We don’t always primitive camp, for a lot of reasons. On occasion, we are found pitching our tent in state parks. (We usually avoid national park campgrounds as they aren’t very tent-friendly.) When we do, we rarely opt for their tent areas.
Why?
For an extra couple of dollars, we can have power and access to water right at the campsite. That’s a huge convenience, especially when luxuries such as fans, lights, heaters, and laptops are desired. Okay, so that isn’t exactly “camping” in the purist sense, but sometimes…a little luxury and the ability to work while we’re playing is a huge plus. It’s also nice to sleep in a more comfortable state than either sweating through the night or shivering through it.
Another adaptation we have for campground camping is our tent. We don’t use the same tent normally that we’d choose to use when primitive tent camping.
Why?
Campgrounds are rather crowded, there is sometimes very little privacy too. As a result, we spend more time inside when we are in camp and keep almost all of our gear inside. Out of sight, we aren’t providing temptation to anyone who has issues with coveting their neighbors’ property either. That’s a big change from our typical remote & primitive style, and it requires a different tent to keep it comfortable. We use a much bigger tent just for the two of us when we’re in a campground.
We are also not using “high end” tents at either location. Our tents typically would be regarded as “budget” tents. That means we’ve got the same kind of issues with tents that the average family confronts on their once-or-twice-a-year excursions into tent camping.
What have we learned over the years?
- Waterproof your rainfly! This is the number one cause of misery on a camping trip, as low-end tents typically are in need of a waterproofing before being used, each and every year. Use a water repellent designed for tents, coat it evenly at home on a clear day, let it dry for 8-24 hours, and pack your tent up again. It’s also a good idea to waterproof your seams on the tent body itself too.
- Set up your tent at home before venturing out into the wilds with it. Don’t be a fool who sets it up the first time in the campground only to discover missing parts or swearing through the process. New tents can be mind boggling on occasion even for those familiar with setting tents up. Trying to set a new one up in the rain, wind, and dark while everyone is staring at you and whining is not going to rate highly on your list of things to do again.
- Use a foot print, ground cloth or tarp under your tent, every time you camp. This protects your tent floor and makes it last longer. It keeps it cleaner. It keeps you drier too. ALWAYS make sure that the edges of your ground cover beneath your tent are tucked under the edges of your tent, as you don’t want any of it sticking out. That’s not about “neatness” but rather any protruding edges essentially will channel water under the tent, resulting in moisture eventually migrating through ANY tent floor. That’s not the tent’s fault either, by the way…that’s just how it works! Typically, we use cheap “dollar store” tarps for our ground cloths, and they work just fine. I also prefer to use 2-3 small tarps rather than one big tarp when setting up a large tent–they are easier to fold and pack than the larger ones, and more adaptable to different applications. (We have a set of these small tarps that goes along with us on all trips, and provide ground cloths, shade, windbreaks, and even rain shelter for our cooking area.)
- Choose your size carefully. Too big, and some campgrounds just aren’t prepared to manage it. Too small, and you’ll go stir crazy. For the two of us and our dogs, we typically will choose a tent that is designed for 6-8 people for campground use. That’s big, but we like the space! Typically, we’ll have the equivalent of a queen sized bed, table, 2 chairs, and 2-3 plastic totes along with a dog crate or two inside the tent. Essentially, it’s a studio apartment for us! I have even largely cooked and served a Thanksgiving dinner for 5 people inside of one of our tents during a persistent downpour…we just folded our bed up and set it aside, bringing in more chairs and the cooking gear. (That was a Coleman Red Canyon tent, a decent tent but very drafty in winter and not breezy enough for summer in the South.) Families may opt for a second tent to have enough sleeping/living space, depending on the age & number of children. Remember too, that the bigger the tent, the more difficult it is to set it up.
Tent models change almost each and every year. Finding bargains can be a treasure hunt, as you seek out tents with big discounts. Sometimes, these deep discounts can be a bargain, and sometimes they are how a manufacturer/retailer is dumping less-than-stellar tents. Our beloved First Up tent, the one we love so much for car camping, is just such a bargain. However, not every deep discount bargain is one that pleases the owner. Research and read user reviews. Check multiple sources too. Think about what is important to you in terms of features, because there are a lot of them out there to consider!
- Hinged doors, which Coleman offers on some of their tents, sound like a wonderful idea, especially for families with kids. It sounds wonderful for someone who gets tired of bugs in the tent or continual zipping in and out too! I’ve not tried it out in practice, so I’m not sure how well it works in a real situation over time.
