When it comes time to decide what tent, tarp or bivy you want to sleep in while camping, it’s almost as complicated as picking out a kayak or a sleeping bag. Here’s what you need to keep in mind and why:
- Your height/size
- You don’t want to purchase a tent or a bivy that you won’t fit in. I ended up purchasing a two person tent so I could fit in it comfortably with my gear.
- Solo vs friends
- Are you going to be camping alone or with your friends? If you’re camping by yourself a smaller tent, tarp or bivy will be fantastic, but if your friends and family are going to be sharing your sleeping area, go with a family size tent.
- Three season vs 4 season vs 1 season
- A three season tent is a great tent since it can handle cooler weather and hot weather. Thus it’s a three season tent since it can handle Spring, Summer and Fall (Autumn).
- A one season tent is typically a summer specific tent that is lightweight, well ventilated and mosquito proof tent. This is great for people that only camp during the summer.
- Four season tent is a winter capable tent. These tents have more sturdier tent poles and can handle the winter snow and wind.
- Price
- You get what you pay for. That’s what I have to say for this. You want a tent that isn’t cheap if you are going to camp often, but for a little backyard fun for the kiddos, a cheap tent would be great.
- Weight of Tent
- Does weight matter to you? Are you backpacking or car camping?
- Ultralight options are great for backpackers
- Car camping means you don’t need to watch your tent’s weight.
- Materials used
- Canvas
- Non-Freestanding vs Freestanding
- Non-freestanding tents rely on being pegged down and if you are going to be on rocky terrain, you may want to consider a freestanding tent instead. My tent is a non-freestanding tent since I’m not camping in those situations.
- Freestanding tents are tents that have a frame that holds the tent up without needing to be pegged down. These tents have a huge advantage over non-freestanding tents however the frame is a bit more weight.
- Vestibule vs No Vestibule
- This is up to you if you want one, but it’s something to consider.
- Footprint
- I personally like having a footprint to put under my tent since it helps to extend the life of my tent.
- Guy lines
- Tents
- Tents are the iconic symbol of camping, but there are other options you may not know of and you may want to check out while looking for a sleeping option.
- Tarps
- Tarps are the ultimate of lightweight camping, but some of them lack the mosquito protection you want at night.
- Bivies
- These are great stealthy sleeping options; if you don’t mind the inability to sit up, get dressed and kick around. However I’ve seen a lot of campers that prefer a bivy over a tent.
- Hammocks
- I didn’t include hammocks in the title, but they aren’t to be completely nixed out, hammocks are catching up to the times and could potentially replace tents in comfort and affordability. However proceed with caution since you need two large trees to hang your hammock between.
Happy Kayaker 