and the other will not get wet. Numerically, this is expressed in the maximum height of the water column (mm w.st.) that the awning material can withstand.

If people now ask me how to choose a tourist tent and correctly take into account the numerical value of the water resistance of the awning, then in general I recommend taking tents with an indicator of at least 3000 mm w.st. A gusty wind and a half-hour downpour my personal tent with such characteristics endured, the rest of the rains were ordinary, he also coped with them. There are no claims yet.

Start from this value - 3000 mm w.st. For myself, I decided this: if the tent needs to be used in places where rains are rare, then you can underestimate the indicator, and if there is a possibility of serious rains in strong winds, then it’s not a sin to play it safe and lay at least 5000 mm w.st. in the tent.

Among the materials for the awning, polyester is in the lead, surpassing nylon in its characteristics. A suspicious attitude has developed towards awnings made of membrane fabric. This is a fabric - two in one: "breathes" and at the same time has a water-repellent property. Many believe that over time, the fabric gets dirty and loses these virtues.

The awning fabric can be impregnated with polyurethane (in a simple way, rubber). Fabric with such impregnation is marked as PU.

Bottom

Here again, it is important to pay attention to water resistance. The characteristic is the same - in millimeters of the water column. Decent water resistance of the bottom starts from 3000 mm w.c. Now I have tents with an indicator of 5000 mm w.st. - I kind of reloaded. I didn’t specifically try to put them in a puddle (although you can check in the future), but they were placed on wet soil after rain. Everything is dry.

The strength of the material is another important thing to pay attention to. The load on the floor is always high. Firstly, we walk on the floor ourselves, and secondly, it is not always possible to prepare a site for a tent: remove branches, bumps, sharp stones that can break through the bottom.

How to choose a tourist tent taking into account the material of the bottom? In budget tents, reinforced polyethylene is used, which increases their weight, in more expensive and lighter tents - nylon and polyester.

I now have tents with a polyester bottom. Visually, the bottom is very thin, and it seems that if some strong knot comes across, it is about to pierce the bottom. But so far there have been no punctures, maybe because I always try to prepare the place for the tent as carefully as possible, or maybe because of the sufficient strength of the material.

There used to be a cheap Chinese tent with a reinforced polyethylene bottom. Really strong material, but loses a lot of weight.

Tent shape

How to choose a tourist tent, taking into account its shape? Which is better? The question is philosophical, and it all depends on where and how it will be used. However, the pulusphere is the most common and popular form of tent, which has proven itself worthy. The design and shape of such a tent is very convenient and has good properties: it is quickly installed and disassembled, it has good wind resistance. But the most important thing is that it can be placed on any surface: sand, stones.

For a trip to the Middle East, I was looking for a tent of this design: it does not have to be stretched by driving pegs into the ground.

I will not talk about other forms of tents here. But if you have a desire, you can get acquainted with them on a separate page. I have analyzed this issue in detail.

Arc tents

How to choose a tourist tent, given the material of the arches? The frame of the tent is assembled from the arcs. Necessary properties: lightness and strength, and in winter they should not yet become brittle in the cold.

• arcs from aluminum alloys are leading in popularity. I present alloys for arcs according to the increasing “price-quality” characteristic: the cheapest and lowest quality alloy is D16T, alloy B95 is slightly better, then alloys with the addition of zinc (marking 7xxx) or magnesium (marking 6xxx) come, and the last word in tent building belongs to the alloy with the addition of scandium (marking Sc). If the arcs are anodized, then T6 is added to the marking.
• arcs from CFRP(carbon fiber) lightweight and durable.
• arcs from fiberglass light, strong, cheap, but fragile in the cold.

additional characteristics

Storm Guys

In calm weather, I can not use them - I just throw an awning on the tent and that's it. But when the wind, and even more so a strong wind, and even with rain, then it is simply necessary to stretch and secure the tent, otherwise it may be blown away by the wind. In a good way, it is necessary to do this even in calm weather, because an unstretched awning touches the inner tent, and the ventilation property and condensate removal are reduced from this.

mosquito net

No comment. Until the bloodsuckers are listed in the Red Book, it is better that the tent has a fine mosquito net.

Hanging shelves and interior pockets

A very useful little thing. I put glasses on a hanging shelf at night so as not to crush them during sleep, or I attach a flashlight for illumination. The interior pockets are great for keeping things organized. When I first thought about how to choose a tourist tent, I simply did not pay attention to the presence or absence of these devices - I was lucky, they were there. Many manufacturers by default supplement their models with them, but it will not be superfluous to check.

The presence of a vestibule

A tambour is something like a non-residential separate compartment in a tent. It may be very large, may be slightly marked, or may be absent altogether. Depending on the size of the vestibule, it can be used for various purposes: you can store equipment in it, leave shoes, dishes, hide a bicycle there, cook food.

Since I watch the weight of my backpack, in my tents the vestibule is either completely absent or tiny. By the way, I try not to leave things in it at night, otherwise you can wake up without equipment. Once in Turkey in the morning I did not find my shoes: the dogs were stolen.

Seam sealing

In order to prevent water from entering the tent along the seams, they are glued or boiled in high-quality tents. Welded seams are more reliable than taped seams. You can choose a tourist tent without sealing the seams: you can glue the seams yourself with a special tape. In general, of course, this requires skill, but if you want to get confused with this, then you will find the tape in tourist shops.

Conclusion

I hope I was able to clarify the question "How to choose a tourist tent" for you. You may have noticed that the choice explanations were mostly around the hemispherical tent. This does not mean that other forms do not have the right to exist. It's just that the hemisphere is the most in demand and popular (in second place is the half-barrel), and the described characteristics apply to all forms without exception. Well, it's like the characteristic "engine size", it is important for all cars, regardless of their brand.

Finding the right manual is not difficult. Do you want to learn how to fish or collect chaga? 🙂 No questions asked! "OK Google..." But not everything is so rosy. There is a lot of information, you will have to search, weed out unnecessary and outright nonsense. Sometimes you spend more time searching than reading. We continue to share useful life hacks. And summer is vacation, hiking, picnics, the beach and other joys.

Today's material is about choosing a tourist tent. Think it's easy? Well, yes, you can go to a sporting goods store and buy, relying on the advice of the seller. But we are not looking for easy ways, and where is the guarantee that they will not sell some garbage. So let's find out which tents are needed for a family vacation, which ones will allow you to comfortably relax in the mountains and other nuances.

How to choose the right camping tent

It doesn't matter how many days you plan to be in nature - a few days or just spend the night. You can make a hut out of branches and climb into a sleeping bag, you can spend the night by the fire. But what kind of vacation is this? Moreover, the sleeping bag has obvious disadvantages:

• Low level of comfort. If it protects from cold nights, then definitely not from dew or rain. And to believe the weather forecasters ... you understand 🙂
• Man is not protected from insects, rodents or snakes. The dubious joy of waking up among a crowd of ants.

So let's take it as an indisputable fact that you need to take a tent with you. Therefore, preparing for outdoor recreation, we will add this item to the list. And then we start thinking about sizes, shapes, water resistance and other useful features.

INTERESTING. According to the type of application, tents are divided into assault, expeditionary, camping, trekking, for base camps, beach and winter fishing. Already from the names we can assume the properties of materials and configuration. For example, models for fishing on ice do not have a floor, they are made of special materials that keep heat well.

What are the types of tourist tents

You should not, headlong, run to the store or order the first tent you like on the Web. First, let's answer the question "How will we rest?". The answer depends on what we end up buying. By the way, the impact on the budget also depends on the type of vacation 🙂 Suppose you like cultural recreation - an equipped playground, parking, access to the Internet and other benefits. In this case, the choice is clear. Buying a camping tent.

