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How to choose a tent

Wind, rain, low temperatures, dust, and a variety of small insects. If someone asks why you want to use the tent outdoors, these are the reasons.

In addition, the tent can provide us with a private space in the open field. In addition, it has another subtle role: In the darkness, when you pull all its zippers and squeezing yourself in this tightly closed space, your heart will quietly rise in a faint security. Feeling and practical sense. The feeling of human beings is really amazing. In the wild, just a simple small space surrounded by several pieces of nylon cloth can give us a feeling of practicality and confidence.

So, what kind of tent style is suitable for you? Here are some criteria for selecting a tent:

Choose tents based on the most difficult and harsh conditions you may encounter. For example, although you don't plan to camp in the winter, if you have an outdoor event to take place in late autumn, then you should pick a 4 quarter account or convertible account.

The 4 quarterly accounts are usually 10%-20% heavier than the 3 quarter accounts (mainly due to the extra account post). The convertible account allows you to increase or decrease your account according to the situation and adjust the ventilation.

Self-supporting tents (without external force support) are very easy to use. You can easily move its position, or shake off fallen leaves, dust, snow on the tent. Too lightweight tents are often difficult to support themselves.

The capacity of the tent. Each manufacturer has its own capacity standard. The actual capacity is often smaller than the marked capacity. For example, an account marked with a capacity of two people tends to be quite crowded after accommodating the next two adults who are physically strong and their equipment.

It is recommended to use items such as tarpaulins or floor cloths to extend the life of the tent base fabric.

Kinds of tents

There are two types of tents for outdoor sports: 3 season tents (for ordinary outdoor activities) and 4 season tents (for winter/alpine use). Below we describe in detail the differences between these two types of tents.

The 3 quarter accounts are generally lighter and are generally used in the milder climates of the spring, summer and fall seasons. The 3 quarterly accounts can usually perform well in storms, but the design features also determine that they are generally difficult to cope with excessive snowfall. If you say that a three-quarter account can barely support the 2-inch thick snow on it, when the falling snow reaches 20 inches thick, you are certainly in trouble.

The more robust four-season accounts will usually add one or two support rods so that the support system can withstand stronger winds or thicker snowfall layers. The shape of the winter bill is usually designed as a rounded dome shape to minimize the flat part at the top of the shed and to prevent accumulation of snow. Of course, these winter/high mountain accounts are also suitable for relatively mild climate conditions. It's just that the extra weight of their support bars makes them heavier than the three quarters.

The convertible account is a four-year account that can be adjusted to three quarterly accounts. The method of adjustment is usually to remove 1 to 2 support rods from the support system of the tent, and to provide a detachable ventilation part in the design, which can be removed or opened to enhance ventilation in mild weather.

There is also a tent for warm weather that is very light and thin, generally single or double in size, and often uses a large area of ​​mesh fabric to enhance ventilation. This type of account can be used for the spring, summer and autumn seasons, but generally speaking, due to its design features, this type of book is most suitable for warm and humid weather.

The simplest form is a single-level account. Basically, this kind of account is just a rain cloth with several vents supported by a pole. In warmer weather, the zipper of the vent can be opened to enhance ventilation.

Camping bags (Bivy sacks, or translation: sleeping bag tents) can only provide you with the most limited shelter space.

The sack can only accommodate the next person and his sleeping bag. When you climb into the middle of a cliff and spend the night on a steep rocky platform, you will find that ordinary tents have no room at all. At this time, it's time for the bag to come in handy. The choice of tent needs to weigh all aspects. If it is important for you to save weight, then the bag is worth your consideration, and when you need enough room in the account, the bag is definitely not the best choice.

Sleeping tents (like mosquito nets) and canopies are extremely lightweight. Sleeping curtain can be used for warm weather. It uses mesh fabrics, some are sealed, and others are not. Mesh fabrics can insulate insects but not rain. The sky can only provide the simplest shelter, and can only be used in the spring, summer and autumn seasons, but its advantage is its light weight.

Sleeping tent canopy family tents can accommodate more people, usually 4-6 people, sometimes even more. Dome-type can be divided and carried by many people, and house-type can only be used for camping with fixed facilities.

The meaning of several terms

Dome-type tents: Most of the four-season tents have a sleek, spherical top design. The dome avoids the appearance of a flat surface at the top of the tent and is not prone to snowfall, and this design also provides better resistance to wind and provides a sufficiently high internal space.

Camp account (tunnel account): Many of the 3 quarter accounts have adopted the design of camp accounts. This type of book has a rectangular bottom and has a narrow body and a long strip. Barrier bars and fabrics used in the camp account were relatively small and overall wedge shaped. However, its top surface is relatively flat and it is prone to snow accumulation. Once it encounters heavy snowfall, it can easily cause the collapse of the tent.

Self-supporting tents: Dome tents are self-supporting. This means that it can support itself without additional piles or bolts. You can easily lift and shift such a tent, just like a big inflatable balloon. You can easily shake, fling, and beat such tents to shake off the dirty parts before disassembling and packing. thing.

What kind of tent is suitable for you?

Q: When did you use your tent during the year?

Winter camping must use 4 season tents. If you want to camp on polar expeditions, you must consult people who have had polar field experience to get advice.

If you are camping in March or October or November, even if these months are strictly not winter months, but for insurance reasons, it is better to carry a 4 quarter account, at least with a convertible account. .

If you only intend to make a leisure trip between May and September, a 3-quarter account is sufficient.

Q: What is the usual number of people traveling with you?

Are you usually travelling with a partner? If so, you need at least one 2-person account. Also, are you two big guys? If so, you may need a 2-3 account or simply carry a 3 person account.

Does the number of people traveling with you often change? If so, you may need multiple tents to meet the needs of different team sizes. Of course, if your budget is tight, buy one that you can use the most and when there is a change in the number of people traveling together, rent another one.

If someone shares tents with you at night, don’t be too polite and share them when you back up. One person can carry a credit, the other person carries a negative account, and so on.

Are you alone traveling? If so, you have to consider your own preferences. If you need more space, bring a compressible 2-person account; if you are concerned about carrying the weight, then you should choose a bag or ultra-lightweight 1-person account.

Q: What are the differences between cheap tents in supermarkets and discount stores and famous professional mountaineering brands in professional outdoor stores?

The tents sold in department stores are all produced on a certain scale, and there is no major concern about the details of the work. You can look closely at the stitching of high-quality tent pins. You will find that the density of stitches per inch on the stitching line of this tent is far greater than the stitching density of ordinary tents in a discount store. In addition, on high quality tents, you can often find that the stitches are glued and waterproofed. This ensures the strength of the tent so that it can maintain the availability of the tent in bad weather. In addition, high-quality tents are generally made of high-grade aluminum alloy poles, and common accounts in ordinary shops often use low-strength, easily damaged glass steel poles. Finally, high quality tents usually provide better ventilation and improve the comfort of using the tent.

Cheap tents often use a large area of ​​nylon coating on the outside, and this material has poor air permeability. Therefore, if you use this kind of tent on a sultry night, you will definitely sweat hot inside.