Cheap Tents

Tents are the best way to experience the fresh air and freedom of the outdoors without experiencing too much of the unexpected weather changes that could leave you shivering in a soggy sleeping bag. Tents are simple structures made mostly out of a breathable type of nylon that allows for fresh air to constantly flow in and kick out the stale stuff. Being so simply made, with only a small amount of materials needed, cheap tents are easy to find and most often the logical choice in tent shopping.

Cheap tents are your best bet for recreational camping, backyard sleepovers, or as a back-up for the experienced camper or backpacker. The reason cheap tents are ideal for light camping is that they generally hold together and function just as well as their pricier cousins, but just aren't quite cut out for the ruggedness of intense camping. Although these inexpensive tents may not be able to withstand gale force winds or keep you warm in the arctic circle, they will keep you dry and give you the comfort of shelter after a long day of outdoor fun. Simply put, unless you are out to do some serious camping in a rugged environment, then cheap tents are probably the way to go. After all, isn't cheap a great thing?

You can find cheap versions of all the other flavors of tents out there. Meaning you can find a cheap pup tent, A-frame, or larger family tent for a great price as long as you know where to go and what to look for. Cheap tents are a fairly easy item to shop for. They can be found at most any sporting goods store, whether it be a locally owned little place or a super mega sporting goods emporium. Find your way to the outdoors section (usually next to or near the hunting aisle) and you will likely be overwhelmed with relatively inexpensive tents to fit your any need. If you haven't got the time to make it to the store or just prefer to do things from home, you can shop online at either the big retail stores like Wal-Mart or Dick's Sporting Goods or check out those variety sites like Buy.com that sell almost anything and have constant deals. The only thing you are going to need before your buy the tent is the knowledge of what tent to buy. So let's discuss.

The most common type of cheap tent is the pup tent. The pup tent is a small to medium sized tent that is easy to set up and generally very inexpensive. The pup tent consists of four to six foldable, pliable poles that are the support of the structure; the actual tent itself; a rain fly to keep the moisture off of the tent surface; and stakes to hold the tent down. To set up the tent, the poles are inserted through loops on the top tent and then the ends are securely inserted into fasteners on the corners of the bottom of the tent. The poles bend to make the tent into a sort of dome. The rain fly is then placed over the top of the tent and attatched usually to the corners as well. Finally, the stakes are pushed into the ground through loops in the corners and the tent is ready to go! This tent is most popular because of this simple and mostly universal design. This tent is best for your kids' sleepovers in the backyard or very light camping. Generally you can find a small or medium sized pup tent for $25 to $40.

The A-frame tent is a little more challenging to set up and generally a little more expensive, but is often better suited for a more demanding camper. Not all A-frames are cheap, but if you want a cheap one, you can easily find one. Unlike the pup tent, the A-frame uses sturdy aluminum poles and is shaped like a long triangle, or an "A". This version of tent takes two people to set up, and can be a little frustrating if the campers are inexperienced. However, this cheap tent will keep you dryer and is generally more willing to withstand the might of mother nature. This tent is best for beginner to intermediate camping. A cheap A-frame tent is usually priced between $50 and $100.

This sort of tent goes great with a couple of lightweight camping chairs for backpacking trips where you don't want a lot of heavy equipment. A-frame tents like this one are easy to find in lightweight versions.

Cheap tents are definitely the right choice for families just beginning their career in camping or cub scouts who need shelter for their monthly campout at the local park. There is a cheap version of every tent out there, and price is not necessarily directly related to quality. These tents will get you started and let you experience the world of the outdoors more directly than you have before. As a last point, when shopping, the most important item is the rain fly. The bigger, the better.

For more information on camping topics, check out the links to my other Hubs below.

• Camping cooking guide
• Finding a quality camping toilet
• Buying a good camping bed
• Buying a Coleman Lantern