You may be considering purchasing a tent and be completely overwhelmed with the available options. There are literally hundreds of different styles made by over a dozen different manufacturers. However, once you think about what you are really trying to accomplish it becomes much easier to narrow down the list of options.
The most important factor for tent selection is use. As you think about use you want to consider the weight of the tent and how often you will be setting up. If you are hiking or touring you want a tent that is lightweight, easy to setup and teardown. If you will be staying in a single location you will be more concerned with overall comfort of tent. This should come first because if you are hiking with a large group you may think that you need a large tent, but then one person gets stuck carrying a heavy tent vs. everyone carrying lightweight single tents.
Closely related to the issue of use is the category of size. Size is typically defined by the number of people that can sleep in the tent. Most experienced campers recommend getting a tent larger than the number of people that will actually be sleeping in the tent. For example, a family of 4 may wan to consider getting a 6 person tent so there is ample room to move around and store any items that need to be kept out of the rain. Another suggestion is to get a tent referred to as a viz-a-viz. These tents have two compartments. Perhaps the kids get one side and the parents the other or sleeping on one side and gear on the other.
Setup effort is again tied to use. If you will be hiking and touring you will want a tent that is easy to setup and tear down. If you will be staying in place for more than a week you will want a tent that may take longer, but has the opportunity to use guy lines, stakes and other features to keep the tent sturdy and dry.
Tent manufacturers also categorize their tents by season. Season is associated with the materials and workmanship that goes into the tent. Typically, a one season tent is to be used in the summer and is capable of dealing with light wind and rain. A three season is for spring, summer and fall. A four season tent is designed to handle heavy snowfall, strong winds and rain. These tents are sometimes classified as expedition tents.
The last consideration is cost. While some tents may seem expensive at several hundred dollars or more if you consider how much it costs to stay in a hotel, rent an RV or other shelter the value a tent provides is tough to beat. For the cost of a single night in a hotel you can have a shelter that you can use for years to come.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
When the economy is a bear, join them.
So, in the words of Cramer, "there's always a bull market somewhere, my job is to help you find it." I tend to agree quite a bit with him. In the late 1990s when it seemed that the economy would grow endlessly, there was an expectation that the value of homes would only increase and their incomes too. When people went on vacations, they would stay in luxurious hotels, fly first class, etc. That is also when the price of gas was of no consequence.
Things have changed a bit. In response, people are trying to come up with more cost effective ways to enjoy life. One of these ways is to go camping as an alternative to hotels for their vacations.
As a child I had a glorified view of camping. Camping can be very fun and I believe it builds character. We live such posh lives, and I believe we spoil our children so much (at least mine are) that they need a little roughing it time. With that said, we also don't want it too rough; lets be reasonable now. For the price of a couple nights at a hotel, you can purchase a tent and other gear to spend as many weekends as you would like camping.
The experiences that you can build with your children are memories to last a life time. We all remember those days outdoors fishing, boating or hunting. What about just learning about the outdoors? Seeing plants and animals with your binoculars, hiking or whatever else. Families can experience a lot by camping.
Unlike when I was a child, tents now go up easier and have plenty of protection from rain and bugs while allowing air flow on hot days. Generally, in the woods, a hot day isn't as hot due to the vegetation. Bumpy ground bother you? Try a foam mat or air mattress with your sleeping bag. Everyone has certain "non negotiables" when camping. No matter what your's is, there is a solution for it at http://www.greatbearoutdoors.com/... Oh and stay away from the bears.
Things have changed a bit. In response, people are trying to come up with more cost effective ways to enjoy life. One of these ways is to go camping as an alternative to hotels for their vacations.
As a child I had a glorified view of camping. Camping can be very fun and I believe it builds character. We live such posh lives, and I believe we spoil our children so much (at least mine are) that they need a little roughing it time. With that said, we also don't want it too rough; lets be reasonable now. For the price of a couple nights at a hotel, you can purchase a tent and other gear to spend as many weekends as you would like camping.
The experiences that you can build with your children are memories to last a life time. We all remember those days outdoors fishing, boating or hunting. What about just learning about the outdoors? Seeing plants and animals with your binoculars, hiking or whatever else. Families can experience a lot by camping.
Unlike when I was a child, tents now go up easier and have plenty of protection from rain and bugs while allowing air flow on hot days. Generally, in the woods, a hot day isn't as hot due to the vegetation. Bumpy ground bother you? Try a foam mat or air mattress with your sleeping bag. Everyone has certain "non negotiables" when camping. No matter what your's is, there is a solution for it at http://www.greatbearoutdoors.com/... Oh and stay away from the bears.
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