Choosing the best Family Tent: Buyers Guide 2024
These days, there are hundreds and thousands of options for family tents available in the market. However, buying the best family tent depends upon a lot of things. In this buying guide, we are going to cover all the important features and factors that everyone ought to know before making the final decision.
Top 6 factors to consider when buying a Family Camping Tent
1.Tent Size
The size of family tents has evolved significantly over the past few years. Big size tents are usually ideal for family camping holidays because there is a lot of room for every member of the family, but they have several disadvantages. They are heavy and bulky to take along places; they need a lot of time to set up and might need more accessories to fill in.
So, if you are planning a family trip where you are going to spend a handful of days and nights at the campsite, then buying such tents is worth considering. On the other hand, if your camping is only going to last a day or two, then it is better to invest your money in a smaller tent.
2.Tent Material
Family tents are usually made up of two types of materials i.e., polyester and polycotton.
The polyester material is a less expensive option; they are more durable and lightweight. Such tents have a waterproof coating and are also seam tapped against water tightness. The only drawback with polyester is condensation, UV light, and tree sap damage.
Polycotton tents are comparatively expensive because they are a combination of cotton weave and polyester. Also, this material is treated against water ingress and condensation.
3.Tent Layout
Everything is subjective when it comes to a tent layout, which means there is no catch-all formula for a perfect product. If you have a lot of kids in your family, it is better to go for tents with bedrooms at opposite ends to provide a sense of individual space to each of them. With younger children or infants, go for tents with a single master bedroom.
4.Cost of the Tent
Another important thing to consider before buying the best family tent is its overall cost. Family holidays are always expensive as it is but you can take advantage of comparative shopping technique and match prices of different products in the market to buy the most useful product without sacrificing comfort, durability, performance, and quality.
The price of an average family tent depends upon various factors such as the manufacturer, the size of the tent, quality of the fabrics, and other accessories attached to it.
Video guide to choosing the right tent for your family
Family Tent Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What Are The Key Accessories I Should Budget For when buying a family tent?
The best family tent accessories that every buyer should budget for include a footprint and a carpet. A carpet will add a touch of style and luxury to your tent and will also be easy to sit around on. Carpets are also very easy to remove and clean.
Footprint, on the other hand, is a plain layer of groundsheet material that is present under the tent to protect it from dust, dirt, stones, and thrones. It allows you to pack the tent away more quickly, so you don’t have to spend more time cleaning it after reaching home.
So, if you are planning a family trip where you are going to spend a handful of days and nights at the campsite, then buying such tents is worth considering. On the other hand, if your camping is only going to last a day or two, then it is better to invest your money in a smaller tent.
Q. What Extras Should My Family Tent Come With?
Almost every family tent comes with a variety of luxurious and unique accessories such as pockets (for an organized stay), lantern hooks and lights, cable slots within the vestibule (to provide electricity when required), thermal reflective layer over the sleeping area (to reflect sunlight during hot, humid days) and light reflection strips.
A lot of family tents also feature a canopy above the main entrance, floors with inverted edges (to prevent entrance of water and dust inside), and dimmed windows in the vestibule (to maintain ideal indoor temperature).
Q. What are the different shapes/types of family tents?
Family tents are available in 4 shapes i.e., domes, tunnel, tipi, and pavilion.
The dome type family tents come with tent poles that you can cross above the vestibule or sleeping area. Tunnel tents have 2 or more poles that are parallel to each other. Tipi tents come with a middle, vertical pole over the top, around which you can place additional poles to create a circular shape. Lastly, the pavilion type tents are those with multiple fabric walls that are either sewn together or separated through a thin pole to provide extra safety to the tent.
The dome type family tents are most commonly used. They are further divided into two types i.e., tents with dome-like bedrooms with a tunnel vestibule and tents with dome-like vestibule with 1 or 2 tunnel-like bedrooms.
