Tent Information

Tent designs and features can vary a lot. To help you make the best choice, here are the different categories, most of the features to look at and the jargon of the tent expert, demystified.

The basics

There are multiple characteristics, features and design styles to consider when you project to purchase a tent. The key is to consider which of these are most important to you and you will benefit the most from.

1. Climate, conditions or Time of the year:

tents are generally designed to favor comfort in a specific type of environment, while conforming themselves to other constraint like weight and durability. This is why tent manufacturer divide their tent styles in three or four category like, say 3 season, 3 season plus, convertible or extended use, 4 season and expedition.

Generally, 3 season tents target the summer, spring and fall seasons, where features like ventilation and light weight are important. The 3 season plus or extended use tents are for people who do most of their camping activities during the spring to fall period, but may encounter harsher environments and lower temperature. These convertible models are great to stretch the use of your tent to the edge of winter, without having to buy a 4 season tent. Four season tent (by now you probably have a guess of the answer) are geared toward full on winter conditions. They can withstand snow loads, high winds, are more waterproof and sturdy, but heavier. Finally, expedition tents are often use where you will need the maximum protection from the environment while reducing weight to a minimum. Generally these tents can be more expensive, but built with high performance materials.

Maybe even more relevant than the season of use is the type of meteorological conditions you will encounter the most during your trips, regardless of the season! The different categories of models are built to perform better in some conditions but less in other. Consider the following factors: wind, dampness, snow accumulation, cold, condensation, Severe multi-day storms (wind, snow...), hot, humid weather...

2. Type of activity

Depending on the type of activity, some tent shapes and features will be more or less useful. Consider which activity you will use your tent for before purchasing: backpacking, cycle touring, kayak or canoe trips, car camping, traveling, alpine ski touring, mountaineering...

Remember that tents models all have things they do better than others. Choose according to the activity you'll use your tent the most. Generally, tents which are lightweight, well ventilated and compact like 3 season tents, will be appreciated for backpacking, traveling and cycle touring.

Kayakers, canoers and car camper may look for more comfort and space as they do not need to carry the weight on their shoulders and are less constrained for space.

Activities evolving snow and wind like ski touring, winter camping, mountaineering may require 4 season or expedition tents in order to withstand the harsh environment's extremes.

3. Tent capacity
The most popular sizes for tents now days are two and three person tents. There are certainly one person or four person tents but the lesser efficiency and versatility of these models often require their users to have more than one tent.

4. Features preferences
Different people prefer different features... Decide what is most important to you, whether it be saving money, saving weight, sturdiness, ventilation, space, versatility, storage areas, amount of windows, general tent shape and height, number of doors, colour of canopy, etc. Tent designers know this, that is why there is so much variety, yet, it appears to us that some models and features are more useful than other regardless of personal preferences.

Read on for more details on tent categories, features, and camping tips.

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Three-season tents

In this category are the lightest tents. Three-season tents are compact and set-up quickly. They're best used in spring, summer and fall.

They usually feature very good ventilation. Some tents may compromise absolute waterproofness by using a less extensive fly coverage (although all the tents we carry offer full coverage fly..). Choose your tent according to the conditions you are going to encounter on your trips. Their fabric are generally a bit lighter than four-season tents. Three-season shelters usually have only one door to ensure lightness although some of them have two doors. They have larger windows and use more mesh on the tent body to enhance ventilation and reduce weight. This is a plus in hot, humid weather.

They are suited for activities requiring lightness like backpacking, cycle touring and some types of river trips.

Most of the manufacturers will offer models with room for two or three persons. One person tents are less popular but still available (consider bivy shelters for alternatives). Tents for four persons and more are rare in this category. They seem more suitable for car camping or as expedition base camps structures as they become bulkier and difficult to divide weight between the team's members. Therefore, we do not carry four person models.

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Three-season plus tents

This new generation of convertible tents (or 3+ season) provide year-round protection from the elements. Their main advantage is that they are the most adaptable of the tents species. They feature good ventilation through mesh windows, sky and door panels. But the openings can also be zipped closed for added warmth and protection against snow or rain storms.

These tents are usually freestanding and offer a lot of guy points on the fly and sometimes even internal guy systems. Guying the tent significantly increases strength in high winds or snow load. 3+ season also offer more storage room and comfort with larger vestibules and sometimes an extra door.

