Shopping For Tents

by Diane

Tents today are loaded with great features so when shopping for a new tent the first question to ask yourself is what feature are most important to me? Do I want a really light tent, or is size and comfort more important?

Once you know what you want, then the next step is to test it out. Most of the reputable outdoor stores will let you set-up the tent in their store and try it out. If the tent does not have everything that you want, don’t compromise. The outdoor equipment market is large enough today that you should not have to compromise on what features you want in a tent.

Tips on maintaining your tent
When you get home after your camping trip, wash your tent with warm water and warm water. Once your tent is totally dry, stash it in a nice dry place. You should also keep the poles linked together during storage to take some of the tension off the shock cords.

Featured Tents – North Face Vario 23

What we like about the North Face Vario 23 is the great weight saving design. The Vario 23 has two sides that are single-wall and two that are double-wall which gives it an impressive weight to strength ratio. In addition, by adding a bow pole over the center of the tent and using precurved poles, this tent is surprisingly roomy.

The North Face Vario 23 weighs only 4.2 lbs and is available from MooseJaw and Altrec.

North Face Vario 23 Tent

Specifications for the Vario 23 Tent by North Face

  • Capacity: 2
  • Avg Weight: Trail – 3 lbs 13 oz (1.74 kg) / Total – 4 lbs 3 oz (1.9 kg)
  • Poles: Number – 3 / Diameter – 9.6 mm, 9.0 mm, 8.5 mm
  • Stuffed Size: 24″ x 7″ (60 cm x 17 cm)
  • Area: 32 ft² (2.9 m²)
  • Vestibule Area: Front – 7 ft² (0.7 m²)

Fabric:

  • Canopy: 33 denier, 244T nylon with silicone and 1500 mm PU
  • Floor: 50 denier, 270T nylon taffeta coated with 3000mm PU

Features:

  • DAC Featherlite NSL aluminum poles using reverse-combi technology
  • Brow pole to create lift venting
  • Ultralight MicroClip
  • Fully seam-sealed canopy
  • Fully taped ultralight floor
  • High-low venting through mesh panels and door with zippered overhead vents
  • Freestanding design with pull out front vestibule and back pull out for ventilation
  • D-shaped door
  • Internal pockets
  • Compression stuffsack included
  • Reflective pull-out and zipper cording

Featured Tents – Marmot Zonda

The Marmot Zenda tent is perfect for those looking for a light and roomy tent. With 39 inches of headroom and a 100 inch floor, this tent is big enough for two. But at 4.3 lbs it is still light enough to carry on a long hike.

The Marmot Zenda is available from MooseJaw and Altrec.

Marmot Zonda Tent

Lightweight and roomy, the new innovative pole design of the Zonda 2 Person Tent by Marmot allows for roomy internal space without increasing the overall weight.

Specifications for the Marmot Zonda Tent:

  • Number of people: 2
  • Minimum weight: 4 lb 7 oz / 2.03 kg
  • Maximum weight: 4 lb 14 oz / 2.23 kg
  • Floor area: 31.5 sq ft / 2.87 sq m
  • Vestibule area: 7 sq ft / 0.6 sq m
  • Packed size: 17.5 x 6 in / 44 x 15 cm
  • Number of poles: 1
  • Type of poles: DAC NSL 9.5mm

Features:

  • DAC, NSL Poles
  • Stake Tape
  • Welded velcro attachments
  • Bare bones setup
  • Optional footprint
  • Optional gear loft
  • Window Weld TM
  • Vestibule