The word 'camping' brings to mind vivid images of rugged peaks, a gurgling stream, lush woods and, of course, a camping tent.

Camping tents come in a wide variety of sizes, qualities and colors. Usually available in dome, tetragon, apex and tunnel shapes, these tents vary in prices too. There are tents available for the amateur camper as well as the professional expeditionary. However, since records suggest that many tourists usually choose camping over an expensive vacation at a seaside resort, largely to cut costs, camping tents are usually not very exorbitantly priced, although, some camping tents are showcased as a luxurious high-living commodity.

Camping tents are mostly light in weight and are very flexibly built with waterproof material ranging between nylon, silicone, polyurethane and so on. They are specially built to be highly transportable and can be easily bundled off in your average family truck.

The potential buyer is spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing his type of camping tent. Some campers need a lot of space and feel claustrophobic within a constricted area. Keeping such consumers in mind, the industry has come up with a large variety of camping tents in which the camper does not have to let go of elbow space. On the other hand, pup-tents or bivy sacks are available for campers who require very little space and can make do with just a sleeping bag. The large ones sometimes include kitchens, toilets and store rooms, with enough space not only for people but also for pets, while the small ones may sometimes be accompanied with a little patio that can be folded.

Most camping tents are designed for round the year use and are very carefully built so that the tent is able to withstand hail, slate, strong winds, blinding rain and so on. While camping tents are available in bright colors, if the camper wants to go unnoticed in wilderness, it is best if he chooses hues that might help him to camouflage.

Before buying a camping tent however, there are a few things to be remembered.

The camper should see how easy it is to carry his chosen tent. There should be some space within the tent to hang camping gear. Reflective points should be there for effective visibility at night. If such things are kept in mind, it will possibly result in a good buy, which might in turn result in a perfect camping vacation.