How to choose a camping tent

A tent is chosen on four criteria, in this order: real capacity, season rating, waterproofing and how it pitches. The rest — colour, brand, accessories — affects neither comfort nor lifespan. For a family holiday, aim for one to two berths more than the number of sleepers, 3-season, with a flysheet rated at least 2 000 mm.

1. Stated capacity is not usable capacity

This is the number one source of disappointment. A “4 person” tent means four adults lying side by side, each on about 55 to 60 cm of width, with not a single bag between them. It is a standardised measure of footprint, comparable between manufacturers, but it describes no real trip.

The practical rule:

Check the sleeping length too: many lightweight tents stop at 210 cm, which gets tight above 1.85 m once you add a sleeping bag.

2. Season rating

3-season covers spring, summer and mild autumn. This is the category for the overwhelming majority of campers: good ventilation, resistance to rain and moderate wind.

4-season adds a reinforced structure, more poles and a low profile, designed for strong wind and snow loading. These tents ventilate less well and weigh more: in summer they are a handicap, not an advantage.

There are also 2-season tents, heavily ventilated and lightly waterproofed, for dry climates and festivals.

3. Waterproofing and condensation

The hydrostatic head, in millimetres, measures the water pressure the fabric withstands before letting water through. The useful reference points:

• 1 500 mm: short showers only;
• 2 000 mm: continuous rain, the standard for holiday camping;
• 3 000 mm and above: sustained bad weather;
• groundsheet: aim for at least 3 000 mm, because body weight concentrates pressure on saturated ground.

The second subject, often mistaken for a leak, is condensation. A sleeper gives off close to half a litre of water a night as vapour. If it cannot escape, it condenses on the inside of the flysheet and falls back as drops.

Two things limit it: the double wall — a breathable inner separated from a waterproof flysheet by a layer of air — and low and high vents, which create a current. Keep them open even in the rain: it is counter-intuitive, but a sealed tent is a wet tent.

4. Shape

The dome (two crossed poles) is freestanding: it stands without guying, which makes it easy to pitch and to move. Compact and versatile, it loses headroom at the edges.

The tunnel (parallel hoops) offers the best living volume per kilo and real standing height. It is not freestanding: it must be guyed out, which assumes ground that takes pegs.

Geodesic shapes multiply pole crossings to resist strong wind. This is expedition structure, needlessly heavy for summer camping.

Roof tents and raised tents answer a vehicle-based touring need and compare poorly with the above.

5. Structure and pitching

Fibreglass poles equip the entry level: cheap, heavy, and liable to splinter after a few seasons. Aluminium poles are lighter, more durable and repairable. Air tents replace poles with inflated beams: very quick to pitch with two people, but heavier, bulkier when packed and more expensive.

Instant-pitch tents deploy in seconds. The price is the folding, which takes a knack, and a wide disc-shaped pack that fits awkwardly in some boots.

One criterion rarely mentioned and yet decisive: does the tent pitch flysheet first? If so, you can put it up in the rain without wetting the inner. If not, a shower on arrival shapes your whole first night.

What to check before buying

• Taped seams on the flysheet and the groundsheet.
• Bathtub groundsheet, turned up at the sides, with no seam at ground level.
• Two doors from three berths up: saves climbing over the other sleepers.
• Zips under a storm flap, protected from rain.
• Spare parts availability: poles, pegs, repair kit.
• Weight and packed dimensions, checked against your boot.

How much to spend

There is no universal answer, but there is a practical threshold: below a certain price, manufacturers economise first on the flysheet and the poles — precisely the two parts that determine whether the tent stands up. If budget is tight, prefer a good second-hand tent to a new entry-level one, checking the poles and the flysheet for mildew.

Looking after a tent

Most tents do not die of wear but of being packed away damp. Always dry the flysheet before folding, even after nothing worse than dew: a few hours of trapped moisture is enough to start mildew that lifts the coating and leaves a permanent smell.

Store it loosely, in a bag larger than the original if possible, dry and out of UV light. Clean it with clear water and a sponge, never in a machine and never with detergent, both of which destroy the water-repellent treatment.

Once the tent is settled, comfort depends mostly on the sleep system: see how to choose a sleeping bag and air mattress or camp bed. And to forget nothing when you leave, the complete checklist.