Camping tents: description, views and advice on their choice

Camping tents are designed for a long comfortable stay in nature. They are notable for ease of use and are highly appreciated by lovers of unorganized recreation.

Camping tent is a mobile construction of a large area with high ceilings, capable of accommodating from 2 to 12 guests. This design allows a person to stand in them in full growth, but at the same time imposes certain restrictions on their use.

For example, Camping tents are not suitable for a hike, which implies a long hike. This is due to the fact that when folded they are quite large and heavy, and can be moved to the installation site solely by transport. But when organizing a campground or a tourist camp, camping models are simply indispensable.

Camping tents are often used in water tourism. However, a boat or kayak must be designed for a bulk product and have an appropriate carrying capacity. In addition to the presence of a vestibule and several separate rooms, camping tents boast ceilings from 1.6 to 2 meters, an excellent ventilation system and reliable protection from wind and rain.

Products have a collapsible frame structure that allows you to quickly deploy the camp and also quickly assemble it, and clear instructions that facilitate installation. The most modern high-priced models have an automatically folding frame. This significantly reduces installation time and allows you to lay out the tent in just 3-5 minutes.

A distinctive feature of camping tents is a very spacious vestibule. where in case of bad weather you can put a common table and spend time with a big company Most models have three compartments with a capacity of two to four people, which allows you to simultaneously accommodate up to 12 adults. Such models are very convenient for holidays with children, who usually have a separate room.

An important characteristic of camping models is availability of ventilation. Usually, external partitions and ceiling are made of breathable materials and closed with a zipper. This contributes to normal air exchange inside the building and does not allow mosquitoes and other blood-sicking insects to penetrate inside the tent.

The door to the vestibule in most cases has a double version, where dense waterproof fabric is used as the outer layer, and the lower one is represented by a mosquito net. For more expensive models, additional mosquitoes are installed on the doors of each of the premises coming from the vestibule.

Considering the design features of the camping tent, one can not fail to mention the number of exits. So, when using the facility in a hot and stuffy climate, it is better to choose a model with two entrance doors located at different ends of the tent. This will make it possible to open both doors at the same time on particularly sweltering days and will provide a slight breeze.

As for the floor, it is always available in each sleeping compartment, but the common vestibule is not always equipped with it. More often the vestibule is considered exactly as a “dirty” zone, where you can sit at the table during the rain, without taking off your street shoes, but take the shoes off before entering the bedroom. Regarding the weight of the products, we can say the following: camping models are one of the heaviest tents, so their transportation can be carried out only by car or other vehicle.

For the production of camping tents used high-quality and durable materials. The skeleton of the structures is made of fiberglass, aluminum or steel. Steel structures are more reliable and stable, they perfectly keep their original shape and do not break from the wind.

Steel is usually used for the production of high and spacious tents with high windage. Flexible aluminum frames weigh much less and are easy to install. Fiberglass components for greater strength and rigidity are wrapped in a special sheath, after which they are not at all inferior to aluminum in strength.

Tarpaulin and synthetic fabrics are used as material for external walls and internal partitions. Tarpaulin tents better let the air through and, despite the "denseness" of the material, are still in high demand. The reason for this is the ability of the canvas canvas to release the air heated inside the building, thereby preventing stuffiness. This quality tarpaulin models favorably differ from polyester, which is quite hot in the sun.

The disadvantage of canvas tents is the behavior of the material during rain. In general, tarpaulin holds water drops quite well. This is due to the fact that when wet, natural fibers swell and close together, forming a rather dense structure.

Water, falling on such a surface, can not seep inside and begins to roll on the surface. Those few drops, which still managed to get inside, are held by the surface tension force and remain on the inside of the tarpaulin. This happens until someone touches or leans against wet walls or ceilings. In this case, the integrity of the water film is broken, and the water begins to run into the room.

Of the semi-synthetic fabrics, which are also sometimes used for the manufacture of camping tents, the mixed fabric has a good performance characteristics, which also contains cotton threads besides artificial fibers.

Products from such material are distinguished by good ventilation and weigh much less than canvas counterparts. However, the main and most common material for the manufacture of camping tents is polyester, with impregnation made of polyurethane coated on its inner surface. This material has the highest resistance to water and does not pass water even during heavy rain.

In expensive camping models, the floor is also made of polyester or nylon with polyurethane impregnation, and in more budget variants reinforced polyethylene is used. This material is not ideal: it is noticeably heavier than nylon and rustles when walking, but it significantly reduces the cost of the tent and lasts a long time.

The main difference between a camping tent and a tourist tent is its weight and dimensions. So, if with a tourist model, the mass of which does not exceed 2-4 kg, one can make multi-kilometer crossings, then with the camping situation is different. The weight of the smallest model is 7 kg, and 2-3-room large samples weigh more than 20 kg, and it is quite difficult to carry such a weight on yourself.

The next difference is that the camping tents are quite high and allow them to enter without bending down. Tourist models are designed exclusively for overnight stays and do not imply that a person is in their full height. This is due to the fact that in order to better counter the squally wind and other extreme weather phenomena, they should be streamlined and rather low.