A good choice for traveling on wheels. Autotourism is an interesting thing. In a short period you can see a lot and have a good rest. And temporary housing looks accordingly. As a rule, such models are large, with a high roof, vestibule and windows. It is easy to live in such a tent for several days with the whole family. In the pros comfort and capacity. Of the minuses, we note considerable weight and high heating costs.

Hikers or cycling enthusiasts do not need such a load. The lighter the tent, the more comfortable the rest. A trekking tent would be ideal. A small shelter for installation on flat surfaces, will allow you to relax in the forest, in the field, on sites near the hiking trail. In the general mass of things it is absolutely invisible, especially for an experienced traveler. But it is not designed for gusts of wind and heavy rains.

IMPORTANT! The production of civilian tents is subject to the GOST 28917-91 regulations. Look at the description of the types of tents for recreation. Knowing the performance characteristics, it is easier to talk with sellers. Everything is scheduled according to materials, number of people, weather conditions and so on.

Hiking in the mountains is difficult in itself, and no one will load themselves with unnecessary things. If you want to experience the beauty of the mountains or go rock climbing, you will have to buy an assault tent. Similar models took the best properties from other species. The assault tent is quickly set up, even faster dismantled. Weight is less than that of trekking models, and protection at height is not afraid of wind, rain and low temperatures. But they are small, which is a minus.

Choosing the right camping tent

When buying a tent for the first time, we make a typical mistake. Manufacturers do not divide products according to the seasons. The actual classification is somewhat simpler:

• Summer tents. From the name it is clear that the thing is designed for hot weather. The main condition is good ventilation. And that means ventilation windows and mesh on the openings. And you don't need a double structure. But therein lies a drawback. Light weight and strength will not allow to withstand the growing wind, the resistance to water flows also suffers.
• Tents for three seasons. When do most of us go camping? That's right, summer, autumn and spring. These models are designed specifically for these seasons. Durable materials with moisture-repellent impregnation are used, which means that the rain is not terrible. The design and weight allow you not to be afraid of gusty winds.
• Winter tents. Such models have a second name - all-weather. Manufacturers are not lying at all. Initially sharpened for cold weather, tents are quietly used in the summer. A little hot, but not critical. Very stable and absolutely no leaks. They keep warm very well.

The choice, in general, is obvious. If you go outdoors only in summer, then we buy a tent of the first type. Avid fishermen, hunters or rafters are advised to purchase an all-weather tent. You never know how things will turn out 🙂 It's better to be ready. And for those who have devoted all their free time to tourism in any weather, there is no doubt. Definitely a winter option. A similar situation with winter fishing.

How to choose a tent for a family vacation. Deciding on the size

Do you know how the manufacturer labels products by capacity? Not a parrot 🙂 like in the famous cartoon. The name "single" says that an adult man of medium size is comfortably accommodated in the tent. In a double, respectively, two and so on. You should not think that every brand uses the same man for tests. An ordinary tester is 170-180 centimeters tall and has an athletic build.

And here comes the moment of truth. When buying products from the Chinese industry, it is better to look at the linear dimensions. Suddenly they were testing the tent according to their size. Don't think this is a joke. Such situations are not uncommon. And in general, if you buy a model for several people, do not be too lazy to study the dimensions. Do not spend a lot of time, but a positive result is guaranteed.

ADVICE. Pay attention to the presence of a "skirt" - an additional strip of material around the perimeter. The element can be sewn in or removable. If you pile on the “skirt” of spruce branches, stones or snow, you can increase stability and thermal insulation. Assault tents are not released without this element!

Now let's talk about the material. You can find two options: a single-layer model or a two-layer model. The water resistance of the tent is the same in both cases, but there are nuances. Sometimes not very pleasant.

• Single-layer tents are made of waterproof materials. As a rule, this is a single canvas without seams or glues. They are easy to install. A significant minus appears, for example, in hot weather after rain. Condensate. In old-style tents, one salvation is ventilation of the internal space. Otherwise, a wet sleeping bag. New developments from “smart” fabrics have appeared on the market. But they are few and expensive.
• Two-layer models are made from two awnings - waterproof and breathable. The latter is located inside. Between the materials leave a gap of about 15 centimeters. It turns out reliable protection from rain, wind and low temperatures. But the price of comfort comes at the cost of weight. Most tents with a vestibule are double-layered.

Choosing a tent for camping and more

It remains to decide on the design features and additional options. For example, windows. On the one hand, the possibility of review. But what to look for? On bushes, tree roots, thickets of grass or heaps of stones? On the other hand, ventilation And here are the questions. If the tent is single-layer, the entrance opening will suffice. If two-layer, additional ventilation is not needed. So it turns out that windows are needed only in camping models 🙂 You know the comfort.

It is more difficult with the material, but only from ignorance of the names and properties. Often the names are clear, such as "Polyester". And if you see "Poly Taffeta 210T"? There are sensations from the field of star wars or the production of terminators 🙂 Joking aside, only two types of artificial materials are used for the production of tents - polyamides and polyesters. These are the familiar nylon and polyester. Much depends on the understanding of the marking, including the water resistance of the tent.

The first material is cheap, but holds UV worse and stretches in the rain. Polyester is practically devoid of the disadvantages of a fellow, but it costs many times more. For a tent for one or two is not so critical, but camping models vary greatly in price. Even in the marking indicates weaving. Rather, the type, density and impregnation. The mentioned "taffeta" is just a way of weaving. There are especially strong weaving and reinforcement.

DID YOU KNOW… that the cloak-tent came from the cloaks-epanches that were used in the Russian army during the time of Peter the Great? First, in the second half of the 18th century, the epanchi had a hood. Toward the end of the 19th century, the raincoat of the tent takes on the form familiar to us. The kit, for the soldiers and officers of the Red Army, included: a waterproof cloth 1.8 by 1.8 meters, a composite stand, pins and a rope for lacing.

The numbers in the name of the material indicate the density. This is how the manufacturer determines the strength of the awnings. The larger the value, the stronger the fabric. But also harder, respectively. Thread thickness can be specified. Here the same dependence with mass, as well as density. We advise you to pay special attention to impregnation. Manufacturers use two substances - polyurethane and silicone. The first goes to the inner surface, the second - to the outer.

It would seem that everything is elementary. But! What matters is not only what the fabric is impregnated with, but also how many layers of impregnation are made. Two layers of polyurethane give water resistance of 300 centimeters of water column, three layers already 500 centimeters. For the outer surface, impregnation is considered the best option, which holds 200 centimeters of water column. What happens? For a hike once a year 🙂, a medium-density nylon tent and silicone impregnation are enough.

Types of tourist tents

It remains to be said about the features of the structures. If you do not pay attention to minor differences, tents are divided into three types according to their shape:

• In the form of a hemisphere. The awning is stretched over a structure of two or three arcs. The elements intersect with each other and form the basis of a hemisphere. A popular type of tent, both among hikers and lovers of extreme sports. The water does not linger and the windage is very low;

• In the form of a half barrel. This form is given to multi-seat tents with a vestibule. Good option for camping. But in undeveloped places it is better not to use it - low resistance to wind;

• In the form of a house. This form is considered classical. The most commonly used type of tent for recreation. Two slopes allow you not to think about precipitation, but the windage of the structure is higher than that of a hemisphere. But the main disadvantage in another - the complexity of the installation. Why bother when you can buy an easy-to-install and disassemble model?

Choosing a tourist tent

There is knowledge, money has been accumulated 🙂 going to the store will not be a problem. There's just no need to rush. We offer some tricky tips that will help you buy a quality tent and save money.

• New items differ not so much in materials or technologies as in design and price. Models of the last or the year before last are no worse, but sometimes they are several times cheaper.
• An established brand costs money. The truth is common, but we forget about it. Let the company name be unfamiliar. The main thing is that the performance characteristics are satisfied and in reality they are.
• It’s a good idea to surf the target forums, look at reviews or chat with fellow tourists live. If it is possible to borrow a tent from a friend, use it 🙂 You will understand exactly whether it suits you or not.

