First of all, you may ask yourself, “What is a tent vestibule?” A tent vestibule is an enclosed space positioned outside the main tent body, which serves as an entryway before entering the main tent body. Vestibules are often found around the sides, front, or rear of the tent and can be used to store items and provide added protection when entering and leaving the tent.
They can be helpful in the summer because they provide shade and a place to cool off, but a vestibule tent can also be helpful in the winter because they provide a safe yet open room for cooking on a stove.
Tent vestibules have various advantages, including providing a place to store soiled or wet clothing. As explained in camping in the rain, using a porch or vestibule is a helpful technique to separate wet and dry belongings, keeping the tent interior dry.
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Types of tent vestibules
There are a few types of vestibules there may be in a tent. Different people might like different types of vestibules depending on their personal preferences.
Front Vestibule:
Front vestibules protect a tent’s front entryway. They’re commonly integrated into the tent body. The vestibule near the front of the tent may seem the most natural. Because when you enter and exit your tent from the front, you’ll want to shake off the elements before entering and prepare to face the elements before leaving.
If you’re camping in a tent with a group of people and expect everyone to put their wet shoes and stuff away in the vestibule, then you should have a front entry vestibule. But it can make entering and exiting the tent jam-packed and potentially dangerous.
Side Vestibule:
Side vestibules are usually large enough to quickly enter and exit your tent by keeping your belongings on one half and using the other as a door. On each side of the tent, there is a vestibule. Having a tent with two vestibules and two entrance doors is impressive.
This doubles the vestibule area, allowing you to fill one with gear while using the other as an escape. Then you won’t have to worry about obstructing the only entrance with gears.
Your wet gear and hiking shoes can be stored on one side of the side vestibule, leaving the main entrance open for visitors to enter and exit.
Porch-like vestibule:
Some of the vestibules on a tent open up like a big porch at the front. They are pretty spacious, and you can even sit under them during rain or snow as it functions as a porch.
Usage of a tent vestibule
A tent vestibule can be used in many ways. I would say the user’s imagination only limits it. First and foremost, a tent vestibule isn’t necessary, but it can always come in handy, especially when camping in a location where rain is possible. Vestibule tents make the most of the available space for sleeping and storage. An alternate rain fly with a built-in vestibule is available on some tents. This implies that you can change the tent arrangement if you require or don’t need a vestibule for a camping trip.
Vestibule as storage space:
The additional storage area is ideal for freeing up room within your tent and keeping it clean and dry. Vestibules become even more critical when camping in a tent with another person. The additional space outside the tent for equipment storage will allocate more space inside the tent for the occupants. It’s a pain to track dirt into your tent, which must be cleaned out afterward.
Cooking:
When cooking inside the tent, almost every experienced camper will tell you not to do that. Because cooking inside the tent sets a very high chance of you putting your tent on fire, there is also the relatively minor risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from the different types of camp stoves. That is if you cook inside your tent without causing an accident. But cooking in a tent vestibule is ideal, especially in the winter.
You must maintain a few things while cooking in a tent with a vestibule. You have to see that there is proper ventilation in the vestibule and no way of carbon monoxide build-up inside the main tent. Keep the stove and the tent fabric apart from each other. Cooking in a tent is not encouraged.
Keeping the tent neat:
When you leave your tent to go hiking or grab some water, you may find that your shoes or apparel are covered in mud or snow, and your raincoat is soaked in wet soil. And entering the tent in this manner is disgusting and unsanitary. You can’t, however, leave your belongings outside to get soaked. You don’t have to worry about bringing dirt into your tent if you have a tent vestibule because you can keep your shoes there.
Making your vestibule
A poncho tarp and a flagpole can be used to create a makeshift vestibule. Even though a DIY vestibule may not be as highly durable or substantial as a professionally constructed one, but it can still provide protection and cover if necessary. The materials you will need are as follows:
- A poncho tarp
- A flagpole taller than a tent.
- Guy lines
- Stakes
- Toggle
Constructing the vestibule is quite simple. First, take the pole and put it in front of the tent. Then take the poncho tarp and put it over the tent and the pole. Use a toggle to tie the poncho tarp to the main tent.
Take out the guy lines and stake. Use the guy lines to properly place the poncho tarp over the tent and the pole. After that, take the guy lines attached to the poncho tarp and firmly staple them to the ground with stakes. Tie them with a slip knot so that it is easy to undo. The final product should resemble a pup tent draped over your original tent.
Things to keep in mind
- I think it’s vital to add that you shouldn’t store anything you don’t want to get wet in your tent vestibule because it acts as a second front door to your tent and is more likely to become wet.
- You don’t need a large vestibule if you only need a tiny doorway for your shoes. However, you’ll need a little more space if you want to store anything like a bike.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it solely depends on you to decide if you even need a vestibule. It depends on what kind of camping trip you are going on or if you even need a vestibule tent. Then you should probably take one with you. But you also have to consider that the vestibule will add weight to your backpack if you are not using a vehicle to go camping. You have to consider the probability of meeting with unexpected weather. In that instance, a vestibule tent will be pretty useful.
