There are several types of tents
popular with travelers and backpackers. The different shapes and designs of
dome, geodesic and tunnel tents give different advantages and disadvantages.
Which one you choose will depend on your needs.
The cheapest tent in general in the
dome tent. You can find them at Walmart at a really low price though they don't
compare to the ones sold in camping stores. When choosing cheap dome tents,
remember to make sure that the seams are sealed and that it comes with a
groundsheet and the proper equipment.
The dome tent is also the tent of
choice for many travelers because they're very easy to set up. One good tip
when buying dome tents is to think about how far you're going to need to go in
case the tent fails. If you're in the backcountry you might not want to go for
cheap dome tents.
Tunnel tents are a really
interesting alternative. Many people go for them because they pack up really
small. The poles tend to be shorter and they're very quick to set up. But you
need to be careful about how and where you pitch the tunnel tent because
they're not the sturdiest of tents and a little bit of wind can result in a
very noisy and a very uncomfortable night.
One of the things that will impact
how much money you will spend on your tent is the tent accessories. You want to
be careful that it comes with a decent groundsheet, a decent footprint which
will protect the underside of your tent. Most tents come with quite flimsy tent
pegs which is fine you're going to soft ground but for harder ground, you would
need something like an aluminum v-type tent peg which are very tough.
Another important thing to consider
is the pack size especially if the tent is going to have a ride on your bike.
Dome tents with quick erect systems may be quick to set up but they result in a
bigger pack size and they don't gain any stability advantage over the tunnel
tent. This type of dome tent also requires extra guy lines in any kind of
weather. That's why you may want to consider a more complex and stable dome
tent, something like a geodesic dome which is quite solid on the ground. Pack
size and tent size don't always go together. A dome tent may pack small but a
larger tunnel tent may pack even smaller. The weight of the tent should be
considered as well for safety on bikes.
Space inside the tent is something
that you might also want to consider. Both dome and tunnel tents have a place
where you can store your gear and separate wet gear from the sleeping area.
Some tunnel tents have access on both the front and the side of tent. This allows
you to store your wet gear on the front while you still have easy access to the
sleeping area on the side.
