How to choose a good Tent
By Joseph Parish

As a survivalist, you must select your equipment sensibly because in the event of a major catastrophe your life very well may depend upon it. It only makes good sense therefore to elect for the best equipment you can possibly afford.

Tents are constructed in a variety of sizes and shapes. Just because a tent may function for your purpose does not mean it will serve mine. An important point I would like to make here is that you cannot judge a tent by its pictures. When at all possible make sure you inspect the tent in person.

In selecting the appropriate size tent that you will require you must out of necessity take into consideration the number of people who will be occupying the tent. In addition, consideration must be extended to how much gear will be stored within it. Tents generally are available in two, four, six man capacity. These figures are the number of people you can place into the tent comfortably without any sort of gear.

A rule of thumb to use when figuring the capacity of the tent is to divide the advertised occupancy rating by two. The bare minimum per person would be 30 square feet however since survivalists may eventually have to reside in their tent a larger capacity is recommended.

An interesting note that you should pay attention to is that if you are six feet tall in order to comfortably lie down within the tent you will require at least a seven-foot long tent. Two and one half feet of width is a normal requirement for sleeping. To this figure, you must add space for standing up as well as an area for your equipment. All this adds up to a little more then 32 feet per person.

When you see a tent advertised as a 10’ x 10’, you have to consider three critical factors. First, it will prove much more difficult to locate a level and smooth spot, which is large enough to setup your tent upon. Remember the spot you choose must be as level as possible. Your second consideration is that the larger the tent the heavier it gets. This may not pose a problem for your BOV however, keep in mind that you may be required to set this tent up solo, or perhaps only you may be involved in removing it from your vehicle and toting it back to the BOV again. Lastly, we have the issue of privacy. A large tent does not afford any privacy at all. Sleeping and dressing in the same tent may not be desired. In this case, it may be better to consider the possibilities of perhaps several smaller tents.

You can find tents for four specific shapes. These shapes are A-frame, umbrella, dome and the wall tent. The A-frame shape is most commonly referred to as a "pup" tent, familiar to those in the military as well as to any survivalist. However, there are additional shapes as well. We have the umbrella; its greatest advantage is lots of standing room. It comes with large window openings complete with a rain fly above the tent. The geodesic can be obtained in many different shapes; however, they all look like some combination of triangles connected together. The wall tent is similar to an A-frame tent, but is usually much larger and the sidewalls are vertical.

Another consideration is the type of poles used upon the tent. You have a choice of either aluminum or fiberglass poles. Most modern tents come with poles that link together with elastic shock cords. This assists when putting the tent together. Poles are prone to break or bend, so some manufacturers will provide you with an emergency repair kit for carrying along on trips.

You of course must select a suitable fabric. Nearly all the tents sold today are constructed with nylon. Coated nylon may be used for waterproofing the tent. You will find nylon mesh to be used on the inner wall construction. Better made tents will use rip stop fabric as well as thicker fabrics.

When considering the cost involved in the purchase of a good tent consider judging all the factors involved. The costlier tents have mightier poles, stronger fabric and reinforced stitching. These tents will withstand both heavier rains and higher winds. There better construction will enable them to be used in your BOB for many years.

As with anything relating to survival, practice is a necessary task. Before you reach the time when your new tent is put to the ultimate test, you should assemble it in your backyard. In this way, you become familiar with setting it up as well as insuring that you have all the parts. You might possibly even consider spending a night in it, so you can see if it really does suit your needs.

Copyright @2008 Joseph Parish