Northwest Territory Tents and Camping Gear

Easy Assembly Instructions For An Ozark Trail Tent

2009-08-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a dome style tent that carries a affordable price tag, Ozark Trail Tents offers high quality affordable tents. The standard materials that are used on the Ozark Trail dome tents are fiberglass poles with stainless steel or aluminum grommets, reinforced corners, waterproof floors and a rainfly that is removable. These dome tents are designed to fit two, four, or even six people plus camping gear comfortably.s you can see, the Ozark Trail tent line has a model to fit many different camping needs. The assembly time for an Ozark Trail dome tent can be completed in as little as 5 to 10 minutes and appears to be rather simple.

1. The first step is to unpack the Ozark Trail dome tent and arrange each bundle of pieces in a separate area. Check to ensure that you have all of the poles and stakes as well as the rainfly. I suggest unrolling the tent on the area in which it will be pitched so that you don't have to drag the tent over the ground to place it where you want it.

2. The next step is to pound the stakes into the cloth loops that are located at each corner and middle of each side of the Ozark Trail dome tent. To assemble the fiberglass poles, simply snap each section into the metal endcaps. Your tent should come with two poles of similar length, a very long pole, and a shorter pole.

3. Subsequently, you are going to slide one of the similar length poles into the line of loops that cut diagonally across the top of the Ozark Trail dome tent. Now repeat that step with the other pole across the loops that cut diagonally across the tent. Slide the long pole into the loops going around the front door and snap the ends securely into the grommets that are positioned on the underside of the dome tent.

4. The final step is to fix the rainfly to your Ozark Trail tent. To do this, in basic terms slide the short fiberglass pole through the sleeve on the door. The pole will bend and give the door its circular shape. Toss the rainfly on top of the tent and bring together each of the four corners to the correspondent corner of the tent.

As you may have already concluded from the previously mentioned directions, an Ozark Trail tent is easy to assemble and is thought of to be an inexpensive beginners camping tent. I do have a few tips to leave you with regarding the set up of your tent; have someone else help you hold the poles while you lift parts of the tent or put the rainfly over the tent. This part of assembly can be a tad bit difficult to do by yourself. Also, be careful not to use too much force when bending the poles as they can break.

It is of my opinion and the opinion of many other campers that this Ozark Trail tent will serve you well on your back country adventures.

Are You Having Trouble Getting Your Family Interested in Your Next Camping Trip?

2009-07-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

Your issues will come to a screeching halt when you purchase the Family Camping Guide as it has tons of great suggestions for your very own family camping excusion.

In this day and age with cell phones and computer use being at an all time high, it can be rather challenging to sway your family that they will truly take pleasure in a camping expedition to get back to nature. That is exactly why David Lanford developed the Family Camping Guide, to give you a huge resource on planning a family camping trip that everybody involved will get excited about. No more hearing the kids moan at the mention of getting back to nature and doing without their games, computers, or cell phones. Gone will be the complaints from the wife(or husband) about not having that hot shower in the morning.

If you are anything like me, then you grew up camping and find great solace in nature, and go through withdrawals without your fill of the great outdoors. Honestly, if I am not able to get into the mountains and get dirty at least once a month, I feel as if a part of me will not be able to rest until I am climbing through the brush trying to reach the summit of a mountain. Of course here in Oregon I can usually see the ocean from said peak, which makes it all the more awe-inspiring. But, I digress, we were talking about getting the family interested in sharing your interest in camping, and this Family Camping Guide is just the ticket for accomplishing this task.

There are some fantastic bonuses that are included in the price of the Family Camping Guide These bonuses alone are worth the price of the guide itself, they will show you great recipes for your camping adventure, tips for traveling on a budget, and how to plan and be totally prepared for your next family camping trip. The smart consumer will find that a camping vacation is actually one of the least expensive ways to vacation as a family, not to mention how camping can bring a family together like no other adventure I know. So check out The Family Camping Guide and have a great family camping trip!

