Choosing the perfect accommodation for your camping trip is arguably the most important aspect of your experience outdoors. Without the right tent to keep you comfortable in different kinds of weather, offer enough space for your group, and have the functionality you’re looking for, your camping experience could be considerably less enjoyable.
When you’re looking for a tent for your camping trip, a canvas wall tent is often the way to go because of how versatile, spacious and comfortable they are. Wall tents, bell tents and cabin tents are the most popular types of canvas tents.
When made with 100% army duck cotton canvas, the canvas fabric is strong enough to stand up to strong winds, heavy rains and in many cases, snowfall. At White Duck Outdoors, we also use a PFC-free treatment for water repellency, mold & UV resistance on all our wall tents. This makes the tents suitable for use for extended periods of time.
Choosing a tent that properly suits your needs is essential for an enjoyable camping trip. It needs to be big enough to fit you and your gear, should be durable and suited for the environment and temperature you plan to camp in, and should have any special features and accessories that you need for your preferred style of camping. Get more information about wall tents for sale on our website WhiteDuckOutdoors.com.
So how do you figure out which tent is the perfect wall tent for your needs? Below is a list of factors to consider that will help you figure out exactly what you need from your ideal tent.
Sleeping Capacity
One of the first things to consider is how many people will be using the tent at a time, which will help you determine the size of the tent you need. At the very least, there should be sleeping space for everyone as well as one or two additional sleeping spaces for your gear.
If you’re interested in further reading on camping with family, you can keep these tips in mind.
Keep in mind that cramming into sleeping quarters may be fine for sleeping, but could become cramped quickly in cases of adverse weather keeping you inside.
The needed size of your tent is also an important consideration for any camper who packs a good amount of goods with them. Whether you’re a sportsman with bulky gear or someone who enjoys glamping with a few extra pillows, the space you need to comfortably fit inside your tent should be one of the first factors to consider when shopping for a new tent.
Oh, and don’t forget to account for any pups or other pets with you on the trip! You want to make sure your larger pets have enough room to move around and sleep, so it may be worth considering an extra sleeping spot when thinking about capacity in this regard.
Seasonality
Camping in the summer is significantly different from camping in the winter. While bugs and insects along with sunshine and high temperatures may be your concerns in warm summer months, keeping warm and dry may be much more important on a snowy winter camping trip.
Each season will require different materials and features, so considering when you’ll use your tent the most will help you choose a tent that will provide you with the shelter and comforts you’ll need.
The Alpha Wall Tent, for example, is a 4-season tent with its heavy-duty canvas fabric and galvanized aluminum frame. It has storm doors and windows, which make it particularly suited to harsh weather conditions.
The Prota Cabin Tent, on the other hand, has large windows and a sleek design, which makes it perfect for summer camping trips.
Material
Tents can be made from natural materials, synthetics, or blends, each of which offers its own advantages and disadvantages.
Tents made from synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester are common and easy to find in places like camping sections of department stores. They are cheap and light and will do the job of providing you with shelter on the occasional camping trip. They are also often preferred by backpackers who want to pack the least weight possible.
Natural materials such as cotton and hemp tend to create more durable tents and are often preferred by those who camp regularly or for extended periods of time. Natural fabrics allow airflow throughout the tent which can keep the tent cooler in the summertime but can also be dense enough to withstand rain or snowy conditions, especially if it is treated with a water repellent treatment. Cotton canvas, however, tends to be much heavier than synthetics and also require more care and maintenance.
When you take out your canvas wall tent, for example, you want to make sure that before packing it away at the end of your trip, you brush off all debris and dirt and that the canvas fabric is dry.
Features And Accessories
Canvas wall tents can come with an array of special features and accessories that you can use to personalize your camping space and make it fit your exact needs and wants. Possible special features and accessories include the following:
- Tent stoves bring a whole new experience into camping. They warm your space up in cold winter months while also creating a cooking surface. In the winter months, installing a stove is also a great way to speed up the melting of snow on your tent fabric.
- Tent stove jacks are needed to pipe the smoke from your stove out of your tent. If you’re looking to invest in a canvas tent, it’s a good idea to ensure that it comes with a built-in stove jack, so you don’t have to incur an added cost for it later on.
- Water repellent treatments can be applied to various degrees depending on the predicted conditions. While a waterproof treatment can be applied for those who regularly camp in heavy rains, a lighter water-repellent treatment will allow rain to bead off the material without taking away the breathability of the fabric.
- Mold and mildew resistant treatments help to keep your tent in top condition for longer. These are especially useful on natural fibers that tend to foster the growth of mold and mildew more than synthetics.
- Fire retardant treatments are always a great safety measure but are particularly important for anyone using a tent stove.
- Fly sheets on your wall tent are a great way to protect the integrity of your canvas fabric. A fly sheet prevents sunlight from hitting your canvas fabric directly and comes in handy in the event of snow or rain as well.
- Canvas porches are an excellent add-on to your canvas wall tent. They extend your outdoor living space and also come with walls and a stove jack, so the porch can be your area to dry wet gear, host a cookout or simply hang out.
- Windows are an excellent way to bring light into wall tents as well as to create ventilation and air circulation. You should see that the windows on your tent come with a bug mesh and are equipped for stormy weather.
- High-quality zippers will make using your tent easy and will help you keep it in great condition.
