Prospector Moonshadow 8- by 8-Foot Dome Tent

Ideal for weekend camping trips with friends and family, the Prospector Moonshadow 8- by 8-Foot Dome Tent is large enough to sleep up to four people yet compact enough to fit conveniently on a backpack. The footprint measures eight feet long by eight feet wide and offers a center height of four feet, six inches. Two D-style doors feature built-in windows and provide easy access to the tent as well as providing air flow and ventilation throughout the tent.

The Moonshadow's frame is composed of shock-corded fiberglass poles that allow for quick assembly. The three-quarter rainfly is fully seam-taped and is constructed of water-resistant polyester to keep you dry in wet conditions. No-see-um mesh on the interior will keep bugs away for a comfortable camping adventure. When packed up, the tent weighs a compact 10 pounds and can be easily toted around in the included carry bag. Additional features include a gear loft to keep your equipment organized and out of the way and inner pockets to stash small items.

Specifications:

• Footprint: 8' x 8' x 4'6" (L x W x H)
• Weight: 10 pounds
• Fly: 3/4 rain fly, seam taped pole seam
• Fly Material: 800mm water resistant polyester
• Interior Material: 800mm polyester, No-See-Um mesh
• Floor Material: PE, 1000mm horizontal
• Shock-corded fiberglass poles
• Two D-shape doors with storm cloth zip covers
• Two guy rope attachments and guy ropes
• Inner pockets and flashlight loop tie

What's in the Box?
Tent, rainfly, shockcorded poles, guy rope attachments and guy ropes, carry bag

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 presealed, 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: You Get What You Pay For I guess
This tent set up easily and seemed like a good deal at first but our camping night was ruined when it was windy and cold and the zippers broke after only 4 or 5 uses - so we froze! Plus the poles broke and the stakes were cheap and bent easily...making our tent practically blow away in the wind. Overall the materials for this tent were really cheap and I ended up throwing it away after one use. I'd recommend spending more money for a higher quality tent, you get what you pay for I guess.
Customer Review: Not Bad
For such a low price, I couldn't be happier. I used it five times last summer. It was easy to set up and tear down. The size is ideal for two people but could easily accommodate three people that don't mind a little cuddling. It stood up to light rain well (almost no leakage) and withstood heavy rain fairly well (small amount of leakage). I recommend getting a can of the water proofing spray. You will be much happier, and drier. The last trip I took was much more pleasant after the spray.

There are a lot of plants that you will want to avoid when it comes to camping. You will want to know when you are near poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. You will find that these plants are very painful rashes that will make you itch.

When it comes to the poison ivy you will find that it is the most commonly found dangerous plant in America. You will find that it can grow into four feet scrubs and is commonly a ground cover. It is rarely found in elevation in 5,000 or above, but you will find that it grows in most places that people camp. You will want to keep in mind that when it comes to leaves of there, let it be. This is a clear and common sign of poison ivy. You will also find that it can be a dull green or even purplish.

Another common plant to avoid is poison oak. When it comes to poison oak, you will find that it has some multi-lobed leaves, but it can also have fuzzy, fruit-like branches. The leaves are mostly scalloped around the edges, but it can also be wrinkled, rather than smooth like poison ivy. The leaves will grow in threes, but it is more common to see plants with five or more leaves. Usually, the poison oak will go in sandy solid and range from places from New Jersey down the eastern coast to Florida, but it could also go to places as Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. A to keep in mind is that poison ivy is the most common poison plant in the east, but it is poison oak that is in the western states and more in the south.

As for poison sumac, you will find that it is the least widespread plant, and it really isnt in many places, but the swamp areas and peat bogs. You will find that the leaves of this plant is bluish-green with the red tips. You will find that there are cream colored berries on this plant and it is just as toxic as poison oak and poison ivy. You will want to keep in mind that there are oils in this plant that will spread quickly and it will spread to other people through casual contact. Remember that if you get into trouble then there are no cheap flights to Alicante available in the great outdoors. So prepare well in advance for all the eventualities.

Ray Walberg is writing predominantly for http://www.alicante-spain.com, an internet site with information about Villajoyosa, Torrevieja and various other interests. You might discover his writings on cheapest flights to Alicante at many different sources for cheapest flights to Alicante news.