Family Size Camping Tents

An Outdoor Living Essential: Family Size Camping Tents

So, you are looking for family size camping tents - big enough to hold the entire family, but convenient enough for regular use? Well, here's some things to consider...

Look In Your Wallet. When considering what type of family size camping tent to purchase, you will, of course, need to be guided by cost considerations. On the one hand you need to buy a tent that is big enough for your family, but not larger than you actually need, because the larger the tent the more expensive it will be to purchase.

Hiking vs. Camping. Will you be doing a lot of backpacking - traveling in by foot to your campsite? This will require you to purchase a lighter model family size camping tent, or perhaps break up the tent into separate packages (for example, sharing the tent poles and stakes) to be carried by more than one person.

A Different Destination Every Day? If you will be traveling to a new location every day, then you will need to invest in one of the family size camping tents that is especially easy to set up and take down. On the other hand, if you will be staying in one place for a week or more, then you can purchase a larger, more complex family size camping tent - one that will maximize your comfort and ease of movement.

A Tent For All Seasons? In most cases, no. You can buy one-season, two-season, three-season and some four-season family size camping tents. A tent designed for use in the summertime may only be able to handle light showers, whereas a tent designed for winter camping will be made of much thicker fabric to better able the cold and wet environment of winter. Family size camping tents should only be used during the seasons they were designed for; using the wrong type of tent can ruin your vacation experience.

Not Just The Number, But Also Ages. In evaluating the many family size camping tents on the market today, keep in mind not just how many people will be using the tent, but also their ages. That's because adults take up more space than kids. Also remember that you may need room not just for yourselves and your sleeping bags, but also cots, clothing, coolers for food, hunting and fishing equipment - in fact, anything that you will need stored inside out of the weather.

Height? Which Height? When it comes to the height of family size camping tents, make sure that you will have enough room while lying down, while sitting, while kneeling in the tent, and while standing fully erect. Family size camping tents with a steeply sloping roof may find that the only part of the tent they can stand up in is a very small area in the center; in general the tent models with a dome-style roof will have more useable headroom, because these types of family size camping tents have gently-sloping roofs.

Ease Of Set-Up. Families with small children, where mom and dad will be the only ones available to help in setting up the tent, will need to purchase a family size camping tent that is very easy to set up, as the kids will not be able to help. Tents are available with ingenious spring-loaded poles that are a snap to set up, but some of them can be difficult to take down. If you have ever tried to set up a tent in the dark, you will understand the importance of quick and easy set-up.