Choosing a Tent
Your new tent is going to accommodate a number of people sleeping in a relatively small space. Square footage and ventilation should be considered first and foremost. If you are going to use it regularly, it's always better to opt on the side of quality and spend as much as your budget will allow for, just like any other purchase. First time camping? Try and borrow one from a friend or buy a used one to see if camping is going to work for you and your family. Your local Craigslist is a great place to start looking for a used tent, this way you can pick it up in person and inspect it before purchasing it. For a more in-depth view on how to choose a tent, check out this Wikihow
The size of the tent should be your number one consideration!
How many people and how much gear will you be traveling with is a good place to start, the simplest way to calculate a good sized tent for your family is, double the number of persons traveling. For example, if you have two adults and two children consider an 8 person tent. Larger groups and parents with very young children can probably use a multiple of 1.5 and still have a decent amount of space.
The length of your holiday and the frequency of your trips should also be considered, the longer the time span the more space you will likely need. Finding a spot to set up a very large tent can be more difficult, heating and keeping it warm inside is also another issue to consider, bigger tents can be less stable in windy conditions, unless guy lines are used. More space still tends to trump these more minor considerations though. Tents that are tall enough to stand up inside are a big plus. The weight of family size camping tents should not be a problem if the tent is just been carried to and from the car.
If you are not sure what type of tent you want, you just know you want plenty of space, start by comparing the Largest Tents on sale today.
