Want to buy a tent? Avoid buying the wrong one!

11 minute reading time
Tent kopen? Voorkom dat u de verkeerde koopt!
Are you ready for a new tent? Then it is important that you buy a tent that suits you well!

You will not be the first to find out on holiday that the tent does not quite fit. It is not for nothing that there are so many different types of tents. The best type of tent to buy will depend on your camping habits. I would like to tell you a bit about the various tents. In this way you can purchase the tent that suits you exactly.

Buying a tent, what should you pay attention to?

If you are planning to purchase your own tent for the first time, please do your research beforehand. Have you had a tent before, but did you not like it? Perhaps this has to do with the fact that the tent did not match your camping behaviour. A distinction is often made between, among other things:

  • People who camp in 1 place
    Often these are families who stay at one campsite for the entire holiday. If this is what you have in mind, it is best to opt for a tent with plenty of living space. Ease of erection and weight are much less important if you do not intend to break down the tent regularly.
  • Trekking camping
    Are you really a fan of traveling around and seeing as much as possible during a holiday? Then you definitely want to break down and rebuild the tent very regularly. In that case, it is useful to opt for a lightweight tent.
  • Camping and taking the car at the same time
    The advantage of taking the car with you is that you can transport a lot more stuff. It is practical to choose a tent with more than enough space. Why not take advantage of this extra option and therefore automatically more comfort?

What are 10 well-known tent brands?

If you're fairly new to the world of camping, you probably don't know many tent brands yet. I'll pass on a few names. Perhaps there is a brand that appeals to you.

1. Esvo
2. freebooter
3. The Worth
4. Isabella
5. Obelink
6. carsten
7. See
8. Brand
9. Falcon
10. Outwell

A 3-person tent

When I talk to you about a 3-person tent, we have arrived at the area of the family tents. The name says it all, these tents are so large that you can camp in them with a smaller or larger family. Some types are for example:

  • Tunnel tents
  • Dome tents
  • inflatable tents
  • Pyramidetenten

Below I give you some more information about these different tents.

tunnel tent

A number of features of tunnel tents are:

  • They are widely used by families of different sizes;
  • You can buy them from 3 to 8 persons;
  • Stable and solid quality;
  • Easy to set up;
  • Quite a lot of living space.

dome tent

Features of a dome tent:

  • This tent is actually most suitable for people who go on holiday together and is therefore often used by couples;
  • The tent has a separate sleeping area;
  • The living space is quite limited, so the tent is especially useful when camping in nice weather.

inflatable tent

This kind of inflatable tents is still fairly new. You no longer have to drag tent poles, but you use a handy pump system when setting up the tent. You can decide for yourself whether you want an electric or a foot pump and then you can blow the tent up in no time. Convenience serves people. And that's allowed during the holidays, right? Some features:

  • The tent is up within fifteen minutes;
  • Lots of living space;
  • Good ventilation;
  • No more tent poles needed.

Pyramidetent

Notable features of this tent:

  • A special appearance;
  • Extra good wind resistance;
  • A real Dutch tent type;
  • A tent with headroom.

The usefulness of side tents

When you walk around a campsite, you see that many people use an additional tent. This is useful when there is a need for sleeping accommodation for several people. Children often find it very nice and cool to be able to sleep in a separate tent. Which side tents are there?

  • Dome tents
  • Vis-a-vistenten

Dome tents are very compact and always equipped with a mosquito net and a regular closing cloth.

I would like to tell you more about the vis-a-vis tents.

Vis-a-vis tent

This is a fairly luxurious side tent with the following features:

  • Very useful for families with several children;
  • Especially nice when the children are better off not sleeping together;
  • Equipped with 2 sleeping cabins;
  • These cabins are separated from each other by means of a piece of living space;
  • Available in many different sizes;
  • If you opt for a large model, you can also use it as a family tent.

A multi-person tent

A small tent is not enough for you? Then choose a 5-person tent or a 6-person tent. You can be sure that there is enough space for several people.

 

When is a lightweight tent useful?

Are you looking for a tent and do you know in advance that you often want to go on holiday by bike? Are you someone who likes to regularly pitch your tent in a different place? Then a trekking tent is particularly useful as a camping tent. I would like to tell you why:

  • Very quick and easy to set up and take down;
  • Compact to store and therefore handy if you are not waiting for a lot of luggage;
  • Light in weight and for that reason extra nice to take with you on the bike.

You can buy these tents as a 1-person tent or as a 2-person tent. Often two friends or two partners opt for such a trekking tent. They are also available in a slightly larger format, so that you can camp with three people. Especially the smallest models are very compact and even fit easily in your bicycle bag. If you opt for a slightly larger model, you often have a little more living space at the same time. If you already know in advance that you will mainly spend your time outside, this is not really important. It is also important to keep your own preferences in mind with these types of tents.
There is so much possible when you are going to buy a tent that it is really important to know what you want. Of course you can always ask for advice in the store. Or what do you think of the experiences of other campers? Be sure to profit from that as well.

