If you are look for the best family tent for a camping holiday then there are a few things to consider in your search.
Things such as the size of the tent, what it is made from, where you will be camping and the weather, how portable the tent is and a few other considerations.
We’ll take a look at some of the main things to help you to find the best family tent for your holiday.
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Size of the tent
One of the most important things to think about is the size of the tent. Will it be big enough for your family and all of your stuff?
It is best to get a tent that is larger than you need, add an extra person or two to the size, and maybe more if you have young children.
By doing this you give everyone more personal space, will have more storage for your gear and, importantly, if the weather is bad then you have room to lay about and for your children to play.
Our family tent is actually a 9 man tent. It has three sleeping pods and a large central area where you can stand up and which can be used for dining and other purposes.
You can see an example of the tent here.
Backpacking or not
Tents can get heavy and the bigger they get the heavier they get.
This is not a problem if you are driving to a campsite and putting the tent up when you arrive, but, if you are backpacking then the thought of carrying a tent around that can weigh up to 30 Kg, might be a bit off putting.
You should always check the weight of a tent that you are thinking of buying, particularly if you are hiking or travelling around by train or bus.
Sometimes it can be better to buy more than one tent and spread the responsibility of carrying the tents across the family.
4 man tents are often a good choice for a family of four, they are relatively light weight, making them suitable for backpacking, but you get the added benefit of extra room.
The Coleman Octagon Tent, shown here, is a good sized tent, that only weighs 11 Kg.
Style of a family tent
As well as the size, you’ll see that family tents come in lots of different shapes.
This makes some tents more practical than others and this can be important, particularly if you have young or teenage children.
Many tents are long, almost sausage shaped, like this one from Skandika
You also have the option of more radical and fun styled tents such as this Teepee Tent from SAFACUS.
Our preferred option is the triangular shaped family tent that has individual sleeping pods which can be zipped up for privacy. These are ideal for adolescents who can hide away and enjoy their own space.
They also have the benefit of large, central communal areas
Materials
Modern family tents come in a variety of materials and the type of material used will affect things such as cost, warmth, weather resistance and durability.
Nylon is the most popular as it is tough and lightweight. Tents made from Nylon will need to be waterproofed annually and it tends not to be the warmest option.
Nylon will not decompose if it is stored wet, but will begin to mildew and this can erode the polyurethane that is coated on the nylon material to make it waterproof.
Another fabric frequently used in the manufacturing of the family tent is Rip-Stone Nylon. It has all the characteristics of the nylon tent. The only difference between them is that about every 12 or so stitches, there is a heavier fabric woven in to prevent the spread of a tear.
If you are planning to camp out in the woods, rather than in an open clearing or campsite you may want to purchase a rip stone nylon tent instead of a regular nylon one.
If you do purchase a rip-stone nylon tent you might want to ensure that it is polyurethane coated.
The next commonly used fabric for tent making is almost identical to nylon and is called polyester.
Resistance to ultraviolet damage is the main difference between polyester and nylon.
It is always recommended that you set up your tent in a shaded area instead of an area exposed to direct sunlight, because all materials exposed to ultraviolet light are subject to damage.
Another fabric which was first used in the manufacture of a tent, but is not as prevalent now, is the cotton canvas tent. 100% cotton fabric is a great material for making a superior tent but they are rare today, mostly because of their weight compared to modern-day fabrics.
The cotton material naturally breathes and is less prone to condensation than modern fabrics, making inner tents in the sleeping area unnecessary.
One oddity that can catch new beginners, is that brand new cotton tents usually leak, due to drips coming through the cotton fibers.
As the drips come through the cotton fibers they cause the fibers to swell into each other creating a waterproof tent. This is called weathering.
A simple solution to the problem, is to set up the tent before you actually make a camping trip, when rain is expected.
Weathering a tent can also be done by thoroughly soaking the tent with a water hose then letting it dry. You may have to repeat this procedure 2 or 3 times before you have waterproofed your tent. It must be noted that some cotton tents have a waterproof coating put on and do not need weathering.
Cotton tents are often the warmest of all the tents once they have been weatherproofed.
You can see some great family cotton tents here.
Groundsheet – fixed or not?
Our advice would be to always try and get a family tent with a fixed groundsheet particularly if you are camping somewhere where the weather could be wet or windy.
If you use a separate groundsheet then there will be a gap between the tent body and the ground, this is fine when the weather is warm and dry, but, as soon as it rains or gets windy, you get damp and draughts.
So a fixed groundsheet should be your aim unless you are camping where it will be dry and hot.
Ease of use
We’ve left the best bit till last. Putting up and taking down a family sized tent can be a challenge, particularly if the weather has turned against you.
For most family tents you should allow at least an hour to put them up, and it will normally need more than one person to do it.
If you are buying online then read the reviews and ask questions about ease of use.
You should also do a test run of any family tent that you buy, either in your back garden or somewhere else, before you go on your camping holiday.
This will help you to understand how to put the tent up and it will also provide an opportunity to see if there are any problems, defects or missing parts.
We have had tents that have been delivered without tent poles in the past and if we hadn’t done a ‘test run’ beforehand then we would have been stuck when we arrived at our holiday destination.
Conclusion
Camping can be great fun and, for children it is a great adventure, adults often enjoy it too.
When you are looking for the best family tent for a camping holiday you should remember that it will be your home while you are on holiday, and you should take your time so that you make the right choice for your family.
There are lots available and, with camping becoming more and more desirable and affordable you’ll have great fun.
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