One Man's Experience with Camping

2009-07-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my series on the joys of family camping. In this series I’ll draw on my own camping experiences to help you learn why I think that camping is a terrific family experience. My family started camping when I was a young teen and in the almost 40 years since then, I’ve had some great family experiences while camping. In the process, I’ll turn you on to some great places to camp and help you make a list of the camping gear you’ll need.

One of my favorite parts of camping is the chance to experience nature in a totally new way. The first example of this in my life was on our very first family camping trip. It was the summer of 1969 and my father decided that we would try camping for our summer vacation. Dad decided we were going to visit Assateague Island National Seashore and see the wild ponies. Imagine how special it was for my brother, sister and I (aged 4, 10 and 13 respectively) to see those ponies running around in nature. Yes, we could have stayed at a motel and driven to see the ponies, but it just wouldn’t have been the same as waking up, getting out of our camping tent, packing our picnic basket and then walking to where we could check out the ponies. It felt to me like we were part of the ponies’ world rather than intruders into their environment.

Among the amazing wildlife I’ve seen while camping are wild moose in Maine, an amazing monarch butterfly migration in Long Island (yes you really can go camping in Long Island), dozens of hawks and bald eagles near Harrisburg, PA, a migration of tiny frogs near Myrtle Beach and dozens of deer in one evening on the Skyline Drive in Virginia. All of these trips have left me with memories for a lifetime. I only wish that digital cameras were better when I was a kid. That reminds me, don’t forget to take your camera on your next camping trip and when you go, please, please take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.

Guest Author

Picking The Correct Kids Sleeping Bag

2009-07-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

Are you planning a family camping escape and have kids that will be going on the excursion? If you answered yes to this question, then you may want to invest in kids sleeping bags for your young ones so that they are warm and comfortable.

Sleeping bags that are designed for kids are a lot easier to manufacture than the bags that are used for adults. A massive factor here is that kids are usually going to be out camping in extreme climates. As a parent, if you are allowing your kids to travel with for camping in extreme climates, this is rather irresponsible on your part. The use of synthetic fibers is mutual when producing a kids sleeping bag as it is lower in price.. Another reason that synthetic fibers are used in place of down is because synthetic does not require much maintenance and will still provide some insulation when wet. This is a good option in case it rains or something gets spilled on the sleeping bag. When people do purchase kids sleeping bags that are made of high quality materials, they are wise to purchase a sleeping bag that will at least last a few years before the kids outgrow them.

How much the kids sleeping bag weight is another important concept to ponder. Either you or your kids will have to carry their camping gear and you want to make sure that this is not going to be an concern. Most kids sleep warmer than adults; this is due to the fact that kids have a higher metabolic rate. So, even when they lose heat fast because of their smaller bodies, they produce heat even faster. For this reason, it is no surprise that kids sleeping bags that are cheap are more popular than expensive sleeping bags.

Most of the kids sleeping bags that are on the market today, have a non-rectangular shape which includes a hood, draft tube, and draft collar. In really cold weather, the hood is critical as you lose a large amount of heat through your head. The North Face Tigger kids sleeping bag can be used in temperatures as low as 20 degrees and is made of synthetic fill. Cords are not used to adjust the hood or chest sections which is why this model kids sleeping bag is very prevalent. No cords mean that there is absolutely no way for a child to get tangled up in sleep.

Draft tubes which are built into the kids sleeping bag thwart additional heat from escaping through the zippers. Additionally, draft collars enhance the sleeping bags insulation properties even further by preventing the heat from radiating the shoulders and out of the sleeping bag. As you can imagine there are several factors that have been considered in the manufacturing of kids sleeping bags.

What Tent Should You Choose for Your Next Family Camping Trip?

2009-07-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

So, you have finally decided to take your family on a camping journey; you have check all the different camping sited that are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA) and Kampgrounds of America (KOA) . The next thing that you need to decide is how much you and your family want to "rough it". You need to decide if you will choose to stay in a family camping tent such as an Ozark Trail Tent or take your family camping in style and rent a motor home? Too much luxury living for you? Want to experience camping at its finest? Then you are the type who is going to take their family camping the right way, tent camping.

