Are you going alone, as a couple, with friends, or with family? Depending on the number of people and your relationships, your needs in terms of capacity (i.e., the number of people the tent will accommodate) represent a determining criterion. There are classic formats (2-person or 3-person tents), family tents (4-person tents), and even very large tents such as 20×20 tent that can accommodate up to 12 people.
There are several things to consider:
The height under the ceiling: you must at least be able to sit down. If you remain static for several days, choose a tent where you can stand up.
The width and length of the rooms: think about the size of the inflatable mattress.
The shape of the space: are the walls vertical or oblique? Is the height the same throughout the tent?
The presence (or not) of apses to store your belongings and cook in a dry place, sheltered from bad weather.
For more comfort, do not hesitate to choose a 3-person tent even if you only go with two people. This will give you more space to store your belongings, and the air circulation will be more efficient.
What Type Of Structure?
To stand up, the tent needs to be supported by a structure. The reinforcement can be:
inflatable: the air bladders are placed under canvas and are relatable;
with poles: in aluminum or carbon, these large rods bend easily to form the roof of the tent;
with a mast: steel or aluminum, it is used in a teepee.
Find our selection of inflatable tents: What form?
The shape of your tent such as American Tent for example will depend on what you are using it for and where you are going to camp. Here are the 4 most common forms:
Canadian: generally used by scouts or soldiers in their base camp, the Canadian tent is an imposing structure that can accommodate up to 10 people. Ideal for nature lovers, it has a design inspired by the tents of trappers in the Canadian Far North. Very spacious, it can even accommodate cozy high beds. Handy when you want to avoid small crawling insects!
Tunnel: not self-supporting; it requires guying and must be placed on the ground that can accommodate pegs. The assembly is easy (the semi-circular arches form the tunnel), but it can be tricky if you hurry. This type of tent offers a large interior volume thanks to its apses and is wind resistant when well oriented.
Dome: very simple to set up (two arches intersect and join the four corners of the tent); these tents are self-supporting, that is to say, that they stand up without pegs or guys. Their resistance to the wind is average, to be avoided in the mountains at high altitudes.
Tipi: this typical structure of Indian tents forms a pyramid with a central pole that holds it together. Thanks to him, you will be able to stand up! The teepee generally offers a very convivial single space. Some models are compatible with a wood stoves.
