Unfortunately there is no single best answer to your question.
different folks like different kinds of tents and different tents match different types of climate; better or worse.
One source of cheap chinese gear is Walmart. they are a bit infamous for their (lack of) quality, however.
Are you looking to go backpack camping (where extreme light weight is a basic requirement)?
...or are you wanting to go vehicle camping where heavier weight tents predominate?
Are you looking to camp alone or to bring another/others; how many?
Are you wanting a tent with large vent/screened areas (for southern temperatures) and bug resistance.
For beginner campers; I usually suggest asking relatives and acquaintances if they have an old tent that you can try... there is a lot of camping gear out there that has only been used once or twice and some of it is very high quality and can be had for the asking, or very reasonably.
Always do a backyard setup to figure out how best to put the tent up; while/where there is no stress or time constraint and you can easily get help. pay special attention to how the tent is packed and try to pack it the same way after breaking it down.
Never pack up a damp tent; they will mildew.
Amazon and REi are good places to look/shop to get information, and to try and narrow down a the field to a tent that you can be happy with. REI is quite expensive but a fair source of information.
End or beginning of the season sales can be a way to save money but be careful (have what you want in mind before you put your money down ... don't expect a tent with larged screened vent areas to be rain resistant.
Try to get a tent with a rain fly, IMO it helps leak resistance... the more of the tent coverd by the rain fly the better, IMO.
Taped seams also help leak resistance, figure on treating/sealing the seams in any case.
Figure out the number of people and pets and double or triple that number (most tents are rated for 'way more people than they can comfortably hold.
Crawling into or out of a tent is only for young people, IMO.
For ease of set up I prefer a simple dome style tent on quick weekend trips.. My 9 foot by 9 foot dome will comfortably hold 2 people and a dog, (not 6) .
It has a "bathtub" floor to help repel water (but is a slight trip hazard when entering and leaving).
The partial rain fly is OK for light showers but the tent walls get wet in downpours or from blown rain.
Anything that touches the wall when it is wet can break the surface tension of the water and cause a leak until the cloth is dried completely out.
Tall people will have to hunch over in a tent that is too low; this dome has a 6 foot interior height which is barely enough for me, in the exact center (it makes a difference if you are stuck in the tent by rain/snow).
Hope it helps...
Enjoy!
different folks like different kinds of tents and different tents match different types of climate; better or worse.
One source of cheap chinese gear is Walmart. they are a bit infamous for their (lack of) quality, however.
Are you looking to go backpack camping (where extreme light weight is a basic requirement)?
...or are you wanting to go vehicle camping where heavier weight tents predominate?
Are you looking to camp alone or to bring another/others; how many?
Are you wanting a tent with large vent/screened areas (for southern temperatures) and bug resistance.
For beginner campers; I usually suggest asking relatives and acquaintances if they have an old tent that you can try... there is a lot of camping gear out there that has only been used once or twice and some of it is very high quality and can be had for the asking, or very reasonably.
Always do a backyard setup to figure out how best to put the tent up; while/where there is no stress or time constraint and you can easily get help. pay special attention to how the tent is packed and try to pack it the same way after breaking it down.
Never pack up a damp tent; they will mildew.
Amazon and REi are good places to look/shop to get information, and to try and narrow down a the field to a tent that you can be happy with. REI is quite expensive but a fair source of information.
End or beginning of the season sales can be a way to save money but be careful (have what you want in mind before you put your money down ... don't expect a tent with larged screened vent areas to be rain resistant.
Try to get a tent with a rain fly, IMO it helps leak resistance... the more of the tent coverd by the rain fly the better, IMO.
Taped seams also help leak resistance, figure on treating/sealing the seams in any case.
Figure out the number of people and pets and double or triple that number (most tents are rated for 'way more people than they can comfortably hold.
Crawling into or out of a tent is only for young people, IMO.
For ease of set up I prefer a simple dome style tent on quick weekend trips.. My 9 foot by 9 foot dome will comfortably hold 2 people and a dog, (not 6) .
It has a "bathtub" floor to help repel water (but is a slight trip hazard when entering and leaving).
The partial rain fly is OK for light showers but the tent walls get wet in downpours or from blown rain.
Anything that touches the wall when it is wet can break the surface tension of the water and cause a leak until the cloth is dried completely out.
Tall people will have to hunch over in a tent that is too low; this dome has a 6 foot interior height which is barely enough for me, in the exact center (it makes a difference if you are stuck in the tent by rain/snow).
Hope it helps...
Enjoy!