The first step you should take before begining your family camping vacation is to choose the type of tent or tents that you will need. What type of weather conditions can you expect during your family camping vacation? Will you need a heavy duty Northwestern Territory Tent or a lightweight Ozark Trail Tent? Make sure you are always prepared for the worst when it comes to the weather, rain, wind and cold can all happen while on your next camping trip. There are three season and four season tents available for you to purchase, such as North Pole tents and Wenzel tents. Four season tents are typically heavier than three season tents and provide a lot more protection. They also tend to have more poles than most three season tents have, this is to help the heavier tent withstand any wind and snow fall that you may encounter. Of course, most of us are fair weather campers and take our family camping vacations during times when three season tent will work just fine for keeping your family safe and warm. So, now, what style of tent do you want?

What style of tent you want may depend on how much backpacking you're going to do during your family camping vacation. If you plan to do some hiking to find your "ultimate" camping destination then you will want to keep things as light as possible so you might want to consider a simple tarp tent or maybe something like the Ozark Trail 9'x8' Dome Tent which is a great choice for a low-cost lightweight tent that still protects against the weather pretty well.

If you're the type of camper who likes to "rough it" at a campground type natural environment then you will not be so concerned about the weight of your tent. More than likely you will be more concerned with the size of the tent that you choose, a two man tent will customarily be to small and uncomfortable for two adults and all their gear, although a two man tent is typically perfect for kids who need or want their own tent. Those who are experienced with camping will tell you that you'll want to look for at least 30 square feet of floor space minimum, per person. It is suggested that you take the number of people a tent says is its capacity is and divide that number by 2. If you're traveling with young children you will definitely want to look into a bigger model of tent such as the Wenzel Sycamore 3 Room Family Dome Tent. You'll want to have a much larger area inside your tent when sharing a tent with your children, especially as you may experience some nasty weather that may leave you with the children stuck inside the tent for long periods of time. It is advised that they had a location to play board games and other activities to keep them engaged. Additionally a larger tent will give you enough of room to store equipment if bad weather strikes.

Following this simple advice and taking into consideration your family camping needs will help you make an informed decision and make your next family camping vacation something to remember.

Camping Supplies for a Family Camping Adventure

2009-07-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

What Camping Gear do You Need for Your Next Family Camping Vacation?

Are you in the process of planning a camping adventure? Are you a beginner camper? For beginner campers, purchasing the correct camping hiking equipment that you will need can be a little overwhelming. A camping trip with friends and family can be fun and exciting as well as stressful to plan at times. I am going to discuss some tips on how to make the camping planning process go a bit easier for you.

Camping requires multiple things to be brought along on the spree. These things often include items that are referred to as camping supplies and camping gear. In most cases, you will find that camping gear is used to describe pieces of equipment, whereas camping supplies are often used to describe food, health and beauty products, and so forth.

A fairly popular piece of camping equipment that many campers have is a camping tent. You may even need to bring multiple camping tents with you, depending on how many people are going along for the trip. Make sure that you purchase a tent or tents that are strong, sturdy, dependable, and most importantly, waterproof. Tents that are made of high quality materials tend to weather the elements quite well, Coleman camping tents are known for their quality camping tents. If you are going to camp in a motor home, I suggest bringing a Coleman camping tent along also, that way you can spend at least one night under the stars in the wilderness.

Backpacking sleeping bags provide warmth and comfort for sleeping on the ground and should be considered when going on a family camping vacation. If you are camping with your romantic partner, I suggest purchasing a 2 person sleeping bag. If your family has children, you are able to buy sleeping bags for children. You may assume that an ultralight sleeping bag would be perfect for the summer weather conditions; however, you may want to also bring a heavy style sleeping bag along such as a north face sleeping bag. These types of sleeping bags are good to have in case the weather suddenly gets colder.

In addition to a backpacking sleeping bag, I suggest that you also buy a sleeping pad or an air mattress. Doing this will help assure that you are comfortable with sleeping on the ground.

I hope this information will help make your next family camping vacation one to remember!

