Tents For Camping Guide - Camping Tent Guide

Tents for camping have different designs and features worth considering before deciding which camping tent to purchase to help find the best tents suitable for the type of outdoor adventure that is planned.

A Camping tents main purpose is to protect a user from the elements. However, tents also need to offer enough ventilation, be sturdy enough to stand up against high winds, be comfortable and easy enough to pitch.

The best tents are designed to keep in mind those needing family size tents for comfort, lightweight tents for backpacking or a bomb proof 4 season tent that will shed snow.

Whichever type of outdoor adventures a tent buyer does, considering the right features and design is highly advisable.

Camping Tent Styles

The structure of a tent matters for various reasons, which includes space, sturdiness and how it pitches. These are the main styles we find when deciding to choose tents for camping.

The A Frame Tent

The A frame style tent is one of the main style's we would have seen a fair few years ago before other styles become available. These are shaped like an A when set up with two poles at the front and back ( creating a triangle) and a pole across the top section.

These can lack room inside because the walls slope inwards at the top leaving less head and body space than other tents for camping, in the top section.

The A frame tent still has its place and can be a very strong durable shelter, although not the first choice for family sizes tents or backpacking for most.

Hoop or Tunnel Tents

These tents are a simple design that uses the poles to be shaped as a hoop, which creates a tunnel look.

They are popular for those searching for family size tents for camping and can offer ample head room. The near vertical tent walls makes this tunnel a tent somewhere between a cabin and dome.

These are not as popular as they used to be, with the design not giving the best for protection from high winds compared to dome tents for backpacking, and not providing as good access or room as a cabin style for a family.

The tuunel tent is often the tent on camp sites that flap around a lot when the wind picks up.

Dome Tents

These are the most popular of tents today because the design offers great weather protection from the dome shape for backpacking or family camping.

When choosing family size tents these will offer better weather protection than the others, although they will restrict room more than a large tunnel or cabin style tent.

For backpacking this is a much bigger subject with many tents representing the dome style. These we would call backpacking tents rather than a style, which we discuss in the backpacking tent article further.

Cabin Style Tents

These are one of the most popular family size tents today with some of the best brands providing some great cabin tents that offer easy access in and out, with plenty of ventilation for summer camping for the family.

These often have screened rooms to convert into a bedroom or to keep open to be used for a large room. The walls are very close to, if not vertical, which is why they have become so popular, offering ample room to move around.

The cabin style family size tents would not be used for winter camping and are not designed for this.

Camping Hammock

A camping hammock is a choice for lightweight backpacking and is pitched by being attached and suspended by a tree. A quality hammock can also be used as a bivy sack when set up on the ground as a camping tent.

These have advantages and disadvantages with many having a personal preference for what works well for them when backpacking.

Tarp Tent

Tarp tents are some minimalist's choice when searching for the best tents suitable for backpacking light.

These are a basic shelter to protect a user from the rain whilst keeping it light, with some users loving them and other backpackers wanting a more comfortable shelter that also keeps the bugs at bay.

Bivy/Bivouac

These are another basic shelter to be used for backpacking and popular for mountaineering and climbing. Your not likely to find these pitched next to family size tents in campgrounds.

A Bivy is something that sleeps a person with a sleeping bag and nothing more.

Camping Tent Features To Consider

Vestibule: A vestibule is a an area usually at the front or the back of the tent that is used to store gear and boots, which is easier to visualize as a porch area.