[Blindtlk] Camping Tents

[Fred wurtzel]

Hello Danielle,

I have done a lot of camping and backpacking.  It is a wonderful activity
for everyone, including blind people.  I have not purchased much equipment
in the past few years, so there are probably new products and materials on
the market which I have not seen.  I believe the following information will
be helpful no matter changing technology.

Well, there are a lot of tents for sale out there.  Depending on your budget
and the kind of camping you will do will affect which tents to look for.

If you are going to a campground, driving in a car and want lots of room
there are cabin tents which you may stand up in.  These have ropes and tent
pegs to stake them to the ground.  The may have a frame inside or outside
the tent.  They may be made of canvas or nylon.  They are fairly heavy and
bulky so do not lend themselves to backpacking unless you have a horse to
carry them.  The advantage is that you can stand up in them, use a cot to
sleep on and have room for lots of people.  Some even have partitions inside
for a degree of privacy for changing clothes, etc.

The Dome tent or other styles of backpacking tents are lightweight, smaller,
hold fewer people, are not tall enough to stand in, (depending on the size)
and usually easily set up.  They are made of nylon.  A feature to look for
is a separate fly to cover the tent.  This fly is made of waterproof
material and will keep the tent dry under most conditions.  There is an air
gap between the fly and the tent to prevent moisture from wicking into the
tent from the fly.    The tent itself is made from breathable nylon and will
have air vents which may be zipped open for more or less ventilation.  These
small tents are prone to condensation so the breathable material and an
airspace between the waterproof material and the tent is important.  

You may wish to watch the weather reports.  Most of the time these small
tents do not need a lot of staking down.  However, if heavy wind (20 miles
per hour or higher) you will want to stake it down or tie it to some solid
object like a tree or large rock.  Some backpacking tents come with a
vestibule.  This is a good feature for storing shoes and other things in.
The less sand and debris you can import into the tent the more comfortable
it will be and the longer the floor will last.

When setting up the tent, you will want to pay attention to drainage.  The
tent may not leak from rain, but water may flow in from the ground if you
are not careful in a heavy rain.  Sandy soil will soak in rain more easily
than clay or rock.  If possible find the highest point on the campsite to
set up the tent.  If you expect rain, dig a trench around the outside to
divert water from the uphill side to the downhill side.

I recommend you google advice on tents and camping in the style you like.
Read information from tent manufacturers to see their claims.  If you have a
specialty camp outfitter in your area, this will be your best source for
solid information.  They will know the latest gear and will be able to
advise you on your budget and needs.  I do not recommend big box stores for
purchasing camping equipment unless you are experienced enough to know the
good stuff from the junk.

I hope this is helpful.

Warm Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle
Ledet via blindtlk
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2015 4:03 PM
To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Danielle Ledet
Subject: [Blindtlk] Camping Tents

Have any of you gone camping? Are the tents difficult to set up? How do they
hold up in bad weather? Are they water-resistant? If not, wht do you do when
it starts raining?Any you might recommend?

--
Danielle

Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com

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