IMPORTANT! The floor is made from the same material as the entire tent, only with a denser weave or reinforced. In the characteristics, the manufacturer indicates the necessary data. We advise you to pay attention - to set up a tent fall on stones, grass or uneven ground.

Well, I bought a tent. The backpack was collected. Eh, let's rest! Do not hurry. We advise you to assemble and disassemble the purchase of a house several times. Traveling will be easier. Check the seams, or better yet, go over them with a water-repellent compound. It definitely won't get worse. And finally, after returning from a hike, dry the tent thoroughly. And you will be happy for many years 🙂

Have a good rest and good weather! And how and where to relax

One of the main places is occupied by a tent. And if you are going camping, you need to think about how to choose the right tourist tent. With today's variety of tents offered by manufacturers, it's just eye-opening. All have different price, different shape, color and so on. How to choose a tent and what to look for when buying - this is what today's article is about.

Why do you need a tent?

Before you go to the store, you should think about what you need a tent for, where you will use it and how to transport it. This will help narrow down the choices considerably.

Here, by default, I will consider the average option for using a tent on a hiking or cycling trip. Large camping tents, fishing tents, children's tents-awnings are not very suitable for the theme of the site. It is assumed that you need a tent mainly for a comfortable overnight stay on a hike and you will carry it on yourself or carry it on a bicycle. That is, it will be such an average tent for a tourist.

Number of places in the tent

The number of places in your tent is one of the main selection criteria and depends on how you are most likely to travel. Alone, alone with a friend, alone with a girl or the whole family.

Tents are usually positioned as one-two-three-seater with a little margin for internal space. That is, three people can easily spend the night in a double tent, and if you make some room, then four.

We can say that the classic version is a double tent. It is usually quite light and compact even for one person and can be accommodated either alone with complete comfort and all your equipment, or together without much discomfort and tightness.

The tightness factor is important to consider in hot weather. Sleeping three of us, huddled together in a double tent, will not be very pleasant if the temperature is +30 outside. And in winter, as a rule, clothes and equipment occupy a much larger volume.

Tent weight

Which tent to choose light or heavier? The question is naive only at first glance. Lighter tents are made from more expensive materials, and this greatly affects the price. A heavy tent can be not only cheaper, but also stronger, due to stronger (albeit heavy) materials. You will have to choose the golden mean. For hiking, of course, the lighter the tent, the better. For a bike trip, this is no longer so important and you can focus on comfort. Well, for traveling by car, the weight of the tent can be ignored at all.

If your trips are more often group, then the weight of the tent should be calculated per person. That is, if the three of you spend the night in a tent weighing 3 kg, then each participant has a kilogram. Since the tent cannot be divided into three parts, one person carries it, and the other two take a kilogram of some things from him. Thus, the weight of the common equipment is divided equally between all participants.

Approximately, you can focus on the following numbers:

• Single tent - up to 2kg;
• Double tent - 2-3 kg;
• Triple tent - 3-5 kg.

Heavier tents in hiking will take too much effort to transport.

Single layer tent or double layer?

Most tents are divided into two types according to layers: single-layer and double-layer.

Single layer tent.

Such tents are sewn from a single layer of fabric and are structurally a waterproof awning sewn to a denser bottom material. For ventilation, there is usually a small window somewhere at the top of the tent, covered with a mosquito net and a rain canopy.

Pros of this tent:

• Light;
• Relatively inexpensive;
• Easy to install.

Cons of a single layer tent:

• Usually poor ventilation in hot weather;
• As a result of insufficient ventilation, condensation forms.

Double layer tent.

A double-layer tent consists of two main parts: an inner tent and an outer waterproof tent. And there are two main differences in the installation of such tents, depending on their design. For some tents, the inner part is first placed, into which the frame arcs are directly inserted. Then from above the whole structure is covered with an awning from the rain. Such tents can be set up without an awning in dry, warm weather.

The second option is the opposite - first an outer awning with arcs is placed, and an inner tent is fastened to it from the inside. Such a tent cannot be set up without an awning, but it can be used without an inner part, just like an awning.

In both cases, the outer waterproof awning does not touch the inner tent, is not sewn to the bottom material and has additional ventilation windows. Therefore, even if in such a tent condensation has formed, it will flow down the tent and drip onto the ground without getting inside the tent itself.

The inside of a double-layer tent usually has an extensive mosquito net section that allows for good ventilation. In some models, almost the entire interior is made of mosquitoes, except for the bottom. This reduces the overall weight of the tent.

Advantages of a double layer tent:

• No problems with condensation;
• Greater comfort and versatility;

Minuses:

• Heavier than a single layer tent;
• A little longer to install;
• More expensive than a single layer with the same dimensions.

materials

The main indicator for choosing a tent is water resistance awning and bottom. It is usually measured in millimeters of water column and must be indicated in the characteristics of the tent. For the awning and the bottom of the tent, this figure should not be lower than 3000 mm w.st., and preferably 5000 mm w.st.

awning material usually polyester and can be impregnated with various water-repellent impregnations.

bottom of the tent is subjected to much greater stress, so it is made of a denser and more durable material. The bottom made of reinforced polyethylene will be quite durable, but at the same time, heavier.

The bottom made of polyester seems thin and fragile, but in fact it can withstand significant loads and, with the same water resistance, will be much lighter than polyethylene.

Of course, you should not rely on its fortress and put up a tent anywhere. Be sure to prepare the place, remove all sticks, knots, thorns and sharp objects.

Another important part of the tent - mosquito net. Grids are different in size and shape of the cell. If the mesh cells are too large, then a small midge will be able to get inside the tent and will not let you live.

It is also worth paying attention to arc material tent frame.

Most often it is aluminum, fiberglass or carbon fiber.

aluminum arches quite strong and light. They are made from various aluminum alloys and the higher the strength characteristics of the alloy, the more expensive the arcs will be.

Fiberglass poles are not expensive. Such arcs are light and durable, but they have a significant disadvantage - they are afraid of low temperatures and will be more fragile in the cold.

carbon fiber arches very good in all respects, but high-quality arcs will cost a pretty penny.

Tent shape

The best shape of a tent is a separate big topic and no one will give you a clear answer on which tent to choose based on its shape. There are many types of tents in shape and you can’t try everything. But today we can say that a hemisphere on two arcs can be considered a classic tent. This form is the most common and most tourists prefer it.

This tent is quite comfortable, it is easy and quick to install on most surfaces and just as easy to assemble. It can be placed without an awning and, in the absence of wind, you can not even fix it with pegs. When using the whole set of braces, it resists quite a strong wind very well.

What to look for when choosing a tent

Seam gluing.

Seams are a weak point in the design. They must be of high quality, evenly and neatly stitched. There should not be extra "tails" of threads sticking out anywhere. And be sure all the seams of the tent must be glued or smeared with a layer of waterproofing.

Internal pockets

It is very convenient when the inner tent has several pockets for small things. They are usually located along the sides of the bottom and at the top. In such pockets, you can put the necessary small things, so as not to search later throughout the tent. The top pocket is convenient to put a flashlight as a chandelier, a phone or a watch.

Ventilation

The outdoor tent should have comfortable windows for ventilation and it should be possible to close them or open them wider, adjusting the degree of ventilation.

The size of the mosquito net inserts on the inner tent also affects this. On some tents, these inserts are very small and may not provide sufficient ventilation. In the heat, you will be stuffy, and at night there will be too much condensation.

Storm Guys

The presence of additional braces increases the stability of the tent in strong winds, and under normal conditions provides a good awning tension for better ventilation. Most often they are not used, but let it be better. A sudden change in the weather can bring strong winds that can easily break and tear a poorly anchored tent. Better to be safe.

