Tent Features and Accessories

When choosing a tent you need to decide what features you need. Here is a list of common tent features and accessories.

Single Wall tents use a solid fabric layer over the entire tent. These tents often include a zipper window, mesh door, and/or vents. These tents can be used without a rain cover in good weather and still offer some privacy. Single wall tents often collect condensation inside. Many old-school A-frame tents are single wall with optional rain cover. In fair weather you can pack the tent and leave the rain cover to reduce. If the fabric is sealed and water treated then it can withstand light rain without the rain cover.

Double Wall tents have mesh over much of the tent and the rain cover provides protection against wind and rain. Using the mesh tent along can be nice for warm, summer camping. With a double wall tent you almost always use the rain cover. Double wall tents provide more airflow which reduces the amount of condensation inside the tent. Almost all dome tents use double-wall construction.

A Vestibule is an area or enclosure attached to the tent entrance. Some tents have an integrated vestibule on the rain cover. Larger tents, such as outfitter tents, can have optional vestibules that attach to the entryway and the vestibule resembles a smaller tent. Vestibules can be used for added space, for storing gear, as a dining area (on outfitter tents), etc.

A Footprint is an additional layer used below the tent. The footprint protects the floor of the tent. When the footprint wears you can replace it without having to replace the entire tent.

A Floor Liner is used on top of the floor of outfitter and larger tents. If you are expecting heavy traffic then a floor liner can help preserve your tent. You may spend $100 for a replaceable floor liner that goes in your $1200 outfitter tent.

A Wood Stove can often be added to the outfitter tents. These tents normally have a stove jack, or hole in the roof, for the stove pipe. These tents normally have a zippered area in the floor to expose the ground. This way the heavy stove can be in contact with the ground rather than punch holes through the floor of the tent.

A Roof Protector provides added protection around the stove jack in the roof.