As any camper has seen, tents can be expensive. They can range anywhere from $100 to over $1000 depending on materials, size, and brand. With these 5 essentials in mind, you can find your perfect tent at the budget you want and with the necessary components you need. And, for those of you dog owners out there, you definitely want to consider your furry friend. Find any dog-notations in italics. 

Whatever your budget and whomever you call your camp-buddy, here are 5 things to keep in mind when deciding. Spoiler alert: the 5th interesting essential is color. 

1. Space 

A two-person tent is really a two-person tent.

How much room do you really need? When you camp, is it just you, you and your dog, or the Addams Family? Know that when the tent suggests 2 people, it really means 2 people. I've made the mistake of sleeping in a two-person with my husband, Garret, and our lab, Brewer, and that pup's additional size made the tent a little too cozy.

Space can also mean tapered lines.

Some tents are perfect squares and some are tapered at the feet, losing around a foot of space. This might be great for other areas of this list but could cause a cramped situation if you were planning on putting backpacks or extra items (like a tiny pup) inside the tent at your feet. Make a note of the width dimensions when researching a tent. 

How tall are you?

If you're 5'2" like me, don't worry about reading this section. You're fine. If you're 6'3 like this weirdo I'm married to, you'll want to check the length of the tent. The last thing you want is for your feet and head to be pressed against the tent on a rainy night. Even a few extra inches makes a big difference.

Dogs love space too.

If you're one to camp with your dog, remember that they too need a spot in that tent. A lab size dog counts for .5 of a person and I personally suggest sizing up, especially if you're not backpacking a lot. If you have a square tent that doesn't taper, you might be able to get away with a large two-person and have the pup at your feet. But...that's only if your dog doesn't slowly scoot his way to sharing your pillow...like someone's I know.

Headspace

Again, tall people beware. During bad weather, you might be spending a good amount of time in your tent. Having additional height and being able to sit up, can make a big difference in your mood and enjoying the adventure of it all. Keep in mind, however, that taller tents are usually heavier, seeing that they use more material, and can be less wind resistant. So, when setting up, try not to put yours on the edge of a cliff.

Vestibules

The vestibule counts as the amount of space between your actual tent door and your rain fly. For tents with more substantial rain flys, or rain flys that go all the way to the ground, you’ll have a bit of room to store non-essential items in the vestibule. This means that they will be out of the rain, but still outside. In rainy or messy weather this can mean storing your dirty shoes or clothes in order to keep the inside of your tent clean. It can be quite the luxury to have a larger vestibule. By storing more stuff outside, you give yourself a spacious retreat inside. It’s ideal to have at least a large enough vestibule to safely store a backpack and your shoes while still being able to comfortably get in and out of your tent. 

2. Weight

What type of camper are you?

Backpacker: Weight will matter quite a bit. Most brands, like Big Agnes, are starting to make an ultra-light version of their best tents. This means the fabric is lighter, but also tends to mean less durable and more expensive. That might be a reasonable price to pay for having a tent that doesn't kill your back. When backpacking, ounces matter.

*Keep in mind that most people backpack in groups. Having a larger, but heavier tent, can also just mean divvying up the contents and sharing the weight. Please don’t let weight keep you from enjoying the outdoors...simply find a good friend to haul up that heavy-ass tent. 😉

Avid Car Campers: Weight matters less. While it's still annoying to have to haul a heavy tent to and from your car, ounces don't count as much. You can save a bit on cost and add some space if you're not worried about an additional 2-5 pounds.

3. Durability

With durability, it's also about your type of camping. 

Are you a:

Designated Campsite Camper

If you tend to pay for camp areas, one of the benefits is that they maintain the land where you pitch a tent. This means you shouldn't have to worry about cactus, sharp rocks, or uneven terrain. If this is the case, you can be less picky with this element and pickier with other features of the tent: size, weight, strobe lights. I still encourage buying a footprint (see below) seeing that some of those campground tent-sites are hard gravel. Even this gravel can start to put holes and rips in the bottom of a tent. 

Wild, Dispersed Camper

If you tend to camp in dispersed sites, ones that are free or you have to hike to get to, then you have obstacles to consider. In Colorado, a lot of the lower elevation and dryer areas have cactus, while the higher elevation sites are rocky. This can tear up tents made with thin, light material. Some tent manufacturers will save weight using thinner material. Look for tents that keep their lower, ground material thicker and invest in a solid footprint. 

*A footprint is the layer you place under the tent. While this might seem silly or unnecessary, it can greatly increase the life of a tent. Imagine setting up on a sharp rock accidentally and only having to replace a $50 item rather than an entire tent. And, if you like the idea of backpacking, some backpackers will save weight by packing the rainfly and a footprint and leaving the actual tent at home. 

Dogs: Don't forget about the dogs with this element. Dog's claws can quickly damage a tent with thin material. I always suggest reading reviews and, if you can set it up in the store, note if the tent bottom feels thin. 

