How to Choose the Right Tent.
Choosing the perfect tent can feel overwhelming with all the options available. Here's our straightforward guide to finding a tent that fits your camping needs!
Start with these three questions:
How many people need to sleep in it?
Add one person to your count for comfort and gear storage. A 2-person tent feels perfect for one person, while a 3-person tent works well for two. Unless you’re going as light as possible, this is what we would recommend.
When will you camp?
Three-season tents (spring, summer, fall) work great for about 90% of camping situations in Oregon. However, if you're looking to do some overnight ski-tours and/or hitting the high mountains, you'll want a sturdier four-season tent that'‘ll hold up better in harsh temps, heavy precipitation, and strong winds.
How far will you carry it?
If you’re planning on car camping, go for a bigger tent. This will give you more room to change, keep all of your gear inside, and more comfort overall.
If you’re planning on backpacking, go as small and light as you can. You want to make sure this tent fits well in/on your pack while giving you and your friends enough room for a good nights sleep on trail.
Key Features to Consider:
Weather Protection:
Oregon camping demands good weather resistance. A tent with lots of mesh is great for stargazing on a warm, dry night, but make sure you’ve got a good rain-fly for when it gets wet, because as we all know in the Northwest, it will.
Setup/Geometry:
For backpackers especially, a tent that’s quick and easy to set up is well worth the extra money. Whether you get to your site in the rain, cold, or dark, a quick setup is invaluable.
It’s always a good idea to set up a tent before purchasing it. Although we don’t have much room to do this at the shop, we offer a 7-day return period with this in mind.
Vestibules:
Vestibules are areas outside of your tent that’re still covered by the rain-fly and protected from the elements. In other words, the bigger the vestibule, the happier (and drier) you’ll be when it rains. Vestibules are a great space to keep muddy boots and bulky packs while gettin’ comfy at night.
Height:
Taller center heights mean easier changing and better livability, however, they catch more wind. Low-profile tents, although they aren’t as comfortable, are much more stable in storms.
Stop by the shop to check out our current selection of lightly-used tents and chat with our crew about what might work best for your next adventure.
