Camping Ideas » tent reviews

Torino 200 – Easy Camp 2 Man Tent

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:08:50 +0000

Two man dome tents are probably the most popular tent in the camping market. This type of tent is a must for anybody serious about camping and for this reason it is hardly surprising that this is a very crowded sector for manufacturers and designers.
This type of tent is probably the best multi-purpose tent available and is perfect for festivals or a camping weekend away. It is also perfect as a spare tent in the event of extra people wishing to join you on your camping holiday.
Most manufacturers will have a two berth dome tent as part of their range and ‘Easy Camp’ is no exception. ‘Easy Camp’ is a Danish company and their Torino 200 is probably one of their most popular designs, especially within their budget range.
The Torino 200 has two windows on either side of the main door which have curtains that can be closed (with velco). The windows themselves reduce the cramped feel that is often such a problem with tents of this size.
Overall the Torino 200 is a good budget tent and ideal for those looking to keep costs to a minimum or use the tent as disposable (perfect for festivals). The tent easily fits into the tent bag and can be easily packed away with minimum fuss.

Choosing a New Tent

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:07:33 +0000

When choosing a new tent it is important to understand what the tent will be used for and how many people it is intended to house. Different camping holidays and types of activity will probably require a different tent.

If you are planning hiking or cycling while carrying your tent you will have to be prepared to pay for a lightweight and high tech design to enable it to be easily carried.

There are currently eight leading tent designs, however as time goes on the features that distinguish these different types are blurring slightly. Below i will look at todays most popular designs.

Dome Tents

Dome tents are freestanding tents held up by there flexible poles. These tents have recently become the most polular option overtaking the conventional frame tents of yesteryear. Many dome tents have external porches and are particularly popular with hikers, cyclists and family campers. Lightweight versions are available but expect to pay a premium.

Frame Tents

There was a time when frame tents were all you could buy in your local camping store but have recently been replaced by the dome tent which is lighter and easier to pitch. This type of tent has interlocking poles that hold up the canvas structure and are usually triangular in construction, when you think “tent” this will usually be the one that is on your mind.

Geodesic / Semi-Geodesic Tents

This type of tent is particularly favoured by those into mountaineering and expedition camping probably due to there stable dome–type design. These tents will usually have approximately four poles that cross (giving them stability), however three pole designs (semi-geodesic) exist and are regularly used by hikers and backpackers.

Other types of tents available include folding campers (trailer tents), ridge tentss, tunnel tents and vis-a-vis designed tents.

If you are camping and buying a tent to suit more than two people it is strongly advised to increase the capacity of the tent by two, for instance if there are four people camping a six man tent would be perfect.

Tent – Riverside 6 – Colemans

Tue, 26 May 2009 23:28:01 +0000

So you are looking for an affordable practical family tent huh? Colemans have just released their Riverside 6 tent. This tent is a dome tent with two poles and a front and back porch and the necessary two doors.

The rear door is a simple zip design with an inner curtain. On each side of the door is two large windows giving your tent that open feeling which is ideal if you are camping somewhere with a view, these too have curtains.

With this tent you can add a further two poles to convert the already spacious area into a six bedroom palace and has a hanging curtain that enables the living area to be split into two. The second door is removable and really only required when the tent is split into two different sleeping compartments, you don’t want to have to wake everybody up.

This tent offers great value for money from a company that is both respected and admired in the industry. The tent is not over the top and provides you with just enough features for a great camping holiday.

The Colemans Riverside 6 is easy and quick to pitch and a perfect weight when taking a car to your campsite. This tent is ideal for one location camping and perfect for all the family.