The Summer of our Discount Tent

My lovely wife and I just bought a new tent for half price at an L. L. Bean outlet. It still cost $275. Lesson one: don't skimp on your tent. It's your home away from home. Big box stores sell tents that leak. That's no bargain. Better materials, good design, no-see-um screens, and heavier construction are worth it.

It's a pretty good sized tent. The floor size is about 9.5 X 9.5 feet. The roof height is tall enough that I can stand up. That's important when trying to get dressed. When figuring out how big a tent your need, take the recommended occupancy and cut it in half. For example, a two person tent only really fits one person. Our six person tent is large enough for us, the dog, and some luggage.

Another thing we like in a tent is an attached screened in area. It's really nice to have a place to set up a couple of chairs on a dreary day. That really helps with the cabin fever if it rains for days on end.

Quite a few people can't get over the fact that my lovely wife enjoys tenting. Part of that is the fact that I've never made her sleep in crappy tents. A good tent is an important element of a good camping trip. If you wake up warm, dry and rested, camping looks pretty good.

-Sixbears