- Bathtub floors are a really great feature that reduces leakage into the tent during sustained downpours. No matter what the weatherman has to say, sooner or later, we all get caught in one of those storms. Having your tent stay dry is a huge plus, because I speak from experience when I say that returning to a tent that has been flooded inside is a sheer misery and can really put a damper on a trip. (We lost 3/4 of our bedding and clothing that day, and it took 3 days to get it dried out again…and in a high altitude camping situation, that meant a miserable few nights.)
- Plenty of windows and vents are a great help at ventilating for summer nights when its hot and humid. The ability to close them to allow privacy is also important. Vents near ground level, as well as in the roof, can greatly enhance air flow to help cool the tent down. Almost NO tent is bearable during the day, which means daytime naps are likely to occur elsewhere rather than inside the tent.
- Cord access means that power cords don’t have to come through the same door you do. This feature isn’t essential, but it is very nice in a campground. Keeping the cord away from high traffic areas like the door means less likelihood of trips and falls.
- Rain fly overhang at the door and windows–without an overhang of the rain fly, entering and exiting the tent during even the mildest of rain storms will allow water inside the tent. The bigger the overhang, the more protection it offers. The same is true over windows. If there is no overhang, windows have to be closed during storms, making the tent become hot and stuffy quickly.
- Multiple rooms are a feature that many people love. With kids, it often means providing enough privacy for changing clothing and stopping squabbles. For us, as an adult couple, multiple rooms are pointless. We just don’t share our tent normally. We’ve also noticed that the curtains that are used to divide the tents up are of varying degree of effectiveness. Some of them don’t provide enough division to allow for modesty while changing clothes because the come down too low or start too high. However, in the buggy South, I am looking at tents with attached screen rooms more favorably–I’m tired of being eaten alive!
- Coleman is a no brainer. We all know Coleman products, and most of us have had at least one of their tents. For a while, Coleman produced some really crappy tents, but those days (thank goodness) seem to be done and their quality and design issues have been solved. This year, they are offering “instant” tents, similar to the now out of production First Up tent that I love so much. These tents, with their integrated pole systems, tend to be heavy, but for car camping in a campground, they really make the job of putting up and taking down your tent a dream. Their Weathermaster series, with their headroom, hinged doors and screened room are also attractive.
- Gigatent is a company that’s relatively new to me. I’ve not owned one, and neither have any of my camping friends. Even so, they have some likely looking tents worth checking out. For easy erection, I prefer domes and modified domes.
- Wenzel tents have been around a while, and there again, I’ve not owned one myself. I’ve never used one either. Still, they have a lot of entry-level tents worth taking a look at.
- Ozark Trails is actually a label used by Walmart, and the tents are made by several manufacturers. That doesn’t mean the tents aren’t any good…it just means they are sold by Walmart. It does mean that researching the tents can be a bit sticky, and Walmart’s review system isn’t exactly my favorite. Still, if you are looking for a bargain tent, it’s worth checking out Walmart’s website.
- Stansport is another company known for affordable camping gear, but their tents are all among the 1-3 person sizes. For that reason alone, I would pass on these for campground tents unless you really like being crammed into a small space, whether alone or in company.
- Texsport makes tents, along with other affordable camping gear. Unlike Stansport, whose name is similar, Texsport has tents suitable for campground camping. Here again, I lack personal experience, but they are worth taking a look at and reading reviews to see if something from their product line would fit your budget and needs.
- ALPS Mountaineering tents are a bit more expensive, but they have some very attractive models with very happy customers too. Those who camp 1 or 2 times a year may find them too expensive but for those who camp regularly, this might be a very good tent to consider.
- Suisse Sports has tents, but they apparently don’t have a website, and if they do, it’s certainly NOT easy to find! In any case, these tents are sold by Amazon, Target and Walmart (as well as other companies). Some of their designs are very attractive, so its unfortunate that there is not a company website that gives all the technical details that some of us geeky sorts are infatuated with.
There are other tents, including other tents that are from unknown companies who have no website or corporate presence on the web. Some of them are good, some of them are not. It’s hard to know without going over the individual tent before using it, and then using it to find out. That means it is a risky business. I have done it and loved the tents, and I’ve known others who have done it and swore they’d never buy another one. Personally, I demand a really low price on these before I will consider them, and that is because of that risk factor.
The same is true of used tents. These are found at second hand stores and yard sales all across the country, the result of people planning camping trips that never happened, or discovering that one or more of their family members truly and deeply hated camping. Some of these tents are in mint shape, some of these tents are rotted from being improperly stored, and some of them are missing things like rain flies, poles, etc. Check out the tent as best you can. Be prepared to replace missing parts, and accept the risk of the used equipment…you might save a bundle. High end tents are rarely found at these venues, unless you get lucky and hit a divorce sale, estate sale, etc. and it was a serious camper.
