Basic Tent Parts
The modern tent has come a long way from the tent
designs of centuries past, where a few sticks and some animal hides were
considered a sufficient form of outdoor shelter.
The various odds, ends and stretches of treated fabric that comprise
the tent of today all come together to form a housing structure that can
easily be transported to almost any location, and provides effective
resistance from the fickleness of nature.
Each of the components of the modern tent contributes to this primary
function, as described below:
- Poles.
The skeletal framework upon which the rest of the tent hangs
is made up of the tent poles, which support the rest of the tent and
give it its shape. Poles are
typically either rigid or flexible, though some designs are inflatable
to provide greater collapsibility.
Aluminum is the most used pole material, though fiberglass, steel
and even wood are also relatively common.
- Body.
This is the fabric that composes most of the tent, to which the
poles provide structure. The body
may be made of synthetic material, such as nylon or polyester, or
natural canvas. In either case,
the body is usually treated with waterproofing substances to make it
resilient against rain and moisture.
- Flysheet/Rainfly.
This portion of a tent, found only on tent designs with an inner
and outer wall, is used to enhance the water resistance of the tent,
keeping water out and trapping condensation that forms inside the tent,
allowing it to flow to the ground.
The rainfly and the inner body are kept separate so that the body
remains dry. It can either be
integrated into the tent’s design or attached as a separate piece.
- Vestibule.
This is a separate small entryway, covered but without a floor,
that is typically used to store gear such as boots, backpacks, and other
equipment. This portion can also
be used to cook or clean objects, which activities would damage or tent
if performed inside.
- Groundsheet.
This is the floor of the tent, a waterproof and sometimes
puncture resistant surface that separates the ground from the tent
interior. This is normally sewn
in as part of the body, but a separate groundsheet may be used to
reinforce the floor lining. A
groundsheet normally rises about 6 inches up the lower part of the tent
walls to prevent water from seeping in.
Separate groundsheets provide less protection and protruding
sections may be an avenue for water or insects to enter the tent.
- Stakes, Pegs,
Screws and Guy Ropes. These
objects are used to secure the tent to the ground and provide additional
stability, since a strong gust of wind can easily blow a tent away if it
isn’t somehow secured to the ground.
Guy ropes pull the tent downward and outward, and the tent stakes
or pegs are hammered into the ground, normally at an angle instead of
vertically, preferably at a right angle from the rope to which it is
attached.
- Air Vents and
Windows. Found on the body of
the tent, these reduce moisture forming inside the tent, and allow air
to circulate more freely as needed, so that the tent does not end up
feeling unduly stuffy.
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