About Multi-room Camping Tents

Tent manufacturers make multiple-room tents for for families of almost any size. These tents come in many styles, with different materials and setup requirements. In choosing a multiple-room camping tent, you should consider several factors, including durability, campsite size and location, and the amount of space you have to store the tent when you're not using it.

Types

Multiple-room camping tents come in various designs and varieties. The most common are a variation of the popular dome-tent type combined with a frame tent, and the classic wall, or cabin, tent.
Hybrid dome/frame cabin tents use a series of flexible shock-cord poles, interlocking frame poles, stakes and guidelines to set up and anchor down the camping shelters. The tent material is durable, weatherized nylon, and there is a series of nylon room dividers inside. Some designs actually connect two traditional dome tents with a small vestibule tunnel. For their size, these tend to be lightweight and relatively compact for storage.
Classic wall tents take on the boxy and angled roof shape of an actual cabin. These use a series of interlocking horizontal and vertical poles for the structure--or an actual permanent wooden frame in long-term encampments. The material often is heavy duck canvas, giving these tents great durability but also making them very heavy and bulky to carry and store. Canvas panels hang inside some varieties, partitioning off multiple rooms.

Best Uses

Dome-style multiple-room tents are good for family camping trips. The lighter nylon material and compact, collapsible poles make these a good option for more remote campsites, where gear must be carried in over short distances. These also fold up into pouches that fit easily in closets or garage rafters. Nylon tents dry more quickly and fold up more easily than canvas, making take-down and set-up easier.
Large canvas wall tents are heavier and more cumbersome to set up than multiple-room tents made from nylon. However, these tend to be more durable for long-term encampments, such as summer camps or tent villages at several-day gatherings.

Campsite Considerations

Regardless of the type of multiple-room tent you use, you need a large campsite for proper setup. Check with state parks or campgrounds in advanced to ensure campsites are large enough to accommodate the tents. The campsite should be large enough to fit the tent with at least 10 feet between the sides and guide ropes and other tents, tree lines or other structures, to avoid crowding and tripping hazards.

Safety and Comfort

Clearing rocks, sticks and other hard or jagged debris from campsites prevents punctures to tent floors and uncomfortable sleeping surfaces. Set up the tent upwind and at least 20 feet from campfires and cooking areas to avoid excessive smoke inhalation or fire hazards, because most tent material burns quickly. Also set up the tent upwind from latrines.

Care and Maintenance

No matter what your tent is made of, including nylon and canvas, you need to renew the protective waterproof coating periodically, using commercially available sprays or creams. Never fold up and store a wet tent, because damp canvas and nylon grow mildew and rot.