Gear Up:
Fall camping offers outdoor enthusiasts advantages over other seasons of the year. However, sleeping under the autumn sky requires different considerations than other times of the year. One, in particular, is the type of tent you bring along for the adventure. As with most camping trips, your tent will be the most important item you bring, so here are three things to look for when picking out your outdoor shelter.
Off the Ground
Fall weather offers beautiful foliage and scenery, but it also provides finicky weather that can quickly turn on you. An off-the-ground tent not only protects you in the event of rain, it also prevents moisture from seeping into your tent from beneath you like it would if you were on the ground. Besides the added comfort you get from being off the ground, this type of tent can also give you more options when selecting a spot to set up your tent. If, for instance, it rained the night before you arrived to the campsite, you won’t have to worry about the grounds being too muddy to set up shop.
Ease of Setting Up
Speaking of the weather, there is typically less sunlight during the fall. This can place time restrictions with regards to when and where you decide to set up your camping site. If you arrive to your campground after the sun has set, the last thing you’ll want to do in the dark is fumble through complicated instructions in order to set up your tent. Ditto if there’s bad weather. A tent like one from our Tri-Fold Series, which easily folds out into its shape in just a couple of steps, will save your potential pain and stress when setting up or taking down your campsite.
Durable Materials
Once more, the weather plays a big role here. Damper conditions mean you’ll want to pick a tent made with durable materials—not that you normally wouldn’t, but it’s all the more important with fall camping. That includes choosing a tent with aluminum poles over fiberglass poles, which are fragile and more likely to break, and heavy-duty zippers that are corrosion-resistant, making them more likely to hold up to frequent use.
Camping during the fall can and should be an unforgettable experience, but not for the wrong reasons. By paying mind to these three tips when picking a tent to bring, you’ll be better prepared and more likely to make it an enjoyable experience.