Canvasdale

Porch

By the Canvasdale team · Last checked

A porch is a covered space at a tent's door, formed by the flysheet or a separate canopy. You can keep shoes, wet gear or a chair there, out of the sleeping area. Some makers call it a vestibule.

Where you'll see it

Product pages list the porch as a feature, sometimes with the area it covers. It may sit at the front, at the side, or both, and some tents have none. Campsite pages rarely mention porches, but the pitch needs room for one. Never cook, or use a stove, BBQ or gas heater, in or at the door of a porch. Cooking happens outside in the open air, away from the tent.

What to check

  • Where the porch sits, at the front, the side or both, as the maker's spec describes.
  • Whether the porch area is listed, and whether it is large enough for the items you plan to keep in it.
  • Whether the porch zips closed, and whether the maker says it is sealed or open-sided.
  • Whether the porch still fits your pitch once guy lines and pegs are placed.
  • The maker's advice on what the porch should and should not be used for.
  • Awning: a larger covered area, usually attached to a tent or vehicle.
  • Inner tent: the sleeping layer behind the porch door.
  • Flysheet: the outer layer that often forms the porch roof.

Read more: carbon monoxide and camping for why cooking stays outside.