Tents: A great tent is a very important camping equipment purchase. Don't waste your money buying just any cheap tent. If you select a tent that isn't suitable, you'll end up regretting it and will probably spend more money to compensate than you would have buying the right tent the first time. The type of tent you buy depends greatly on where and when you camp and the number of campers you'll have.
Choosing the Right Tent
Weight and pack size: Car campers can feel confident purchasing any size or weight, including a family-sized tent for 10 to 12 campers. If you are backpacking, you need a lighter tent. Most three-season tents range from 4 to 9 pounds.
Style: Tents all have three basic components: poles, canopy and rain fly. How they are arranged depends on the style. Tent styles include single- and double-walled tents, A-frames, dome tents, hoops and tepees.
Season: Know when you plan to camp and consider the season. Convertible tents are for four-season use; summer tents aren't very versatile if the temperature drops; mountaineering tents are designed with extreme temperature changes in mind; and three-season tents, the most common, are for summer, spring and fall.