| Now that you have decided to purchase a camping | | | | the canoeist. This question is more important than it |
| tent and go camping the question is how do you | | | | first appears. A novice camper may visualize a |
| determine what camping tent to purchase? One option | | | | beautiful camp site overlooking a river or lake that |
| is to figure out how much money you have to spend | | | | requires a hike to it and then purchase a camping tent |
| and go to your discount store or online website and | | | | that is too heavy to carry a long distance. Or, a |
| spend about $20 dollars more and live with what you | | | | canoeist may visualize a campsite by a river |
| get. Another option is to go to a sporting goods store | | | | accessible only to canoes and purchase a camping |
| pay full price and have a salesman determine what | | | | tent that cannot be set up in the available space |
| you need. Actually there is a better way. | | | | because it is the wrong shape for that space. Both |
| You need to answer some basic questions about your | | | | hikers and canoeists need to make sure the tent can |
| needs and from that determine what type is best for | | | | be packed into a small enough space to carry easily. |
| you. | | | | 3. What kind of weather will the camping tent be used |
| 1. How big a tent do you need? - The basic | | | | in? Will it be subjected to wind on a regular basis? - |
| component here is how many people will sleep in the | | | | Cold or windy weather requires three or four season |
| camping tent. Sounds simple but there might be a few | | | | tents. Two season tents are cheaper and lighter but |
| twists. If you have children will they be bringing friends | | | | won't hold up as well. |
| with them and how many. The tent manufacturers list | | | | 4. Is privacy an issue? - Bigger camping tents have the |
| how many the camping tent will sleep. I suggest | | | | possibility of room dividers. Consider two tents as |
| subtracting one if you go on weekend trips and two if | | | | another way to solve this issue. One advantage to |
| you plan week long vacations in the same campsite. | | | | two tents is it makes it possible to have tents for |
| The longer you stay in one location the more stuff will | | | | specialized needs. However, make sure your campsite |
| move into the tent. | | | | won't charge extra if you have an extra tent. |
| 2. Will you be driving to your campsite, hiking or | | | | 5. How often will the tent be used? - Campers who |
| canoeing? - The campers that drive to their campsite | | | | plan to use the camping tent a lot can justify spending |
| are only limited by the room in the vehicle. A canoeist | | | | a little more to get the right tent. It would be cheaper in |
| is limited by the room in the canoe but a hiker has to | | | | the long run. However, if you don't plan on camping |
| backpack the tent. Weight is very important to the | | | | very often a basic tent might meet your needs on a |
| backpacker and weight and shape are important to | | | | very exceptional basis. |