How to Buy a Tent

Alex Burrell from Tentworld suggests shopping around and doing some research before you buy so you’re not stymied by false promises.

‘The tent is key. You need to be able to stand up in it and it needs to be simple to pitch and disassemble. There’s a fair bit of misinformation with how many a tent can sleep. The packaging may say six to eight but it may only sleep four comfortably.’

Visit stores that have tents on display rather than just in the box. ‘It’s best to be able to size it up yourself and get real-time advice from staff,’ Alex says.

Justin Kerley of Kangaroo Tent City (www.kangarootentcity.com.au) says the camping trend is still on the rise. ‘Flights for a family of four or more can become costly. We’ve had reports of camping and caravan parks having higher numbers of kids, and we’ve seen a growth in sales of larger tents.’