Going to camp, whether on vacation or even out of season, is very good, especially when you go to a beautiful place, such as a beach or waterfall in the middle of a lot of nature.
What many people who are going to start life as a tentmaker are in doubt about which tent to choose, since there are countless brands, models, and prices out there, and we instinctively think that cheaper is the worst and more expensive is the best, but know that it may not be so.
First, before buying a tent like American Tent for example, you need to know: what kind of camp are you going to? Dry, rainy, or cold? After knowing a little about the climate of the region you intend to camp, you will find three options of tents to choose from:
Igloo Model
This is the most common model that exists and also the cheapest. You can even find it for sale in supermarkets. And make no mistake: it is very good indeed, but what you need to know is that it was built exclusively for dry climates, that is, without rain. Her fabric is not waterproof, and even dew can penetrate and wet you inside; this goes for the floor of this tent, which is made of a sort of bag which is, in turn, of inferior quality. In short: if it rains, you will get wet all over.
Pros: It’s cheap, easy to assemble, and very light to carry around.
Over-Ceiling Models
Let’s say it’s an intermediate model. It comes with a cover made of a waterproof material to wear over the tent. This material can withstand up to fifteen hundred millimeters of rain. The downside is that these tents still come with braided bottoms that aren’t very good at keeping out water.
Pros: Lightweight, easy to assemble, and no water gets on top.
Finishing
It is worth remembering that the models always put on the packaging a capacity greater than it holds, so if the packaging says that it holds up to three people, think that, in practice, two will sleep comfortably.
Suppose you are the type of backpacker just starting and don’t have much money to invest. In that case, you can buy an intermediate or straightforward tent and upgrade it with a few things: as far as the floor of tents that aren’t very good against water, buy a canvas of those black ones and put it inside (not outside, as that would accumulate even more water); and to prevent rain from entering through the roof, you can buy a truck tarp –those orangey ones– that come with holes and extend over your tent. Just make a few more specs to firm it up and replace the ones that come in the tent packaging, as they are not very good.
What counts is having fun and learning from mistakes. Little by little, you will improve and acquire new equipment and experiences. The important thing is for you to stop making excuses and fall into the world if only to suffer a little bit! Then come back here and tell us your experiences.
