best value family camping tents image
Connor Wal
How to I make my tent more comfortable?
Answer
The keys to tent comfort are to make them as much like home as possible. Assuming your car camping and can bring it all here are some suggestions;
Get the right size tent, suitable for the weather. For a family tent size does matter, the bigger is better but huge is not. What I mean by that is space is important to reach the optimum comfort levels. Which is big enough for all your gear, and to stand up in, change clothes etc. To big and it becomes impossible to heat up and hold down in a big rain squall. Suitable for the weather means a tent that breathes well in the summer, keeps rain out and heat in, in the winter. Not all tents will suit the need for all weather conditions but ones that are rated for three seasons come pretty close.
Get the right gear suitable for the season. Sleeping bags are rated in temperature scale the lower the temperature the warmer the bag. Now getting one bag for all seasons is ok just get the coldest bag to start with. You can always zip it up or down according to your needs but you can't make a summer temp bag warmer. Kots are very comfy in the summer adding a foam mattress makes them even more comfy. Air mattresses are great for summer use but in the winter they have zero insulation value. A good go between are chaise lounge pads these are filled with foam or the same stuff that sleeping bags are they insulate well and never deflate. Add some extra blankets and your good to go.
Furniture in tents gives you the taj majual look I already mentioned kots to which you can store gear under so throw in a table and some chairs and you have a spot to play games when it rains, a place to put the lanterns and a spot to sit and tie your shoes. Lanterns of course need to be electric/battery operated there is no way that you need to risk burning the tent down with a knocked over gas or candle lantern. The bigger the better, they are rated in lumens get at least a 100+ model. two of them would be better than one, in case someones gotta go in the night the other is still in the tent.
Deal with the heat properly. In summer a good tents ventilation will keep things somewhat cool adding an electric fan will move the air around which is specially needed after a good meal of beans. In the winter, and here is where a lot of folks make bad decisions, adding a space heater or a tent stove will warm things up a lot. The Bad thing here is that all gas fuel powered heaters put out Carbon Monoxide gas which can kill you so unless your tent is specifically designed for there use you can only use an electric model and then you need a power supply and who wants to listen to a generator all night. Some campgrounds now have electricity plumbed to all there sites so look into those if your winter camping.
Flooring is sweet. A cold floor is something that send chills up my spine just thinking about. Start by setting your tent over a tarp to protect your tents built in floor, this also adds a bit of insulation as it locks out the ground moisture coming into the tent. Inside role out the carpet wall to wall this again protects the tents built in floor from the kot, chair and table feet and gives it that total home like feeling. Put a artificial turf grass door mat in the front door and move in your now Home Away From Home.
The keys to tent comfort are to make them as much like home as possible. Assuming your car camping and can bring it all here are some suggestions;
Get the right size tent, suitable for the weather. For a family tent size does matter, the bigger is better but huge is not. What I mean by that is space is important to reach the optimum comfort levels. Which is big enough for all your gear, and to stand up in, change clothes etc. To big and it becomes impossible to heat up and hold down in a big rain squall. Suitable for the weather means a tent that breathes well in the summer, keeps rain out and heat in, in the winter. Not all tents will suit the need for all weather conditions but ones that are rated for three seasons come pretty close.
Get the right gear suitable for the season. Sleeping bags are rated in temperature scale the lower the temperature the warmer the bag. Now getting one bag for all seasons is ok just get the coldest bag to start with. You can always zip it up or down according to your needs but you can't make a summer temp bag warmer. Kots are very comfy in the summer adding a foam mattress makes them even more comfy. Air mattresses are great for summer use but in the winter they have zero insulation value. A good go between are chaise lounge pads these are filled with foam or the same stuff that sleeping bags are they insulate well and never deflate. Add some extra blankets and your good to go.
Furniture in tents gives you the taj majual look I already mentioned kots to which you can store gear under so throw in a table and some chairs and you have a spot to play games when it rains, a place to put the lanterns and a spot to sit and tie your shoes. Lanterns of course need to be electric/battery operated there is no way that you need to risk burning the tent down with a knocked over gas or candle lantern. The bigger the better, they are rated in lumens get at least a 100+ model. two of them would be better than one, in case someones gotta go in the night the other is still in the tent.
Deal with the heat properly. In summer a good tents ventilation will keep things somewhat cool adding an electric fan will move the air around which is specially needed after a good meal of beans. In the winter, and here is where a lot of folks make bad decisions, adding a space heater or a tent stove will warm things up a lot. The Bad thing here is that all gas fuel powered heaters put out Carbon Monoxide gas which can kill you so unless your tent is specifically designed for there use you can only use an electric model and then you need a power supply and who wants to listen to a generator all night. Some campgrounds now have electricity plumbed to all there sites so look into those if your winter camping.
