Hot answers tagged tents
12
Any pole will have a fractionally greater chance of attracting lightning than a piece of flat ground or a dome tent - but this doesn't mean the increased chance is that high. If you are in the middle of an entirely flat field and your tent pole is the highest object for miles, then it will be a slight risk, but some points to consider:
If you are anywhere ...
11
I hadn't seen any of these but a quick Google does indeed seem to bring up a few!
From a quick glance around, though this isn't an authoritative answer, it seems that 5 season tents are specifically designed for the harshness of Arctic-like climates, rather than a 4 season tent being designed more for your average winter in non-arctic conditions. I guess in ...
7
I camp in the Appalachians (pretty darned wet). We have had the same Kelty tent for over four years with anywhere from six to twelve trips per year. We've never waterproofed it. It still repels water and performs very well. It poured rain for over 12 hours our last trip and the kiddos in the tent stayed dry.
I'd say waterproof when you have an issue. ...
7
The simplest ones are like this, and even the more complex ones are typically broadly similar.
Usage is to have set your peg at a useful distance (ie not too close to the tent, as it won't hold the pole/skin out, and not too far away as you might trip over it) and pop the loop round the peg.
Then just slide the tensioner up the guy rope until tight.
...
7
Hydrostatic rating on a tent is the highest column of water a material can withstand for up to one minute before the water starts to penetrate (assuming good seams, no damage etc)
The ratings translate as follows (have seen these quoted in a couple of places, this is from campingcrazy.com)
1000mm or less is considered shower resistant and will soak up ...
7
I'll answer a question in the comments:
I will be curious to know what is the average amount of Co2 produced by a stove vs the average amount of co2 generated by human breathing. My guess would be that stove will win but I heard of people suffocate in closed cars while sleeping
To make things simple, lets assume assume your body burns 2,600 ...
6
The big advantage that classic dome tents will have with strong winds is the addition of the guy ropes. With a popup tent, in high winds the stress will be on the tent itself, with guy ropes the stress is on the ropes and (when erected properly) a certain amount is channelled down to the ground via the pegs.
Now this isn't to say popup tents will break the ...
6
I am not really an expert in winter camping but I do live in the northern part of the Appalachians. You should base your decision on the following criteria:
Snow: what is the amount of snow that you could expect in one day? If it is more than 10 cm, you should probably choose a 4 seasons tent because snow accumulation can make a roof collapse
Winds: will ...
5
If you get that sort of snowfall, the correct safety procedures include clearing snow every couple of hours. Set your alarm and get out to clear snow - especially from the entrance, but all round if it looks like the tent will get covered.
The tents used in the Antarctic are shaped like steep pyramids to help avoid the problem of snow buildup - dome tents ...
5
I usually stomp the area with snowshoes until it's reasonably packed, and that's good enough. If it's windy and very cold I may dig down 3-4 feet for protection from the wind. (If you're in the mountains you should have a snow shovel for safety.)
A thicker sleeping pad (or two pads) will definitely keep you warmer. When you pack up in the morning, you can ...
5
I recommend highly reflective line. Many manufacturer's make this. I have had excellent results with Kelty Triptease. One 50' line cuts down to easily make 4 guylines for a tent. It is highly reflective and even a little light will make it really stand out at night.
You may also consider reflective markers like these made by MSR. These will also make ...
5
Using Tilex or bleach to eradicate mold is the wrong thing to do. Bleach does nothing to eradicate mold, it simply bleaches the the fabric. If you want to kill mold, then you need to use a product designed specifically for that purpose. I would recommend Concrobium which will do nothing to remove the mold stain, but will kill the mold on contact.
5
I think there are two primary distinctions between "4 season" (winter-capable) and "3 season" tents: Air flow and room.
In a 3 season tent, you generally want good ventilation and you pretty much leave it at that. You have to consider this issue a lot more in a winter tent. The difference is that in a winter tent the wator vapor in your breath will ...
5
CO and CO2 dangers are real, and most tents aren't ventillated well enough without outside wind to make it safe.
CO2 dissolves well in water, especially cold water, and your body has mechanisms to deal with it. Somewhat surprisingly, what causes you to breathe harder is not lower oxygen concentrations in the blood, but higher CO2. It's just one of those ...
5
Original Poofiness (or OP as they call it in the 'wood) will always be illusive. No matter how you care for your bag, it is on a steady decline toward compression from the moment you buy it.
