A good survival tent:

• Has enough space for all people plus their gear and ideally space to cook or perform a survival task in bad weather.

• Has a full cover fly, preferably with vestibule area.

• Is fast and easy to pitch and take down, even for one person doing it alone.

• Is lightweight and packs up small. Tents with aluminum poles are lighter than tents with fiberglass poles.

• Is durable. This means that all loops (stakeout and guy) are sewn onto the tent, not taped or glued. That the tent has a tub-style bottom (where the bottom extends up the sides a few inches) and that it’s made of a heavy-duty material.

• Has no-see-um mosquito netting on all windows doors, and vents and at least one vented side. Without vents you’ll end up with condensation.

Types of Tents

A-Frame Tents

An A-Frame tent takes its name from the profile of the assembled tent – pointed at the top with steep sides, like the letter A. A-Frame tents are generally inexpensive, quick and easy to assemble, shed snow well when properly and tautly pitched, and pretty stable in high winds. On the other hand, the tall, pointed shape means a lot of volume is unusable space due to the steep angle of the walls. Due to its size and shape, an A-Frame is not particularly clandestine.

Dome Tents

Dome tents are usually considered the best all-around survival tents. Although they come in many variations, the dome tent is relatively easy to pitch, shed rain and snow effectively, are very stable, allow you to use the entire interior, generally have a full cover fly (weather cover) that also created a vestibule area for storing gear or cooking in bad weather. Dome tents pack up pretty small and are fairly light.

Cabin Tent

While cabin tents make a great abode for a family weekend at the campground, they’re probably the worst suited for a survival shelter situation. Most of them wouldn’t work at all and the few that would are pretty expensive and prohibitively heavy. Cabin tents do allow you to use the entire floor space, and are usually at least 6 feet tall so most people can stand in them but, they are virtually impossible to disguise, very heavy, more difficult to set up, not very stable in windy situations, and often do not have a full cover fly.

Sizes

Tent size refers to the number of people who can sleep in the tent. Sleep, that’s it. When a tent is listed as a 2-person tent that doesn’t mean it fits two people with all their gear and a dog. It means it fits two people lying down, side by side. The smaller the tent size, the lighter and easier it is to carry and to conceal when assembled. But remember, in a survival situation you will likely be doing more than just sleeping in your tent and you’ll need space to do those things. You may also want to keep all of your gear safe in the tent with you. If you can spare the weight and space, it is recommended you go up one tent size. For example, if you have 2 adults look for a 4-person tent. A 4-person tent might work for 2 adults and 2 kids depending on how much gear you have.

** Survivalist Tip: To check the size of a tent, use masking tape to mark off an area on the floor and attempt to fit. When you’re measuring you’ll want to subtract 6” from each dimension to account for space that you can’t actually put much in because of the slope of the wall.

Use Rating

Every tent is designated as either a 3-season or a 4-season, meaning that it is appropriate for spring, summer, and fall (3-season) or for all four seasons (4-season). It’s important to note that seasonal appropriateness is based on averages and does not mean that every 4-season tent will be appropriate for the arctic. It also doesn’t mean that you won’t need winter gear inside the tent in frigid temperatures.

The differences in 3 and 4-season tents are not insignificant but don’t necessarily jump out and bite you either. A 4-season tent generally has more poles to provide added support for the load of winter snow and to provide increased stability against strong winds. 4-season tents are usually made of a slightly thicker fabric and there may also be differences in the way a 4-season tent is sewn together. 4-season tents are more expensive than their 3-season counterparts.

When it comes to tent rating, it’s all about the climate where you live. All 4-season tents make good 3-seasons tents. Some 3-season tents make reasonable 4-season tents in a moderate climate.

**Survivalist Tip: If you have to use your 3-season tent in snowy winter weather, take care to clear the snow from the fly to limit weight on the tent poles.

Accessories

When it comes to survival, the fewer accessories the better, but there are a few key tent accessories you’ll want to be sure you have.

Tent Pegs

Most tents come with pegs but you may prefer others or you may want to carry a few spare as they aren’t hard to break or lose. Tent pegs are absolutely necessary for staking down your tent and rain fly. How well you stake your tent will determine how warm and dry you are so pegs are important. Steel or metal stakes are better than plastic because they’re unbreakable and can be bent.

Ground Tarp

If you want to stay dry you’ll want a ground tarp under your tent all the time. A ground tarp prevents your tent from absorbing any moisture from below and adds an extra layer of protection from rips and snags.

Utility Cord or Rope

Guy lines are used to hold the tent or fly taut by attaching them to objects like tree branches or additional ground stakes. This helps with stability, drainage and airflow. Rope or utility cord can help you extend the guy lines on your tent if need be.

A Tent Repair Kit

Even the best tents tear sometimes and over time and with lots of use seams can become leaky. You’ll want to carry a repair kit that includes patches, heavy duty nylon thread and heavy needles, seam tape and seam-sealant.