Flooring is sweet. A cold floor is something that send chills up my spine just thinking about. Start by setting your tent over a tarp to protect your tents built in floor, this also adds a bit of insulation as it locks out the ground moisture coming into the tent. Inside role out the carpet wall to wall this again protects the tents built in floor from the kot, chair and table feet and gives it that total home like feeling. Put a artificial turf grass door mat in the front door and move in your now Home Away From Home.
What are views on folding campers / trailor tents?
0
We have three small children and want to camp in comfort - we have seen a trailor tent for a very good proce on eBay - what are your views?
I want to go away for 3-4 weeks and cannot bear the thought of staying in a normal tent for that time, and cannot afford a hotel...
Answer
Pop-up campers are ideal for families with small children. Most are light enough to be easily towed behind a 6-cylinder vehicle without a huge sacrifice in fuel economy. Unlike motorized RV's, a pop-up does not need separate liability insurance or expensive maintenance (though inexpensive RV insurance is advisable on newer units that still have good value).
One big advantage of a pop-up versus tent camping is your camper can be cleaned and re-stocked after each trip so you just need to add perishable foods and clothing to head out on your next adventure. There is enough storage space to keep all of your gear permanently inside the camper, either in the cabinets or in storage bins on the floor. So you don't need to shoe-horn your tent, sleeping bags, cooking gear, food and clothing in the car with the family, making the driving portion of your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
The other big advantage is the additional comfort and protection. Thick foam mattresses and heavy canvas tent material, combined with the solid roof, floor and partial walls of the main body, offer additional insulation, weather protection and security versus a tent. You can choose a model that has a propane furnace to safely heat your camper in cold weather, and fans or even air conditioning to keep cool in the summer.
Most pop-ups have a galley with a sink, fresh water supply, and a propane stove that can be used inside or outside. They carry one or two 20Lb propane tanks externally so you don't have to deal with disposable propane canisters (you might need adapters and extra hose if you want to use a gas BBQ grill). There is a 12V battery to run lights and small appliances when no AC electrical hook-ups are available, but you also have the option to hook-up to "shore power" to run your air conditioner (if equipped or added), microwave oven (again, if equipped or added) or other higher-power devices. Small 3-way refrigerators are common in larger pop-ups.
Some things to consider when choosing a pop-up:
1. Where will everyone sleep?
_ a.) Small kids can share a bed, 3 small kids fit on a king-size mattress.
_ b.) The dinette folds into a bed, but only 48" wide, so sharing is "intimate."
_ c.) The dinette might be too short for a single teen/adult. Check before you buy.
_ d.) Older boys don't like sharing beds. Make sure you have sleeping options.
_ e.) Kids like to invite relatives and friends. Complicates all the above.
_ f.) An add-a-room and some cots can provide additional sleeping options.
2. Bathroom or not?
We never had a bathroom in our pop-ups and didn't miss it. Worst case is you setup a chemical toilet and shower bag in a privacy shelter outside, but mostly we relied on the campground facilities for toilet and shower needs. Our hybrid camper (a full-box travel trailer with fold-out bed ends) has a small bathroom, which we use when dry camping, but we prefer to use the campground facilities when available to avoid adding humidity or smell to the camper. No built-in bathroom also eliminates the most hated of RV chores: dealing with the sewer line and holding tanks.
3. Water heater or not?
Even without an inside bathroom or nearby facilities, a quick hot shower is a welcome luxury. When dry camping it is much preferred to bag showers, and at a full-service campground it makes quick clean-ups after swimming more convenient. The only disadvantage is a shower will use up water quickly when dry camping, and takes-up storage space.
4. Air conditioner or not?
They often ice-up and stop working when you want them the most, particularly in a pop-up camper that's not as well insulated as a full-box travel trailer or motorized RV. The A/C requires an electrical hook-up or a minimum 3500-watt generator. A/C is noisy and a generator makes things worse. We found that even in the desert during summer, once we acclimated to the temperatures, nights were comfortable with only fans. But in hot and humid, A/C might be desirable.
5. Awnings
One awning is highly recommended. Two is even better. We rarely ate or just hung-out inside our campers, even with the large hybrid, even in the rain and cold weather. With our last pop-up we had one awning on each side. The "front" awning was used as our hang-out area, sometimes with an add-a-room to keep out the bugs. The "back" awning was where we setup our kitchen and dining area.
