Picking a tent, can be a difficult choice with so many options available, firstly you need to decide which genre of tent is correct for your camping trip, its pointless taking a heavy, high profile Airbeam to the top of a mountain, as its simply not built for that type of climate. Make sure you pick the right tent to accommodate your needs. Here's a list of the different genre's of tent, and which type of camping they may be more suited towards.

Adventure

Adventure tents as they are referred too, are festival style tents, which are smaller in stature and designed to sleep no more than four people. Typically a smallish pack size, with a lower weight, and perfect for the weekend camper just wanting a basic, but reliable adventure tent to get away occasionally in fairer camping weathers and conditions. Usually, a tent like this has a contained sleeping space, and then a small auxiliary porch area or living space.

Advantages:

• Small Pack Size
• Easy to carry
• Perfect for touring / festivals
• Easy to set up.

Disadvantages:

• Lack of living space
• Lack of standing height.

Pop Up

Pop up tents often fall into the "adventure" category, and offer an easier to pitch solution, for those who simply cannot be bothered to pitch a tent each time. Simply, open the straps and throw your tent into the air (not too hard, if it is a windy day, it might not come back!), and then peg the corners out, and you're all set for the weekend. Pop-ups tend to be the choice for those wanting a festival tent to get them through the weekend, and often pop-ups are disposable products. We have moved away from single-use product such as this, as it is not friendly for the environment.

Advantages:

• Quick to pitch
• No instructions needed.

Disadvantages

• Often single-use products - bad for environment.
• Very difficult to pack down
• Obscenely large pack size for festivals.
• Offer limited living space.

Weekend / Touring

Weekend tents have become highly prominent since the rise of inflatable tents, as they make weekend getaways so much more achievable! Perfect for both weekends away, and touring - our weekender tents are usually mid-sized tent, potentially with standing height and good storage space. Also, mid sized tents have a mid size pack size, making them perfect for car touring etc, ideal for those travelling across Europe or the UK. Many people doing festivals have started to opt for a weekend tent, to give them a little more space and comfort, and also to get a better quality tent, which will last them many festivals, not just the one!

Advantages:

• Easy to pitch and pack away
• Smaller pack size for car campers.
• Inflatable design makes life quicker and easier.
• Perfect for touring, festivals and car camping.
• Offer standing height, sewn-in groundsheets and more comfort.
• Perfect for couples

Disadvantages

• Lack true living space of a family tent.
• Heavier than an adventure tent if festival camping.

Backpacking

Backpacking tent are perfect for a multitude of campers, whether its Scout Groups, Duke of Edinburgh schemes or cyclists - the beauty of backpacking tents is the small weight and pack size, making them easy to carry on foot. Backpacking tents usually offer less sleeping space and living space, but offer greater reductions to weight and pack size, making them perfect for the trekkers. Alloy poles are usually the choice for added stability in windy weather.

Advantages:

• Perfect for backpackers / cyclists
• Ideal for Duke of Edinburgh / Scouts
• Small Pack Size
• Alloy poles give a sturdier feel.
• Low Weight for easier transportation.
• Low profile more ideal for adverse weather conditions.

Disadvantages:

• Lack of living space.
• Cramped sleeping space.

Air

Air tents, often referred to as inflatable tents, came to prominence in 2010, with Vango Airbeam taking the market by storm. The other brands soon followed suit, designing different air models to suit a variey of different camper's needs. Since 2010, much has changed, with the Air collections offering greater strength, rigidity, higher levels of PSI and Superbeams, which cope with the weather just as well as a steel poled tent. The air beams are strong, sturdy, and will not snap like a tent pole in the wind.

The beauty of an Air tent is the ease of pitching, allowing any tent, large or small to be pitched exceptionally quickly, compared to a pole tent. This has made air tents very popular with family campers, who can pitch their large family tent in fifteen minutes, as opposed to two hours.

Advantages:

1. Pitches very quickly and easily.
2. Strong and sturdy design.
3. Great for multi-stop holidays.
4. Offer both polyester and cotton designs.
5. Less likely to break down like a tent pole design.

Disadvantages:

1. Weight - Air tents cannot be separated like a pole tent can - so the overall package is larger, and heavier.
2. Condensation Factor - they are more likely to have condensation due to the beams being internal.
3. Pack Size
4. More difficult to pack away without correct methodology.

Family

Families come in all shapes and sizes, and family tents are absolutely no different, you can have a family tent for 3 people or 10 people, it just depends on how much space and room you require. Most family tents are shaped in tunnels now, with a three zone design to maximise living space. A three-zone design offers a front porch area, a sewn-in living space and a fully enclosed sleeping compartment. The porch area is often referred to as a wet room - where you would cook / store wet clothing. Whilst the living space is the area to relax in, and keep dry and warm. The sleeping area explains itself. Family tents need to have standing height, space to relax, and a reliable sturdy design to ensure a quality camping experience. Family tent sales are on the increase, with more people taking advantage of the staycation, and enjoying the British summertime and countryside. In addition to this, family camping has come a long way, with technology making it more of a glamping experience than a camping experience.

Advantages:

• Plenty of living space
• You can get a family tent from 3 people to 12 people.
• Optional accessories such as carpets and footprints increase comfort.
• Inflatable designs offer quicker-pitching.
• Cheaper family holiday than going overseas.

Disadvantages:

• Pack size and weights can be large.
• Harder to dry a larger tent out after bad weather.
• Loss of weekend style flexibility in larger tents.

Tipi / Bell

A huge increase in camping has come from glamping experiences, the Bell / Tipi style of tent has really accommodated this - with cotton fabrics for added comfort and flexibility. Tipis are so easy to pitch, and can be used much more throughout the year, as the cotton nature of the fabric, keeps them cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter. Furthermore, most tipi tents now offer a stove port for adding in a woodfire stove during the colder winter months. Tipi camping can be a great retreat, offering a romantic feel for couples, or a cosy holiday for young families.

Advantages:

• Cotton is perfect for earlier / later season camping.
• Stove ports allow for woodburners.
• Cosy
• Romantic feel
• Glamping experience
• Cotton is naturally waterproof.
• Mega easy to pitch.

Disadvantages:

• Often a middle pole with a tipi, which can get in the way.
• Cotton is heavier in design.
• Cotton takes longer to dry out after rain.
• Lack of living space and height throughout a tipi.