In Search of the Perfect Tent

I'm pretty picky when it comes to choosing new touring gear. This is especially true when it comes to tents. There are many different styles, colors and intended uses. The following list includes the most important features that I look for when choosing a new tent:

• Must be tall enough to sit in
• Fly-first pitch, or single wall
• At least one large vestibule
• Equal length poles
• Free standing
• Pole sleeves - not clips
• No bright colors
• Relatively light
• 3/4 season
• Stability

I'll expand on a few of these points. 

A big one for me is the fly-first pitch, or single wall design. The majority of tents have an inner mesh component that either clips to the poles, or has sleeves that the poles can be inserted into. The rain fly then goes over this and attaches at the corners and sometimes to the poles or mesh interior with velcro. This is all fine if it is not raining out. If it is raining, your inner tent is exposed to the rain from the time you start getting the mesh part set up to the time you cover it with the rain fly - the opposite is true when taking the tent down. Tents with sleeves can sometimes be covered with the rain fly first to keep the inner tent dry. This is more difficult on a tent that uses pole clips. On extended tours, setting up and tearing down your tent in the rain is a fact of life, why not make it as easy and dry as possible?

I never saw the appeal of a tent that uses pole clips instead of sleeves. There are may people out there who prefer clips, so like anything else, this is a matter of preference. For me, tents with sleeves are just easier to set up, especially for tents with a two-pole design. Why bother with multiple clips when you can just push a pole into a sleeve? This is also made easier when both poles are the same length - another one of my criteria listed above. The safest way to remove poles from their sleeves is to hold the closed end of the sleeve, and pull the rest of the sleeve toward it, exposing the pole. Pulling the pole out from the exposed end of the sleeve can separate the pole sections and stretch out the elastic inside the pole.

I also prefer free-standing tents. These tents do not have to be pegged down in order to stay upright, which is great when camping on hard, compact soil or rock. Most free-standing tents with vestibules do require the vestibules to be staked out, but in some cases, these can be tied out to a large rock or rocks if hammering stakes into the ground is too difficult. Free-standing tents without vestibules do not require any stakes at all in most conditions.

Lastly - no bright colors. Unfortunately, most quality tents are made for mountaineering, where visibility is very important. These tents are usually bright yellow or orange and can attract attention when you are not staying in campgrounds, either because they are not around, or you prefer to avoid them. In either case, a darker colored tent will blend into the surrounding landscape better and are more likely to go unnoticed by local law enforcement or potentially troublesome locals.

The Exped Auriga Mesh is a great example of a tent that meets all these criteria. Unfortunately it's a little on the heavy side, compared to newer ultralight tents, but it is roomy, durable and available in dark green.