Many of us have been on camping trips around the country at some stage in our lives. They are very relaxing trips but all too often many of us end up running out of space for storage, especially waterproof storage area.
So what is the best to take camping for extra storage, an extra large tent or a strong pop-up gazebo?
So what are the benefits of a large tent?
In this image, you can clearly see this is an 8 person camping tent and it certainly has quite a presence about it. Admittedly, you can see lots of guy ropes used to ensure that the tent doesn’t take off in the event of the wind picking up, whilst also adding support to the tent poles.
Pros
- Provides Extra Storage
- Very Strong
- Large
- Straightforward to Build
- Looks Great
- Very Sturdy
Cons
- Takes up a lot of room
- Have to duck in places
Summary
Buying an extra large tent can be ideal to not only sleep in but with the extra space, you can use it as waterproof storage too. This saves you having to purchase anything extra as all your belongings are kept in one secure area, however, due to the low roof there is sometimes the case for some of your family or guests to crouch when walking inside.
If you’re looking to invest in a reputable brand which we can personally vouch for then check out our Coleman Event Shelter review.
Now, what about a pop up gazebo?
Should I Buy A Pop up Gazebo Instead?
Pop up gazebos are very popular. Unfortunately, Pop up gazebos can widely vary in quality and strength and this factor is a concern for camping, especially in wide open, exposed areas.
Above is a picture of the best selling 3 x 3 popup gazebo. This is a decent quality gazebo and is relatively strong but would it outdo the advantages of just buying a stronger, large tent?
Pros
- Looks Great
- Strong
- Sturdy
- Simple To Build
Cons
- Not as strong as a tent
- Separate building
Summary
So you’ve seen the pop up gazebo. Whilst this product can very comfortably store your equipment and leave more toom inside your tent, the actual concern would be security.
At some campsites, security can be an issue and because this shelter would be separate to your tent it would need to be secured in some way and this may be troublesome.
Another possibility is that you may be charged extra because you are pitching what they would describe as another tent, so in fact, it may cost more too.
Conclusion
Obviously, both of these items could be used for extra storage, on this occasion I would advise buying an extra large tent rather than using a standalone pop-up gazebo adjacent to your tent.
There are for and against for both of these products but ultimately as a safe storage area for your important and even valuable equipment, I would recommend buying a large tent.