Another difference is capacity of structures. So, if the camping tent can accommodate up to 12 people, then the tourist is designed more often for three. In addition, models for camping are designed for a long rest, and therefore equipped with a variety of organizers in the form of hinged or reclining shelves and pockets. This allows you to conveniently place a book, flashlight, washing facilities and other things necessary in nature.

If we compare camping tents with trekking tents, the latter weigh up to 5 kg, accommodate a maximum of 4 people, do not have a tambour (if there is, it is very small) and can be easily transported in a backpack.

The classification of camping tents is made on several grounds, the main ones being the shape of the models and the layout of the interior space. By this criterion, the products can be divided into three categories.

• Tunnel model ("half-box") It is a spacious room with a large vestibule and a spacious room. The disadvantage of the design is not too high resistance to side wind, which is why it must be fixed with the help of stretch marks and pegs.

• Gable model today is not widely used and is considered rather obsolete. However, some manufacturers remain true to the classical forms and continue to produce their products, styling it, for example, under the Indian huts. These tents are easy to install and quite suitable for a comfortable stay.

• Hemispherical models considered the most reliable designs. They are characterized by high wind resistance, do not require installation of stretch marks and can be mounted by one person. As for the usable area, it is slightly smaller than that of the “half-glasses”, but this does not in the least detract from the other advantages of the “hemispheres”, such as ergonomics, streamlined design and convenient layout.

By the way, the internal layout is the next criterion for the classification of camping tents and there are several types. The simplest construction is a tent with one sleeping compartment and a vestibule, and the three-bedroom model is the most convenient and practical. The advantage of the latter is the complete autonomy of each sleeping compartment, a separate entrance and the absence of neighbors behind the wall. However, not all models have a modular design, and in many of them rooms are formed by means of removable partitions installed at the request of guests.

Another criterion for the classification of tents is their seasonality. Models are divided into summer and universal, or "three-season", allowing them to be used not only in summer, but also in the off-season.

The modern tourist equipment market represents a huge selection of camping tents, the most popular of which will be discussed below.

• One of the leaders is the Slider tent from the Maverick company. Thanks to the automatic frame, the installation time of this model will take no more than three minutes. The tent consists of a pair of double rooms and a spacious vestibule between them.Moreover, its area makes it possible to equip an extra bed there, thereby turning the 4-person tent into a 5-person tent. The model is equipped with two ventilation windows, has two entrances and is made of polyester. The floor of the model is distinguished by increased wear resistance and is made of polyethylene calendered and laminated on both sides of polyethylene. The cost of the model is 31,000 rubles.

• No less popular is the one-room model Alexika Nevada 4, also made of polyester and accommodates four people. The bottom of the product is made of highly durable material Oxford 150D, which together with the water-repellent coating of the awning provides complete protection from rain and ultraviolet radiation. The tent has three exits and a huge vestibule in which a table and four chairs are freely placed. The weight of the model is 12.5 kg, the cost is 26,000 rubles.

• Model Galaxy World of Maverick is also designed for four people. The frame of the product unfolds mechanically and is made of aluminum. The tent has 5 windows and 2 entrances, and the assembly time is only 5 minutes. However, due to the rather large dimensions of the product, which are 535x380x195 cm, it is recommended to assemble it together. This model is worth 29,280 rubles.

• Nine-seat tent Tramp BREST withIt is ideal for a large company. The model consists of three rooms located on opposite sides of the vestibule. Each compartment has a ventilation window, and the entrance doors of all three rooms are equipped with a mosquito net. The awning of the product is treated with refractory impregnation, providing reliable protection against accidental ignition. The weight of the model is 14.4 kg, the cost is 17,000 rubles.

• Camping model Alexika Victoria 10 It is designed for 10 people and consists of two spacious rooms and a vestibule. The model is packaged in two convenient bags and has a total weight of 28 kg. The awning is made of polyester and has taped hermetic seams. The price of the tent is 55,000 rubles.

When choosing a camping model, you need to pay attention to a number of important points.

First you need to look at the frame. It depends on it ease of use, trouble-free operation and the life of the tent. The best option is a frame made of steel.

The next selection criterion is the weight of the model. Thus, a 5-seater tent weighs on average from 10 to 15 kg, however there are models of the same capacity, but with a higher weight. This is due to the materials of manufacture, the number of compartments and the dimensions of the product. The most voluminous models often weigh 20 kilograms or more.

When choosing a model for camping should pay attention to the price. So, too cheap models for the most part go on a fiberglass frame, made of non-breathing fabric and do not differ in the tightness of the seams. Often in such tents there is no ventilation, which is why sleeping bags will dampen condensate. Moreover, such models often start flowing at the first rain and do not have sex in the common vestibule.

If the tent is planned to be actively used in a rainy climate, then models with a water resistance index from 600 to 1500 mm should be selected. Art. Such products are able to withstand up to 200 nights in the rain and do not leak even at the end of their service life.

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