If you’re thinking about buying a family tent to kickstart the New Year and your new camping adventures, then it’s helpful to consider a few basic things before you part with your money. Follow this simple guide to family camping tents -  created by our inhouse camping expert, Mike - and you’ll be sure to get the best  family tent to match your needs and last for many family camping holidays. 

 

What family camping adventure are you planning?

To choose the right family tent, first think about the type of camping that you’re interested in doing. 

Do you want to hike cross country or stay on a Campsite? If you’re planning to stay on a family campsite, then a large family tent should be comfortable enough for both you and your loved ones, along with all your personal gear. 

If you’re looking at hiking and camping as a family, you’ll need to consider the distance you’ll be travelling and the weight of the tent you choose. There are large backpacking tents available for families, but will you be able to carry them long-distances day after day?

We recommend: Vango Nevis 200 Tent

We recommend: Vango Tay 200 Tent

 

How many people will need to sleep in the tent? 

It’s an obvious question, but not a silly one - especially when you add the luggage each person might bring with them! If you need to store clothes in the tent (longer trips and winter camping usually mean more clothes) or you need a place to house your cooking equipment, it might be wise to choose a tent with additional space to store things. 

For example, this Vango Ark tent sleeps three but doesn’t give you a lot of room to store other items. Whereas this Kampa tent sleeps four and also hasenough extra indoor room to hold all kinds of kit, such as kitchen essentials. You could also use the space as a living room or dining room.

For large families, we recommend: Vango Anantara II Air 650XL

For smaller families, we recommend: Kampa Dometic Brean

 

Are you experienced family campers? 

If this is your first family camping trip, you may want to consider a family tent that is easy to erect. The simpler it is to do, the less stressful it will be for al of you. 

Fortunately, modern tents can be set up very rapidly these days, sometimes in as little as twenty minutes, which will be a relief when you’re camping with children.

 

Which seasons will you be camping in? 

Your family tent needs to be built to withstand the demands of your family and the weather, especially if you’re camping in the UK. In the south of France, it’s far warmer in the winter than Lancashire, for instance, so consider how much of a weather shield you’ll need based on the climate you’re in. 

All tents are water resistant and mostly wind resistant, but not all have any protection against sudden rainstorms and high winds, so keep this in mind.

We recommend: Zempire Aero TXL Pro Air Tent

We recommend: Vango Capri II Air 500XL 

 

Camping as a family is a lot of fun, especially when you get the best family tent for your trip. As always, if you need any more help selecting a family tent that’s perfect for your needs, contact us or pop instore for a chat. We’re ready to help.