Tents

What should I look for when buying a tent?

Ultimately, choosing the right tent is a balancing act between four factors:

• Capacity – How many people are going to sleep in it?
• Construction – Will it be able to cope with the expected conditions?
• Weight – Will you be able to fit and carry it in your backpack?
• Liveability – Do you want more interior space/ access and how easy is the set-up?

Should I get a 4 or 6 person tent?

When choosing your tent, base your decision on the size of your party and on whether you might need extra space for gear etc. Bear in mind that there is no defined industry standard when it comes to per-person tent capacity. Tents are generally designed for a close fit. If you want more space, go large.

What is a good waterproof rating for a tent?

Tent fabrics are described by their waterproof rating and coating. A fabric’s waterproof rating denotes how much water can be sustained on top of the coated fabric – called the hydrostatic head or water column.

Some manufacturers consider 800 mm as waterproof. Most good-quality tents start at around 1,500 mm. A hydrostatic head/ water column of 2,000 mm will cover most European rain conditions in all seasons.

For each SALEWA tent, we select the right ideal level of waterproofing. Take for example our Litetrek III – it has a tear-resistant 50D ripstop PU-coated polyester flysheet with a 3,000 mm water column, while the floor is made of robust PU-coated 70D ripstop nylon that gives a 5,000 mm water column,

Coating a fabric in polyurethane or silicone is the most common way to make tent fabrics waterproof. A DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatment is applied to the exterior of the fabric and causes water to bead and roll off, helping to prevent it saturating the material.

Tent floor fabrics generally have a higher waterproof rating than fly sheets as tent floors have to cope with the abrasion associated with sleeping in an outdoor environment.

Which shape of tent is best for you?

This will depend on how much space you want and how important it is to you to be able to stand up in your tent. Larger tents like our Alpine Lodge offer superior strength, yet stand tall in the centre, especially in the large front vestibule

What is the best colour for a tent?

Lighter, brighter colours let more light in. This makes a tent feel more spacious and a nicer play to stay.

How do you know if a tent is any good?

A good bet is to check the poles: high-quality tents have high-strength, low-weight aluminium poles. Strong tents have strong poles and, you got it, strong fabrics. SALEWA tents combine them both in sturdy, wind-tunnel tested designs.