Pick the right shape tent for your camping fun

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Pick the right shape tent for your camping fun

Getting ready to buy a tent? Ask yourself this question: What shape is your current tent in, and what shape are you looking for in a tent?

There are a multitude of shapes and sizes of tents suitable for one person or an entire family. But basically those tents come down to one of four shapes: an A-Frame tent, an umbrella tent (also called a pyramid shape), a geodesic or "dome" tent, and a wall tent.

For ease of packing and carrying if you hike, you might want an A-Frame or umbrella. The geodesic or dome shaped tents offer ease of setup and more head room generally, but often are heavier to carry and may be unstable, wind tunnels in rough weather.

There are wide varieties of each shape/type of tent, with multiple and built-in poles becoming popular with many of the geodesic or dome tents. This adds to their stability, and may overcome some of the risks in more rugged camping outings.

Nothing lasts forever, and if you've had a faithful tent that's served you and your family well, you might want to repair it and keep it for more years of fun service. But eventually everything wears out, and you may be in the market to buy a new tent -- so what shape tent do you want? Shop around, discuss your decision with your fellow campers, and come to the decision that best suits your tenting/camping plans.

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