which tent dome or tunnel

[kb1]

hi am novice looking for advice on which is best tunnel or dome tent as not as mobile as used to be which is easier to pitch and which is best for when weather turns bad thanks kb1

[DaveS]

Hi kb1.
So easy to pitch, and weather proof.
I don't think you need to worry about the weather proof side unless you're really looking at the serious weather.
What sort of size are you after? Is this one person pitching or will there be someone to help?
As to the designs then I prefer the dome tents as to me they always appear more stable then the tunnel tent design, but then again my Norfolk Lake is a tunnel tent and being made of Poly Cotton its very secure and would withstand all sorts I think.

[Boris]

Like DaveS says it's horses for courses. With a dome you probably get better wind resistance (although this is as much to do with quality of construction than anything else) especially in changing wind directions but with a tunnel you get a little more room inside for a given pack size as the end walls are vertical.

Pitching wise I wouldn't think there is much in it for a tent of a given size. Generally speaking big tents take many hands and little tents fewer to pitch.

Just to be that little different you could always go for a tipi as you can stand up in them, are great in the wind and a doddle to put up single handed.

Outrunner has just bout a tipi for not very much money at all. see I need to stand up.

[davsato]

i tried a 3 hoop tunnel tent once and couldnt get on with pitching it single handed. dome tents are a lot easier, at least to me. a 2 pole crossover design with another pole holding up a vestibule is probably the universal type these days.
the easiest to put up are the pop-up tents, but not so good in strong winds, the pole is thin and bendy and mine was blown so flat on one windy day you could see the outline of my bag and bike luggage in it! it was pegged down properly and didnt blow away, it just popped up again, but i wouldnt have been very comfy if i was trying to sleep in it. tepee style tents only have one pole up the middle, but seem very expensive to me considering the simple design and manufacture of a flat sided pyramid.

my current abode is a khyam biker, a dome tent with a very large vestibule area for storage or sitting in in the rain. it uses the khyam QE system which means the poles are built into the tent with folding elbows. its not what i call cheap but it is good value. the biker is quite low but there are bigger tents in the range that allow you to stand up in, like the freelander

[windjamma]

Why not try a single pole bell tent. They are easy to put up and look great.
a good place to start looking is canvasandcast.com or albion canvas.
Yurts are also brilliant but are quite hard to move about.

[Mike Wright]

Maybe this may be of help but its only my findings of course. These are the tents I have at the moment and my thoughts about them

Vango Beta 350
Dead easy to put up and lots of room when its raining to sit in the porch area. Only downside is if its very windy its needs to be aimed into the wind. Good on waterproofness with a 2000mm head. Vango service is superb as I broke some inner tent elastics and they posted new ones in 2 days to my door!



MadBear Tipi.

Single skin Tipi with 1 door and masses of room. Takes the longest time to put up but still easy. The masses of guy ropes are a right pain but holds the tipi down firmly. 9 foot tall inside and 4m wide means alot of room. The pole can be taken apart and slides inside each section so a good design. The hat can be removed or opened and I often cook in there when its rough out. Takes alot of warming up due to the vast space inside. Great for sitting around and getting dressed etc. Great fun to use in a strange sort of way...... Putting it up in winds is a nack and the tent needs to be pegged in a few spots first. Doesnt matter which away around of course you face it to the wind as its very stable



Coleman Phad 3

Great lightweight tent and easy to put up in just a few minutes. 4000mm head so very weather proof. Small porch area to shelter in and well made with loads of ventilation. Only downsides are its reall for sleeping and shelter only so no cooking or sit aroudn chatting possible. No windows as well. Very good tent for quick overnight stays and move on. Not really an issue wind wise as its small and doesnt affect it



Hope that helps

[Underpressure]

hi am novice looking for advice on which is best tunnel or dome tent as not as mobile as used to be which is easier to pitch and which is best for when weather turns bad thanks kb1

Have you seen the Karsten Inflatable Tent. Quick and easy to pitch on your own and comes in various sizes, for either single users or a large family. Just peg four corners, inflate air tubes (has no poles) with a 12v tyre compressor from car, sit back and relax, as the two tubes each take 6 minutes to inflate. Tent can tolerate force 12 winds. You can use the pod on its own, which has eight side ropes (two per side), and various awnings are available depending on your needs. They are available in the UK, check out Karsten Tent Club - Inflatable Canvas Hand-Made Dutch Tents for more info. Best wishes, Suzie

[Jenna]

key choice with either tunnel or dome in lightweight tents is is your intended use.

in general terms tunnel tents weigh less as they have less support structure weight... less poles means less less to carry. The flip side is though the poles are key to structural strength and there for if you want a more rigid tent you must choose one with more poles. Easiest way to explain that is a dome is self supporting and requires no pegs unlike a tunnel which must be pegged.

So if your looking to use the tent in conditions where ground is either hard or soft the tunnel tent losses out as you will have problems with pegs, you can use snow/sand anchors in these conditions but they are a pain and take up the weight you save with less poles!!

Another issue to remember with choosing a tunnel more than most other tents is that the flysheet is structurally part of the tent, you physically need to pull the fly tight for the tent to stay up. On cheap tents this a problem as one economy is single row stitching and low quality fabrics with the result being bust or leaky seams very early on.

As a guide try and find reference to 'tension bands'... more of these the more ridged the tent is.

[SMSAlmer]

Easiest way to explain that is a dome is self supporting and requires no pegs unlike a tunnel which must be pegged.

Looking for a tent myself, and this just occurred to me, and we often camp on hard surfaces, or on sandy beaches...not always possible to keep tight guy lines.

What are the options then?

[chris grace]

When I find the ground to hard or too soft I find carrier bags with sand (if on the beach )or tie the guyline round a stick and bury it horizontally all hold quite well.