Your Tent Shelter

your-tent-shelter

If you ever need to evacuate or bug-out from your home, and if you are unable to obtain shelter (e.g. your options are limited or shelters are full or unavailable, etc.), then camping gear (a tent) can make a huge difference in your circumstance while temporarily mobile.


 
A tent is your shelter from the elements.

Apart from building your own primitive shelter from available resources, at a minimum you could buy an inexpensive dome tent which are available from major discount stores or online.

A basic low-cost dome tent will do an adequate job when the weather is not severe or very windy – and will keep you dry and reasonably protected.

Specialty back-country and camping stores will also have better tents, more suited for worse weather conditions or longer term use. Different shapes, sizes, and purposes. There are even four-season tents which will hold up under significant wind and snow loads.

Expedition type tents are also available which will hold together under strong wind conditions – although typically are smaller and have little headroom compared with other tents.

After a few seasons in the sun, most synthetic type tents will lose some of their strength and may begin to shred. Consider UV-protection products which can be applied to the tent material to lengthen it’s life in the sun.

There are so many brands, types, and styles of tents out there – each with their own pros and cons based on their intended purposes – that it’s difficult to capture it all in one place. Having said that though, I bring up the subject only to encourage you to give it some thought.

Think about your use-case scenario. Do you need a light-weight tent that you can pack with you on the trail? Or perhaps a heavier tent which would be adequate for the trunk of your vehicle? Big? Small? Short term or long term use?

Some of the types of tents include the ridge tent, dome tent, geodesic tent, instant quick-pitch tent, the large family tent, frame tent, and the tepee…

What are your thoughts or experiences with tents?
Any advice as to what others should look out for?
What are your recommendations for brands, etc.?

12 Comments

  1. I am actually shopping for an expedition tent that is in earth tones (no bright colors to attract bandits while I sleep). I’d love to hear recommendations

    1. Greetings,

      As for suggestions:Check out Colemans Military surplus. They have US & foreign made miltary two man pup tents (OD green). Also, Look up Four Season Tents. Look up Commando II or III tents. Both have plenty of head room and can sleep three. At this time I cannot recall the retailer that I purchased it from. Should cost around $250-$300, though well worth it. I carry one in my BOB back pack as part of my preps. Very light and compact, yet it holds up very well. It is OD green.

  2. When I was in scouting most of us started with canvas pup tents. Heavy. After a few hikes with these most of us switched to a thick sheet of plastic, rope, and those things used to attach shower curtains to the rod. Very versatile.

  3. Look for the small one or two man camouflage tents made for the military. They are very well built and plenty rugged for long term use. In addition to the camo, they usually have blackout capabilities and some models sport a limited IR signature. There are currently plenty of new and unissued tents for sale on various auction sites for very little money. The Eureka TCOP (my favorite), USMC 2-man combat tent, and Catoma stealth bivy are great little tents. These make a perfect “stealth” camping option if you need concealment while “bugging out”. Their heavier duty build makes them a little heavier than normal store bought tents, but will hold up to much more rugged use.

    1. Thanks for pointing that out.

      I definitely prefer to blend in with the surrounding background (as opposed to bright colored tents) so as not to be noticed (or less likely to be).

  4. The tent you have shown has a rain fly that does not go all the way to the ground. Almost all of the cheaper tents are made this way. Trust me, after your first rain storm you will regret not having a full rain fly. It is worth the investment!

    1. I like you statement, “It is worth the investment”.

      I’ve learned through the ‘school of life’ that you generally get what you pay for, and if you want quality, you pay (more) for it. You could look at it as an investment…

  5. OFF TOPIC: This coming Thursday/June 19th is know in The Hood as “Juneteenth”. It is the day that Lincoln freed the Slaves. It is also a day when there are a lot of Black on White violence.

    Don’t depend on the MSM to let you know if there are riots, ect. where you live.

    1. Sure MSM will. But only if it’s a bunch on white republicans killing and eating some innocent black children. All media is biased.

  6. While tents have (and serve) a purpose, as a frequent long-distance backpacker, I have grown fond of the hammock and camo tarp/rain-fly option. Coupled with a USGI bivvy, you have a complete 3-season sleep system that is comfortable, light-weight, and packs down into a much smaller space (compared to a tent, rain fly, stakes, sleeping pad, sleeping bag).

  7. We use Eureka Assault Outfitter 4 season (for the base camp) and the Snugpak Scorpion 3 (for the hike in). Colors are drab green to dark green. Both fine tents at a reasonable price.

  8. Every one in our group has in the least one tent. I myself have a huge tent 12×20 with three rooms and is made of canvas as those tents “like pictured” are not the good for winter or a lot of rain. Granted I pay for this tent because it is heavy and a bit bulky but I believe it to be a better tent for long trips. When buying a tent remember that the “summer” tents will do nothing to keep the cold out. Yes they are light weight and easy to set up but if your planning on using a tent as a shelter insist it better to spend the extra money and get a four season tent with plenty of room to spare for storage? I also have a “Jungle Hammock” that I have in my Bug Out Bag. This hammock is awesome as it has a mosquito netting to keep the bugs out. This is a true emergency shelter and I have used this jungle Hammock for almost 20 years and still is in great shape.. I do recommend that a tarp be put under your tent to protect it from sticks or anything sharp from puncturing a hole in the floor.

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