Comparison Ranger EXP 2-MAN High vs Ranger Discovery

Classic tourist tents are divided into three main types: expedition tents, trekking tents and camping tents. In addition, you can find tents for beach, for fishing(including carp tents) and for showers/toilets, umbrella-type models, as well as types of awnings: hiking tents and awning-tents. Here is a more detailed description of each of these types:

— Expedition. The most advanced type of camping tents. Expeditionary models can be used in any season, including winter, they are highly durable, reliable and provide maximum protection from cold, snow, wind, etc., while such properties are often combined with extremely low weight. As the name suggests, such tents are designed mainly for long expeditions, winter hikes, high-mountain ascents and other similar applications. But buying such a model for relatively simple tasks hardly makes sense: expeditionary equipment is expensive.

— Trekking. Tents designed primarily for ease of use on long hiking and cycling trips. Accordingly, the key features of such models are fairly high reliability and resistance to adverse conditions (although less than that of expedition equipment), a rela...tively low level of comfort, as well as light weight, in most models not exceeding 6 kg. Heavier tents are usually classified as trekking tents if they have the simplest design, and the weight is determined primarily by their large capacity and/or increased reliability of the materials. In general, this type should be considered if the equipment is planned to be carried frequently and for a long time "on you"; camping tents are better suited for permanent stays in one place (see below).

— Camping. Tents designed primarily for comfort during a permanent stay in one place. They differ from trekking models by more extensive additional features (although the specific set of such features may differ from product to product), seasonality (most are not designed for winter), and generally greater weight. Thus, camping tents are usually tech weighing more than 6 kg; lighter models can also be included in this category if they have the characteristic features of camping equipment: additional functions designed to increase the level of comfort, and/or relatively simple materials not designed for particularly adverse conditions. In general, tents of this type are perfect for overnight picnics, outdoor festivals, etc.

— Fishing tent. Products for winter ice fishing; they are designed for one, maximum two people in a sitting position and most often either have no bottom at all, or have special openings in the bottom so that the structure can be installed directly over the ice hole.

— Carp tent. Models designed primarily for carp fishing enthusiasts. Such fishing (especially at competitions) can last for days without breaks, and special equipment is used for it — including the so-called carp folding beds, which are a special type of tourist furniture. In light of this, awnings for carp fishing are large in size, allowing you to easily install one or even several folding beds inside. And in terms of design, most of these products are closer not to awnings, but to full-fledged tourist tents: they can be used not only as awnings, but also as full-fledged closed shelters, including for overnight stays.

— For shower/toilet. Tents designed exclusively for equipping camp showers or toilets; they are not designed for other purposes. They are usually vertical structures without a bottom — a kind of cabin for one person. The height of such a cabin is usually selected so that an adult can stand inside without any particular difficulty (in some models the height exceeds 2 m).

— Beach tent. Tents designed to provide protection from the sun on beaches, during picnics, etc. Most of these products are structures open on one or more sides, and are designed for sitting or lying down. There are also models equipped with a valve that allows you to completely close the interior; this can be useful, for example, for changing clothes on the beach, or for protection from short-term rain. However, even such models are designed mainly for use in the open form - and the valve, when unzipped, is placed in front of the input and plays the role of an addition to the tent's own bottom.

— Car. In the vast majority of cases, tents are installed on the roof of a vehicle. They provide car tourists with sleeping places on a kind of elevation, which guarantees the almost complete absence of any creeping creatures during the night. Car tents are attached to the roof rails or crossbars of the luggage rack on the roof of the car, the input to them is usually realized with the help of an attached ladder. There are models exactly the entire plane of the roof of the vehicle and examples of car tents of increased "squareness" with a rigid floor frame. There are also tents that are attached to the trunk of a car or the front door of a van, forming the so-called vestibule space. In the "vestibule" you can leave things or put a table, but you are supposed to sleep directly in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, folding the back row of seats. Car tents give the freedom to choose a place to spend the night, be it a clearing on the edge of a forest, a flat area in a mountainous area or a parking lot near a supermarket.

