Duncan Caravan and Camping, Ltd.

Choosing the right tent can be a daunting task, there are lots of different brands and hundreds of different models to choose from. It is impossible to give you a definitive answer to picking the right tent for you so we have given you a few simple common sense steps to follow to help narrow down your search. What is the tent for? Decide what you will be using the tent for and pick the size right for that use. For example, if you are planning to walk the west Highland way then you should consider models which are light weight, have a small pack size and are suitable for use in adverse weather. However, if you are going camping with your family to France for two weeks then weight is no longer such an issue as you will be putting the tent in the car. What would be more important is a tent with more head height and living space. How many people will be staying in the tent? Tent manufacturers use a standard calculation to establish the number of berths a tent has. A berth is 60 cm so provided an inner tent is 120 cm wide then the tent is a two berth, a three berth would be 180 cm and so on. This does not allow for ‘elbow room’ or storage space, we advise if you have a family of four look at five or six berth tents. Ease of pitching. If you intend to go camping for weekends then you will be looking for a tent that pitches quickly, however, if you go away for two weeks a larger more complex tent may suit better. Tent features. Flysheet: - The fly sheet is the outer fabric of the tent. Flysheet pitches first: - If a tent pitches flysheet first then the outer is erected first and then the inner is attached later. The alternative to this is inner pitches first, in this instance the inner is erected first then the flysheet is placed on top. Flysheet fabrics: - There are many types of flysheet fabrics available, but the three most popular are Cotton, Poly cotton, and polyester. Cotton: - Cotton or canvas as it is sometimes known is the hardest wearing of all the materials used on flysheets; however it is expensive, heavy and bulky when folded. The main advantage of cotton though is that it has great breathability reducing the likelihood of condensation. Poly cotton: - Poly cotton as the name would suggest is a mixture of polyester and cotton. Poly cotton is lighter than cotton, less bulky but still quite expensive. Polyester: - This is the lightest and smallest pack of the three, is the cheapest of them and can have very high water resistance qualities. The main drawback to polyester is that it does not breathe, so condensation can be an issue. Taped seams: - Seams are an obvious area where there is a potential for water ingress, all the Polyester tents we sell have taped seams. The tape is applied over the inside of the seams giving them strength and provides a physical barrier to any water ingress Poles: - There are three main pole types, steel, fibreglass and aluminum. Aluminum poles: - Alloy poles are used in lightweight back packing tents because they are lighter than the alternatives. They are expensive so they tend to be used in the upper ranges. Fibreglass :- This is the most popular of the pole types because they are cheaper than aluminum light, flexible and relatively strong Steel: - Steel is becoming more and more popular, although they have a larger and heavier pack than fibreglass; steel gives a much more rigid structure than the alternatives. Ground sheet: - Most tents come with a ground sheet for the porch or living space. They come in different styles, Standard, riser, or sewn in. A standard ground sheet is flat and usually pegs at the corners, a riser ground sheet comes up the sides and attaches to the bottom of the flysheet filing in the gap. A sewn in ground sheet is permanently attached to the flysheet. Many manufacturers make an optional foot print ground sheet, this goes in under the tent to protect the tent ground sheet and give added protection against leaks.