Do Not buy a Coleman 3-room Family Dome Tent Before Reading This!

2009-06-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

As I was investigating camping tents I was shocked at the reasonable price of the Coleman 3-room family dome tent. For me Coleman camping tents has always meant quality and guarantee, and I still feel that way, but you definitely need to do your homework before choosing which Coleman camping tent to buy. Early into my investigations I found several poor reviews on just one of Coleman's camp tents. The Coleman 3-room family dome tent, although very affordable on a budget looks to have the capabilities of letting people down, especially in extreme wet weather conditions. Another common complaint with this camping tent is the ventilation in extreme heat, along with poor air-flow-through.

The biggest complaint is seam leakage on the Coleman 3-room family dome tent. If you already own this tent, or are thinking of buying this model, then I suggest that you seal all the seams thoroughly and repeatedly, this is a camping tent that will require more than just one application of seam sealer. Make sure to let each application dry thoroughly before applying the next or you could end up with a mess. Many bad reviews were also made because of gear stowed against the sides of this camp tent. Of course in a perfect world we would never over pack our tent, but because it does happen quite frequently my suggestion is to also apply several applications of weatherproofing spray, once again be sure to let each coat dry thoroughly before the next coat is applied. This may not stop every bit of leakage, but I guarantee it will slow it down dramatically. Also try not to let anything inside the Coleman camping tent touch the walls, this will cut down on a large percentage of moisture getting through.

Our next problem with this model of Coleman camp tent is the poles. They become brittle and splinter over a short period of uses. Most of these complaints came within the four year period, or approximately 10 uses. I would suggest finding replacement poles for the Coleman 3-room family dome tent before taking this model tent camping. At least do a price check on the poles and be prepared for needing them in the near future. If possible I would recommend finding aluminum replacement poles, as they last much longer and have far fewer problems with stability and weather wear.

In extremely hot environments many complained of poor air flow and inadequate ventilation. As with any camping tent, this obviously caused condensation on the inside of the camp tent. Unfortunately this is just poor design and there is not much you can do about it. Another irreparable design flaw is the size of the 3 rooms; they are not large enough to fit a queen-sized air mattress. For those of us that don't like to "rough it" quite that dramatically, this could be a turning point in deciding whether this Coleman camping tent is the right model for us.

I still love Coleman camping tents and look to them as one of the highest names in camping tents and camping gear. The Coleman 3-room family dome tent is the only Coleman product I have found negative reviews on, so I am willing to forgive them this one slight error, and I just wanted any buyers or owners to know the results of my investigation. Whether you already own this tent, or are buying this model, I hope this article has enlightened you and helped you to have more wonderful camping trips in your future.

Are 4 Season Ozark Trail Tents A Necessity for Gentle Summer Camping?

2009-06-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Are Ozark Trail Tents What You Are Looking For?

It is important to point out that a 4 season Ozark Trail Tent is not a requirement to own for mild summer camping conditions. Even if you happen to get caught in a heavy downpour you can successfully use sleeping pads, this combined with adequate planning should keep everything fairly dry and not wreck your family camping vacation. Some important things to remember are that you should not camp at the bottom of a hill; you should always make sure the rain fly is secure and you should learn to take advantage of the natural cover that may be located around your camp site.

With this in mind, a good four season tent, such as a Northwest Territory Tent, is almost a necessity when it comes to camping in intense conditions. In addition, if you have the money to spend on a good, quality 4 season tent, it is a luxury that can boost the whole families camping experience.

The basic difference between 4 season tents and regular tents is that a 4 season tents tend to be much tighter, with heavier outer walls that protect better from the elements. When the tent is all secured, there is absolutely no room for the weather elements to enter. In addition, 4 season tents are often more stable so that they can resist extremely heavy storms if need be. This does not mean, however, that you cannot use 4 season tents in nicer weather. Many styles of 4 season tents come with the ability to unzip the outer fly so that you can keep cool on summer days, while still braving near-arctic temperatures in the winter. This can be a great choice for campers of all seasons.

