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I'm planning to have an overnight camping with a bunch of my friends, any camping tent recommendation or other outdoor tips for me based on your own experience?

Thank you.

Where and when do you plan to go camping and how do you get to the camp site? To illustrate with two extremes: an overnight trip where you camp close to a road in a warm and dry place is rather different than camping in a wet and cold forest with a long hike to the site.

rgg wrote:Where and when do you plan to go camping and how do you get to the camp site? To illustrate with two extremes: an overnight trip where you camp close to a road in a warm and dry place is rather different than camping in a wet and cold forest with a long hike to the site.

Thank you , I'm planing go to the beach with my friends, and we're planing to cook there, we have bought some BBQ equipment and food, also we bring the sleeping mat. Anything else I should pay attention to?

I'm guessing that you won't have to carry your stuff very far. If that's indeed the case, you don't need a very expensive light weight tent; if you have to buy one for this trip, a cheap one from Walmart or similar will do.

Mind you, in my collection of tents the cheap one from Walmart suffered a little from seepage along the seems even when it was new. Not a big deal, I just kept my stuff away from the walls of the tent, and that was enough to stay dry in a thunderstorm. It's 15 years old now, and only useful when it's practically dry.

If you plan on using your tent more often, and perhaps hike with it, things like low weight and the ability to withstand a serious downpour will become more important. But then you're looking at prices starting around $300 just for a two person tent. To give just one example of an excellent one for this purpose: the Vaude Hogan Ultralight. That's the one I bought just over 10 years ago and I'm still using it. But you write 'friends', meaning that there will be at least three of you and then this one would be too small. Nevertheless, it illustrates the price difference between a cheap tent and a high quality one.

Beach? In Ohio?

For most readers of this site, *the* critical issue for tents is size and weight - if you have to carry it uphill ten miles every day, you'll understand.

If you're just carrying it from your pickup truck to the back of the campsite, then the bigger the better. Get something you can stand up in, have room inside for a game of poker on rainy days, etc.

How big is your group? The problem with having one big tent is that you'll have everybody snoring right next to each other, or some trying to sleep while others drink loudly in the vestibule. Consider a tarp or a big portable gazebo (ideally, with mosquito screen) to shelter the picnic table for eating, drinking, games, etc; then scatter smaller tents around the site for sleeping.

don't make me call shenanigans. because i will.

bscott wrote:don't make me call shenanigans. because i will.

Just a camping beginner came across this forum and trying to get some suggestion.

rgg wrote:I'm guessing that you won't have to carry your stuff very far. If that's indeed the case, you don't need a very expensive light weight tent; if you have to buy one for this trip, a cheap one from Walmart or similar will do.

Mind you, in my collection of tents the cheap one from Walmart suffered a little from seepage along the seems even when it was new. Not a big deal, I just kept my stuff away from the walls of the tent, and that was enough to stay dry in a thunderstorm. It's 15 years old now, and only useful when it's practically dry.

If you plan on using your tent more often, and perhaps hike with it, things like low weight and the ability to withstand a serious downpour will become more important. But then you're looking at prices starting around $300 just for a two person tent. To give just one example of an excellent one for this purpose: the Vaude Hogan Ultralight. That's the one I bought just over 10 years ago and I'm still using it. But you write 'friends', meaning that there will be at least three of you and then this one would be too small. Nevertheless, it illustrates the price difference between a cheap tent and a high quality one.

Thank you for your advice, I checked the tent and will consider it! I think buying a durable tent will be good since i think we may go camping or hiking more

nartreb wrote:Beach? In Ohio?

For most readers of this site, *the* critical issue for tents is size and weight - if you have to carry it uphill ten miles every day, you'll understand.

If you're just carrying it from your pickup truck to the back of the campsite, then the bigger the better. Get something you can stand up in, have room inside for a game of poker on rainy days, etc.

How big is your group? The problem with having one big tent is that you'll have everybody snoring right next to each other, or some trying to sleep while others drink loudly in the vestibule. Consider a tarp or a big portable gazebo (ideally, with mosquito screen) to shelter the picnic table for eating, drinking, games, etc; then scatter smaller tents around the site for sleeping.

Nah, not in Ohio. 3-5 friends now in the plan, and we think about chatting and playing games at night, so maybe no sleep. lol. But we'll see Thank you for your advice

Besides the tent, make sure you take warm clothes like hoody/sweater and extra socks, in case if it's cold at night. Good luck!