TENTS - 3 Season Vs 4 Season - Which One Should You Buy?

[@TeneticGaming]

Great stuff Tom it's great seeing someone who first hand tested equipment in Irish conditions, it's hard to tell from other gear reviewers from the states how it will perform in Irish conditions(lots of rain, high winds and snow) so it's much appreciated when seeing you going out and testing the equipment in those environments, I personally own both a 3season and 4season tent and all depends on where I'm going.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hey thank you for your comments and watching the video... Mostly I will use a 4 season tent all year as where I camp it's always windy even in the summer. Last August I measured 58mph winds when out on a camp. A 3 season tent would not have withstood that.... It just depends where you camp and the conditions that you encounter... All the very best Tom

[@samhill3496]

Tom a good explanation of the choices we have to make. I like a door with a solid panel and a mesh one as well. Each zipper controlled and on each side of tent. You can achieve much better ventilation and have a four season design. It pays to be ready. Sooner than later you will need to be so. Take care, be safe. Get out there when you can.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hey Sam how are you? Yeah I am not a mesh fan at all.. Definitely a solid door then mesh to back it up.. It's always windy where I chose to camp and even in summer the mesh is draughty.. On holiday at the moment so it will be a month before any more vids... All the very best Tom

[@garynesbitt5078]

Hi Tom. Very well thought out and presented comparison. As someone who owns both 3 and 4 season tents, my own experience is that I get much more use out of my 4 season tents. Of course much will depend on where you are camping but the winds in Northern Ireland as you well know are mostly very strong all year round. So it’s much easier to vent a 4 season tent than to make a 3 season tent stronger. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the weight saving on my 3 season when i can use it, but the elements (wind strength) unfortunately dictate that it’s an infrequent occurrence. So if I had to have only 1 tent, it would be 4 season every day of the week for me !

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hey Gary, thank you for your positive comments... Our experience of 3 and 4 season tents is very similar... You are right about the venting Vs strength and a 4 season can be adapted for 3 season but hard to do the other way if things are really kicking off. I measured 58mph winds last August here in the Mournes and it was a test for the 4 season tent that I was using never mind a 3 season one... I suppose it's where you like to camp too and we both prefer summits where it is more exposed. Great to hear from you and wishing you another camp real soon... Tom

[@BiznessWizard]

Good explanation 3 season Vs 4 season tents. I see too many barely 3 season tents being marketed as 3/4 season. You pointed out what folks have to be looking for.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hi Denis thank you once again for watching and taking the time to comment sharing your thoughts 💭🤔.. Far to many 3 season tents claiming to be 4... It's a hard enough topic to have a go at explaining but I decided to tackle it anyway... All the very best Tom

[@Martycycleman]

Interesting, I'll wait to see how these test. Cheers Tom.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hey Marty, test video live tomorrow.... Thank you for watching and commenting... All the best Tom

[@camping_guru_uk]

Great vid Tom I'd like your opinion if you don't mind. I've had a discussion with fellow campers and most disagree with me 😆. So I bought a Robens Sprinter 2 which in all ways is a 4 season tent apart from it having a full mesh inner. It's super strong, the fly comes right to the floor etc etc. I argue that the inner tent being solid or mesh isn't that important as for me in the colder windy months I will be prepared and have plenty of clothing and a very warm sleep system, I argue that Tarp campers do not have an inner tent at all. As long as the other features of the tent are 4 season then it shouldn't be an issue. I went for this tent as I want to use it in all 4 seasons. I except if all you are going to use tent in is the 4th season then you might as well buy a tent with a solid inner but I do not believe that the inner material is the definition of a 4 season tent. I'd love your thoughts, please feel free to disagree 😅

[@TOMHEANEY100]

I am not really sure that there is a definition....And sometimes trying to convince others is like bees trying to convince fly's that honey tastes better than sh-t.. 🤣🤣 Certain tents have certain features that make help make them more comfortable in 4 season tents but these features don't define the use.. In general a solid inner will be warmer and less draughty but you can insulate your self in other ways.. As long as the structure and poles are strong enough then it can be managed.. This tent has a good pole structure and design that could certainly be used in 4 season conditions as long as the actual pole and fabrics are pretty strong.. best wishes Tom

[@camping_guru_uk]

​@@TOMHEANEY100Cheers and thanks for getting back to me.

[@hanskirk-hiking9697]

Hey Tom - in my opinion it is the wind and snow load there are the challenge in winter conditions, a three season tent is often much better to handle condensation. Some great tents by the way 😊

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hi Hans, absolutely great to hear your thoughts thank you... definitely it's the wind and snow for 4 season conditions that makes the difference.... The 4 season Samaya here has just passed my condensation test with flying colours.. Video out Sunday... All The Best. Tom

[@hanskirk-hiking9697]

Looking forward to that video - as you maybe remember I have strong feelings against condensation 😂

[@PeterPeadar]

Have you (or anyone in your community here) ever modified a tent to achieve a particular "tenting-goal?" Perhaps adding more vents to a four season or something else? I realize that such a modification would void any warranty but older tents likely have expired their warranty.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hi Peter, not me regarding serious mods... maybe some.... like extra guy lines etc. I buy and sell a lot of tents and if you make mods to them then it reduces the second hand value in most occasions... Most of my tents are quite expensive as I use them in harsh conditions fairly frequently so definitely no serious mods for me... Also, I dont trust my older tents in harsh conditions as they have experienced a fair amount of stress over the years and there comes a point where I dont trust the fabric just as much as I used to.... I am not saying any of this is right or wrong its is just how I operate my camping experiences. Hopefully you will get someone else jumping in here..... All The Best Tom

[@camping_guru_uk]

Hi Peter I have modded a few budget tents to bring them up to a more suitable tent for me. For example the popular starter tent, the Naturehike Cloud Peak 2 looks like a four season tent but is most definitely a 3 season tent with the 7.5mm basic ally poles (stitching build quality is ok'ish) so I just bought myself a set of 9.5mm poles and fitted them. I upgraded the guys to non absorbing Dyneema guys, obviously changed the pegs. So this will make it a much stronger 3 season tent. I also have a very strong "4" season tent but it has a full mesh inner tent. I may yet add 2ft of a more solid inner fabric around the lower part of the inner as I want this to be my go to tent now for all seasons.

[@ExpeditionaryRanger]

Thanks Tom. Can you comment on how a tunnel tent Iike a Keron, Nammatj, Nallo, etc perform with snow loads? Or perhaps, is the advice when snow loads are expected to stay away from tunnel tents and go with freestanding geodesic ?

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hi I think that tunnel tents from Hilleberg for example will be fine with snow loads as they have quite steep vestibules and side walls. The 10mm poles will do better that the 9mm and tents like the Keron that have 3 poles instead of two supporting the main structure will be the best. On any tent if the snow fall is heavy and wet and settling on the roof then it should be cleared off every 4 hours or so as before the snow could become a problem.. I hope that this makes some sense.. All the very best Tom

[@robertwood6297]

well explained

[@TOMHEANEY100]

Hey Robert, thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it and hope that the video was helpful.... All The Best Tom

[@robertwood6297]

Your presentation had substance, unlike lots of outdoor videos that end up as cooking programs around a campfire@@TOMHEANEY100

[@TOMHEANEY100]

@@robertwood6297 Hi Robert this is great to hear thank you... While I love my food I try not to focus on that part of a video as everyone seems to do it... All The Best Tom

[@memphisreines]

The color is turning off.

[@TOMHEANEY100]

I love the colours.. my favourite.... Tom

[@memphisreines]

@@TOMHEANEY100 to bright for me.