| A 'tent' is a shelter, consisting of sheets | | | | tent is like a flysheet, but extends right |
| of fabric or other material draped over or | | | | down to the ground all round. One or more |
| attached to a frame of poles and/or ropes. | | | | inner tents provide sleeping areas. The outer |
| Some tent styles are free-standing, while | | | | tent may be just a little larger than the |
| others are attached to the ground using guy | | | | inner tent, or it may be a lot larger and |
| ropes tied to stakes (pegs). Tents were first | | | | provide a covered living area separate from |
| used as portable homes by nomadic peoples, | | | | the sleeping area(s). An inner tent need not |
| but today, their main application is for | | | | be waterproof. |
| recreational camping. Modern tents are | | | | |
| usually made of fire-retardant material. | | | | When a flysheet or outer tent is used, it is |
| Tents range in size from those barely large | | | | important that there be no contact with the |
| enough for one person to sleep in up to huge | | | | inner tent it is protecting; this keeps the |
| (circus) tents capable of seating thousands | | | | inner dry even if the outer is wet. |
| of people. The bulk of this article is | | | | Expedition tents often have extra poles to |
| concerned with recreational camping using | | | | help ensure that wind does not blow the two |
| tents capable of sleeping from 1 up to about | | | | layers into contact. The double layer may |
| 10 people. Larger tents are discussed in a | | | | provide some insulation. |
| separate section below. | | | | |
| | | | A groundsheet is used to provide a waterproof |
| Tents for recreational camping are generally | | | | barrier between the ground and a sleeping |
| transportable by car. Depending on tent size | | | | bag. With double skin tents, the inner tents |
| and the experience of the person or people | | | | normally have a sewn-in groundsheet, but a |
| involved, such tents can usually be assembled | | | | separate flat groundsheet may be provided for |
| (pitched) in between 5 and 25 minutes; | | | | any living area. With single skin tents, the |
| disassembly (striking) takes a similar length | | | | groundsheet may be sewn in or separate. |
| of time (some very specialised tents have | | | | Normal practice with sewn-in groundsheets is |
| spring-loaded poles and can be 'pitched' in 2 | | | | for the groundsheet to extend some 15 cm (6 |
| seconds, but take somewhat longer to strike). | | | | in) up the lower part of the walls (sometimes |
| Smaller tents may be sufficiently light that | | | | called a bath-tub arrangement); this copes |
| they can be carried for long distances on a | | | | with a situation where water seeps under the |
| person's back, or on a touring bicycle, a | | | | side walls of the tent. Separate groundsheets |
| boat, or even a pack animal. | | | | allow loadsharing when backpacking, and may |
| | | | make it easier to pitch and strike a tent, |
| Tent fabric may be made of many materials | | | | but they provide less protection against |
| including cotton (canvas), nylon, and | | | | insects etc. getting into the sleeping area; |
| polyester. Cotton absorbs water, so it can | | | | also, if any part of a separate groundsheet |
| become very heavy when wet, but the | | | | protudes from under the side walls, then it |
| associated swelling tends to block any minute | | | | provides a ready path for moisture to flow |
| holes so that wet cotton may be more | | | | into the tent. |
| waterproof than dry cotton. Nylon and | | | | |
| polyester are much lighter than cotton and do | | | | The poles provide structural support. They |
| not absorb much water; with suitable coatings | | | | may be collapsible for easier transport and |
| they can be very waterproof, but they tend to | | | | storage. Some designs use rigid poles, |
| deteriorate over time due to a slow chemical | | | | typically made of metal, or sometimes wood. |
| breakdown caused by ultra-violet light. Since | | | | Other designs use semirigid poles, typically |
| stitching makes tiny holes in a fabric, it is | | | | made of fiberglass, or sometimes of special |
| important that any seams are sealed or taped | | | | metal alloys. |
| to block up these holes. | | | | |
| | | | Stakes or pegs may be used to fasten the tent |
| Rain resistance is measured as a hydrostatic | | | | to the ground. Some are attached to guy ropes |
| head in millimetres or you could say,mm. This | | | | that pull outward on the poles and/or fabric |
| indicates the pressure of water needed to | | | | to help shape the tent or give it additional |
| penetrate a fabric. Heavy or wind-driven rain | | | | stability. Others are used to anchor the |
| has a higher pressure than light rain. | | | | bottom edge of the fabric to the ground. Pegs |
| Standing on a groundsheet increases the | | | | may be made of wood, plastic, or metal. A |
| pressure on any water underneath. Fabric with | | | | mallet may be needed to drive thicker pegs |
| a hydrostatic head of 1000 mm or less is best | | | | into the ground. Skewer metal pegs consisting |
| regarded as shower resistant, with 1500 mm | | | | essentially of a length of thick wire with a |
| being usually suitable for summer camping. | | | | hook on one end can usually be inserted by |
| Tents for year round use generally have at | | | | hand, except if the ground is very hard, but |
| least 2000 mm; expedition tents intended for | | | | may not be as strong as more substantial |
| extreme conditions are often rated at 3000 | | | | pegs. Pegs used for guy ropes should not be |
| mm. Where quoted, groundsheets may be 5000 mm | | | | driven vertically into the ground; instead |
| or more. | | | | for maximum strength they should be driven in |
| | | | at an angle so that the peg is at right |
| Many tent manufacturers indicate capacity by | | | | angles to the guy rope attached to it. |
| such phrases as "3 berth" or "2 person". | | | | Lighter free standing tents may need some guy |
| These numbers indicate how many people the | | | | ropes and pegs to prevent them from being |
| manufacturer thinks can be crammed snugly | | | | blown away. |
| into a tent, with just sleeping bags. These | | | | |
| numbers do not allow for any personal | | | | Multiple air vents should be provided to help |
| belongings such as, luggage, inflatable | | | | reduce the effects of condensation. When |
| mattresses, camp beds, cots, etc. Experience | | | | people breathe, they expel quite a lot of |
| indicates that camping may be more | | | | water vapour. If the outside of the tent is |
| comfortable if the actual number of campers | | | | colder than the inside (the usual case), then |
| is 1 or even 2 less than the manufacturer's | | | | this vapour will condense on the inside of |
| suggestion. | | | | the tent, on any clothing lying about, on the |
| | | | outside of a sleeping bag, etc. so that |
| Tents can be improvised using waterproof | | | | everything is damp in the morning. Hence it |
| fabric, string, and sticks. This allows them | | | | is important to have plenty of ventilation to |
| to be easily built and moved. | | | | help dispel the vapour and get it outside the |
| | | | tent, even if this lets in cold air and makes |
| There are three basic types of tents (but | | | | the tent feel a little cooler. Many inner |
| each type may appear in many different | | | | tents are made of some 'breathable' material |
| styles): | | | | so that water vapour can more easily pass |
| | | | through it. |
| Single skin (USA: single wall). Only one | | | | |
| waterproof layer of fabric is used, | | | | An optional tent footprint or groundsheet |
| comprising at least roof and walls. | | | | protector may be used. This is a separate |
| | | | flat groundsheet which goes underneath the |
| Single skin with flysheet. A flysheet or rain | | | | main groundsheet, and is slightly smaller |
| fly is suspended over and clear of the roof | | | | than that groundsheet. The intention is to |
| of the tent; it often overlaps the tent roof | | | | protect the main groundsheet, especially when |
| slightly, but does not extend down the sides | | | | camping on rough terrain, since it is much |
| or ends of the tent. | | | | cheaper to replace a separate footprint |
| | | | groundsheet than it is to replace a sewn-in |
| Double skin (USA: double wall). The outer | | | | groundsheet. |