Comparison High Peak Albany 4 vs RedPoint Tavrika 4

The total weight of the tent is including the frame and other accessories.

This parameter depends primarily on the purpose (see above), and after that — on seasonality, capacity, and additional functions. For example, in trekking and expedition models, the weight usually does not exceed 5 – 7.5 kg, and the lightest of these products can weigh 2 – 3 kg or even less, while being full-fledged tents for 2 people or even more. However, for a trekking tent, such a small weight with a capacity of more than 2 people usually means that this model is designed exclusively for the summer. For most camping tents, the weight starts at 6 kg, although among them there are also quite light products — by 4 – 5 kg, 3 – 4 kg, or even less (in such cases, light weight can also mean a purely summer specialization). And the most capacious and/or multifunctional models can have a weight of 10 – 15 kg, 15 – 20 kg and even more; in this weight category, you can mainly find tents, camping tents for many people and fishing tents for carp fishing (see "Destination").

When choosing a tent according to this indicator, it is worth considering that it does not always make sense to chase the maximum weight reduction. Yes, the...light tent is the most convenient to carry; on the other hand, weight reduction inevitably affects one or several other characteristics at once. So, most often, lighter models are either more expensive or smaller in size and less roomy and functional than their heavier counterparts. And sometimes weight reduction also negatively affects the security (including moisture resistance) and the overall reliability of the product. Therefore, it makes sense to specifically look for the lightest tent possible in cases where weight reduction is of key importance; a typical example is long trips, in which all the equipment has to be carried “on oneself” for a long time. And even in such cases, it is worth remembering other important characteristics. For example, for use in late autumn, when frosts are likely, it is better to choose a heavier tent with winter seasonality than a light model that is not designed for winter conditions.

A canopy is mainly used for camping tents, much less often for trekking tents, as well as separate tents and fishing tents (see "Purpose")

The canopy is a kind of "roof" over the entrance to the tent. In most models, the role of such a “roof” is played by the same part of the canopy that is used to tightly close the entrance: to turn it into a canopy, this part must be raised to a horizontal position and two complete supports should be installed under the free edge. The main function of the canopy is additional protection from the sun and rain while the entrance to the tent is open; but its design and features of application may be different. So, this feature is most popular in camping tents (see "Purpose"); in such models, the height of the canopy may exceed the height of an adult. In turn, in trekking models, the canopy is often supplemented with fabric “walls” on the sides, which significantly improves protection from rain and other precipitation. In turn, fishing tents with this element of equipment are carp fishing models, and the canopy is installed directly at the time of fishing.

The number of separate sleeping quarters provided in the design of the tent. Note that for models with 1 bedroom, this parameter in our catalog may not be specified at all, but with a larger number of bedrooms, it must be indicated.

In this case, only the main compartments, originally intended for overnight stays and best isolated from the environment, are considered sleeping quarters. Vestibules (see above) are not taken into account in the calculation, even if the size of the vestibule allows organizing an additional bed (s) in it.

Most modern tents have one sleeping area — this allows you to minimize the size and weight, and in most cases does not cause any particular inconvenience. However, there are models that have more "bedrooms"; in some cases, it can reach 4. At the same time, we emphasize that we can talk about separate sleeping areas only when each such zone is separated from the others by a vestibule or at least a solid non-removable wall. But a removable partition (see "Bedroom with a partition") in this case does not turn one sleeping compartment into two (although it does provide some degree of insulation).

Anyway, having several sleeping areas will be useful if people living in a tent need to be separated for one reason or another. For example, inside you can separate the "male" and "female" parts, in order to avoid ambiguous situations — or vice versa, provide married couples with their own...sleeping quarters. There are other options for using tents for more than 1 bedroom — for example, one compartment can be allocated for storage for bulky equipment, or a first-aid post with a separate closed room for examinations and manipulations can be organized.

