Hours of research, reading reviews and comparing features. That is what the average camper needs to go through when choosing a tent.

It is a daunting taks, especially if you are not sure what are you looking for.

In order to make it easier for others, and since we are constantly asked “what should I look for when choosing my next tent?”, we have prepared the feature checklist.

This checklist has every important feature that you should be aware of when choosing your tent with an explanation why it is important.

Tent Feature Checklist

• Tent’s Use – There are different tents for car camping, backpacking and expeditions. The first thing is to determine what will you use the tent for.

• Fabric – Each  fabric material has its advantages: Nylon is strong, easy drying, has UV protection and is lightweight. Polyester is weightless but a non breathing fabric, while Cotton is less durable and absorbs water but is a breathing fabric.

• Poles - Make sure to go with a tent that has aluminium poles. This is the most durable and lightweight pole material.

• Freestanding – A freestanding tent does not need to be staked down with poles and can be moved around even once it’s been pitched. It is convenient but not required: in tough weather conditions you would prepare staking your tent even if it is freestanding

• Weight – If you are planning on using your tent for anything besides car camping, consider both the Minimum Weight (Tent fabric and frame with fewest pegs necessary) and the Packaged Weight (Full tent including instructions, bag and repair parts).

• Rain Fly – Make sure that the tent’s rain fly is designed so that is fully covers the tent’s walls.

• Capacity – Count the number of people that you will accommodate in the tent and add one person if you are also planning to fit any gear inside or just want to be cmfortable.

• Set Up Difficulty – This is a very important feature, especially if you are planning to set up the tent alone.

• Vestibules – Also known as tent porches, this is an area of the tent designed to maximize storage and living space, but they also add to the tent’s weight.

• Color – The tent’s color is an important feature since the darker the tent is, the more is absorbes the sun and the hotter it gets.