Tambour in a tent

In a double-layer tent, this is the place between the inner tent and the outer tent in front of the entrance. In some tents, the vestibule is spacious, in some it is small. In the vestibule under an awning, you can leave your shoes, a backpack, or even hide a bicycle and cook food on a gas burner in the rain. In many situations, the presence of a vestibule will be very convenient. But this increases the dimensions of the tent and weight. Do you need a vestibule or not - you decide.

I hope this article was helpful and helped you figure out how to choose the right camping tent. If you still have questions, ask in the comments, I will try to answer.

A tent is a house on a camping trip. Not only comfort, but also safety depends on its reliability and convenience of design. It is for this reason that the Italian Ferrino tent became my first branded foreign item from my tourist equipment back in 1997, which, thanks to its classic universal design, optimal dimensions and the highest quality of production (then still made in Italy!) lasted 15 years (! !!).

At the moment I have five tourist tents! Double 4.1 kg for mountain climbing, 2.2 kg for mountain hiking, light 1.3 kg for trekking, ultra-light triple 1.8 kg for family trips and a single selfie tent weighing 800 grams. I'll try to talk about each.

THE NORTH FACE Mountain 25

Purpose: 2-seater 4-season assault tent. My biggest tent ever!

Strengths : Incredibly strong, warm and comfortable. Durability is achieved through the construction of four (!) bars made of strong but lightweight aluminum and a large number of conveniently adjustable guys. The tent is warm due to the very dense fabric of the "inner" tent. But the main thing in this tent is the convenience and comfort of living. It is provided thanks to a large number of pockets in the inner tent, two entrances, two vestibules (one of which is full-fledged, and the second is very small), as well as the presence of a simply fantastic ventilation system (comfortable temperature inside the tent can be provided in almost any weather and in any situation. It's hot - you can open through ventilation windows located under the dome of the tent and duplicated with mesh, cold - you can completely close everything. I consider this very important and use this opportunity all the time, because good ventilation is the key to good sleep and rest. In general, the tent is really very comfortable , you can really live in it for a week and not bathe! It's also great that the design allows you to set up only an inner tent if the weather is good. That's exactly what we did on Elbrus on days when there was no rain!

Weak sides : in the tent of the "expeditionary", assault class, a skirt would be useful, at least on the vestibule, so that it would not blow out the snow, as in Kamchatka (in later versions this drawback was corrected!). I would also like the second vestibule to be a little more spacious, and not just "exit + 30 cm of space for boots." Then it was possible to cook and arrange a kitchen in one, and through the second - to walk / go out. And of course, the weight of a tent of 4 kilos is a lot for a kopeck piece. But, on the other hand, miracles do not happen - after all, it is very spacious and functional, and not "minimalist".

Specifications of THE NORTH FACE Mountain 25 2007 model:

• Year of purchase: 2007
• Capacity: 2 people (Jack includes 3!!)
• Frame: aluminum
• Number of entrances / vestibules: 2
• Weight: 4.1 kg
• Manufacturer website: thenorthface.com
• Tent THE NORTH FACE Mountain 25 in Sport-Marathon store

The North Face Mountain 25 tent is so "severe" and powerful that I went with it only three times - on the Elbrus traverse with an overnight stay on the saddle, on a trip to the volcanoes of Kamchatka and on a family trip to the Bzerpinsky cornice, when I just needed all three of my tents to accommodate six adults and two children. Below are some photos from these hikes and ascents:

Camp "3700"
North of Elbrus

We rent a camp
Kamchatka, Tolbachik volcano

In the clearing of Emanuel
Elbrus, July 2012

At the top of the volcano Plosky Tolbachik,
Kamchatka

Camp on the Bzerpinsky cornice
Krasnaya Polyana

Time off!
North of Elbrus

General view with and without awning

Tent dimensions

As you probably already understood, tents of this class are not cheap. Professional brands today cost from 40 to 80 thousand rubles! In addition to THE NORTH FACE Mountain 25, among other double-layer two-layer assault climbing tents, you should pay attention to the American MARMOT Thor 2, the Swedish HILLEBERG Tarra or the Italian FERRINO Snowbound 2. If you need a 3-seater - check out THE NORTH FACE VE 25, Norwegian BERGANS Helium 3, Italian FERRINO Snowbound 3, Swedish HILLEBERG Saivo or domestic ALEXIKA Matrix 3. Among 4-seaters - domestic ALEXIKA Mirage 4, TNF Bastion 4. For five people, the American tent MSR Stormking is the best option. For those who are seriously concerned about reducing weight, manufacturers also make single-layer assault tents. In addition to the well-known Bibler, there is a one-and-a-half-layer kopeck piece with a removable vestibule MARMOT Hammer 2p weighing 2.2 kg and THE NORTH FACE Assault 2 of approximately the same design!

BIG AGNES Blacktail 2

Purpose: classic double tourist tent. The most versatile of all my tents. If I did not have the opportunity to have many tents, I would buy one of this kind.

While hiking in Switzerland in the summer of 2015, my favorite tent Ferrino Movin 2000 (description on the page "Equipment previously used") "died", which had served faithfully for more than 15 years, since 1998. The tent lasted 24 hikes and 154 camping days! When choosing a replacement for this tent, I came to the conclusion that I want to replace it with two tents: a lighter three-piece for family trips and a two-piece for full-fledged mountain trips. My requirements for the "kopeck piece" were as follows:

• Strong frame. The frame of a tent for mountain hiking must be with a full-fledged classic crosshair of two arcs in the center of the tent (the so-called X-frame), and not the now fashionable Z-frame, which is lighter but holds the wind worse.
• Strong fabrics. The wind and rain in the mountains are much stronger than in the plains. The requirements for fabric materials for a mountain tent are increased. In my opinion, the density of the tent should be at least 30-40D, the bottom - at least 70D.
• Two vestibules. Believe me, two vestibules are convenient. Very comfortably! And in the end - comfortable. And we go to the mountains to rest, not to suffer. Those who deny the need for two vestibules for a two man tent usually cite the added weight. But damn, I'm ready to give up an additional two to three hundred grams (100-150 grams per brother) of weight for the sake of convenience!
• discreet color. Specific requirement! Actually, I always said that the mountain tent should be as bright as possible, ideally orange. This is an element of the so-called "passive safety". A bright tent is much easier to find. It doesn't matter who - you, returning to the fog and bad weather from a radial or, God forbid, rescuers. But there is one BUT: the bright tent is also noticeable to other people, including the rangers of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, on hikes in which I like to go. And although there are a number of absolutely legal routes in the reserve (my guide to Krasnaya Polyana), sometimes you really want to go to the violation! In general, I realized that I need NOT a bright tent.

After buying a three-person tent for hiking with the whole family, I realized that I would like to take a second tent from the same company. By design, the BIG AGNES Blacktail 2 tent is a classic! Reliable and stable classic frame with a crosshair, materials that are optimal in terms of weight / reliability / durability, two vestibules on the sides, strong fabrics, eco-friendly color, good weight / price ratio. Someone will say that the weight - almost 2 kg - is a lot for a kopeck piece. But pay attention to what strong materials it uses? I think the tent will last a very long time!

With closed vestibules

inner tent

Separate installation of only an awning

Tent floor dimensions

Tent Height

Characteristics:

• Year of purchase: 2015
• Capacity: 2 people (a jack will also include three !!)
• Frame: aluminum
• Number of entrances / vestibules: 2
• Total weight: 2.2kg
• Price in 2016 - 19,000 rubles

I have had this tent not so long ago, so I did not go on so many trips. However, in two campaigns in Abkhazia (a trip to Malaya Ritsa and a trip along the Arabica Plateau), a trip and in Iceland, she was most welcome! More detailed overview I'll do it later. Now I can note two small drawbacks - the absence of a double zipper on the vestibule (and this is very convenient, if there is one, for additional ventilation, you can open the zipper in the upper part of the vestibule, which removes condensation from under the awning very well). Well, the second point - the inside pockets are not as big as we would like and only at the top. But again, the “Blacktail” series is not the top, but the “classic” series of BIG AGNES, and it’s not true to demand all the “chips” and lotions from this tent. If all this was, the price of a tent would be significantly higher.

