The Heartbreak
of
4 Season
Tents
This
information about 4 season tents will do one of two
things for you: either it will reinforce what you
already know about camping or you will learn some
tips along the way.
Either is a good
outcome, don't you think?
4
Season Tents
There is no need to get 4
season tents for gentle summer camping. Even if
there is a heavy downpour, the use of sleeping pads
combined with adequate planning should keep
everything fairly dry.
The important thing is to not
camp at the bottom of a hill, to make sure the rain
fly is secure, and to take advantage of natural
cover.
But, a four season tent can
be a nice thing to have for extreme conditions, and
if you have the money to spend on one, it is a
luxury that can really improve your camping
experience.
Basically, the difference
between 4 season tents and regular tents is that a
4 season tent is tighter, with heavier outer walls.
When it is all zipped up,
there is no space anywhere for the elements to get
in. In addition, 4 season tents are often more
stable so that they can resist extremely heavy
storms if need be. This does not mean, however,
that you cannot use 4 season tents in nicer
weather.
Many styles of 4 season tents
come with the ability to unzip the outer fly so
that you can keep cool on summer days, while still
braving near-arctic temperatures in the
winter.
You will find, however, that
the more extreme the conditions for which it was
designed, the more specialized a 4 season tent will
be.
For example, some true
mountaineering 4 season tents are not things that
you would like to take camping on a warm summer
night.
The ventilation panels are
small, with the result that it will be stuffy and
hot at night if you are camping during the summer
with them.
Additionally, they are made
of heavier, stronger material, and as a result are
an added burden for your normal camping trip.
One other thing to consider
is that, good 4 season tents can be prohibitively
expensive, running upwards of $500 dollars
sometimes. Compare this to a 1-2 person summer tent
that you might buy at your camping store. I got
mine for $30 dollars and, although it provides
little warmth, it works all right during the summer
when combined with a decent sleeping bag.
The truth of the matter is,
it is important to think about what you will be
doing before you go out and buy expensive
mountaineering equipment and 4 season tents that
you will not need. You must make sure that your
equipment fits its purpose.
Keep in mind that any subject
can change over time, so be sure you keep up with
the latest news about 4 season tents.
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