Styles of Hiking Tents

 

The style or shape of a tent is important for a number of reasons. Tent shape can affect the strength, features, usability and overall weight of your tent. This is why it’s important to select a style that will work for your expedition.

 

Find the Best Tent Size For You 

 

Liveability is a huge factor when selecting a tent and you’ll want to find a balance between comfort and weight. If you got caught in a storm, would you feel comfortable setting up camp to ride it out for hours?

 

Manufacturers classify their tent size according to sleeping capacity, which ranges from 1 person to many. This number refers to the number of people who can sleep side by side within the tent inner (and usually not much more).

 

It’s worth considering a versatile tent that will adapt well to your plans. If you are planning solo walks or a long-distance bike trip, a 1-to-2-person model might be a good choice. If you are buying a tent for two people and you are not too concerned about weight, consider a 2-to-3-person model, particularly if you enjoy the flexibility of a little extra space. 

 

Of course, we all come in different shapes and sizes, so know your dimensions. Compare your numbers with the floor dimensions of the tent, and add your gear to the equation. You might also want to look at the peak height and wall shape - this should give you some idea of how snug, or spacious, a tent will be. It can be useful to head in-store to browse pitched tents and assess whether the tent size is comfortable enough for your needs.

 

 

Other Additional Tent Features To Consider

 

Season, style and size all need to be considered when choosing the best tent for you. However, there are some other tent features that are worth thinking about before making your final choice. Different activities will require different features for the most comfortable shelter when choosing a hiking tent.

 
Tent Weight

The weight of your tent will be determined primarily by  size, fabric and features. Weight is often a crucial factor when choosing a hiking tent as it can greatly affect the overall weight of your pack, and often we have to sacrifice a little comfort to keep weight to a minimum. When browsing tents, you’ll usually encounter two different weight measurements: minimum weight and packed weight. Minimum weight is the weight of the tent body, fly, and poles only, whilst the packed weight is the weight of all components including stakes, guy ropes, and stuff sacks.

 

Tent Materials

 

The most common materials used in lightweight hiking tents are nylon and polyester, and both have their benefits. Nylon has a better strength-to-weight ratio than polyester. However, nylon can stretch and absorb water more easily, which means that polyester is better at retaining its shape (especially when it gets wet). Many newer tents are using innovative blends to harness the benefits of both materials. You’ll also want to consider the inner material. Usually, full-fabric inners are used for colder conditions, whilst mesh fabric inners are used in warmer weather.

 

Tent Poles 

Generally, more poles will give tents added rigidity and stability. Extra poles, of course, mean extra weight. In a good quality tent, the poles will be made of lightweight yet strong aluminium, often in a pre-bent form. Poles connect to the tent in one of two ways, via sleeves or clips. This means you either have to thread the poles through a special sleeve or clip them to the inner. Sleeve tents are considered more stable, and will often be used in multi-pitch tents.

 

Freestanding Tents

 

As the name suggests, freestanding tents can hold their shape with poles alone, meaning they don’t necessarily need to be staked out. They are easy to pitch and can be moved around without losing their structure. It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s always a good idea to stake out your tent to protect from adverse weather and maximise the floorplan. Non-freestanding tents typically don’t include poles and must be staked out and propped up with hiking poles to create a sufficient shelter. They tend to be more difficult to pitch but are much lighter in weight.

 

Multi-pitch tents

These tents allow you to pitch both the tent inner and fly at the same time, or take down the inner while the fly stays up. The ability to pitch either just the fly or just the inner tent provides excellent flexibility, for example, if it's raining you can just set up the fly and get dry and warm without getting your inner wet.

 

Single vs Double-Wall

 

Double-wall tents are the most common design, offering more breathability and protection from the elements than single-wall tents due to their combination of waterproof fly and mesh inner. Double-wall tents often feature a vestibule, giving them the advantage of more dry gear storage. Single-wall tents are quicker to set up and weigh much less since they are made with only one layer. However, single-walls will typically lack breathability and therefore produce more condensation. For this reason, single-wall tents are usually reserved for alpine activities in dry, cold conditions.

 

Vestibule

A vestibule is an extension of the tent’s fly that shields a section of ground outside the inner door. Protected from the rain, it is a good place to store your pack and boots overnight, and some tents even have enough space for cooking in the vestibule.

 

Tent Doors

The position and number of the doors on your tent are important, not only for access but for allowing airflow to reduce the amount of condensation inside the tent. 

 

Guy Points

Guy points are used to establish tautness in your fly during bad weather. Doing so helps your fly shed water effectively and prevents it from sagging and touching the inner. If the fly and the inner touch, moisture can get inside the tent.  

 

Groundsheets

Some manufacturers also produce footprints for their tents. Footprints are customised ground sheets, cut to fit the tent floor design exactly. Most come with attachment points, which connect the footprint directly to the tent. Both footprints and traditional ground sheets help protect a tent's floor from abrasion and punctures.

 

 

Shop Camping & Hiking Tents with Paddy Pallin 

 

Chosen wisely, the best tent will add only a modest amount of weight to your load. In return, it will give you the confidence to know you can take shelter from just about anything you encounter on your trip. The right tent will give you an intangible sense of security once you are inside and you zip the door shut for the night. It's impressive how much comfort and reassurance we can find between a few well-stitched panels of nylon.

To select the best tent for your adventure, shop our hiking and camping tents today! Or, visit us in-store to see our selection of tents in person.