• Manufacturer website: bigagnes.com
• Big Agnes tents in the Sport-Marathon store

BIG AGNES Slater UL2+

Purpose: Ultralight double three-season tent for spring-autumn trips

I bought this tent as a very light yet roomy double tent for fast & light camping trips in spring or autumn when it can be cold and windy. Bribed me one moment - with the actual three-season (the inside of the tent is not made of mesh, but of dense material), the weight of the tent in the complete set is only 1.3 kg. The tent is planned to be used primarily in spring and autumn trips with outside night temperatures around zero and below.

Pros:

• Low weight. Only 1.33 kg for a THREE!-season double tent.
• Large internal length. The length of the inner tent is as much as 244 cm (which is why there is a prefix “+” in the name). This was done specifically so that in bad weather (snow, blizzard, cold wind) it was possible to store things (backpacks) right in the tent. They really fit in the legs without any problems. And of course, such a tent is perfect for tourists of high and VERY HIGH GROWTH!

Peculiarities:

As with everything in our life, the disadvantages of this tent are a direct consequence of its advantages. To reduce weight, the designers had to sacrifice some moments.

• The tent is not a free-standing ("self-contained") design. For its installation, fastening of guy wires is required. For "experienced" tourists, this, of course, is not a problem, because ten years ago we did not know other tents at all). However, sometimes it can be stressful, like our very first night with this tent in the Bavarian Alps. Then we stood right on a dirt-gravel road (the road was a traverse of a steep slope and there were simply no other flat areas) and no pegs entered the ground. I had to climb through the forest in the dark and look for stones in order to somehow delay the guy lines.
• The entrance is one and from the end (from the head), and not two on the sides, as I like. This is of course much less convenient.
• Despite the large area of ​​​​the bottom of the tent, due to the design features, the internal volume is not so large. The side walls in it are inclined, and not vertical, as in the already classic "hub-hub" designs.
• Well, the last nuance, which directly follows from the three-season purpose of this tent - in hot weather it is stuffy and hot in it, since the inner tent is not made of mesh, but of windproof fabric.

So far, the tent has only visited the Bavarian Alps. A more detailed review will be in a year or two, when more statistics are collected.

• Manufacturer website: bigagnes.com
• Big Agnes tents in the Sport-Marathon store

BIG AGNES Copper Spur UL3

Purpose: ultralight 3 person tent

Last year, our son turned two years old and I realized that we needed a light, but as comfortable as possible three-person tent for our family hikes in the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana. My old FERRINO Movin 2000 model of 1997 was still alive then, but fundamentally did not suit me for at least three reasons. Firstly, it was heavy - almost 3 kilos for a three-ruble note for dad, who is too much to carry equipment for three in our time! Secondly, with fig ventilation - in the heat it was unrealistic, and in Krasnaya Polyana, where we live now, in the mountains, in general, it is usually quite warm. And thirdly, she had only one vestibule, which is extremely inconvenient for family trips with a small child!

Choosing a tent for a long time and slowly, and having studied, among other things, our popular MSR shawls, I settled on the Copper Spur UL 3 model of the legendary American company BIG AGNES, famous for its ultra-light tents. What I liked about this tent:

• Incredibly low weight. On our family trips, I will have to (and already have to) carry a lot of equipment for the three of us, so every gram is now more important than ever. And the BIG AGNES Cupper Spur UL3 is one of the lightest free-standing three-man tents with two vestibules to date. Here is an overview in our "Blog". Weight in the basic configuration - 1.9 kg. The total weight, including pegs, guy lines and even an additional bottom (not included) is a little over two kilograms!
• Space and internal dimensions. Family trips are not hardcore and hardcore "sport trips". When hiking with your wife and child, you want maximum comfort, and if you have a small child and a girl with you, then believe me, you will have just a bunch of clothes, and it would be nice to place all this inside the tent. BIG AGNES Cupper Spur is just huge and spacious! You climb into it, and you can’t even believe it! The length of the bottom of the tent is 229 cm (!!), the width is 178 cm, and it also has practical vertical side walls. Thanks to all this, the tent is very spacious. Subjectively, compared to the old Ferrino, there is twice as much space inside!! If we now calculate such an indicator of the tent as the ratio of the useful internal volume of the tent to its weight, then according to this indicator, this scarf of mine is almost three (!!!) times better than my old Ferrino! That's what progress means!
• The presence of two vestibules. When the whole family is with you on a hike, and even with a small child - two vestibules are not a luxury, but practically a necessity! “Logistics” in a tent with two vestibules is incommensurably more convenient and simpler: one vestibule is used for the “kitchen” and storage of things, and the second one is used for entering / exiting the tent. It is not only very convenient, but also safe.
• Mesh inner tent top and not thick fabric. Thanks to this, you can admire nature without even getting out of the tent (through the vestibule or even throwing back half of the top awning (an unrealistically cool feature of such tent designs !!). Of course, the use of “retina” in the inner tent, and not dense fabric, makes it much less warm. But living in Sochi, we can afford to go on family trips around Krasnaya Polyana, choosing days with good weather, so I don’t need a “warm” tent for these purposes. which you plan to spend the night at negative temperatures - this tent is not for you.
• positive design. Purely subjective, I really liked her positive appearance. The tent is sunny, joyful, bright! She's very cool. In many tents, the sensations, unfortunately, are completely different ...

I want to note the following important features of the BIG AGNES Copper Spur UL3 tent:

• Not very wind resistant. The type of construction of the tent - Z-frame with four braces from the ends - does not imply use in the highlands. The wind resistance of the tent is not very high, and it is necessary to take it on hikes with camps above the forest zone with great care. This is especially true for the double version - Copper Spur UL2. But I took it for family trips (when you have to carry everything for three), and with my family we go to the mountains only with a good forecast, so I think that my choice is justified. If you are planning long autonomous hikes in the highlands and or in areas with a high probability of prolonged bad weather (Kamchatka, Polar Ural, Sayans), this tent is not for you.
• Very thin materials. The lightening of the tent was achieved, among other things, through the use of very thin materials of the awning and especially the day in its design. So, the tent is not designed for those tourists who “give it strong”, because everything always breaks and breaks with them .. With this tent, as with all ultra-light equipment, you need to handle it skillfully - understand how and where to put it right and do it carefully. If your hands are... the BIG AGNES Cupper Spur UL3 is not for you.
• Additional pegs required. The pegs in the basic configuration of the tent are not enough to stretch all the guys, as there are in the tent. I bought four extra pegs for end guys.
• Tent requires daily drying. The third feature is also related to the general property of modern ultra-light tents. To ensure waterproofness, the awning of the tent is siliconized. Because of this, the tent "breathes" relatively poorly, and in the morning collects condensation on the inside of the tent. This feature of tents with siliconized awnings requires them to listen to the tent every morning before packing in a backpack. The matter, in general, is not at all complicated, and requires an additional ten to fifteen minutes of time (laying out a tent in the sun, drying, collecting) and, in fact, the sun itself (which, unfortunately, does not always happen in the mountains). In this case, in principle, it is enough, as always, to simply shake the awning well to shake off drops of moisture on the inner surface of the awning.

With that said, I want to warn tourists with minimal hiking experience against buying this tent. In order to fully enjoy the advantages of this tent in terms of weight and comfort of the internal space, you need to know and be able to do a lot ... Know how to choose the right place for a tent so that it is not blown away by the wind, know how to place it correctly in this very wind, be able to handle it in such a way that don't break. If you are an experienced tourist, then this is possible for you. best tent from what is now on the market, because a three-person tent with two vestibules weighing only 1.8 kg is not a miracle! And for me, as expected when buying, this is a very light, spacious and comfortable tent for simple trekking and hiking and mountain trips without spending the night at altitude or on passes.

