How to Pick Your Perfect Tent
We know – there is a total abundance of choice when it comes to tents, and while that is AMAZING if you are an experienced camper, looking for very specific things, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming when you are starting out. It is a big investment, and you want to know you are spending your money on the “right” thing!
I’m going to break down a few of the tents we carry and give you suggestions from our experts based on size, shape, and experience level to help simplify the equation.
The biggest deciding factor on choosing a tent is making the decision on whether you are car camping or hiking in (meaning are you carrying your tent about as far as you can throw a ball, or are you squirrelling it away in your pack and carrying it to a further away, out of sight destination?).
Car Camping
If you are “car camping”, meaning that you are setting up your tent within a stone’s throw of your vehicle, then you can give yourself a little more space and breathing room. Trust me, if you have younger kids (heck, even if you don’t!), it is really nice to be able to move around your tent without stepping on another person or to have the space to stow some of your essentials inside.
Also, if you are car camping, these larger tents are great when you have those Cub Scout-aged kids, because your tent can be large enough to accommodate the whole family (something that gets a little more difficult when you move toward needing to stow your tent away in a pack).
Backcountry Camping
Designed to be a lot lighter, backpacking tents are small enough to pack away without taking up an overabundance of room or weight (which is super important when planning your pack!). Every ounce counts when you are backpack camping, and the last thing you want is to have to give up an item or two just to be able to pack a heavier and larger tent.
To pick the perfect backpacking tent, you need to get really specific on what weight and dimensions you can give to your tent and then go from there. That is important – get specific!
Weather
The next thing to think about when you are deciding on a tent is what kind of weather you will be in the majority of the time. If you are mainly sticking with hot summer camping, then your top priority should definitely be air flow and ventilation. If you are mostly camping in temperate weather, then your typical 3-season tent is perfect (this is the most common type of tent). If you are going for the polar experience, then a 4-season tent is the way to go.
The tents listed below are all 3-season tents, so they are really versatile.
Let’s Talk Tents
Coleman Sundome 4- and 6-Person Tents
For a family of three who is car camping in moderate weather (hi, it’s my family!), the Coleman Sundome is perfect. We have the 6-Person size, so that we can fit a cot, an air mattress (I’ll admit it – I am a bit extra), and a smaller air mattress for our 4-year-old (we got one that had sides on it when she was a 2-year-old because she was just transitioning out of a crib). It also has room for our medium-sized dog who comes with us, along with a gear bag. The dome shape makes it really versatile (like you can take it to the beach with long tent stakes and the wind will just slide right around the dome shape).
BSA Basecamp 1- and 3-Person Tents
If you are diving into the world of hike-in, backcountry camping, then a fantastic starter tent for you would be the BSA Basecamp Tent. It is really easy to set up, and comes in 1- and 3-person options. The 3-person option comes with two doors and two vestibules (which is the perfect place to store your pack – out of the weather, but not taking up valuable space in your tent!). It is a bit taller, with 41” of headspace (enough to sit up in) and the 3-person weighs in at 7 lbs, because remember – when you migrate over to backpack camping, weight matters!
MSR Elixir 3-Person Tent
This last tent is another 3-person option that is truly designed for the die-hard, hike-in camper. The MSR Elixir 3 is a bit pricier than the BSA Basecamp, but it is also more technical. It weighs in at 5lbs 14 oz, so ultra-light when weight matters. It has two doors and two vestibules, with a bit more room in the vestibules for your gear (24 sq. ft.). The included footprint offers multiple setup options and the adaptable rainfly allows for excellent views.
A Blurb on Tent Care
To help make your investment last, it is really important to care for your tent properly! First and foremost, you always want to make sure to air your tent out so that you are storing it when it is fully dry. After each season, you should clean your tent thoroughly as well. You can use a simple mixture of ½ cup of liquid dish detergent with 1 gallon of lukewarm water.
In a nutshell, when you are picking out your perfect tent, how you intend to use it is really important. That goes for not just where you will be camping, but also for how many people you need your tent to hold, along with how much time you will be spending in your tent, and how much gear you want to store inside of your tent.
Share your favorite tent tips with us in the comments below!
