Choosing a Tent

The tent is considered an essential piece of backpacking gear.  Some trails in Georgia such as the Appalachian may afford you prebuilt shelters, and you may even prefer to sleep under the stars.  However, a tent is necessary though to protect you from crowded shelters, insects, and unexpected weather.  Tents have come a long way from their large canvas ancestors that were reluctantly lugged into the wilderness.  Todays tents are lighter, drier, and stronger than they used to be which makes them much more practical for strapping to your back.  There's a myriad of models and options to choose from when purchasing a tent; this guide is to help you sort through the process.

What are your needs?
The first question to ask yourself when choosing your tent is whether or not it will meet your backpacking needs.  You have a few broad categories to choose from depending on how you intend to use the tent.

Summer Tent / Screen Tent - In the golden days of backpacking if you wanted to see the stars, you had to sleep with the insects.  The modern summer tent is made almost completely of netting with a light rainfly.  These tents excel at ventilation and weight.  However, they won't hold off strong storms or cold temperatures very well.  

Three season - This tent category has always been and continues to be the most popular.  These tents are designed to perform in the seasons in which most of us like to go backpacking, Spring through Fall.  They are strong and warm enough to handle a little unexpected snowfall, but offer enough ventilation so that they don't become a sauna in the summer.  They are typically supported by two or three poles and some models can even be used for light winter camping.  In Georgia, a three season tent will likely serve you year round without a problem.

Convertible - These tents function both as three season and winter shelters.  They offer large fabric panels that can be zipped open for stargazing or closed to trap heat and seal out the elements.  They typically are slightly heavier than their three season counterparts, and usually have a couple more poles for added rigidity.  You'll also find more guy out points to stabilize the tent in inclement weather as well as a full coverage rainfly.  Because of this, convertible tents usually take longer to set up, but offer more stability and better protection from the elements.

Four Season - These tents, also known as four season tents are built to take a beating.  They are costly in money and sweat.  Not only are they more expensive, but they weigh significantly more and are bulkier when packed and so require more effort to carry.  They are designed for harsh conditions and offer little ventilation when compared to their counterparts.  They usually sport 4 or more poles and numerous guy out points for stability in snowfall or high winds.  The fabric is thick and heavy.  Some tents of this type use a single waterproof breathable wall instead of the more common double wall construction.  While this saves weight, it can add cost because of the special fabric used.