Tourist tent: types and features, how to choose the right one

«My home I carry over my shoulders» - this is about the tent, which the tourist carries in his backpack. During a hike in the mountains, the tent really becomes a home: a place to sleep and shelter from the weather. Given the purpose of the tent, pay attention to its design, quality of materials and capacity.

Types of tourist tents

First of all, tents differ in the number of places: there are tents for 2, 3, 4 and up to 8 places. These are the most popular models, there are also for 10, 12 and more people, but such tents are much less common.

Tents for tourism are differentiated by purpose:

• Trekking tents for hiking. They are lightweight and compact. The arcs are made of lightweight metal, the material of the cover is not heavy.
• Camping tents for tourist camps and long stays. They are spacious, with a vestibule. Some models are equipped with a compartment for luggage, and the interior space is divided by dividers. The metal base can be more solid, and the fabric cover is dense.
• Assault tents for extreme conditions in the mountains. Tents unfold quickly, are compact and lightweight, and the material does not get blown out.
• Beach tents for day camping by the sea. Their mission is to create shade. UV-protective fabric with a reflective layer.
• Tents for winter fishing are made of dense insulated material, the bottom has holes for holes, equipped with long pins for fixing on the ice.

Types of tents according to the types of tents:

• Single-layer tents made of a single fabric fabric is poorly air permeable. Therefore, in the design of the tent made several windows with a mesh for ventilation. Such tents are lighter, but in hot weather they are stuffy and condensation forms at night.
• Two-ply tents include an awning and a wind and rain cover. Install the inner dome on a frame, put the cover on top. There is a modification when you first put the outer dome, and to him from the inside fasten awning. Between the inner and outer layer is a small space, there are ventilation holes, which gives good air circulation, condensation is practically not formed. Most often, any tent for 4 people or more is a two-layer.

Types of construction of tourist tents:

• Automatic tent consists of several segments and opens like an umbrella. Advantages - light weight, quickly disassembled and assembled. Disadvantages - the tent is unstable, the base is short-lived.
• Arc tent consists of several strong arcs. The base is assembled by hand. Advantages - strength and high durability of the construction. The disadvantage - it weighs heavier than automatic models, it takes more time to assemble.

How to choose the right tourist tent

Pay attention to such characteristics:

• Type of tent. If you have to carry the tent over your shoulders, choose a trekking model. With a trip on a car is much easier - any type of tent will do.
• Capacity. In the tent will be more comfortable, if you choose the number of places by one more: if for one person, it is better two-seater, for two - three-seater. Inside it will be spacious, you can put things apart.
• Water resistance class should be at least 2500 mm, then the fabric of the dome will not get wet. It is good if the seams are treated against leakage.
• The inner layer «sleep well» of black coating, which does not let the light in.
• Accessories: mosquito net with double zippers, hook for a lantern, pockets add comfort.
• Arc material fiberglass is short-lived, the shelf life of 5 years, duralpol - more reliable, aluminum alloys - strong and elastic, steel - the strongest base.

On the tent indicate at what temperatures to use it. There are models for spring-autumn, summer, winter. Quality tents are not cheap, they are chosen by fans of frequent travel. There are inexpensive models, which are suitable for short trips.