When You Should Consider Switching To Lightweight Tents
Lightweight Tents
Lightweight tents have changed the face of camping for good. There are far more possibilities for people to get outside and sample the countryside than ever before, especially if those people are lone hikers who have to carry all of their own equipment. The old traditional frame tent, which served us so well for a great many decades, has been overtaken by newer technology using lighter materials. The frame tents are still being made, and even here the materials have helped to reduce the weight and made the carrying easier.
Choosing whether or not to switch over to the lighter technology is not a simple black and white matter. If you are a seasoned camper, you will almost certainly have a pole frame tent which have seen you through many hours of happy travels. If this tent is still in good condition, and if you are happy with the weight and size of the tent when folded, then there is probably no need to rush out and buy a replacement. It is not necessarily true that a dome tent will be easier to erect, although many of them are.
It is when a tried and trusted old tent finally does need replacing that the hardest choice needs to be made. Do you replace it with another of similar design, or go for the new technology? It really depends on how much you feel you would benefit from a lighter weight and less bulk, and whether you want to try an innovation such as quick pitch tents. There is no doubt that this can be an enticing prospect when you have hiked a long way and are feeling very tired.
If you are trying to get your children interested in camping as a way of encouraging them to embrace a healthy outdoor life, then you could help this along by making sure that the equipment they use is as light and easy to manage as possible. Lightweight tents will make the whole experience a great deal more pleasurable for them. As they become more interested, you can get them to carry the tents for longer, and they will soon come to not even notice that they are carrying them!
Lightweight tents are clearly the wave of the future, both for camping and for commercial use as marquees. The only point to watch out for is if you intend to go into any extreme conditions. You need to make sure that both the tent and groundsheet are able to withstand the water and other possible problems you could encounter. Quick pitch tents also need to be tested before you take them out on a trip, as you need to be familiar with their operation. It is best to a dry run with any lightweight tents.