— Umbrella tent. Tents, the design of which resembles an umbrella of increased size. When unfolded, such a tent consists of a dome with a special frame built into it, and a canopy hanging from the edges of the dome; the layout of the “umbrellas” may vary. So, in some models, the dome is located on a fairly high vertical support leg, and in the standard position, the height of the canopy on all sides is the same. In terms of application, such models are closest to awnings (see above), and by tucking in the canopy, you can turn the product into a classic beach umbrella. In others, the dome is installed at an angle and rests on the ground with one edge, covering part of the space on the sides, and the remaining space is covered by the canopy; such designs are more like traditional tents. Be that as it may, the main advantage of umbrella tents is the ease of installation and folding: such operations are not much more difficult than handling a regular umbrella, and even a beginner can handle them without much difficulty. On the other hand, such products are quite bulky when assembled, and the complexity of the design affects the cost and overall reliability. Therefore, such models are not produced in large numbers these days.

— Awning-tent. Among awning-tents, there are two main varieties. The first is an enlarged and lightweight analogue of more traditional tourist tents. The height of such a product, as a rule, allows you to stand in it, the bottom in the structure may be completely absent, the walls are single-layer, and most of their area is usually occupied by "windows" made of mosquito netting (although in some models it is possible to close these windows with external "curtains" made of thick material). Such an awning can be useful, for example, for short trips to nature, or as an overnight stay in warm summer weather.
Another type of awnings can be conventionally called "utility". Such structures are intended primarily for organizing a particular work space: retail outlets, exhibition and propaganda stands, field cafes and canteens, administrative areas at mass events, medical centers, etc. Among such awnings, there are quite large structures that can accommodate 10-20 people, or even more; such models, as a rule, have solid walls with inserts-"windows" made of transparent material. In turn, relatively small products for utility purposes have rather symbolic walls - they are made of mesh material, if necessary, closed with a zipper, and in some models they are completely absent.

— Camping awning. The simplest type of awning — a product in the form of a piece of dense material, usually rectangular or close to it in shape. Many camping awnings are designed to be secured between trees, poles or other improvised supports. Such installation can be quite difficult, but the awning itself is extremely light, compact and easy to transport. More advanced models are also produced, equipped with their own supports and stretchers and suitable for installation directly on the ground. In any case, camping awnings themselves are intended primarily to protect from the sun and, to a much lesser extent, from rain. In addition, such products can be used as additional protection for tents — in pouring rain, an awning can be a real salvation, especially if the tent itself is single-layer and not particularly moisture-resistant.

The number of places for which the tent is designed.

In general, double and triple models are the most popular nowadays — they represent a good compromise between spaciousness and comfort on the one hand and weight, price and ease of transportation on the other. Somewhat less common are four-man tents, although they are also quite popular. The smallest one- man products are mainly either trekking tents or fishing tents (mainly for winter use, see "Purpose"). And in the largest structures, the capacity can reach 5 people or even more.

In general, this parameter is most important for traditional tourist tents (expeditionary, trekking, camping), as well as for fishing tents of "carp" specialization (see "Destination"). In the first case, the number of places is indicated by the number of adults of average build who can comfortably sleep inside — provided there are no bulky things in the tent. So when choosing, you should take into account the physique of users, as well as the presence of backpacks or other luggage, which may require space inside. At the same time, some models officially allow accommodation for 1 person more than originally provided; however, this significantly affects comfort and may require the location of the "jack".

In turn, in t...ents for fishing, the maximum number of carp folding beds, for which the product is designed, is taken into account. At the same time, it is assumed that such folding beds can be used both for recreation and for fishing.

As for other types of tents, the number of places for them is rarely indicated. So, in separate tents-tents, the same rules apply as in ordinary tents — the number of beds is taken into account. In beach tents, a two-person design may be indicated if the product is guaranteed to comfortably accommodate two people. Models for a shower / toilet are, by definition, single-seated, for them there is simply no need to clarify this point; and for camping tents, the very concept of “number of seats” is not relevant.

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.

— Hemisphere. Tents with a frame of two (sometimes more) crossed arches. The main advantage of such a case is good resistance to wind. On the other hand, the interior space of the hemispheres is relatively small.

— Half -shell. In cross section, the semi-barrel has the shape of a half circle (or more or less similar), and its frame consists of several semicircular arcs arranged in parallel. This provides a good internal volume, but the wind resistance of this type of hull is lower than that of hemispheres (which, however, is not critical in conditions of plains and low mountains, where there are no storm winds).

