How to Select a Tent

Camping tents are classified by two primary criteria: the kind of weather they can withstand and their size.

Warm-weather camping tents: These tents are designed for use during warm and humid season. These tents typically have mesh sides which provide ventilation.
Three-season camping tents: These tents are designed for the spring, summer and fall camper. They are lightweight and are not built to withstand harsh weather conditions.
Four-season camping tents: If you are camping in harsh conditions such as driving rain, harsh snow, and very low temperatures, then you need a four-season camping tent. These four-season camping tents are heavier as they have more supports that tents that are not built to withstand the harsh conditions.
Convertible camping tents: These tents are designed as four-season tents but can be converted to three-season tents if conditions are not harsh and you don't need the added protection.
Bivy camping tents: These tents can be thought of as "sleeping tubes" as they are designed for a single camper. These are special use tents such as when campers are sleeping on the face of a mountain.

Look at your camping needs

Buy a tent that suits your camping needs. If you only go camping during the summer months, a three-season tent will work fine. If you think you might be camping as early as March, or as late as October, play it safe and go with a four-season tent. If you plan on doing any winter camping, a four-season tent is a necessity, not a luxury.

Keep in mind the number of people you’ll be sharing a camping tent with. If you’re a solo hiker, or a camping minimalist, a one-person tent or bivy could work for you. For some flexibility though, a two-person tent is probably a good idea. If you go backpacking with your dog, count him as a person as far as sleeping arrangements are concerned. If you have a family, there are camping tents that will fit up to 12 people. These also work well as base camps for long treks where a base camp is called for.

Buying a quality camping tent is well worth it. The attention to detail put into a quality camping tent could be the difference between a good night’s sleep and a soaked sleeping bag. Most camping tents come equipped with a rainfly. A rainfly is a waterproof cover custom-made to prevent rain from getting into your camping tent while not stifling ventilation. Even if you’re not planning on camping during wet months, a rainfly is a necessity, so make sure your camping tent comes equipped with one.