Tents: reviews from various websites

[The Stig]

As the title says...

consumersearch.com (http://www.consumersearch.com/tents)

Smart-camping-tent-reviews (http://www.smart-camping-tent-reviews.com/)

Camping-tent-reviews (http://www.camping-tent-reviews.com/tent-reviews.html)

Thought the consumer search website was very interesting. Don't know lots of about tents so I'd be interested to hear if these reviews are on target or full of hot air.

[bacpacker]

I guess I'll wade into this one. After taking a quick look thru all three sites, I gotta say I'm very glad they break down tents into so many catagories. Most places lump them together which is a huge mistake IMO. The first thing I would recommend is to look at your/your families needs as it applies to your situation. Couples with 8-10 yo an up kids probably should look at multiple somewhat smaller tents. Couple with smaller kids, I'd say go with one larger one. 1 to 2 person situations are a lot more free to choose what they want. You can go with a smaller tent, but do you want to store your gear in your sleeping area? Do you want a ultralite tent with the idea of carrying it in your BOB backpack?

A lot of questions need to be thought out and decided on before you even start to shop. What is the weather like in your AO thru 4 seasons? Precip, all rain, or a mix, a lot, or a little? Will you be in the trees or out in the sun, maybe desert? Weight, number and age of people will have a big influence again. Will you be sleeping on a cot, pad/mat, on on the ground? What kind og weight restrictions do you have? Materials, there is everything from very light but thin nylon, to heavy canvas.

This is just some that come to mind right away, there are probably many more to consider as well. Hopefully after the weekend trip is over I will have the time to write up a review on what I use now and maybe take a look at a couple I am considering for the future.