This weekend we tried out the Eureka Copper Canyon 6 Person Tent.  I was really impressed at the overall quality of the tent.  Eureka put in some extra small features that will go a long way towards making the tent last longer.

It is difficult sometimes to compare tents on price alone because often times someone can cut corners in small ways that lead to a sub standard tent.  Some of the things I liked about the Eureka tent were how the keys fit into the bottom of the poles.

At the end of each of the poles Eureka inserted a plastic part that had a tiny hole just the size of the key to insert.  This helped to prevent the pole or key from getting torn up and securely fastened the tent to the metal frame.

Another feature I noticed was that all the seams were sealed and it looked like some sort of tape or adhesive was used to make sure you wouldn’t have any leaks.

The fly over the top also had a clear part to let sunlight shine in.  I really liked this feature and it would be awesome under a starry night.

I also found the square tent to be much easier to setup.  One of the hardest parts can actually be raising the tent.  With this tent I was able to put the top poles in place and then one by one raise the tent with the side poles.  It made it very easy to put up and tear down the tent by myself.

I highly recommend this tent for durability and ease of use.

Canoeing is a great activity. If your kids are a little younger it can be kind of difficult to keep them entertained without tipping over the boat. Typically, younger children have difficulty rowing and you’ll want to keep them occupied so they don’t turn into a trip hazard. Some good ideas include games such as I-Spy. Along the banks of most rivers are ducks, geese, turtles and if you live in the South maybe a crocodile or two. Yikes! If you live in Cleveland you might find some trash like an old soda vending machine. Yes, sad but true. Kids love it and find it interesting. Take the time to enjoy the scenery and try to get up close to the different items.

If you have enough adults it can also be fun to take two canoes. You can tie them together or have mini-races on different stretches along the way. Kids love the excitement of racing against their sibling.

Be sure to have everyone wear a safety vest because you never know when an accident could happen.

If you’re like me you enjoy mountain biking, but probably spend a fair amount of time riding your bike on pavement as well. Hybrid bikes are designed for just that purpose. These bikes are designed to handle the mountain as well as the potholes. Often the tires on these bikes are not as knobby and are flatter. They don’t produce quite as much hum when rolling over pavement. They still offer good traction on the hills. If you really need some more traction you can always change out your tires. They can also be lighter in weight which makes it easier to go a little faster on the pavement.

Most younger people typically do not use trekking poles. As we get a little older it may become a very useful tool. Age brings with it change in our bodies that can make it difficult to enjoy activities. Trekking poles add support after surgery. Using Trekking Poles helps distribute weight evenly and absorbs added shock to your knees and back when traveling different terrain. Probably not as necessary for a flat trail, but good for diverse trails.

Some of the newer poles are not just a solid shaft. These poles actually have built in springs to help cushion the load. Particularly helpful for those with hip problems as well.

I’ve seen a recent spike in Geocache activity. Even though I’ve been skiing all winter I think some people are getting out to avoid all of this cabin fever. My travel bugs have been moving around like crazy. Speaking of travel bugs, do you have a favorite travel bug? Personally, I like sending off action figures. They seem to have a great spirit of adventure. More specifically, I like sending the little Star Wars cartoon like action figures to go out and find their way in the world. I’m also looking for a good game to play with my travel bugs. I had a good destination but then the store went out of business. Anyone have a good idea for a place to send a travel bug?

Now that Spring is here, do you have a favorite place to camp in the spring? One of the tricky things about spring camping is that sometimes the ground can be wet from all the snow melting. If you have a favorite spot you can comment with the latitude and longitude coordinates. That way others can find it or maybe you could leave a geocache spot there.

Good video review showing some of the uses of the REI Half Dome 2 Tent. Not only a good review, but shows how to use the different features of the tent.

Been shopping for a new camping tent? Wonder what 3-season or 4-season means? Confused about what a family tent or convertible tent classification means? Let’s try to cut through all the marketing lingo and get down to what you should really look for when you see camping tent ratings or classifications.

When you get right down to it, you should think of a camping tent as either 3-season or 4-season. So what’s in a name?

Generally speaking your average 3-season tent is built to hold up well in light to moderate weather conditions. They are built to be comfortable in Spring, Summer and Fall in most any location, hence the name 3-season.

Three-season tents are generally more affordable than 4-season. You will find a vast range of 3-season tent quality from the cheap units found in big retail stores to expensive models found in specialty camping stores.

The downside of 3-season tents? These tents do not hold up well in high winds, torrential rain and heavy snowfall. 3-season tents are generally not the tent of choice for backcountry expeditions through Alaska in January.

The best 3-season tents generally come with a waterproof rain fly and a breathable canopy. Ideally you want to find a three season tent with a waterproof floor. The rugged “bathtub” floor is generally reserved for the more expensive four season tent (but not always).

Four season tents are great for just about any weather condition that you may encounter, assuming its winter. The 4-season rating really should be classified as 1-season. Why? Because a quality 4-season tent performs great in winter conditions but may suffer from over-insulation in the summer months.

Structurally 4-season tents generally have at least four aluminum poles for strength (the more the better) to withstand sleet and snow. They are aerodynamic in design and typically they are dark colored in order to absorb heat. And they are generally much lighter.

The roof lines on four season tents are fully defined and very strong so water and snow cannot collect on top of the tent. Most four season tents can be utilized free standing in the event there is no place to pound stakes into the ground such as on the side of a mountain or in frozen terrain.

Four season tents have a fully encompassing rainfly to combat the elements. They also have excellent waterproof floors that are called “bathtubs” as they come up to about six inches on the side of the tent. Additionaly the seams are very hardy and strong throughout the tent.

The downside to the 4-season tent? Price. You can end up paying a hefty sum for the technology built in to keep you protected.

Also, as I alluded to above, if you are camping in the middle of summer you will want air movement through your tent to keep things cooler. 4-season tents are generally made to inhibit the elements from cutting through the camping tent, which is great in the winter and not so great in balmy summer.

So where does a family tent fit into these ratings? A family tent is simply a 3-season tent.

What’s going on with a convertible 3-4 season tent? This kind of tent generally has some sort of built in airflow ventilator. I would not take this type tent into the backcountry where survival was important. If the ventilator malfunctioned and it would not close, you could become an unhappy camper pretty fast.

Bottom line: The 3-season tent is the recommended choice for the majority of campers. It is the most cost effective tent and will allow the user to camp in a variety of conditions up to, but not including, severe winter weather conditions.

If you camp from Spring, Summer and Fall, a 3-season camping tent will fill your needs. If you camp where severe winter weather is possible then you should be getting a 4-season camping tent.

About the Author
A father of two daughters, Chris loves the outdoors and counts camping, skiing and bicycling as his favorite pursuits. Chris is the owner of http://www.camping-tent-guide.com, a website for camping tent information, camping tips and outdoor adventure discussion.

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=18546&ca=Recreation

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