Comparison Naturehike Shower Tent vs Green Camp 2897

Seasons in which the use of a tent is allowed.

There are three main seasonality options: winter, spring / autumn and summer. At the same time, the design features necessary for comfortable use of the tent in different seasons are as follows:

— In winter, the tent should effectively protect against snow and wind, and its materials and fittings should normally endure a long stay in the cold. Thermal insulation is also desirable, but in general this is a secondary factor — the main insulation is provided primarily by clothing, a sleeping bag and a bed.
— In the off-season — in spring and autumn — protection from rain, which can be accompanied by strong winds, is of particular importance.
— For comfortable use in the summer heat, good ventilation is required, ideally with insect protection, such as mosquito nets.

As you can see, these requirements generally do not contradict each other and may well be combined in one product. Thus, there are very few tents on the market designed strictly for one season — two- or even all-season options are much more common. For example, even among beach tents (see "Purpose") there are models for which the possibility of using in the off-season is claimed — for this, the design provides for a dense awning, or even the ability to completely close the tent. Almost any model from the "spring-autumn" series...additionally has a summer specialization; and most models suitable for winter actually allow year-round use.

In conclusion, we recall that tents with the same seasonality and purpose can at the same time differ significantly in characteristics and design features.

The total weight of the tent is including the frame and other accessories.

This parameter depends primarily on the purpose (see above), and after that — on seasonality, capacity, and additional functions. For example, in trekking and expedition models, the weight usually does not exceed 5 – 7.5 kg, and the lightest of these products can weigh 2 – 3 kg or even less, while being full-fledged tents for 2 people or even more. However, for a trekking tent, such a small weight with a capacity of more than 2 people usually means that this model is designed exclusively for the summer. For most camping tents, the weight starts at 6 kg, although among them there are also quite light products — by 4 – 5 kg, 3 – 4 kg, or even less (in such cases, light weight can also mean a purely summer specialization). And the most capacious and/or multifunctional models can have a weight of 10 – 15 kg, 15 – 20 kg and even more; in this weight category, you can mainly find tents, camping tents for many people and fishing tents for carp fishing (see "Destination").

When choosing a tent according to this indicator, it is worth considering that it does not always make sense to chase the maximum weight reduction. Yes, the...light tent is the most convenient to carry; on the other hand, weight reduction inevitably affects one or several other characteristics at once. So, most often, lighter models are either more expensive or smaller in size and less roomy and functional than their heavier counterparts. And sometimes weight reduction also negatively affects the security (including moisture resistance) and the overall reliability of the product. Therefore, it makes sense to specifically look for the lightest tent possible in cases where weight reduction is of key importance; a typical example is long trips, in which all the equipment has to be carried “on oneself” for a long time. And even in such cases, it is worth remembering other important characteristics. For example, for use in late autumn, when frosts are likely, it is better to choose a heavier tent with winter seasonality than a light model that is not designed for winter conditions.

This paragraph refers to the total number of entrances to the tent. In most cases, their number also describes the possibility of entering the sleeping area. However, there are models with a large vestibule, in which the input is provided from different sides. Such abundant entry/exit options allow the tent to be used in a variety of situations. For example, focusing on the position of the sun, it will be relevant to open the western or eastern side; landscape conditions will not interfere with the installation of a tent, since one of the exits will remain accessible in any case. Well, for a large company at the campsite, vacationers will not interfere with each other.

The presence of ventilation windowsprovided in the design of the tent. These windows are essentially vents and, unlike normal windows (see above), are not designed to provide light or visibility. Their main purpose is to provide an influx of fresh air and remove moisture from the tent released by people during breathing and sweating. Good ventilation is especially important if a tent (usually a camping tent, see "Use") is organizing a kitchen.