These tents are designed for stretched out three-season use when protection from high winds and occasional snowstorms is required. For example, they are good tents to use in open spaces like the ocean side, sub alpine or taiga environments where trees or other terrain features don't offer much protection. They are also a good idea for people who never know what kind of conditions they will encounter, like travelers. 3+ season tents can also be used as light-duty winter tents. For full-on winter use, look for a four-season tent.

Of course there are some trade-offs: Because they use more material, zippers, poles...you probably noticed that convertibles are a little more expensive than three-season tents. For the same reasons, they can also be a little heavier although some companies will offer removable panels and vestibules for light trips.

Although convertible tents are very versatile, it is important to remember that no tent can be ideal for all conditions! Define your needs as precisely as possible before purchasing by asking friends, consulting travel books or guide books and/or contact our knowledgeable staff for help!

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Four-season tents

They are built for prolonged exposure to severe winter conditions: High winds, heavy snow falls, cold temperatures, intense UV exposure. Choose this type of tent for backcountry snowshoeing, skiing trips...

Generally, they will have a sturdy pole configuration: the poles will have a bigger diameter and there will be more cross-over between them. Four-season tents will often have four poles for the body, sometimes an extra pole for the vestibule. They will be lower profile to withstand high winds and will have steep walls to shed snow. They are generally a bit heavier than three-season because they use more fabric than mesh and the material is heavier and more abrasion-resistant. Their flysheets extend nearer to the ground and offer much more guy points. Their floors are thicker, more resistant to abrasion and moisture.
Four-season tents are often the same as expedition tents. See the expedition tent section for more info.

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Expedition tents, single walls and other mutants...

Expedition and four-season tents are close cousins and these 2 categories are overlapping. Generally, expedition tents will have all the features of a four-season plus extra living space to accommodate the number of occupants specified and their gear in multi-day storms. So they'll generally offer bigger vestibules and two doors. They'll use heavier material ( on the floor, etc.) and reinforce stress points ( at guy attachments, pole sleeves, etc.). Expedition four-season tents are specially designed for ski touring and mountaineering trips.

Some of these tents are designed for very specific uses. Some are designed as heavy duty mountaineering base camp structures...Others, like the " single walls" are usually used as high camp tents or for fast ascents. They are designed with very specific goals in mind: to be as light, as small as possible but still withstand the ugliest mountain conditions (high wind, snow accumulation...), maximize inside space and be fast and easy to set-up! Single walls are designed primarily for use in the cool dry air of mountain environments. In other conditions, they must be ventilated a lot. These tents are usually less spacious then regular tents. Single wall shelters can also be used on big wall ascents. Some are specially designed to fit some port ledges. Different companies will use different waterproof/breathable membranes (PTFE laminate) for the tent body. Contact us for more information on the expedition tents we carry.

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Different tent features

Weight:
What do they mean by minimum weight?

"Minimum weight": the tent body, poles, fly and minimum pegs and guy lines necessary for proper field set-up.
"Packaged weight": the full tent, instructions, stuff sacks, repair kit, guy lines and pegs. You may not carry all this on your trips...
Tent weight may not be the same as stated by manufacturers! This can sometimes be due to change in the product or weight difference between final product and prototypes. Most manufacturers use North American ASTM guidelines to get their minimum weight.

Which are the lightest tents?

You'll probably find the lightest tents in either the three-season category or expedition single wall shelters. Otherwise, you might want to take a look at bivy bags if you are alone.

Why go light?

A light tent is usually important for backpacking, cycle touring, fast alpine ascents or anytime you have to carry your tent on your back for a long period.
The lighter you are, the more efficient you will be, the faster you will go, the less tired you'll feel, the more you'll enjoy your trip! To avoid overweight, determine your needs carefully before buying. Too many people choose a four-season tent but end-up never really using it for what it is really intended for...For example, if you need a sturdy tent, but not quite a four-season, check out the 3+ season tents. Go as light as possible according to your needs.

Sturdiness:
All the tents we carry have very sturdy construction, use the best quality materials and are backed by a life time warranty on manufacturer defects.

However, if you're looking for a tent with reinforced material that will withstand heavy snowfalls and strong winds in multi-day storms, perhaps check if the expedition category applies to your need.