— Shatrovaya. In such a case, one rack is used, located in the middle, and the tent itself has the shape of a pyramid or cone. The advantage of tents is their high height, the disadvantage is the inconvenience due to the presence of a rack inside the living space and poor resistance to wind. This form is quite rare.

— Double. The upper part of such a body is a rib, from which two sides of the awning (slopes) diverge at an angle. To create this shape, two internal supports are usually used at the ends of the tent. This design provides additional water resistance, because. the awning is located at a large angle to the drops falling from above; at the same time, due to the inconvenience created by the...supports located inside, and a number of other features, such tents are very rare.

— Cube. A hull shape found only in fishing tents (see "Intended Use"). Almost all such models are intended for winter use and ice fishing. At the same time, some of them do not have a bottom or are equipped with a hole in the bottom, which allows you to install an awning directly above the hole; others are closed from all sides, including from below, and fishing is supposed to be through the opening. However, among the cubic tents there are also demi-season/summer models, including advanced solutions for carp fishing.

The number of separate sleeping quarters provided in the design of the tent. Note that for models with 1 bedroom, this parameter in our catalog may not be specified at all, but with a larger number of bedrooms, it must be indicated.

In this case, only the main compartments, originally intended for overnight stays and best isolated from the environment, are considered sleeping quarters. Vestibules (see above) are not taken into account in the calculation, even if the size of the vestibule allows organizing an additional bed (s) in it.

Most modern tents have one sleeping area — this allows you to minimize the size and weight, and in most cases does not cause any particular inconvenience. However, there are models that have more "bedrooms"; in some cases, it can reach 4. At the same time, we emphasize that we can talk about separate sleeping areas only when each such zone is separated from the others by a vestibule or at least a solid non-removable wall. But a removable partition (see "Bedroom with a partition") in this case does not turn one sleeping compartment into two (although it does provide some degree of insulation).

Anyway, having several sleeping areas will be useful if people living in a tent need to be separated for one reason or another. For example, inside you can separate the "male" and "female" parts, in order to avoid ambiguous situations — or vice versa, provide married couples with their own...sleeping quarters. There are other options for using tents for more than 1 bedroom — for example, one compartment can be allocated for storage for bulky equipment, or a first-aid post with a separate closed room for examinations and manipulations can be organized.

Number of windowsprovided by the design of the tent. Windows provide the penetration of natural light and relieve you of the need to use additional sources of lighting during daylight hours; in addition, when properly positioned, they allow you to inspect the area without leaving the tent.

— External. The external frame is considered more convenient to set up, especially in the case of double-layer tents (see "Inner tent"), since both the inner tent and the outer awning are put on the frame at once. On the other hand, such a frame is more susceptible to the negative influence of natural conditions and does not allow the inner tent to be set up separately.

— Internal. The internal frame is somewhat more difficult to install than the external one; at the same time, it is less susceptible to the influence of unfavorable external conditions, and in double-layer tents (see "Inner tent") with an internal frame, it is usually possible to install only the inner tent, without an awning.

It should be noted that only tents in the shape of a hemisphere or half-barrel have a classic frame (see "Body shape"); in the case of gable tents, the characteristic "external/internal" refers primarily to the location of the supports, and the term "frame" is not applied at all to tent models.

— Inflatable. In such tents, the role of the frame is played by sealed hollow tubes made of flexible material (rubber or polymers), usually arched. When folded, they can be rolled up quite compactly, and when the tent is set up, they are inflated (usually with a special pump), acquiring the desired shape and sufficient rigidity to support the awning. The advantages of inflatable frames are their...light weight and ease of installation; they usually belong to quick-setup systems (see above for the latter). On the other hand, inflatable elements are very sensitive to damage: a small crack or hole, not critical for an element of a regular frame, disrupts the seal and makes the tent unusable.

— Pop-up. An automatic type of arc frame — it unfolds automatically when the tent is removed from the cover. This type of frame is often used in small budget tents, intended for those who prefer camping, nature trips and music festivals. Such tents are packed in a small round bag, which takes up a minimum of space in a car trunk or among the hand luggage of vacationers.

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.