You will however find that the more extreme the conditions for which the tent was designed for, the more specialized the 4 season tent will be. For instance some true mountaineering 4 season tents are not appropriate to take camping on a warm summer night. The reason being is that the ventilation panels are small; this could very well result in you being stuck in a tent that is very stuffy when camping on a hot summer night. Additionally, they are made of heavier, stronger material, and as a consequence are an added burden for your normal camping trip.

A downside to a good 4 season tent is that they can be prohibitively expensive, running upwards of $500 dollars oftentimes. Compare this to a 1-2 person summer tent that you can easily find, often for under $50, and it is easy to see why most people stick with a traditional tent such as the Ozark Trail Tents that are available.

It is important to ponder about what type of family camping trips you will be taking before you go out and buy that expensive mountaineering gear and 4 season tent that you might not end up needing. You must make sure that your equipment fits its objective and meets the needs of your family camping vacation. If you are looking for a lightweight tent for more gentle conditions there are plenty of choices out there such as Ozark Trail tents, Northwest Territory tents, Wenzel tents and Coleman Camping tents. However, if you think you need the durability and protection of a 4 season tent then you can find brands such as Eureka or Kelty tents which are very reasonably priced and will provide the protection you are searching for.

Lightweight Northwest Territory Tents or 4 Season Kelty Tents?

2009-06-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

Which Type of Camping Tent is Right for You?

It is time to take your family camping; you have done your research and checked out the camp sites that are accredited by the ACA, American Camping Association, and KOA, Kampgrounds of America. The next thing that you need to decide is how much you and your family want to "rough it". Will you stay in an Ozark Trail tent or Northwest Territory tent or are you going to camp in style and take a motor home? To luxurious for you? Want to experience camping at its finest? Well you must be the type of person who is going to take their family camping vacation the way it was meant to be, in a camping tent.

One of the first steps you must take before you embark on your family camping vacation is to choose the type or types of tents your will be taking with you. What type of weather conditions can you expect during your family camping vacation? Will you want a 4 season Kelty tent or will you only need a lightweight Northwest Territory tent? Being prepared is always advised, you should expect to come across all types of weather on your camping trip. There are three season and four season tents available for you to purchase, such as Ozark Trail tents and Northwest Territory tents. Four season tents are typically heavier than three season tents and provide a lot more protection. They tend to have more poles than the average three season tent, this is to help a heavier tent, such as Kelty tents, withstand any wind and snow fall that you may encounter. Of course, most of us are fair weather campers and take our family camping vacations during times when three season tent will work just fine for keeping your family safe and warm. So, now, what style of tent do you want?

The style of tent you decide on may depend on how much backpacking you plan to do. If you plan to do some hiking to find your “ultimate” camping destination then you will want to keep things as light as possible and may want to consider a simple tarp tent or maybe something like the Ozark Trail 9’x8’ Dome Tent which is very sturdy and protects against the elements pretty well for a low-cost, lightweight tent.

If you're the type of camper who likes to "rough it" at a campground type environment then you will not be so worried about the weight of your tent. More than likely you will be more concerned with the size of your tent, a two man tent will usually be to small and uncomfortable for two adults and all their gear, although a two man tent is typically perfect for kids who need or want their own tent. Those who are experienced with camping will tell you that you'll want to look for at least 30 square feet of floor space minimum, per person. It is suggested that you take the number of people a tent says is its capacity is and divide that number by 2. If you're traveling with young children you will definitely want to look into a larger model of tent such as the Wenzel Sycamore 3 Room Family Dome tent. You'll want to have a much larger area inside your tent when sharing a tent with your children, especially as you may experience some nasty weather that may leave you with the children stuck inside the tent for long periods of time. I would suggest bringing along some board games or other things to keep the children occupied. Additionally a larger tent will give you plenty of room to store equipment if nasty weather strikes.

Following this simple advice and taking into consideration your family camping needs will help you make an educated decision and make your next family camping vacation something to remember. Whether you prefer lightweight Northwest Territory tents or the heavier duty 4 season Kelty tents you know you can now make the right choice.