Against the backdrop of the four-thousanders of the Alps
Switzerland, July 2015

On the Bzerpa cornice
Krasnaya Polyana, July 2015

Inside the tent
Krasnaya Polyana, July 2015

inner tent

Installing the awning only
(padding sold separately!)

Tent dimensions

Characteristics:

• Year of purchase: 2015
• Capacity: 3 people (Jack includes 4)
• Frame: aluminum
• Number of entrances / vestibules: 2
• Weight: 1.8 kg (!!!)
• Price in 2016 - 34,900 rubles

P.S. Immediately after the purchase, I invested a little money in order to make the tent please me more and longer. Namely:

• I made an additional bottom from an aluminized rescue blanket (teared it at the seams, it turned out 1: 1). It just seems that the additional, second bottom in the tent is some kind of unrealistic crap. Actually, it's very smart! For in addition to additional protection of the bottom of the tent from cuts, you get a complete absence of condensation on the bottom of the tent in the morning. And it's worth it! As a result, only the awning of the tent requires drying.
• Bought four extra pegs for end braces.
• Replaced the end braces with "smart" ones from NiteIze. Now it is very convenient to adjust the tension of the guys without bothering with knots and / or “tapping” the pegs after, after or during the rain, the awning of the tent naturally stretches and sags a little.
• After all these manipulations, the final weight increased by 150 grams, the tent began to weigh 2 kg.

The tent is still quite new, it is not yet three years old. To date, the BIG AGNES Copper Spur UL3 tent has been used on a hike in the Swiss Alps, as well as on several hikes in the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana, for example, on family trips to the Bzerpinsky cornice and. After a few years of trips, I will definitely rewrite this text, taking into account more significant use experience.

• Manufacturer website: bigagnes.com
• Big Agnes tents in the Sport-Marathon store

NEMO GoGo Elite

Purpose: single person ultra-light ultra-compact tent

Market analysis showed that the global outdoor industry offers a lot of models for freaks (geeks?) like me. Of course, the English TerraNova Laser Comp with a carbon arc and a weightless cloth and a total weight of 450 grams is a miracle, but the price of $1500 stopped me. As a result, I settled on the Nemo GoGo Elite with the "inflatable arch" technology, unique for serious tourism. I liked its compactness (less than 2 liters in a complete set), bright yellow color and an ideal price-weight-quality ratio. 17 thousand for a tent weighing less than 800 grams seems to me to be the "golden mean" in this endless race to reduce the weight of equipment!

In Austria

Tent with things inside

My feet and a mat in a tent

Tent in original case

Tent dimensions

Sectional design

Characteristics:

• Year of purchase: 2014
• Capacity: 1 person
• Frame: one arc with air chamber
• Awning: 10D OSMO™ Elite W/B membrane
• Bottom: 20D PU Nylon Ripstop
• Number of entrances / vestibules: 1
• Total weight: 800g
• Price: $430

Weaknesses: It's too early to tell. You can, of course, say - there is no space, small, low, cramped, in order to get into a sleeping bag, you need to undress in advance, "on the street", because you climb into the tent only feet first (not for the superstitious, in short). But after all, ultra-light is not about “comfortable sleep”, but about “walking a lot on the route”;) Although, to be honest, there are no problems in sleep - you sleep, stretched out to your full height, there is also a place on the sides. So the dream is full, no problem!

So far, the Nemo GoGo Elite tent has been on two hikes - my third hike in the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve and weekend hiking in the vicinity of Innsbruck. Here are some photos from these trips:

• Manufacturer website: nemoequipment.com
• Nemo equipment in the Sport-Marathon store

SEA TO SUMMIT UltraSil 15D Tarp Poncho

"In battle" since 2014

Purpose: 3-in-1 ultra-lightweight poncho

A camping awning, with which you can quickly build yourself a shelter from rain and wind, is actually an indispensable element of bivouac equipment for serious hikes. By stretching it in the camp, you can get an additional area protected from wind and rain, ideal, for example, in order to equip the kitchen. The second purpose is a quick shelter from rain and wind right on the route, when you want to quickly and comfortably wait out the bad weather, and not sit in a tent>. There is a third, more original use of a camping tent - in case of rain, you can easily get clean drinking water with it. Once, when spending the night on the crest of a wooded Altai ridge, we did just that!

I lost the previous large Bask tent, 3 by 4 meters in size, after a hike in Kamchatka and decided that the new tent should weigh not 2 kg, but 200-300 grams;)

But posto awning is the last century! The modern solution is an awning in which you can walk (!!!). Yes, yes, walking in the rain, with a backpack, using it instead of a waterproof jacket. Such a miracle is called - a poncho awning. A poncho awning is a 3-in-1 solution - an awning, a rain cover and even a replacement tent (rain cover + mat and sleeping bag, that's a den for you to sleep!). In general, consider yourself. But I will say - the weight savings are fantastic!! So it is not at all surprising that in our Sport Marathon this model is wildly popular with participants in various kinds of forced marches and adventure races!

Characteristics:

• Year of purchase: 2014
• Size: 145 x 280 cm.
• Weight: 230 g
• Price - 7300 rubles in yellow-green or seatosummit.com
• Sea to Summit poncho in store

How to choose the right camping tent? The question of choosing a tent for hiking, trekking or climbing was preoccupied by every tourist, both novice and experienced. In this article you will find almost all the selection criteria that you need to pay attention to when buying. After reading this article, you will arm yourself with a wealth of knowledge about tourist tents. We hope that even experts will be interested!

Passion for hiking is not only a desire to see and learn new beautiful places, to be in nature, outside the cities, but also a certain challenge to the usual way of life. The traveler somehow goes beyond the usual limits of comfort. Cooking in the forest or mountains, the vagaries of the weather, the physical difficulties of overcoming obstacles make it completely different, to re-evaluate the meaning of the very concept of "comfort". Comfortable hiking shoes, well-fitting, dry, warm and, of course, a reliable tent - these are the main “whales” that keep the feeling of comfort on a hike. Today we will talk about tents.

Of course, there are a great many types of tents - trade, military, and even entire pavilion tents of enormous size. Here we will consider tourist tents. By camping tent we mean a mobile shelter that can protect the traveler from the vicissitudes of the weather - rain, wind, insects and small animals, cold (within limits, of course). A tourist tent should have a reliable design, be simple and easy to set up and fold, take up little space when folded, and when unfolded, provide normal conditions for rest and sleep.

Twenty years ago and before, there was not much choice in the post-Soviet tourist space - most used the same type of serial structures, bulky and heavy, or they had to make tents on their own. There were few foreign models and products of a few local manufacturers, and they were inaccessible to many. Gradually, the market was filled with a large number of a wide variety of models - for every taste and budget. Understanding this diversity can be difficult not only for a novice tourist, but also for more experienced travelers.

WHERE TO BUY A HIKING TENT?

If this is your first time buying a tent, and you are not an experienced marketer, it is best to make your first purchase at a large equipment center. Here you can choose from a variety of models, see, touch and even install / fold your favorite model. In such stores, as a rule, real experts in the travel industry work, so they sell the most suitable, functional models, and do not order everything in a row, like large online stores of "everything in the world." Here you can really help with advice when choosing. Sellers usually use the equipment themselves, and are not theoretical consultants. The main thing is not to fall completely under the influence of the seller.

HOW TO BUY IN THE EQUIPMENT CENTER?

