Tents are essential to any outdoor camping trip, yet people seem to forget the importance of buying a high-quality one. It is a fact that nowadays, the average human being is spending almost no time in nature.
Why? Because we are all so attached to our busy workdays and hectic lifestyle that it doesn’t leave us much time to do so. But is it really like that?
While the times we are living in are stressful, everything can be achieved with the right plan. Spending time with your family and friends out in nature is a great idea. And what better way for your children to figure out how to enjoy nature than through a camping trip?
Camping is a cheap adventure option that will provide you with many benefits and an overall recharge for your drained batteries. In fact, spending a few days in nature will not cost you more than some food and water, gasoline to get to the spot, and a tent.
But wait, how much does a camping tent cost? Well, it all depends on your needs, but given the big market and huge competition, you can find excellent casual tents for below $100. Let’s take a look at a few different options and what they will cost you.
How Much is a Camping Tent?
Let’s talk a bit about what the market has to offer. For starters, camping equipment is getting more popular every year and that means that there are a lot of competing brands in your camping and sporting stores. Let’s start off with some of the more common and lower priced ones.
A brand that you have surely heard of is Coleman – it is a camping equipment name that you will encounter wherever you go because it offers low-price casual-use tents that don’t lack on quality in spite of the price. You will be able to buy an $80 tent and still feel safe when you go for that nature trip. The prices are mostly between $80 and $150, and it probably offers the best price-to-quality ratio out of all the available options.
A similar brand is Eureka and it offers tents at around the same prices, so you will be able to get a good tent for mild weather conditions at an affordable price.
Now, moving on to the middle-priced tents we will go ahead and mention two bigger names – REI and L.L.Bean.
While REI might not be that common in regular sports and camping stores, it is available in the brand’s official and online stores, and for a price of $200-250, you will be able to buy a phenomenal tent that will last you for more than just a few years. A great thing about it is that almost any product made by REI has a lot of unexpected technical features to cover your needs. Of course, you can find some REI tents at a lower price as well, but the tents in the range of $200 to $300 are certainly among the best brands out there.
Along with REI, the L.L.Bean brand is a great option that is within the mid-high price range, but it offers extremely high-quality products. If you have a higher budget and you want to invest in a tent that is not only for casual trips, L.L.Bean can provide you with just that. For a price of $350 to $400, you will get tents that are able to sustain rough weather and protect you from harsh UV rays.
Last but not least, and maybe the most famous is the North Face. Tents produced by this brand aren’t something that you will need if you are just starting off or are a beginner camper – both because of the price and complexity of the given tents. However, if you already have some experience in camping and you plan to go on more serious camping trips, mountaineering, or hiking routes, a North Face tent is perfect for providing you with safe and durable accommodation. The price starts at around $600 and goes up to around $1,000 for 6-person tents.
The Key Points to Look for in a Tent
There are a few key points to consider apart from choosing the size that you want (a 2-person, 4-person or a 6-person tent – this all depends how many of you are there; a 6-person tent will be perfect for a 4-person family).
First, you should look for a tent that has aluminum poles as those are less fragile and more durable especially in rough weather conditions. Additionally, you should look for a tent with an adequate rainfly, roof vent, double stitching as well as a one-piece tub floor that will provide waterproof protection.
Final Thoughts
The process of finding the right tent for your camping needs shouldn’t be too problematic, and as you can see from the examples above, finding a good tent at a lower price is absolutely possible. So go ahead, take a look at what’s available, and don’t forget to enjoy your time out in nature.