Ventilation:
Three-season tents are number one for ventilation. Look for a tent that has many mesh windows. If you were looking for a four-season tent with lot of ventilation, also take a look at the convertibles (i.e. three season plus tents.)

Space:
How many people it must hold is key. Space can also become important when you have lots of gear: for example, if you intend to use your tent for multi-day mountaineering or ski touring trips, check the expedition tents. For cycle touring, some people prefer an extra large vestibule to put the many bicycle bags and sometimes even theirs wheels, etc.

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A tent dissection

All these characteristics are standard on the tents we carry.

The body:

fabric: all the tents in the three-season and four-season range are made of high quality Nylon or polyester ripstop with mildew and UV inhibitors. Computer aided catenary-cut: Tent design is a science these days. It creates surfaces as taut as possible on the tent fly and canopies and decreases weight and fabric usage. It also enables the tent to shed wind, snow and rain more easily and minimize external forces on it. All the tents we carry are cut this way.
clip or sleeves? Different manufacturers have different points of view. Clips allow for more airflow in the space between the flysheet and the tent canopy. They allow the tent to be staked out before poles are inserted, making set-up in high winds easier. On the other hand, they are a little more fiddly especially with mitts on or in the dark. Sleeves distribute the weight more evenly over the tents structure and they don't stress the stitching of the canopy as much. Some people prefer them too for their easy set-up.
poles: High-end companies seem to prefer aluminum over fiber glass poles for good reasons. Aluminum poles are inexpensive, much more durable. They are not affected by UV radiation and are reasonably light. Different companies will use different alloy. Some alloy will be more tensile (Easton 7075-T9) others stronger and more rigid (Easton 7075 E9). Over all, high quality tents will use high quality alloy. Carbon poles are a rare and expensive feature.
Hot-taped seams: More durable and waterproof than after-market liquid seam sealer, comes on all the tents we carry. Some seams might still need some seam sealer. Check the manufacturer's tent instructions.
zippers: All the tent manufacturers we carry use only high quality YKK zippers for durability.
mesh windows & doors: Ultra-strong nylon No-See-Um mesh is standard on all our tents.
seams: "The floor is all crooked!" Don't worry this is not the case. To keep the sidewall seam of the ground, high end manufacturers cut their tent's floor a little wider. This create the characteristic waterproof "tub" shape. Always stake out your tent properly for best results.
floor: All tents we carry use a tough Nylon Taffeta with a waterproof polyurethane coating applied in many thin layers to prevent delaminating. The four-season and expedition weight floors use more layers of polyurethane for extra protection. This makes the tent a little heavier. If you use your tent in very humid environments or on very abrasive surfaces like a moraine bed, you can protect the floor of your tent even more by using the custom ground tarps (tent foot prints) cut especially for each tent model. They protect the floor from rocks, roots, twigs...Equipped with clips or grommets to secure them in place, each foot print fits precisely one inch inside the perimeter of its matching tent floor so falling rain can't collect between the two.

The fly:

fabric: All tents we carry use Nylon with thin layers of waterproofing polyurethane coating to prevent delaminating. All seams are factory taped for maximum waterproofing.
guy-out points: All tent flysheets possess many guy points made of abrasion-resistant nylon webbing, bar-tacked and sewn at the seams for durability. Use them to make your tent as weatherproof and efficient as possible.

The vestibules:

They are designed to maximize storage and living space without adding too much weight to the tent. Put most of your gear in the vestibule for maximum living space inside the tent.

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Tent set up

No tent can survive all conditions! It is important to choose your camp site properly…

Finding a site:
Common sense will be your best guide

Choose the most sheltered area available - close to trees, or boulders.
Avoid depressions on the ground as they retain moisture during storms.
In the mountains, make sure you are far from and sheltered from avalanche paths, seracs (ice falls from glaciers...) crevasses, cornices, etc...
All tents wear out faster due to UV radiation in sunlight, even though the fabric they use is treated to be highly resistant to UV. If you must leave your tent in the same spot for a long period, find a shaded area or put an inexpensive tarp over it. Damage in the tent's fabric can appear as quickly as in a week, especially in high altitude or on a glacier!

Leave the site as you found it, or even cleaner!