Remember, there are very few real “pumped level 1000 sales masters” who are able to delve specifically into your request and sell what you need. In most cases, even an experienced climber, who is also a sales assistant, will sell you equipment “for himself”. This can lead to the fact that you will fall under the "magical influence of a specialist" and acquire something that you do not quite need. To avoid this, go shopping as prepared as possible, draw up the criteria for your choice, even write them down. Save photos of models you like on the Internet on your smartphone. You know that in the photo on the Internet, everything may not look like in reality. Forming your desires before buying, avoid a large number of advisers, especially those with poor qualifications - you risk completely getting confused. If possible, choose a couple of really smart people whose opinion you trust, describe your task to them as constructively as possible. They will ask you the right questions. After that, go to the store. The chosen tent must be laid out, ask permission to climb inside - lie down on the mat, sit. If you are going to become an avid tourist, remember - this is your future home in a variety of places and conditions and you must be confident in it.

Now let's look at what you definitely need to know about tents.

The main criteria for choosing a tent:

TENT DESIGNS

Nowadays, most tents, even budget series, are made from modern, completely reliable materials. Now almost ALL tents are completely waterproof and have seams glued with a special heat-shrink tape. The material in many cases has ceased to be the No. 1 criterion in the selection. The only exceptions are the cheapest models, the so-called "tents from the supermarket" - they should be avoided. The first thing you will need to decide when choosing - what design of the tent do you need?

Most modern tents are stretched on a frame. So, by default, your tent will have a frame. But there are tents without their frame. They are stretched with trekking poles (it's good that you have them) or improvised means. In what cases should you pay attention to such structures?

FRAMED TENTS

You are a light-moving minimalist and save every gram, ready to give up the convenience of an overnight stay in favor of weight and compactness. You will rarely need a tent on a hike, or it may not come in handy at all, you take it “just in case”. Perhaps just a tent will suit you or bivouac bag. The type of tourist activity inexorably requires you to have a light and as compact as possible backpack - ski tours, complex via ferats, adventure races, etc.

Choosing a similar design, you should keep in mind the pros and cons.

Advantages of a frameless tent:

• Minimum packing volume and weight.
• Relatively low cost (not always, there are very expensive models).
• The ability to more fully use your equipment (trekking poles, skis).

Cons of a frameless tent:

• Often less easy to install compared to self-supporting structures.
• Usually the worst habitability and wind resistance.
• Now on the market are frame tents weighing less than a kilogram. They are expensive, but maybe worth a closer look?

Frame structures of tents

Most modern frame structures on the market have a self-supporting frame. In other words, these are free-standing tents; in calm weather, they practically do not need stretching. However, in many models, you still need to stretch their individual parts to give the correct shape and maximum internal volume. The use of a free-standing tent is also possible on camping decks, asphalt and concrete sites, soft sand - where it is problematic to fix stretch marks. Also, tensile structures are very common, the installation of which is possible only with the help of stretch marks.

frame material

GRP, FIBERGLASS

It is used for tents of the lower price range. The worst option is black, matte, opaque fiberglass. If possible, choose a frame made of reinforced plastic - it is more reliable and durable. A plastic frame is suitable where weight, extreme wind resistance and use at sub-zero temperatures are not critical. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on gear, hiking infrequently and during the warmer months is your option.

ALUMINUM

The most balanced frame material. It should be noted that simpler grades of aluminum are used on budget structures than on more expensive ones. They are somewhat heavier and have less strength and elasticity. On more expensive models, more functional grades of aluminum and aluminum alloys are used. Top models can be equipped with frames made of scandium and even CARBON. Also, some well-known and expensive manufacturers order frames from specialized developers for maximum reliability and giving their products a touch of “elitism”. The most famous manufacturer of tent frames is DAC. You should know that this famous creator of the most durable frames has both simpler and more expensive lines. Check this point with the seller.

INFLATABLE FRAME

So far, such tents are still so rare that it makes no sense to write about them.

OUTER OR INTERNAL FRAME?

INTERNAL FRAME

The most common solution. The frame is located between the inner and outer tents. The inner tent is hung on it, and the awning is simply stretched from above and fastened.

Advantages of a tent with an internal frame:

• The length of the frame is less than with an external arrangement, which means that weight and dimensions are saved.
• Installation is possible only with an inner tent, which is in demand in good weather.
• If you have a special kit (usually purchased separately, but sometimes included in the kit), you can install only an outer tent without an inner one with a separate bottom, which at other times can be used as a FOOTPINT (protective bedding).
• The outer surface of the tent is as smooth and streamlined as possible, snow and debris accumulate on it less.

Minuses tents with inner frame :

• Possibly slightly worse wind resistance.
• In case of breakage, the frame can tear the awning material.
• When set up in the rain, the inner tent has time to get wet.
• Installation in the wind is less convenient.

HUB FRAME

Recent invention. It is mainly used in models of the "ultralight" segment. The main feature is the presence of "hubs" - frame connections that allow optimizing its total length, volume, and hence weight. As a rule, it is used as an internal frame. The main advantages - low weight with a large internal volume of the tent. The main disadvantages are the worst wind resistance and high cost. Often the hub frame is an all-in-one design - all frame elements are interconnected by an elastic cable, forming, as it were, one complex arc. Such a frame is convenient to fold even for a beginner.

OUTER FRAME

It is located on top of the entire structure, the arcs are visible. The inner tent is attached to the outer one. There are two main options for attaching the awning to the outer frame. With the help of LAT-POCKETS. These are original sleeves made of mesh or fabric, where the frame is threaded, after which it is fixed with tips in special eyelets. On the one hand, this is the most wind-resistant design, distributing the load as evenly as possible, on the other hand, it is the most time-consuming to install. Sometimes the final setting (stretching) of the tips into the eyelets is associated with such efforts that some girls or teenagers are unable to complete it! So practice before you buy. The second option is with hooks or carabiners. Reminiscent of fastening the inner tent to the frame in models with an inner frame. Such a system has unsurpassed convenience and speed of installation! If you bothered to attach the inner tent to the outer one in advance (or you have a single-layer tent) - installation will take a matter of seconds. This can be especially appreciated in stormy conditions. At the same time, the carbines do not provide a phenomenal load distribution of the first option. Here you have to choose.

Advantages of a tent with an external frame:

1. Possibility to set up an inner tent together with an outer tent.
2. Possibility to install an outer tent without an inner tent and without a bottom, like an awning.
3. Good wind resistance, easier to put in the wind.
4. In the event of a frame breakage, the awning usually remains intact, making it easier to repair.
5. When setting up in the rain, the inner tent stays dry.

Minuses tents with outer frame:

1. You can not set up an inner tent without an awning!
2. The frame is relatively longer and heavier than in the first version.
3. Detains snow and debris (leaves, branches, serves as the basis for weaving a web, etc.)
4. Significant installation effort is possible.
5. Typically, such structures are equipped with floor straps connecting the attachment points of the ends of the arcs. Straps can get tangled and make installation difficult.
6. Installing from scratch, without an attached inner layer, is quite laborious.

CONCLUSION: for most tourists, the option with an internal frame is preferable, which is confirmed by sales volumes. Tents with an outer frame are more suitable for professional use - in the mountains, in cold climates, in bad weather conditions.

SINGLE OR DOUBLE LAYER TENT?

Most tents on the market are double layered. As a rule, this is an inner tent, equipped with a tub-like (going on the walls) waterproof bottom and a light, breathable top, part of which is made of lightweight mesh. In tents for use in warm and hot seasons, almost the entire top can be made of mesh, but for models for colder conditions, the amount of mesh is much less and it can be closed with a denser fabric with a zipper. The outer tent, as a rule, is a protective awning made of waterproof durable fabric with fixed guy wires. It is connected to the inner tent, usually through a frame using special fastexes or other fixing devices equipped with a tension mechanism. It allows you to stretch the awning as tight as possible, which is necessary during rain or wind. A double-layer tent forms an air gap between the inner and outer tent. This makes staying in it more comfortable in both hot and cold weather and to a greater extent prevents condensation in the living area, which is very important for keeping your things dry during the trip.

single layer tent it is either a very cheap and extremely simplified "supermarket" option, or a specialized design for certain tasks. Almost all single-layer tents, one way or another, have problems with condensation, even when using special breathable fabrics, so their use in most cases is limited winter period, mountains and other places with low air temperature where condensation is not so critical. Also, single-layer tents are colder in the cold, and hotter in the sun than their double-layer counterparts. In return, they offer the ultimate in low weight and volume, ease of installation and folding in extreme weather conditions, and minimal installed dimensions, allowing them to be placed on the smallest flat area. As you already understood, this option is not for everyone! It is also worth considering the often very high cost of such structures.

