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Hiking, Camping, Paddling, Cycling, Adventure — Canada's best source for Inspiring Outdoor Experiences.

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Explore Magazine

Hiking, Camping, Paddling, Cycling, Adventure — Canada's best source for Inspiring Outdoor Experiences.

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My Tent Is Embarrassing, and I Refuse to Replace It

Vanessa Chiasson

Vanessa Chiasson

August 22, 2026

Red and gray camping tent pitched on a grassy riverbank with a mountain range in the background.

I own a big, awkward, embarrassing tent. I haven’t always been this way. As a child, I camped in my backyard all summer long, happily bunking down in a classic pup tent. When my husband and I married, his respectable, basic dome became my shelter as well. When we sensed its end was nigh, we jumped at the chance to grab a secondhand Hillary tent, advertised for just $50 on our apartment building’s bulletin board. That tent was sturdy and spacious. And to my surprise, it was an insta-tent.

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Vanessa Chiasson

Vanessa Chiasson

Vanessa Chiasson is a freelance writer specializing in travel and human interest narratives. She loves writing about sustainable travel, urban agriculture, gardening, food trails and social enterprise. In the industry since 2012, she has been published by the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, Cottage Life, Reader’s Digest, Buzzfeed and more. Originally from Nova Scotia, Vanessa now resides in Ottawa.

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