Preparing for the worst:

Always properly anchor your tent. Use an appropriate number of pegs. Make sure no part of the fly touches the body of the tent by using the guy points. The tent design will not compensate for proper set up. When a tent leaks, too often, it is due to an insufficient use of pegs and guy attachments.
Properly setting up your tent will prevent it from leaking but also from flying away in strong winds. Freestanding tents need to be tied down too!
Depending on the surface, use different objects to tie the tent down. Have you thought about roots, a full pack, ski poles, snow pickets, ski, ice screw, ice axe, etc? Bring extra accessory cord, it might be useful.

Organizing space:

Different things work for different people... Usually, you'll find that you can leave most of your stuff in the vestibule - like packs, boots, etc. You can store essentials - like watch, toilet paper, head lamps, etc - in the mesh pockets on the sides, but make sure things you want to keep dry are protected by a water resistant bag so they are not affected by condensation.
Some companies even have gear lofts (or "shelves") that let you dry your clothes. A general rule: keep clothes or sleeping bag off the walls of the tent to prevent leaks. To find warm clothes in the morning, keep them with you in your sleeping bag, or use them as a pillow in your sleeping bag stuff sack!

Keeping animals away:

The general rule is to keep anything that smells at least a hundred meters from the tent.
This includes soap and personal hygiene products. The cooking area should also be about a 100 meters away from the tent.
It is especially important to leave your camp site spot less! This way, animals will be less tempted to approach any human site. It is a service to nature, to others and, to yourself! Make this your motto!

Keeping humidity out:

Ventilation is important, especially when it is cold and humid outside. Too often we meticulously seal all possible openings to prevent moisture from coming in without noticing that we also get wet from condensation inside the tent!
Adequate ventilation when the tent is sealed in a storm requires a good design from the manufacturer such as awnings above the doors and windows, openings position, etc.
It is also an art...Partly unzip the front and back door or window if possible. Try different ways. You'll be glad and feel more comfortable when condensation finds its way out and off your sleeping bag. During long winter trips you will find this to become a real challenge, even with the best ventilation. Try using a Dry loft sleeping bag or an over bag. Dry your equipment when possible...
Some three-season tents are almost entirely made of mesh, they are best when it is hot and humid outside and in casual conditions but not so great when there is a big difference in temperature from the inside to the outside of the tent. When the mesh extends over head and can't be zipped shut, you will find that condensation falls back on your sleeping bag. To prevent this, open the door and a window for air circulation. Obviously, tents with a lot of mesh are best used in mild temperatures.

Saving weight:

You can save weight by leaving some stuff sacks, tent instructions, extra pegs at home. Try using your skis or rocks and such to stake out your tent...Try this before hand to make sure it works!!!
Some tent designs let you leave even the canopy behind! You can create a super lightweight shelter with the fly, the poles and the matching tent footprint.

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Warranty

All the manufacturers we deal with offer a life time warranty to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship.

If a product fails due to a manufacturing defect, even after extended use, it will be either repaired without charge, or replaced at the manufacturer's option. Damage due to accident, improper care, negligence, modification of the original product or normal wear, where the manufacturer is not at fault will be repaired at a reasonable charge.
Manufacturing defects are determined after examination of the item by the manufacturer. They do not include normal wear and tear or damage due to accident or improper care.

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Tent care

Packing:

before taking the tent down, remove all debris as they might create mildew or holes when packed. Freestanding tents are especially easy to clean: Pick it up and shake the debris out the door! Remove anything remaining.

Cleaning:

Once at home, brush your tent after each trip and make sure it's clean and dry before storing it. Use a non-abrasive rag and mild non-detergent soap (be careful not to damage the coatings and fabrics) to clean the tent. Rinse thoroughly. Mildew can be removed with a vinegar solution (1 part vinegar : 5 part water). Hand wash and rinse.

Storing:

Make sure your tent is clean and dry before storing it. It doesn't take long for mildew to appear on the fabric if the tents is stored wet. Mildew damages waterproofing treatment on the tent's fabric and leaves an unpleasant smell. The easiest way to dry a tent is by setting it up. Store your tent in a dry place, away from sunlight and excessive heat.

Waterproofing:

Even on tents that use taped seams, areas like bound seams or around zippers have to be spot treated with seam sealer or seam grip, follow manufacturer's instructions. Old tent floors can be retreated with polyurethane. Not an easy task! Mountain Magic Equipment sells some of these treatments. Read the labels carefully and choose a well ventilated area to work.

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