Backpackers.com — The tent. Your shelter in the wilderness. Your home away from home — or, for you endless backpackers, your actual home. Choosing a good tent is more than a good idea. It also takes an immense amount of trial and error, or a thorough night of Internet research.
Lucky for you, Michael Lanza of The Big Outside had some excellent tips for buying a tent, and he wrote them down. Check out his comprehensive (and list-friendly) guide, “5 Tips for Buying a Backpacking Tent.”
We’re big fans of his try-it-before-you-buy-it theory. Lanza writes,
“Never buy a tent blind—that’s a formula for disappointment. After reading the reviews and identifying at least a few tents that sound good to you, visit stores that carry them. Pitch the tent yourself to see how that goes.”
Word. You might be able to take a nap in it too — tent-shopping is usually exhausting work.
Another tip that Lanza points out is to check all the small things on the tent. The zippers, the durability of the tent poles, the distance between rainfly and the tent body. They all matter.
To really absorb The Big Outside’s expert opinion, make sure to read his article. Oh, and take a gander at his reviews of individual tents. Good luck, and stay dry.
Featured image: Tent in the Morning Sun by kuhnmi via Flickr
Body image: Mountain Peak and Tent by Katie Brady via Flickr