Both the rigidity of the frame and the reliability and durability of the tent itself depend on the thickness of the arcs. Usually, the larger and more capacious the tent, the thicker the arches are needed for the frame. Arcs made of plastic and fibreglass most often have a thickness of 7 to 13 mm, while steel and aluminium — from 5 to 16 mm. With an increase in the section of the arcs, the weight of the tent in the folded state also increases.

The material from which the frame of the tent (arc) is made. The main requirements for arcs are strength, resistance to deformation (elasticity) and low weight. Modern tents use several materials with different ratios of these parameters.

— Aluminium. A fairly common material: it has good strength characteristics and low weight, but it is relatively inexpensive. At the same time, aluminium is prone to deformation under long-term stress (although this is usually not critical even when parking for several days).

— Fibreglass. Composite material based on a combination of fibreglass and plastic. The main advantage of fibreglass is resistance to deformation: even under prolonged loads, the arcs do not lose their shape. In addition, this material is cheap and light in weight (although somewhat heavier than aluminium). The disadvantage of fibreglass is its sensitivity to low temperatures, which limits its use in winter conditions and at high mountains. However, most people use tents in the warm season, and therefore fibreglass has recently gained considerable popularity.

— Steel. Steel is the most durable of the described materials, in addition, it holds loads well, almost without deforming. At the same time, steel arcs have a significant weight, and therefore they are rarely used in tents.

— Durapol. A composite material that has appe...ared relatively recently and is positioned as a more advanced alternative to fibreglass. Durapol has a "puff" design: the outer layer is made of special polymer resins, metal foil is located under it, a synthetic mesh is located under it, and, finally, a layer of fibreglass. According to the creators, arcs made of this material are more durable and resistant to fracture than fibreglass, better tolerate low and high temperatures, as well as ultraviolet radiation, are less susceptible to residual deformations and have less weight.

— PU (polyurethane). A polyurethane (PU) coating is applied to the inside of the outer tent. The protective layer of polyurethane increases the moisture resistance of the tent, at the same time, the strength of the awning fabric also increases. The main advantage of polyurethane is the ability to reliably protect seam joints. However, polyurethane protection is not the most effective, besides, the presence increases the weight of the tent. The use of polyurethane protection alone is more typical for entry-level (low-cost) class tents. In good quality tents, PU coating is complemented by other types of protection, often polyurethane is used together with silicone (Si).

— Si (silicone). The outer tent fabric is impregnated with silicone (Si). Silicone significantly increases the moisture resistance of the tent. The fabric impregnated with silicone acquires elasticity, its strength characteristics increase. This type of protection is considered the most technologically advanced and functional. The tent itself is impregnated with silicone (from the outside), and sometimes a PU coating is additionally made from the inside for better water resistance. The main disadvantage is the inability to protect seam joints. For this reason, the seams in silicone impregnated tents are glued separately.

— Polyester. Synthetic material with good durability and waterproof performance. In addition, it is resistant to adverse effects (does not lose strength when wet, exposed to acidic and alkaline environments, temperature changes).

— Nylon. In general, the characteristics of nylon are somewhat lower than those of polyester: it tends to stretch when wet and is generally less resistant to adverse effects. At the same time, given that most owners use tents in relatively simple conditions, these points are not critical; in addition, some manufacturers use a special treatment to improve the durability of nylon.

— Polyethylene. This material is mainly used in inexpensive models of camping tents (see "Purpose") — this is primarily due to its significant weight. For other characteristics, it does not have key differences from other materials.

— Polyamide. The general name for a class of fabrics, which includes, in particular, nylon and nylon. Some manufacturers use this term for marketing purposes: "polyamide" sounds more solid than "nylon", although these materials practically do not differ in characteristics and are used in the same way — mainly in inexpensive models.

The corners of the tent are one of the "critical" places: in the unfolded state, they have almost the greatest stress, and the fabric in this place can be torn. To avoid this, many tents are equipped with reinforced corners. In this case, strength can be increased due to multi-layer sewing, special fabric or additional firmware.