Royal Guide to buying a Tent

Choosing The Right Tent

The Royal range of tents primarily caters for two main types of camping: Family Breaks and Short weekend breaks.

Family Breaks:

Family tents typically have multiple sleeping areas for all the family and the Royal select range have either sewn-in or zipped-in groundsheets to maximise comfort and flexibility when using the tent
 

Short Breaks/Weekenders:

Weekender tents tend to be smaller and more lightweight than family tents although there size can vary depending on the number of people it sleeps.

Type of Tent 

There are various different styles of tents available within the Royal range but the majority of these are made up of either Dome tents or tunnel tents.

Tunnel tents are usually straightforward to pitch and tend to be more spacious and give more head room. They are, however, less stable and will need to be guyed out fully even in good weather. Many of our larger tunnel tents such as the Bordeaux 6 have internal bracing straps and extra poles running down the sides of the tent to give them more stability.

Dome tents are a good compromise between stability, pitching time and weight. Dome tents, however, tend to have less overall head room, their highest point being located only at one point in the centre. This will vary depending on the size of tent. For example our Biarritz range (available in 6 and 9 berth) has plenty of headroom and also has separate bedrooms and a porch area.

Waterproofing

The majority of our tents are made from polyester and have a PU (polyurethane) coating to make them waterproof. The level of waterproofing is measured in Hydrostatic Head (sometimes referred to as the Water Column). The higher the hydrostatic head the more waterproof the material and the longer the waterproof coating will last. Our Select range of tents all have a Hydrostatic head of 3000mm.

Before You Buy

Before you purchase a tent it is important to consider how you will use it and what your needs will be. Some important features to consider are:
• Living space
• Type of poles
• No of Bedrooms & Storage areas
• Groundsheet type

Living Space

The living space in tents can vary dramatically and it is important to think about how you will use your  space, it may just be used for storage or it could be used as a living and dining area. Many of our tents feature storage pockets to help keep communal areas tidy.

Bedrooms & Storage

When choosing a tent it is important to choose a layout that works for your needs. Our Royal range  of tents offer a number of different options whether its one large sleeping area or individual bedrooms.
Depending on the shape of the tent the individual bedrooms can be separated by a dividing wall, or on be positioned on opposite sides of the tent.

Poles

The type of poles used by a tent effects not only the weight but it also has an impact on its strength and rigidity. Steel poles are stronger and more rigid than fibreglass poles, but will make the overall weight heavier which may also mean extra guy lines to support the tent. Fibreglass poles will make the tent a lot lighter when it is packed up and although not as strong as steel poles will offer a very rigid tent when erected.

Groundsheets

Royal tents come with three different types of groundsheet:

Pegged Down Groundsheet
Pegged down groundsheets are separate from the flysheet and as a result there will be less condensation in the tent. However a downside to this model is that there is less protection from insects and drafts.

Stitched in Groundsheet
Stitched in groundsheets can have more of a problem with condensation and you should make sure that any tent with a stitched in groundsheet has plenty of ventilation points. The benefits of a stitched in groundsheet means that you get more protection from insects and drafts.

Zipped in Groundsheet
Many of our select range of tents offer the option of a zipped in groundsheet. This offers the best of both worlds giving the user full protection against the elements but also giving the flexibility of removing the groundsheet.