SHAPE OF THE TENT

dome tent

Dome structures are the most common. For decades, such tents have been faithfully serving tourists, climbers, hunters and fishermen. The simplest dome design is formed by a frame of two pillars crossed in the middle. This tent is easy to set up and lightweight. At the same time, it cannot boast of a spacious lobby (one or two). Often, to increase the functionality (internal volume, wind resistance), one or more frame arcs or special frame spacers are added to the structure. The more intersections the frame elements make with each other, the stronger the tent.

Half barrel tent

The second most common type of tent today. In popularity, it lags behind the dome by orders of magnitude. The appearance of such a tent is clear from the name. The main drawback is that the tent is not free-standing (self-supporting), stretch marks are needed. Installation is usually more difficult, especially for beginners. The main advantage is excellent wind resistance (if installed correctly), good internal volume, low weight. This tent is rarely chosen by beginners, mainly by experienced campers who are able to take advantage of the advantages and compensate for the disadvantages.

tent marquee

A classic that looks like an Indian "teepee", "wigwam" or yurt. It is usually mounted on a center pillar, although there are other options. The option is very common in North America, we have little demand. Basically, in the post-Soviet space, a similar design is used for winter trips, usually skiing, since it is convenient for using ski equipment as a frame and installing a stove. Often there are options without a floor.

"HOUSE"

The once uncontested version of Soviet tourists. The structure is usually single layer. Now it is not widely used due to low habitability, dependence on stretch marks and installation difficulties. A rare guest on store shelves. In a new interpretation - a compact frameless tent mounted on track sticks, a frequent choice of "preppers", "bushcrafters" and beginner light walkers.

NUMBER OF INPUTS. VESTIBULAS (TAMBOURS), PLACEMENT OF THINGS IN THE TENT

Many are used to the fact that the tent should have one entrance (exit). It's nice when the entrance to the tent allows comfortable use in the rain. Practice shows that two inputs are much better than one. Therefore, if possible, choose a model with two inputs. If you do not intend to use the tent often on narrow areas, it is better to choose a model with side entrances (provided that you have a 2-3 person tent; if the tent is larger, then the entrance / exit at the heads / legs - a good option). What is the best way to organize storage space? Of course, it is better to keep little things and some clothes at hand in the tent itself, for which pockets will be useful to you in it and the “mezzanine” is especially pleasant - a shelf under the ceiling. Backpacks, shoes and bulky/dirty things are convenient to keep in the lobbies (lobby). In theory, the more of them (that is, two are better than one) and the larger their volume (for example, it’s good when a separate arc of the frame is “responsible” for the vestibule), the better. In practice, you are constantly balancing between the useful volume of the tent and vestibules and its weight / dimensions / cost. Think about what will be important to you and proceed from this in your choice. Where do you want to shift the focus - towards comfort or light weight?

Tent bottom material

Most tents have a fabric bottom. The bottom is constantly under heavy load - you lie on it, push, press with your elbows and knees. However, your tent is rarely located on an ideal surface. Therefore, it is good that the bottom is made of high-strength fabric. The modern trend of weight reduction makes many manufacturers more chasing the lightness of the product, and not its strength and resource. In some sense, it is beneficial for the manufacturer if your tent wears out faster and is replaced with a new one. If you are also looking for weight and buy an ultra-light tent, be especially careful when using it. I also advise you to use FUTPRINT (litter) on suspicious surfaces. The bottom material must not only be very durable, but also have increased water resistance. In the classical European measurement system, the minimum water resistance value for the bottom of the tent should be considered as 5000 mm. But remember that by pushing with your elbow, you create more pressure, and the tent may leak. An indicator of 10,000 mm of water column is considered absolutely reliable. At the same time, it is enough for an awning to have characteristics of 3-5000 mm. American manufacturers report significantly more modest figures. But, firstly, they are guaranteed for life for the fabric, and secondly, the system for assessing water resistance overseas is somewhat different from the European one.

On cheap tents, the floor can be made of structured polyethylene, which looks like an oilcloth bag from a supermarket. There is nothing terrible in such a field with infrequent use. It is heavier and somewhat more bulky, but it is perfectly repaired with mounting tape. This floor is suitable for not too demanding and economical tourists. I happened to live in a tent with a polyethylene floor and a fiberglass frame on Elbrus, at an altitude of 4200 meters, for several nights in fairly fresh weather, and the tent coped with this test perfectly. True, polyethylene can freeze well to ice.

Tent material processing

In nature, especially in the mountains, the tent is subjected not only to mechanical stress, but also to strong solar radiation. To resist ultraviolet radiation and better moisture protection, most tents have additional fabric processing. Best of all, silicone coating resists UV and moisture. For internal impregnation and impregnation of the bottom, a polyurethane coating of the fabric is often used. Different types of coverage have their own advantages and disadvantages, which we will not dwell on in a review article. Also, fire-retardant impregnation of the awning and inner tent will be useful. This will help avoid damage from sparks or careless handling of the fire inside.

FEATURES OF OPERATION

COOKING IN THE TENT

Be very attentive and careful! Avoid using burners inside the tent unless absolutely necessary. If this cannot be avoided, cook in the vestibule, after making sure that there is a lot of air entering there and that no part of the burner or utensils comes into contact with the material of the tent. Avoid cooking in a tent on integrated systems such as jetboil, reactor and the like - they are extremely dangerous. There are many known accidents associated with this.

PACKING YOUR TENT FOR YOUR TRIP

You don't always have to put your tent in a bag. You can separate the parts of the tent and carry them separately from each other. Wet tent can be placed on the backpack during the movement to dry. When packing a tent without a cover in a backpack, make sure that it will not be damaged by sharp objects.

TENT CARE

Modern tents are made of synthetic materials, they are very unpretentious and require a minimum of maintenance. At the same time, they can serve you for a very long time. Nevertheless, the tent should at least be dried after the hike. When folding, avoid stereotypical (habitual) folds - in the same places. Repair the tent as soon as possible after damage occurs, using a suitable repair kit.

SEASONALITY OF USE

A very conditional feature. Extreme tents are often referred to as "all-weather" tents, and their use in the summer is often uncomfortable. At the same time, two-three-season tents are often successfully used in winter and in the mountains. However, some things should be understood. So, one of the main characteristics that determine the possibilities of use is wind resistance. A tent with a weak frame and large windage is hardly worth taking for difficult weather, it will not be able to withstand increased wind and snow loads. If you have a warm sleeping bag, you can use a tent with a lot of mesh inside in cold conditions, but it is important that it has enough strength and that the awning reaches the ground as low as possible. Contrary to the beliefs of some campers, a snow skirt is by no means a mandatory attribute of "winter" tents, although it can often be of great use in snow and in strong winds. However, many very well-known manufacturers sell "winter" tents without snow skirts. Experienced hikers know that a good windbreak can often be more important than a skirt or a very strong tent.

You must understand that modern super-technological tents of the "ultralight" segment may not withstand serious loads and take this into account in your travels. You also need to know that even the most expensive, heavy and durable super-extreme tent can be torn and simply destroyed by a hurricane.

Hiking wisdom, knowledge and developed intuition are often more important than the newest and most expensive equipment. And in anticipation of the arrival of all these important qualities and gaining the necessary experience, try to use equipment strictly for its intended purpose, take into account the positioning of the manufacturer and always use common sense.

Good luck with your choice and happy travels!