Choosing the right tent is probably the most
important decision for regular short trips or long extended treks
alike.
A tent that is overwhelmed by the conditions
or is too small for your needs will make your trip a sleepless,
uncomfortable nightmare.
But, if you are backpacking, a tent that is bulky
and heavy will feel like a millstone around your neck; so how do you
balance these conflicting demands for space, strength, light weight
and low packed volume?
1 - 4 Man Tents
The tents in this section range from 1-2 season valley tents for
calm weather use to 3 season backpacking tents; and there are
individual differences in available space, packed size and weight
from model to model to suit your requirements. They are suitable
for a broad range of environments except for severe weather winter
use, if you want a bombproof 4 season refuge look in our expedition
tent section.
5 - 8 Man Tents
Tents of this size can be used in environments from Himalayan base
camp to family camping holidays. To choose the right tent for you
look at the use you will be putting it to and go from there. For
family car camping space is by far the most important feature (to
store bikes, swingball and a myriad of other items; not forgetting
a separate compartment for the kids in the tent), but for group
backpacking weight is also a very pressing concern! If your outdoors
adventure is likely to take you into wild weather, such as Scotland
in late autumn through to early spring, have a look in the
expedition tent section for a 4-season tent, which will take
the worst the weather can throw at it.
Expedition Tents
Have you ever lay awake in your sleeping bag feeling the wind, rain,
sleet and snow batter and abuse your tent? Hearing the fabric sing
and the poles groan; wondering, waiting, listening intently for the
terrible sound of ripping nylon or the gunshot report of a fracturing
pole? Doesn't sound like the restful experience you need on an expedition
after a hard days trek, whether it is in Tibet or Torridon. These 4
season expedition tents are designed to take the worst Mother Nature
can throw at them and are armed with a huge range of strengthening
features to keep them lightweight and bombproof. They are a bit more
expensive than their fair weather counterparts, but it is worth every
penny to avoid sleepless nights like the one above, believe me!
Storm Shelters
The idea of an open sided shelter is not new, but it is only recently
become practical for these lightweight and tough refuges to be
manufactured. Anglers the world over swear by them in poor weather
(rather than swear at the weather), and they are perfect as portable
sunshades for children at the beach or garden. I have found them
ideal as an open sided cooking shelter while car camping (you on the
inside, the stove on the outside!) in our usual British summer
weather.
Wild Combos
Have you just started to get into camping (or off to Glastonbury
for the first time!)? Need a tent and a couple of sleeping bags
for your first outing? These combos are the perfect solution, a
tent and two joinable sleeping bags for a reduced price. With
specifications from a 2 man summer only tent, to a cavernous
family home from home, there is something for everybody . And
the price leaves you with enough money for a few little luxuries,
like a lantern to let you see where to go to the loo in the middle
of the night!
Tent Reproofing
All waterproof performance degrades over time and use. So if your
tent, bivi bag or gaiters are over 3 years old you will find a
massive improvement in their weather shedding abilities after reproofing
them yourself, and it is much cheaper than buying a new one! Be careful
to buy the correct type of reproofer, the breathable fabric of jackets
requires a special treatment which specifically states "for use on
breathable fabrics".
Sleeping Bags
As with tents, choosing the right sleeping bag is vital to your enjoyment
of the outdoors. A bag which is too bulky and heavy will make you overheat
at night and is unnecessary weight and bulk in your pack; one which is
too thin will leave you shivering and unable to sleep. The bags here are
suitable for a range of individual uses from summer only bags to 3 season
general purpose models. I always use a liner in my sleeping bag to keep
it clean and add a bit of insulation.
Specialist Sleeping Bags
The difference between a holiday and an ordeal is often as simple as a good
nights sleep, so this is an area it's worth getting right. For a winter
backpacking trip or a high altitude adventure holiday the bags in this
section come into their own. They can deal with extreme temperatures or
provide the warmth of other bags for a lower weight and bulk because they
have a high insulation/volume and weight ratio due to the advanced fibres
and construction techniques used. For hints and tips on choosing a bag look
in my "buying a sleeping bag" section in FAQ's (coming soon). A liner is also
a good idea as it cuts down the amount of washing the bag requires (sleeping
bags don't like it, especially Down ones) plus it adds a bit of extra
insulation for those frigid nights.