6. Storage
An outside storage trunk is a great feature. Just remember to unload it before extending the front bed slide. Some pop-ups have a slide-out drawer that can be accessed when the bed is extended, but this cuts down on storage capacity and doesn't allow large items. Use stacking storage bins to storage space; small in cabinets, large to stack on the floor during transit.
Always buy used. Most people use their camper 2 or 3 times a year, so even a 10 year old camper - if well maintained - can be in great condition at huge savings.
Pop-up campers are ideal for families with small children. Most are light enough to be easily towed behind a 6-cylinder vehicle without a huge sacrifice in fuel economy. Unlike motorized RV's, a pop-up does not need separate liability insurance or expensive maintenance (though inexpensive RV insurance is advisable on newer units that still have good value).
One big advantage of a pop-up versus tent camping is your camper can be cleaned and re-stocked after each trip so you just need to add perishable foods and clothing to head out on your next adventure. There is enough storage space to keep all of your gear permanently inside the camper, either in the cabinets or in storage bins on the floor. So you don't need to shoe-horn your tent, sleeping bags, cooking gear, food and clothing in the car with the family, making the driving portion of your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
The other big advantage is the additional comfort and protection. Thick foam mattresses and heavy canvas tent material, combined with the solid roof, floor and partial walls of the main body, offer additional insulation, weather protection and security versus a tent. You can choose a model that has a propane furnace to safely heat your camper in cold weather, and fans or even air conditioning to keep cool in the summer.
Most pop-ups have a galley with a sink, fresh water supply, and a propane stove that can be used inside or outside. They carry one or two 20Lb propane tanks externally so you don't have to deal with disposable propane canisters (you might need adapters and extra hose if you want to use a gas BBQ grill). There is a 12V battery to run lights and small appliances when no AC electrical hook-ups are available, but you also have the option to hook-up to "shore power" to run your air conditioner (if equipped or added), microwave oven (again, if equipped or added) or other higher-power devices. Small 3-way refrigerators are common in larger pop-ups.
Some things to consider when choosing a pop-up:
1. Where will everyone sleep?
_ a.) Small kids can share a bed, 3 small kids fit on a king-size mattress.
_ b.) The dinette folds into a bed, but only 48" wide, so sharing is "intimate."
_ c.) The dinette might be too short for a single teen/adult. Check before you buy.
_ d.) Older boys don't like sharing beds. Make sure you have sleeping options.
_ e.) Kids like to invite relatives and friends. Complicates all the above.
_ f.) An add-a-room and some cots can provide additional sleeping options.
2. Bathroom or not?
We never had a bathroom in our pop-ups and didn't miss it. Worst case is you setup a chemical toilet and shower bag in a privacy shelter outside, but mostly we relied on the campground facilities for toilet and shower needs. Our hybrid camper (a full-box travel trailer with fold-out bed ends) has a small bathroom, which we use when dry camping, but we prefer to use the campground facilities when available to avoid adding humidity or smell to the camper. No built-in bathroom also eliminates the most hated of RV chores: dealing with the sewer line and holding tanks.
3. Water heater or not?
Even without an inside bathroom or nearby facilities, a quick hot shower is a welcome luxury. When dry camping it is much preferred to bag showers, and at a full-service campground it makes quick clean-ups after swimming more convenient. The only disadvantage is a shower will use up water quickly when dry camping, and takes-up storage space.
4. Air conditioner or not?
They often ice-up and stop working when you want them the most, particularly in a pop-up camper that's not as well insulated as a full-box travel trailer or motorized RV. The A/C requires an electrical hook-up or a minimum 3500-watt generator. A/C is noisy and a generator makes things worse. We found that even in the desert during summer, once we acclimated to the temperatures, nights were comfortable with only fans. But in hot and humid, A/C might be desirable.
5. Awnings
One awning is highly recommended. Two is even better. We rarely ate or just hung-out inside our campers, even with the large hybrid, even in the rain and cold weather. With our last pop-up we had one awning on each side. The "front" awning was used as our hang-out area, sometimes with an add-a-room to keep out the bugs. The "back" awning was where we setup our kitchen and dining area.
6. Storage
An outside storage trunk is a great feature. Just remember to unload it before extending the front bed slide. Some pop-ups have a slide-out drawer that can be accessed when the bed is extended, but this cuts down on storage capacity and doesn't allow large items. Use stacking storage bins to storage space; small in cabinets, large to stack on the floor during transit.
Always buy used. Most people use their camper 2 or 3 times a year, so even a 10 year old camper - if well maintained - can be in great condition at huge savings.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment