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The Outside Tent Range One Man, Two Man, Three Man, Four Plus Man

What kind of tent user am I?

You must decide! Your tent cannot do everything. Are you a car camper, a back packer, a long distance walker, an alpinist or a mountain marathon runner (or none of these)? Everyone needs something different from a tent. Are you only interested in weight and comfort will be incidental? Or are you are going to be looking for a tent that can be carried easily yet will have space to live in?

What do I need to know about the different parts of a tent?

Fabric

• Nylon (very strong, light, but sags when wet and has lower UV resistance).
• polyester (not as strong, better UV resistance, taught when wet).

Fabric coatings

• Polyurethane (PU). Coats the inside of the tent fabric. The more you pay the more coatings you get.
• Silicone Elastomer. A non organic polymer that bonds with the tent fabric so that it can't peel like PU. Multiple benefits include much more dirt/UV resistance, increased water repellence, wear resistance and it wont freeze so can always be packed away (Note: Also highly flammable).
• A combination of Silicone Elasotmer and PU. PU on the inside, Silicone Elastomer on the outside. This is the most durable combination and means that manufacturers can tape the seams on the inside of the flysheet.

Poles, Sleeves and Clips

• Poles should be easily identifiable by colour and made from high quality aluminium.
• Poles should not have many different lengths that are easily confusable.
• Sleeves should be continuous and you should not need to re thread at any point.
• Clips vs Sleeves.
• Clips are lighter, help increase air circulation and mean the tent is faster to put up.
• Sleeves are harder to break and maintain tension throughout the tent more effectively.

The Tent Inner

• Polyester panels - better for cold climates
• Mesh panels - better for warmer climates where air circulation is desirable.
• Combination - some tents have mesh panels in the ceiling of the inner that can be opened and closed to allow different levels of air circulation to be achieved.

Groundsheet/Footprints

• Normally made from Nylon with a PU coating. Many modern groundsheets have been made with light weight as the most important aspect of their design. This means they are often not up to repeated use on harsher ground. Footprints go under the tent and have been created to save the tents groundsheet from abrasion and increase the lifespan.

Pegs

• Cheap ones break and cause more trouble than they are worth. On a lightweight tent it is worth having a few full-strength pegs for harder ground, as well as the very light ones supplied with the tent.

Geodesic or a Tunnel Tent

Geodesics are free-standing and stronger in high winds. They also feel roomier as the inner tent is tensioned. They often pitch inner first, which can be a disadvantage in bad weather. Tunnel tents are lighter (as they have fewer poles and pegs) and pitch outer first which is good in bad weather. Tunnel tents can also be used with just the outer if necessary. If facing the right way into the wind they are often very stable, but are never quite as stable as the Geodesics.

What to think about when buying?

• It's better to see for yourself. Visit a shop where they have a range of tents and the space to put them up.
• Weight - manufacturer weights can be misleading. If weight is really important, ask to weigh the tent in the shop.
• Get in the tent - manufacturer dimension diagrams do not often give a true impression of what the inside of the tent is like. Often there is extra room that you did not think about or if you are over 2 meters tall there is the opposite.
• Gimmicks - some good some bad, all add to the weight. Tent Pockets, tent lofts for stowing things in the roof of the tent, glow in the dark zippers, windows etc.

Care Tips

• Tent repair kits are worth their weight in gold (they weight nothing).
• Clean dirty tent fabric with warm water, an outdoor fabric cleaner and a sponge (not a brush).
• Limit the amount of time your tent is in the sun as much as possible. Pitching in shade, covering it with a tarp and taking it down are all good ways to increase the tents lifespan.
• Always dry your tent as soon as you can. Try not to leave it packed wet as much as possible and if you can store your tent unpacked it will last longer.

Location: Trango Valley, Pakistan © Tim Kemple, The North Face