Traveling with the whole family happens less often, but is of course also possible. I'll be the last to say this isn't fun for kids. It is possible to purchase a lightweight tent that is large enough to accommodate the whole family. These are of course heavier than the smallest models, but compared to the normal family tents they are much faster to set up, lighter in weight and more compact to store. You should keep in mind that you have less comfort and living space. If this suits you and your family, then this is a fantastic way to spend a holiday. Together with the kids in the middle of nowhere. Enjoy a primitive life and above all enjoy each other, the outdoors and the beautiful nature. Children gain experiences that they will not forget for the rest of their lives. However, if you like structure, comfort and luxury, then don't start.

Buy army tent

The tent I'm mentioning now doesn't really fit in the list of the other tent types. At a campsite you will not just meet a family in an army tent. However, if you regularly organize camping events for large groups, such a tent can be very useful. Perhaps you arrange the camps for the scouting. The advantages of army tents are very diverse. For example, think of:

  • Very strong;
  • Particularly practical;
  • Suitable for all weather conditions;
  • A lot of space;
  • Optionally available with sleeping bags and camp beds.

Buy a bungalow tent

If you like going on holiday in luxury, but would still like to camp, you could buy a bungalow tent. You then have the advantages of real camping, but you still benefit from extra comfort. A number of advantages of a bungalow tent are:

  • The tent is about the size of a bungalow;
  • You often have two different rooms and an extra awning at your disposal;
  • Handy with young children;
  • Often fully furnished.

Many possibilities with a pop-up tent

A pop-up can be used as a side tent, but also as a full-fledged camping tent. You can leave this tent at the campsite for a few weeks. The big advantage of this tent is of course that it can be set up so quickly. However, some people find breaking it down a bit more difficult. If you now follow my advice, cleaning up the tent is also easy to do. Make your profit with the tips below:

  • Always start at the front.
  • Leave the door open to allow the air to escape.
  • Take the bow stick that is on the floor.
  • Then bring all parts of the tent towards you.
  • Hold everything tight. Preferably with your left hand.
  • Now, in one movement and with one hand, turn the tent on its side, lengthwise.
  • Now stand next to the tent and grab the tent. Do this with your right hand.
  • Bring the right hand to the left. Fold the tent forward in one go, while bending your knees.
  • Now let go of the tent in the middle and slide the parts over each other.
  • Practice this a few times and it will get faster and faster.

Cotton tent

The material of the tent is also a subject that you really need to think about. For example, a cotton tent has the following advantages:

  • Durable;
  • Easy to remember;
  • Moisture wicking and breathable.

Are you looking for a cheap tent?

You may now have a little more knowledge about tents and want to actually buy one? You prefer to start with a cheap tent? Then visit a number of tent shops and compare the prices.

Visit a tent shop

A tent shop or camping shop can be found in almost every larger town. You will often see several tents here, so that you can view them well, both inside and out. It is convenient that you can immediately go to such a store for your camping gear.

5 online camping shops

It is of course also possible to buy a tent online. There are several camping shops where you can go for tents and accessories. I will already mention five online camping shops.

1. freebooter
2. Obelink
3. Daka
4. The White Schijndel
5. camping dump

If you are going to buy a tent online or at a physical store, think of the accessories that are indispensable for camping. You probably also buy tent pegs. An important item is also the tent canvas. I am happy to tell you what you should take into account and what is important when choosing a tent canvas.

Buy a tent tarp

  • What material is it made of?
  • Does it breathe enough?
  • How heavy is the canvas?

Take advantage of a tent offer

With the many options available today, it is often possible to purchase a tent for a competitive price. You don't have to travel all over the world for a tent offer, but you can easily search online for a tent for a nice price. The late season is most suitable for this.

In the late season there is often tent clearance

After the summer months, camping shops know exactly what they have sold and therefore they can estimate what they would like to sell. So there is a good chance that you can take advantage of offers in these months.

Buy a tent - checklist

Keep the tips below in mind during your search for a suitable tent. Then it should be fine!

  • Format
    How many people are you going on holiday with? You simply need a smaller tent on your own than when you go camping with the whole family.
  • Transport
    If you want to place the tent somewhere else every night or every few nights, choose convenience. If you take the tent with you by car and stay in the same place all season, you can choose whatever you want in terms of tent. A few extra kilos are no problem at all.
  • Weather
    Are you planning to camp only in the summer season or do you want to use the tent in winter as well? This places different demands on the tent in terms of ventilation, material, color, etc.
  • Which tent cloth do you take?
    Katoen, polyester of nylon? Sometimes a combination cloth can also be useful.
  • groundsheet
    Get a good groundsheet. This tarpaulin prevents you from walking directly on the grass or on the sand.
  • Maintenance
    Also take a look at the maintenance of a tent. More info you can here find.