Home away from home, that is what a tent is. Tents come in a variety of shapes and sizes, flashy colors and shiny zippers. Don't let all this fool you, it is still a tent. Sizes are based according to how many people they sleep: 2-man, 3-man, 4-man and 6-man (no these are not sexist comments, that is the industry standard). If the tent is made by a reputable company, then it will usually be able to sleep what it says it can. Some tent companies overrate their tents and a 3 person tent ends up being a 2 person.
You may hear tents categorized as 3 season or 4 season. A three season tent is generally made for camping in warmer months, spring through fall. A 4 season tent is made to go camping year round, even in the winter. The main difference in the two is that 4 season tents are made of heavier material which keeps the inside of the tent warmer. In the heat of summer in the southern US, you would much prefer a 3 season tent than a 4 season.
