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Whoever you are, whatever your walk of life, camping is a brilliant way to spend your weekends and vacations. After all, camping truly does let you get away from it all. When you are hiking deep in the forest, or fishing by a lake, there are no phones ringing off the hook, or deadlines to meet. On a camping expedition, you are totally free of the pressures and stresses of modern life.

Whether you are a newcomer to camping, or a seasoned 'old hand' having the right equipment is critical to enjoying your time in the great outdoors. Choosing the right tent is one of the most important decisions you can make when outfitting yourself for camping.

Before you shop for your new tent, there are a number of things to consider. Firstly, the type of tent you will need varies according to the number of people you are planning to house, and what activity you are involved in. Tents come in a range of sizes, from single person tents, to very large multi-person varieties. If you are planning to hike, you will need to carry your tent whilst you walk, so a small, light weight tent will be required. If you intend to pitch your campsite at a fixed location accessible by car, you could opt for a larger, heavier weight model.

Another consideration will be the season and weather conditions that you expect to encounter. Each tent is designed to maintain a high level of human comfort in a specific type of environment, so you need to be clear whether you will be camping in the winter or summer, mild or inclement weather.

Other factors to consider are the strength of both the structure and the material of your tent. For instance, you can opt for cotton, polyethylene, nylon, rip-stop nylon, double sewn seams, and heavy-duty zippers. Whatever the fabric, your tent must be fit to stand extreme weather, even if you are not expecting to encounter poor conditions. Be sure to buy one that is totally seam taped to avoid leaking in the rain.

Ideally you should select a tent that meets all these requirements, and is easy to erect and deconstruct as well. After all, you want to spend your time enjoying the wilderness, not spending hours pitching a tent!

Talking to staff at your local outdoor outfitting store is a good start to finding the perfect tent for you.