Both the rigidity of the frame and the reliability and durability of the tent itself depend on the thickness of the arcs. Usually, the larger and more capacious the tent, the thicker the arches are needed for the frame. Arcs made of plastic and fibreglass most often have a thickness of 7 to 13 mm, while steel and aluminium — from 5 to 16 mm. With an increase in the section of the arcs, the weight of the tent in the folded state also increases.

The material from which the frame of the tent (arc) is made. The main requirements for arcs are strength, resistance to deformation (elasticity) and low weight. Modern tents use several materials with different ratios of these parameters.

— Aluminium. A fairly common material: it has good strength characteristics and low weight, but it is relatively inexpensive. At the same time, aluminium is prone to deformation under long-term stress (although this is usually not critical even when parking for several days).

— Fibreglass. Composite material based on a combination of fibreglass and plastic. The main advantage of fibreglass is resistance to deformation: even under prolonged loads, the arcs do not lose their shape. In addition, this material is cheap and light in weight (although somewhat heavier than aluminium). The disadvantage of fibreglass is its sensitivity to low temperatures, which limits its use in winter conditions and at high mountains. However, most people use tents in the warm season, and therefore fibreglass has recently gained considerable popularity.

— Steel. Steel is the most durable of the described materials, in addition, it holds loads well, almost without deforming. At the same time, steel arcs have a significant weight, and therefore they are rarely used in tents.

— Durapol. A composite material that has appe...ared relatively recently and is positioned as a more advanced alternative to fibreglass. Durapol has a "puff" design: the outer layer is made of special polymer resins, metal foil is located under it, a synthetic mesh is located under it, and, finally, a layer of fibreglass. According to the creators, arcs made of this material are more durable and resistant to fracture than fibreglass, better tolerate low and high temperatures, as well as ultraviolet radiation, are less susceptible to residual deformations and have less weight.

An indicator that reflects the ability of the tent awning to withstand moisture without getting wet. It is expressed in millimetres of water column — the height of the water column that the awning can withstand (the area of impact is out of the question, because the load per unit area under water depends only on the height of the water column and is not related to the area of \u200b\u200bits base). The significant figures indicated in the characteristics (for example, 4000 mm of water column, i.e. 4 metres) are due to the fact that raindrops can have a significant speed and, when they hit the tent, create a load at the point of impact comparable to the pressure on depth of several metres.

In general, the higher the waterproof rating, the better the awning will cope with the effects of rain and snow. Indicators up to 3000 mm w.c. Art. are considered sufficient for places where it rains rarely, awnings for 3000 – 7000 mm of water. Art. allow you not to be afraid of intense downpours, and in expeditionary (see "Destination") tents designed for extreme conditions, this figure can reach 10,000 mm of water. Art. and even more. However, more water-resistant fabrics, usually, have a significant weight, so in each individual case it makes sense to choose the option that is optimal in terms of durability and weight.

— Polyester. Synthetic material with good durability and waterproof performance. In addition, it is resistant to adverse effects (does not lose strength when wet, exposed to acidic and alkaline environments, temperature changes).

— Nylon. In general, the characteristics of nylon are somewhat lower than those of polyester: it tends to stretch when wet and is generally less resistant to adverse effects. At the same time, given that most owners use tents in relatively simple conditions, these points are not critical; in addition, some manufacturers use a special treatment to improve the durability of nylon.

— Polyethylene. This material is mainly used in inexpensive models of camping tents (see "Purpose") — this is primarily due to its significant weight. For other characteristics, it does not have key differences from other materials.

— Polyamide. The general name for a class of fabrics, which includes, in particular, nylon and nylon. Some manufacturers use this term for marketing purposes: "polyamide" sounds more solid than "nylon", although these materials practically do not differ in characteristics and are used in the same way — mainly in inexpensive models.

The corners of the tent are one of the "critical" places: in the unfolded state, they have almost the greatest stress, and the fabric in this place can be torn. To avoid this, many tents are equipped with reinforced corners. In this case, strength can be increased due to multi-layer sewing, special fabric or additional firmware.