Tents

Every camping trip requires a different type of tent. Naturally, if you’re spending the night on a windy mountaintop, you’ll need a different kind of tent than you would if you were spending the night at a festival campground. So make sure to keep the conditions in which you will be travelling in mind.

Dome tents: consists of two to four flexible poles bent into semi-circles and placed parallel to each other.

✓ Sets up faster than a dome tent.

✓ Guy lines must always be rigged to stakes.

✓ Offers slightly more sleeping and storage space than a dome tent 

Tunnel tents: consists of two to four flexible poles bent into semi-circles and placed parallel to each other.

✓ Sets up faster than a dome tent.

✓ Guy lines must always be rigged to stakes.

✓ Offers slightly more sleeping and storage space than a dome tent    

Hybrid tents: consists of two flexible tent poles bent into half circles (like a dome tent) supplemented with an extra awning or tent in front (like a tunnel tent).

✓ Combines the benefits (self-supporting structure and space) of a dome tent and a tunnel tent.

✓ These models are often more technical.    

Lightweight tents: hiking tents that weigh less than 2.5 kg and can easily be taken with while travelling.

✓ Perfect when on a hiking or cycling holiday.

✓ Often compact and easy to set up.    

Smaller dome tents and single or double tents are easy to set up on your own. You can also manage a tarp on your own. 

Before using it for the first time, read the manual or watch a video. Practise in the garden beforehand and take your time! 

It can get very cold in your tent on spring and autumn nights. Here’s how you can keep it warm:

• Choose a four-season tent, a winter sleeping bag with a low comfort temperature, and a sleeping mat with a high R-value.
• Lay extra insulating mats or a tent carpet on the ground.
• Dress in layers.
• If it’s really cold, get into your sleeping bag a bit earlier with a heat cushion or a drinking bottle with warm water.
• Are you travelling by car? Then you can also take an electric heater with you, for example, and heat your tent even more.
• Never make a fire in or near your tent! Flammable substances and your tent fabric do not mix. 

The temperature in a tent can rise considerably during the summer, but fortunately, it usually cools down again in the evening. Here’s how you can keep it cool:

• Choose a BlackOut tent from Coleman. The blackout tent fabric not only blocks out sunlight, it also keeps your sleeping area up to 5°C cooler during the day and up to 1°C warmer at night.
• If possible, do not pitch your tent until after sunset.
• Choose a campsite by the water or with a lot of shade, taking into account the shifting position of the sun.
• Point the entrance of the tent towards the wind.
• If necessary, hang an extra sun sheet or tarp over the tent to block the direct rays of the sun.
• Ventilate sufficiently: you can allow the air to circulate by unzipping two ‘doors’ or windows a little. This allows fresh air in and warm air out.
• On a dry night, some tents also allow you to remove the outer tarp for a fresh night’s sleep under the stars. 

• Sweep the floor regularly with a hand brush or wipe it down with a cloth.
• Do not use aggressive cleaning agents. First, brush over the dirty spots and then go over them with lukewarm water and a cloth. PVC tent tarps can also be cleaned with soapy water.
• Try to remove bird droppings as quickly as possible, as they can damage the tarp. Use water and a brush to clean up fresh droppings; use a spoon to scrape off hardened droppings. Brush the area clean afterwards.
• Always impregnate your tent after a thorough cleaning to make it waterproof again.