To attempt to re-gain some loft, you need to separate the fill so the fibers or down (or whatever) that are inside can trap more air between them.
You can:
Shake ...
4
I have a 24' diameter Tipi that I use for this type of thing and it works great. I have a small coal fire going the entire time and with 6 people it is plenty warm and spacious. I have had as many as 10 people staying it and it fit gear and cots no problem but it started to get crowded. I have gone with just a blanket down to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit ...
4
I have used these once before but I do not have them any more to take my own pics with.
The arrow points at the part of the rope you should pull. Pull it out until you have a big loop. Place the loop around your post or stake in the ground. Slide the Black piece of plastic up the rope until it is tight.
Next try to turn the black piece of plastic ...
4
One of my tents has fluorescent paracord - it doesn't glow in the dark, but is incredibly bright and can easily be seen. We also attach some of it as guidelines when pitched in wilder areas to help the kids find their way to the tents in the dark. It works well - typically the only people who trip over them are adults...if they have had one two many glasses ...
4
A self erecting tent does exactly what it says. Typically it will be made in a way that the poles will naturally erect the tent so all you need to do is take it out of its bag and then peg it to the ground.
The major downside is that taking it down requires some effort and technique to twist and fold it into its packed configuration. Typically they can't be ...
4
A snow shovel will make your life a lot easier, yes - it gives you the option to dig out snow to use as a windbreak, and to lower the tent a little into the snow, reducing the wind.
Digging down a little also lets you reach more packed snow, which makes it easier to provide a flat surface.
You shouldn't need any extra insulation under the floor - although ...
4
If you're going for sealing, just stitch some silnylon over it with a sewing machine and seam seal it. I would recommend sewing two rows as they did, one in the middle of their two, and one an equal distance to the outside of the two existing. The first of the two should provide strong support due to the layering.
Make sure you use some fabric on the back ...
3
Last weekend after a snow storm in Quebec I camped in the conditions you describe. Around 1 meter of snow, -12C/10F during the day -24C/-11C during the night.
Make a layer of spruce branches ~15cm or more. Also, use a closed-cell foam pad plus an inflatable pad. I slept in US Army bivy sack, US Army cold-weather sleeping bag. This set-up will keep you ...
3
Basically, if you can't patch them individually there are only 2 real options left.
First, get a new tent. Every tent I have had has developed this over time unless used with a tarp underneath. Any roll on sealant that would work, would increase the weight about as much as a light weight tarp. Also, they tend to make the tent harder to roll up, and more ...
3
A free standing tent can be put up in a location that won't let you put pegs into the ground, such as on a rocky surface, because it establishes structure of its own and the pegs are just to keep it from blowing away. You can tie the tent to rocks or trees if pegs won't go into the ground. In a pinch, you can use rocks inside the tent to keep it down, or ...
3
My first experience of camping started with pop-up tent but I ended using a regular tent why? Like the Rory Alsop, it did not answer all the needs raised for a long term camping period. However based on my experience, here are the cons and pros:
Advantages:
Very easy to set
Quicker to set
Disadvantages
It is very hard to master the folding back into ...
3
I'm not familiar with your specific tent, but you typically don't block ventilation in a double walled tent. The outer rain fly will collect condensation from your own breathing and the tent needs to breath to reduce it.
You also need to seal the seams on a tent if the factory doesn't do it for you, and sometimes even when they do. You can find lots of ...
3
Mold can be harmful to your health and damage the waterproof fabric of your tent. Mildew stains shouldn't necessarily be removed as it can damage fabrics. However, growth of mold should be stopped. It is best to consult your tent manufacturer documentation to know what's the best treatment for your specific product.
According to MSR's How do I prevent ...
2
I propose using whatever cord is strong enough, inexpensive, and compact, then marking it with fluorescent surveyor's tape.
Another option is adding your own glow paint as needed.
2
Fluorescent or glow in the dark paracord would be the way to go - I haven't tried the latter, but from looking at its colour it may blend in more in the daytime than fluorescent stuff, even if it stands out more at night. I'm happy to be proved wrong of course!
However, it seems here the question alludes to kids tripping over the lines, which isn't ...
2
A tent shell causes a convection effect - warmer air rises from you (especially from respiration) and cools when it contacts the tent interior, which is cooled by the outside air. Some of the cooler air passes outside, but some of it settles back down on you and the process repeats.
You can reduce this process in ways explained above: notably, opening the ...
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