Consider the number of people that will be using the tent, as well as the rating. Typically, a 3-4 person tent can house comfortably a single or couple with their gear. If cots are being used, you may consider a 5-6 person for a couple. When companies calculate how many people that can sleep in the tent they make some assumptions, such as:
- a) they all like each other
- b) they are all sleeping in mummy bags
- c) they have nothing besides their mummy bag in the tent with them
- d) they are all about 5 feet tall and weigh in between 80-100 lbs
- e) they are all quite agile contortionists
- f) nobody ever needs the bathroom at 3 a.m.
- g) nobody ever gets gas during the night
- h) nobody ever tosses or turns while sleeping
Okay, so they are my conclusions about the people used to rate the tents, but you get my drift. To cram in 3-4 people in a 3-4 person rated tent…they’d have to meet that criteria! Try to imagine yourself spending a rainy day inside of that tent with whoever would be along with you for the trip. Would you want to kill them before the day was done?
Try to actually go into tents of the various sizes (even brands and models) of tents that you are considering. Imagine being inside of that space with all of your gear for a day or two with foul weather. Will it be big enough? Will it have enough ventilation? Will it have too much ventilation?
Consider too how much space and weight you can use for your tent. There are very different issues between backpacking, bicycle camping, car camping in a compact car, and car camping in a full size van with four people. For campground camping, I recommend that you buy the most tent that your budget and cargo capacity can manage. Weight, for the most part, isn’t an important consideration for the “family” tent in a car camping in the campground scenario. (Unless you go to a double wall tent with a wooden frame and stove…that’s a bit much!) Just remember, everything from your “kitchen sink” to your “house” will be packed into your car before you head out to your great camping adventure!
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Outdoor gear advertisers & spammers
I am absolutely amazed at the number of comments that this blog attracts from people wanting to advertise their company or product, written in a manner that they are deemed “spam.” So, for all of you out there who want me to advertise your products on this blog or on my website, I’m going to offer you a solution.
I’m not even being sarcastic, this is sincere. IF you are a legitimate vendor with a real business, and not someone trying to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting buyers, I want you to send me some very specific information. Part of it is also requiring that you speak English and are capable of reading this post, which may not be particularly fair in some people’s eyes, but I think it is entirely fair since that’s the language I speak & write, and the language that this blog is written in.
I want your website, a list of your products/brands carried, and a brief paragraph telling me why I should want to list you on my lists of websites and vendors. If you have something unique, tell me about it. If you offer a unique service, I’d love to hear about that too. If you are the owner of a website, and would like me to link to your website because of the information that you could offer to readers of this blog, send me that email! If you have a product that you would like us to review, that is a possibility too, but send the email first. We don’t want you to waste money sending us a product that doesn’t fit the type of camping and outdoor activities that we participate in and advocate for others. (Examples are things like mountain climbing gear-we are a bit short on mountains on the Mississippi Delta, and I don’t have any immediate plans to schedule a mountain trip at this point.) We do a lot of different things, and while we don’t go mountain climbing, I am supposed to learn the basics of rappelling this year. Yeah, imagine that…a fat middle aged woman hanging upside down off of a cliff…it ain’t pretty, folks! Especially if it scares me enough (I’m deathly afraid of heights) that I end up peeing my pants…upside down. That’s one outdoor adventure that doesn’t sound appealing, to be honest, but…I agreed to it, and I’m going to go through with it. I figure its safer than free climbing on a rock face, and I’ve tried that too. I will not, and I repeat that one more time, I will NOT agree to bungee jump. No way, no how, and I’ll freely admit in public that I’m too chicken to try it. There is NOTHING appealing about bungee jumping to me! That also goes for sky diving. I may have a sister who loves it, but I have sense. I cannot see any good reason to deliberately jump out of a perfectly good airplane for the “fun” of it. I have friends who have done it, for fun and/or for military training. I’m not a soldier, I’m too old and too fat. No thank you…I like the ground under my feet!
See now that I’ve digressed enough that any insincere spam type person has given up, I’m going to give my email address. Make SURE you put “Get Ready GO blog” in the subject line to prevent ending up in THAT spam folder too! The email address you can send this letter to is (take out the spaces, you know the routine) giascott (at symbol) gmail dot com.
In the meantime, all you spammers out there, you may as well give it up. You get deleted, that’s all. If you can’t be bothered with reading a whole entry and following directions, I can’t be bothered with your spam comments, plain and simple.
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