Camping is an increasingly popular way to enjoy the great outdoors for all sorts of people, families, couples or friends. It needn’t be an expensive pastime but you can’t avoid the fact that you will need to buy some basic equipment to get you going

There’s no denying that the most essential piece of equipment for your camping trip is the tent. Whilst camping your tent is your “home” and needs to keep you safe, warm and sheltered from the elements. The bigger it is the more flexibility it will give you but it is also likely to be heavier and a greater strain on your finances

Pitched, domed, tepee, yurt, 3 man, 4 man or pop up tent there’s so many options on the market at the moment it’s difficult to know where to start. There are many factors to consider when making your choice and so in order to help you make your choice I’ve put together some advice based on my experiences.

5 considerations when you buy a tent

Budget – always a top consideration whether you are watching the pennies or looking to splash out, have a sum in mind and stick to it!

Use – There are as many types of tent as there are different reasons to camp so consider what you are going to be using it for. Are you heading to a festival? In which case a speedy pitching time is important, you want to be hitting the main stage not messing about with poles and guy ropes.  Or do you need something sturdier to withstand a fortnight of the Great British weather!

Space – how big will your party be? Just the two of you? Or all the family? If there’s a group we would recommend having separate compartments or bedrooms. If you’re staying a while in a small tent you’ll find you miss being able to stand up straight and if you don’t have enough storage space you will get fed up of transferring things between the tent and the car.

Cooking and eating – are you planning to have all of your meals out and about or will you be cooking for yourselves? If so consider the space you will need for the stove, storing and preparing food and the inevitable washing-up.

Weight and compact size – Check what size the tent is when it is packed up and then consider how much storage space you have at home for the times you aren’t using it or when you are transporting it in the car. Weight and size can be important issues and, of course, the bigger the tent the more things like tent poles you’ll have. The bigger the tent the more likely you are to want to fill it with other gear as well.

If you’re going on a hiking holiday you need something lightweight and compact as you’ll be carrying it around with you. On the other hand if you are away for a couple of weeks on the same site you’ll probably want as many of the comforts of home with you as possible and so go for the biggest tent you can afford.

Obviously there are other factors that affect your purchase, such as a trusted brand (Gelert or Regatta) or colour or material but stick to our 5 considerations when you buy a tent and you won’t go far wrong.

For a good selection on outdoor gear, clothing and experiences visit My Outdoor Store. The foremost walking and hiking outdoor gear store

Author's Bio: 

Bruno Blackstone is a freelance writer interested in all things to do with the outdoors and helping others get the most from the outdoors. Starting with a psychology degree his early career was as a social worker and family therapist working with families to help them achieve more positive and stable relationships. In his more recent career he has coached many senior executives in both small and large organisations in areas such as strategy, human resources, organisational design and performance improvement. He now continues his work in the business world but he is also co-owner of My Outdoor Store a price comparison site for outdoor enthusiasts.