How to Pick a Backpacking Tent

Backpacking can be a fun and adventurous way to spend a weekend (or longer). It gives you a chance to escape the stresses of everyday life and explore a natural surrounding while getting some great exercise. One should never go unprepared, however! Not having the right gear or equipment can make a backpacking trip go from an exciting weekend to a nightmarish two-day disaster with no end in sight. Weather can change so suddenly, especially in mountainous regions and there's nothing worse than being stuck on a mountain in a sudden and unexpected rainstorm, without the right water resistant protection. One of the most essential items a backpacker should bring to avoid such a watery torment is a good backpacking tent.

Simple Tips For Choosing a Backpacking Tent

Though important, backpacking tents are a tricky commodity; it can be difficult to nail down exactly the kind you should get. If you are planning on going backpacking soon and are in the market for a tent, here are some simple tips that may give you a place to start.

1. First of all, the kind of environment you plan to be hiking through is important to keep in mind as you choose your tent. Even if it is unlikely to rain, it is a good idea to purchase a tent that is completely water resistant and closed on all sides. Even though a 'lean to' or tarp like tent with open sides is an efficient and simple form of shelter, these kinds of tents can only protect from the mildest of weather conditions. Additionally, most wilderness areas popular for backpacking are havens for insects, such as mosquitoes, and an open tent will offer no protection against these pests.
2. Secondly, you should consider the length of your trip when looking for a backpacking tent. Also, what kind of terrain are you going to traverse? Are you going for a rough and nearly vertical thirty-mile plus climb, or a pleasant and easy five mile jaunt through the woods? If the latter is the case, weight is not an issue and you can purchase as large a tent as you are capable of carrying that distance. The larger the tent the better; you can house all your equipment inside to avoid damage from morning dew or from nocturnal animals with a sufficiently large tent. If you are taking a more arduous journey, you'll want the lightest possible tent you can get that offers adequate protection.
3. Lastly, choose a good brand name. Ask for recommendations at the store you visit, or if you are ordering one online, choose a trusted name in outdoor products. It is a good idea to read personal reviews on these products. Backpacking tents are important enough that you do not want to get the cheapest model possible, because you will get what you pay for. If it's cash that you are worried about, bring cheaper food items. I'd rather eat freeze dried mush while warm and dry in a nice, functional tent, than eat fillet mignon while soaking wet in a heap of junk that fell apart as soon as it started really pouring.

Speaking from my own personal experience, I prefer to sleep under the stars while backpacking, if the weather permits. A good insect repellent (I prefer REI's 'Jungle Juice') can reduce the mosquito problem and there is something refreshing (if not logical) about waking up covered in dew. But this does not mean that I don't bring my backpacking tent on my hiking excursions. Sleeping under the stars is the exception not the rule.