Tent Selection Tips

Courtesy of www.family-tents.com 

Information provided by Eureka Tents

Choosing a Tent:

Because we, at Eureka!®, understand that different campers have different needs, we offer a wide-ranging selection of tent styles and designs. In order to ensure that you will choose the perfect tent for both you & your family, you should ask yourself the following questions before you start your shopping:

• How many people will be using the tent? - This will help you to determine an appropriate style and size
• How will the tent be used? - This will tell you how the tent will be transported, as well as how durable it needs to be.
• What kind of conditions must the tent handle? - You should purchase a tent that can handle the most extreme conditions you're likely to encounter.
• How often will the tent be used? - If you are planning on using your tent more frequently, you will need a more durable tent.
• How much interior space do you want or need? - Need to take sleeping space, storage and comfort into account.
• Is weight an issue? - A performance backpacker will be much more concerned about a lightweight, highly portable tent than a car camper.

Shapes And Styles:

Dome Style:

• Good interior space
• Rounded, streamlined shape adds strength and good wind resistance
• Quick, easy set up
• Freestanding - don't need to be staked to be supported, but should be staked in wind or open areas

A-Frame Style Tents:

• Simple, lightweight design
• Good ventilation
• Easy set up
• Freestanding
• Good room at the floor, less at the top

Umbrella Style Tents:

• Spacious head room & floor space
• Can hold many people
• Nearly vertical walls
• Good ventilation

Screen Houses:

• Provide a cool relaxation area away from bugs, sun & rain
• Can hold many people
• Excellent ventilation

Different Season Tents:

Two-Season Tents:

• Generally very inexpensive
• Typically "fair weather" tents

Three-Season Tents:

• Most popular style
• Strong enough to handle rain in spring, summer, or fall.

Four-Season Tents:

• Heavier construction with a lower profile, designed to withstand more wind stress & heavier snow loads than a three-season tent
• These tents are made of higher grade fabrics and contain more poles for added strength, total coverage flys and full vestibules
• Can be hot and heavy when used in moderate weather

Number Of People:

Solo Camping Tents:

• Comfortable for one person
• Lightweight
• Compact
• Versatile

Backpacking Tents:

• Multiple sizes for 2-4 people
• Lightweight
• Durable
• Easy to set up
• Versatile

Family Camping Tents:

• Multiple sizes for 4-9 people
• Roomy
• Well-ventilated
• Easy to set up
• Designed with large windows and entry doors

Fabrics & Materials

Walls and Top Flys

75D and 150D StormShield® Cloth

75 Denier and 150 Denier. Waterproof. Premium fabric used for flys and walls of tents meant for extended or heavy-use applications. Polyester strands are thicker than nylon for excellent tear strength, abrasion resistance and exceptional UV and acid rain resistance. Retains more strength when wet, eliminating stretching and sagging. Dries as quickly as nylon. 75D Polyester is 10-20% stronger than 70D nylon, and has 30% longer life under UV exposure. 150D Polyester is 50% stronger than 70D nylon, and has 200% longer life under UV exposure.

StormShield® "Plus" 1500mm/1800mm

75 Denier ripstop polyester. Waterproof. 1500/1800mm coating. Premium fabric used for top flys. Polyester strands are thicker than nylon for excellent tear strength, abrasion resistance and exceptional UV and acid rain resistance. Additional reinforcing strands form the ripstop pattern. Polyester retains more strength when wet, eliminating stretching and sagging. Dries as quickly as nylon. 10-20% stronger than 70 Denier nylon with, 30% longer life under UV exposure.

1.9 oz. Coated 1800mm Nylon Ripstop

70 Denier. 1.9 oz. Waterproof. Used for top flys. Low maintenance, easy to repair and clean, lightweight, mildew and puncture resistant, good tear strength.

1.9 oz. Standard Taffeta

70 Denier. 1.9 oz. base weight, 2.2 oz. when coated. Used for floors, walls and rainflys. Waterproof. Low maintenance, easy to repair and clean, lightweight, mildew and puncture resistant, good tear strength.

Coated Nylon Ripstop

40 Denier. Waterproof. Used for ultralight single wall tents. Low maintenance, easy to repair and clean.

Roof Cloths

1.9 oz. Permeable Nylon Ripstop

70 Denier. Water repellent. Used in roof cloth to allow air to pass from the inside of the tent to the outside, minimizing condensation. Additional reinforcing strands form the ripstop pattern.

1.9 oz. Permeable Nylon Taffeta

70 Denier. Water repellent. Used in roof cloth to allow moisture inside the tent to move through the roof and dissipate into the air. Minimizes condensation, a condition people often erroneously equate with leakage.

Floors

4 oz. Coated Nylon Oxford

210 Denier. Waterproof. Used for floors. Half the weight of vinyl. Excellent tear strength and abrasion resistance.

1.9 oz. Coated 3000mm Nylon Taffeta

70 Denier. 1.9 oz. base weight with 3000mm coating. Waterproof. Used for floors. Low maintenance, easy to repair and clean, lightweight, mildew and puncture resistant, good tear strength.

1.9 oz. Coated 1800mm Nylon Taffeta

70 Denier. 1.9 oz. base weight with 1800mm coating. Waterproof. Used for floors. Low maintenance, easy to repair and clean, lightweight, mildew and puncture resistant, good tear strength.

Windows

No-See-Um Netting

40 Denier. Tightest weave available. Used for window screens and roof vents. Good visibility, good ventilation, excellent bug control.

Polyester Netting

Used for sidewalls of screen houses, window screens and roof vents. Excellent visibility and ventilation, good bug control, and UV resistance.

UV Resistant Windows

Eureka!® uses a special UV resistant film for all clear window treatments. The film will withstand -40°C, and is non-yellowing. This is superior to PVC or other plastics.

Frames

7000 Series Aluminum

4 Season & Performance use. Premium quality aluminum for rigid or pre-bent framework. Excellent stability, lightest weight, most compact, very easy field assembly.

Seamless Aluminum

3-4 Season use. Diameter varies depending on tent model. Very good strength, great stability, lightweight, very easy field assembly. No seams to split.

Fiberglass

3 Season use. Most economical framework for holding a curve or arc. Good strength, good stability, easy field assembly.

Steel

3 Season use. Good strength, good stability. Chain corded for easy field assembly.