When it comes to rolling out canvas under the Milky Way, your options these days are many and varied. Do you go the tried and tested old swag, get a little bit fancy with a roof top tent or head back to the space of an old fashioned tent design? At the end of the day, each has pluses and minuses; let’s have a good look at each choice.
SWAG
It’s one of the easiest and most versatile choices, portable and comfortable at the same time. Today’s swags have come a long way from being just a pocket of canvas with a mattress; poles and supports mean your swag choices are extremely comfortable and roomy. Consider whether you want a swag that relies on ropes to hold it up or whether a free standing option suits you better. Once you’ve made your choice, be sure to “weather” your swag at home before its first use. Set the beast up and thoroughly wet it with the garden hose, allow it to dry and repeat as many times as possible. This lets the fibres swell, essentially making sure the fabric is totally weather proof. A great tip is keeping a wax stick handy to rub over stitching that may still slightly leak, even after weathering. Have a think about using a ground sheet to both protect the base of your swag and for comfort on hard or uneven ground.
ROOF TOP TENT
Perhaps the largest and most “committed” sleeping choice is the roof top tent. This design will often take up the majority of your useable roof space, can make your 4WD slightly top heavy and may add to fuel usage thanks to wind resistance. One big factor with a roof top tent is making sure that once you’ve decided on hitting camp, you’re not planning on moving again! Of course once you’ve set up your roof topper it’s a hassle to have to take it down to change camps or reposition. The up side however is an unparalleled sleep experience, up off the ground, in a large and comfortable environment. Roof top tents have excellent ventilation and catch the breeze in hot environments. Even on rocky, wet or uneven ground you can position your vehicle to make sure you always have a flat, comfortable sleep. When setting up your RTT in exposed conditions, try to avoid side-on winds as being elevated these may be accentuated; face your tent into the wind for best results.
TENT
Gone are the days of bulky awkward canvas and centre poles or even the old school A frame camping tents that leak and are no bigger than a swag. Today a tent can be set up in 30 seconds, offer plenty of head room and even have rooms for children or multiple bodies. The downside of course is the sheer bulk of packing such a structure away and then, unlike RTTs or swags, having to setup bedding inside as a separate package. Just like swags, canvas tents will benefit from weathering to make sure the material is as waterproof as possible. A real benefit of a large modern tent is the “vestibule”. This covered outside area will allow for gear storage as well as activities such as cooking and relaxing out of the weather, yet not inside the main body of the tent. This feature alone can make tent ownership very attractive. Tents also make excellent, quick and portable base stations for extended camps, where daily activities that see you leaving camp and returning at night, to a fully set-up camp with all the comforts of home, without having to tow. When packing your tent be sure to remove as much dirt or mud as possible and if the tent has to be packed away wet, unpack it once home and thoroughly dry it before storage to prevent mould and mildew growing on the canvas.