Bivi Bags
The ultimate in lightweight backpacking. No bulky tent to carry, just a
bivi bag. Fall asleep under the stars and wake with the dawn to see a
magnificent sunrise, you can't get closer to nature than that! I also
use my bivi bag to protect my sleeping bag in damp huts or bothys plus
as an emergency survival bag while hillwalking or climbing.
Junior Sleeping Bags
To make a bag as warm as possible there should be as little empty space
as you can manage in there with you, its just extra air to heat up. That's
why children in adult sleeping bags often feel cold. Junior bags are a
scaled down version of the adult size and every bit as technically advanced,
but for smaller campers! All kids want their own equipment, and because it's
lighter and smaller they can carry it themselves too. So not only do they get
a better nights sleep but also you get a more leisurely trek carrying less
gear; truly something for everyone!
Beds, Mats and Liners
Sleeping bags keep you warm by trapping air, which insulates you and retains
heat within the bag. But the underside gets compressed and so holds no
insulating air and this allows heat to leak from the bag into the ground.
Lets face it, lying on the ground is just plain uncomfortable. You feel
every bump and stone under you all night then wake up feeling as though
you have been enthusiastically beaten with sticks. That's where mats come
in. they insulate you from the ground and are infinitely more comfortable
than a bed of rocks!
Sleeping bags HATE being washed. It causes the filling to lose some of
its insulation, known as "loft", each time it goes through the wash
cycle. So if you regularly launder that top of the line bag it will
quickly deteriorate and lose performance.
How do I balance maintaining the condition of my bag and still prevent
it smelling like a Yaks armpit? The answer is simple, use a liner! This
prevents the bag becoming dirty (on the inside, from your sweat and
body oils) and also adds insulation. Problem solved, and your girlfriend
(or boyfriend) will still want to know you!
Lanterns and Torches
Locating the toilet block on a campsite or finding that elusive sock
in a tent can be almost impossible tasks when attempted in pitch
darkness. They are guaranteed to take much longer, even though at
least one of them may have an aspect of urgency about it! A good
torch or lantern can make a huge difference to any night spent in
a tent; everything suddenly seems so much easier when you can see
what you are doing. Exactly which model you choose depends on the
area to be lit, duration of trip and whether weight is an issue. A
torch is also a vital piece of safety equipment when hillwalking
where it can be used to aid routefinding in failing light and also
to signal for help in the dark if you get into difficulties.
Cooking Equipment
Imagine you are cold and wet. The tent is up at last at the end of
a long day's trek in the rain, you are tired and a bit dispirited.
What is the first thing you will want once you have changed into
some dry clothes? A hot drink closely followed by a warm, comforting
meal: these are the most important psychological boosts you can give
yourself (although you don't need me to tell you that!). A powerful,
reliable stove is a must on any trip longer than a day walk, but the
model you use is very much a matter of personal choice.
Gas cartridge stoves are the easiest to use and generally the lightest,
although resupply of gas can be a problem outside Europe and North America.
Meths burning stoves, such as the Trangia, are also simple to use, are
excellent all weather performers (a strong wind actually improves their
efficiency) and they have a cookset built in. I have a Trangia that I
use on multi day walks and it has never let me down, even in the foulest
weather.
Coolboxes & Picnic Tents
Are you fed up with warm sandwiches and hot orange juice on picnics?
Want to keep milk and perishables fresh and cool overnight while on a
summer family camping trip? A coolbox can solve both these problems.
Simply stick a picnic in one of these with a special freezer brick
and it will stay cool all day plus milk will stay cold and fresh for
your cereal and coffee in the morning if stored overnight in one. No
more treks to the campsite shop first thing in the morning, you could
even have the luxury of breakfast in your pyjamas!
Furniture
If, while camping, you long for a table and chairs after a couple of days
sitting on the ground, or you want garden furniture for barbecues but have
nowhere to store it, then this could be the solution to your problem. A
foldable table and bench set which could be used for meals, family board
and card games or simply relaxing with friends over a glass of wine. Also,
because they are collapsible, when not in use they can be stored in a
fraction of their unfolded space.
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