4. Weather

This is a big essential question. How hot, how cold, how rainy, or how sunny will your conditions be? Campers in the Pacific Northwest will find themselves buying a much different tent than campers in the Southwest. As someone who buys tents for Colorado, mountain weather, I am looking for a nice rain fly that covers the entire tent and something that is considered 3-season. Let’s talk about those two components more. 

Seasons Explained

There are 2 types of seasonal tents that you’ll find on the market: 3-seasons and 4-seasons. 

A 3-season tent is what a good majority of campers want. They work in spring, summer, fall, and can come in all shapes and sizes. Some have more mesh than others and this is a good determining factor on how well they hold up to the extremes of the spring and fall season. More mesh = hot, sunny weather friendly. Less mesh, such as a tent that might only have mesh on the top half = colder, wetter weather friendly. 

A 4-season tent has all the components of a 3 but is able to sustain winter weather. 4-season tents tend to be thicker, heavier, and have rain flys that look intense. Just think of any Everest movie and you’ve probably seen the famous yellow North Face yurt-looking tent in the background. 

The Rain Fly: Why is it so fly? 

Rain flys are a big deal when it comes to choosing a tent. When researching tents, you’ll start to notice that the cheaper tents have smaller rain flys. They might have more of a roof than a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground. This lack of rain and weather protection can really put a damper (get it) on your adventure. If there is a chance you might be in heavier wind, you’ll have water, sand, dirt, or all three coming in from the sides. If, however, you have no intention of camping in messy weather, then save the money. 

The rain fly starts to be important when you’re looking for a tent that can hold up in most weather and last a long time. Your rain fly is like your renter’s insurance, it keeps the things inside the tent safe. A wet sleeping bag is the last thing you want to deal with late at night. So, look for a rain fly that goes close to the ground. 

Also, look for a rain fly that has multiple points of contact. In windy weather, you’ll want to stake down the tent as much as possible. Most quality rain flies have extra areas to place guylines, some even come with the guylines already attached. This means your tent can be secured to the surface at 8-12 points. If you see a piece of rope curled up and knotted on the rain fly, it means that the manufacturer has already tied these extra points of contact for you (wahoo!). A simple tie to these bad boys to a stake in the ground will help secure your tent on windy nights. 

Our friends at Top Notch Outdoor go over other specifics such as tent poles, ground sheets, and zippers for those wanting a bit more information.

5. Color of the Rain Fly

You might be surprised by this essential component, but trust me, it’s important. As someone who has had a green tent, a red tent, and an orange tent, color can make the difference between waking up at the crack of dawn or getting a bit of extra shut-eye.

Darker Colors

Pretty simple concept, but one in which not a lot of people consider.

A darker colored rain fly is going to keep out the early morning sun a bit better. It can also help with the heat. If you're camping in hotter areas with less shade, this extra sun protection can help keep your tent cool. Keep in mind, you'll need fairly good ventilation as well. A stuffy tent is worse than a sunny tent.

Colors like green or dark red are fairly popular among most brands. These can be a bit more forgiving when camping in hotter, sunny areas.

Lighter Colors

A lighter color rain fly is great for those who enjoy waking up with the sun or want a tent that allows for those extra rays to seep through. If you tend to camp in forested areas with a lot of shade, or parts of the world that see a good deal of cloud coverage, you'll probably be happier with a lighter colored tent. On one camping adventure, my husband and I spent 20 days in Iceland in June. With their 21 hours of sunlight, we tiredly regretted bringing our bright orange tent.

Colors like orange, yellow, or white are this spectrum's popular colors.

3 Great Brands for Any Camper

1. REI

REI (the store) sells a plethora of tents; it’s the REI brand that is known as a solid choice. Especially for those who might not know how much they will camp every year, the REI tents are priced on the lower end of the spectrum. If this is your first or second tent purchase, or, if you feel like you might only car camp a couple-ish times a year, maybe consider saving some money and not skimping on quality. In my own experience, the REI brand makes a durable product. They are also one of the only (or rare) brands that offer a 2+ or 3+ tent, allowing people to add a .5 to the space inside their tent. Great for dog owners or people with small children. 

The “Dome” series comes in all sizes and is fairly versatile. It won’t be the lightest backpacking tent on the market by any means, but it’s still do-able and, for those non-backpackers, is pretty darn comfortable. 

1. NEMO

NEMO or New England Mountain Equipment is a company based out of New Hampshire. This is a relatively new company that is looking at innovative ways to better camping. They describe their gear as "intelligently designed." And, if you look at some of their tents, you'll notice that the designers think outside the box. While tents have looked the same for decades, neh centuries, NEMO is trying to use engineering and creativity to rethink certain age-old ideas. If you visit their site you'll see the changes aren't insane (they haven't figured out how to add secret bookcases or anything), but their gear is thoughtful.

1. Big Agnes 

A local Colorado brand, Big Agnes has made tent-buying a bit more interesting. They cater more towards backpackers with their Superlight, Ultralight, and Crazylight options. The company provides a multitude of tents to choose from and enjoys adding a bit of flare or unusual vestibule square-footage to specify a camper’s need. Additionally, this company is known for its amazing customer service and stance behind their brand. They know that what they make is high quality and work hard to ensure that everyone who owns their tent enjoys it.