Wenzel Timber Ridge Sport 9-by-7-Foot Four-Person Dome Tent

Keep your load limber during long hikes and extended cycling excursions with the Wenzel Timber Creek Sport dome tent. Large enough to sleep four people at once yet compact enough to fit conveniently on a backpack or saddle bags, the tent is great for all types of camping and conditions. The Timer Creek Sport includes such features as a Dutch D-style door for easy entry, along with a shock-corded fiberglass frame with pole pockets that sets up and disassembles quickly. Campers will also appreciate the weather-armor polyester fabric and tough side seams, which are reliably rugged and resist leaks of all kinds. The window and roof vents, meanwhile, do a nice job of ventilating the tent and controlling morning moisture.

Additional details include water-repellent threads, zippers, and webbing; a sonic-sealed floor that's welded (not sewn) to eliminate stitch and needle holes; and a removable fly for wet weather conditions. The Timer Creek Sport measures 9 feet wide by 7 feet long and is backed by a 10-year limited warranty.

Amazon.com Tent Guide
Selecting a Tent
Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Expect the Worst
In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.

Three- and Four-Season Tents
For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.

For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.

Domes and Tunnels
Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.

Size Matters
Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.

Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.

Customer Review: GREAT tent for $25
I've had this tent for just over a year now. It's been used about 20x. It has amazing quality thru-out. Nothing has torn-up with it at all. The floor is still completely sealed and there are no signs of anything wearing. Amazon had it on clearance back in March of 2007 for right at $25. My only regret is that I didn't buy 2 or 3 of them @ that price... GREAT PRODUCT... GREAT QUALITY...
Customer Review: Exactly as expected
This tent was perfect for my price range. I took this camping and it is quite light. It is especially light if you're going to have 3 people sleeping in the tent and I think it is safe to say that 3 people could backpack with this tent (by each carrying a 1/3rd of the tent weight). Four people, although technically do-able without gear, would be quite a tight squeeze. Tent was an easy, standard set-up as far as tents go, and we were able to take it down in the rain in only a few minutes. Definitely a good purchase for the price (only tested in a light drizzle).

Wedding tents can be a blessing in disguise and are designed to give you options that you thought were not possible...

You are about to embark on the planning and preparation of a wedding and my guess is that it will be a Spring/Summer wedding, and you are thinking about the idea of renting a wedding tent. The idea to host a wedding, or at least the reception in the garden, or on a beach, is an idea that appeals to many brides-to-be.

However, the more you have considered hosting your wedding outside, the more you will have realized that no matter how well you plan in advance for your wedding, the weather is something you simply cannot plan or control. Even in the summer there is always a good chance that it could rain, be windy or a little cooler than what was forecasted. These weather factors could put a strain on your day as you will be worrying what the weather has in store for you, and, if the worst should happen, the guests won't like to be stuck outdoors in the rain or wind.

Renting a wedding tent is a perfect 'Plan B' option for several reasons:

They are remarkably easy to erect and take down;

You can choose the size and design to suit your occasion;

You can decorate them to fit in with the theme of your wedding;

Your guests can have the option to mingle inside or outside of the tent, depending on the weather;

Your guests will be impressed with such an elegant structure and convenience;

You can have your dream 'outdoor' wedding without the worry of the weather!

Wedding tents can come in all types of shapes and sizes to suit your individual needs and taste. For example, if you want to hold the whole reception outside, then you can opt for a large marquee type tent that can cover an entire dining room and dance floor included. Or, if you just wanted something small and eloquent to cover a buffet table, for example, then you could simply opt for a small awning.

Obviously the cost of renting wedding tents will vary enormously depending on the size you choose. Therefore it would pay you to shop around and do your research on various wedding tent rental stores to get the best value for your money. You can either do your research online or look in your local Yellow Pages directory to see what wedding tent stores are near you and if they include the price of erecting and taking down the tent for you.

If you are planning an outdoor wedding and are thinking of renting a wedding tent, then I am sure that your head is now buzzing with lots of ideas on what type of wedding tent is right for your occasion, how will you dress it, where exactly to place it in your garden, or favorite beach location. The ideas are endless as to what a great impact a simple wedding tent can do to save your outdoor wedding worries.

Claire Bowes is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Wedding Planning Guide She provides more wedding planning advice on Wedding Tents Rental that you can research without leaving your home.