If you plan on going camping but haven’t done much of it in the past you are not alone.  Camping is becoming more and more popular since the economy has limited our budgets and made it more difficult to plan vacations.  Camping offers a nice alternative to a traditional family vacation because it is cheaper (once you have all the supplies), you don’t have to go as far and you still have the opportunity to get away from every day life. Before you purchase a new tent for your trip here are a couple of things you need to know.
1st, the type of camping you do is going to determine the type of tent you should get.  The first and most popular choice amongst families is car camping which allows you to park next to your site or at least close by.  The other type of camping is backpacking and in this case you would hike to your campsite.  In car camping you can get as big of a tent as you like without worrying about it weighing you down on the trail.  This makes large tents like an 8 man tent or a 10 man tent an option for families or large groups.  However, if you are going to be carrying your tent you want as small and compact of a tent as you can get because you aren’t going to want to add to much weight to an already heavy pack.
Next, make sure you find a tent that can hold up to all of the different weather conditions Mother Nature wants to throw your way.  A camping trip can be fun and relaxing but it can also turn in to a nightmare if your tent is poorly made.  You can also get a seam sealer when you purchase your tent and apply this to the seams of your tent. This will give it a thicker more durable seam and help prevent leaks.
By getting a weather ready tent and one that is the appropriate weight for the type of camping you plan on doing you can have a wonderful experience!