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).

Once he became the first person in history to summit Mt. Everest in 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary had but one statement regarding Nepal's grandeur: "Nepal is the only country in the world which is also one of the world's great trekking paradises and one of the nicest countries in the world for trekking." Today, thousands of trekkers and hikers don their extreme-outdoor wear to fulfill a lifelong dream of trekking in Nepal, one of the most widely visited countries for hiking in the world. In a sense, it is also one of the wildest places left on the planet. These "paradises" Hillary so admittedly spoke about can be experienced with a trip along any one of three base camp treks.

The most esteemed trek in Nepal is the Everest Base Camp Trek; the same route used by early climbing pioneers in the 1950s. This hike provides trekkers with various vantage points for viewing Mt. Everest, while allowing them to visit the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar, local Buddhist monasteries, and rustic villages. Obtaining a permit to join an Everest trek is only possible by reserving with an in-country tour operator. This not only assures safety, but means that groups will move at a pace that allowing proper acclimation.

After walking through villages and mountain passes, innumerable opportunities to snap photos present themselves. A snail's pace is best, and a pre-mapped route is not as demanding as it is oxygen depleting. Before reaching the base camp, you'll visit the Khumbu Glacier and the southwestern quarter of Everest proper. Being fit for hiking will make the trip more enjoyable and positively everlasting.

The most popular base camp trek in Nepal is conquering the trail to the Annapurna Base Camp. The peak is just less than 9,000 meters, but the comfy camp is right over 4,000 meters. This trek can typically be completed in less than 10 days. If altitude treats you kindly, you'll view the Annapurna Himal, Hiunchuli, Fang, Annapurna, Ganagapurna, Machhapuchhare, along with other peaks. Trekkers along this route will experience great gorges and fertile valleys that epitomize the dichotomy of Nepal's natural landscapes. Day hikes around many of the valleys and peaks are available once you reach your encampment.

The next best trek in Nepal is the Dhaulagiri Base Camp Trek. First climbed in 1960 by a Swiss and Austrian expedition, Dhaulagiri was once considered the highest mountain in the world. Rightfully translated to "White Mountain," the name connotes its omnipotence over the region. Trekking in Dhaulagiri is one of the most challenging expeditions because of the varying mountain passes, namely the French Pass and Thapa Pass, both surpassing the 5,000-meter mark. You'll not only tramp across ice- and glacier-fields, but you'll have to acclimate to the altitude and an untamed topography. With over fifteen 7,000 meter peaks along this trek, you'll be more than pleased you brought along your camera and crampons!

All in all, whether your doing the Everest Base Camp Trek or any other trek, trekking Nepal means that you'll have numerous choices on which routes might suite you best. Those considering some of the tougher routes should definitely be fit for hiking in various altitudes and over multifarious terrain. Finding a quality tour operator is essential - just ask for references of past travelers and read reviews about others' experiences. After you've prepared for your journey, chosen your route, along with the team with which you'll travel, venture to Nepal geared and psyched up for a literal breathtaking adventure.

For more information about Nepal Trekking visit http://www.itreknepal.com