Tent Introduction - Some camping tent basicsA tent introduction...a few years ago choosing your camping tent was a much simpler affair as ridge tents were the main design. These days there are many different tent styles on offer from the quick erect tents to the spacious dome tents. Most tents these days will have two layers. The outer tent (or fly sheet) will be waterproof keeping the interior dry. It will have numerous guy ropes and tent pegs attached to increase the stability of the tent. It will also have other features such as doors, windows, mud flaps and ventilation vents.
The inner layer will be made from lighter non-waterproof breathable material. Its role is to provide an inner room where equipment and occupants are dry, well ventilated and comfortable. The space between the flysheet and the inner tent allows condensation from the inner room to be ventilated out and thus preventing drips from forming. The outer and inner tents should not be allowed to touch as this will permit water to seep from the outer tent to the non-waterproof inner tent and cause problems.
The groundsheet is important as it prevents moisture from seeping up into the tent from below. The bedroom groundsheets should be the bathtub type to prevent draughts and create a more efficient barrier to moisture. For the communal areas, with greater traffic flow, it is usually better to select a tent with a separate groundsheet, as any damage to the groundsheet caused by this general usage is easier to repair.
If the inner tent is erected first it means that the tent poles are attached to the inner tent and then the outer tent is thrown over this completed structure. This usually means that the tent is very taut and doesn't flap about so much in the wind. The major disadvantage of this system is that the inner (non waterproof) inner tent will get wet if the camping tent is being erected in the rain. If the outer tent is erected first the tent poles are attached to the outer tent and then the inner tent is hung from the outer tent's structure. This allows the inner tent to be set up within the comfort of the outer tent in wet or windy conditions. When the camping tent is taken down it is useful to be able to pack up all the equipment, including the inner tent, get ready for the drive home and then take down the outer tent without getting wet. Now you have viewed this tent introduction check out some of the other tent information pages...
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Some tents are constructed outer tent layer first whereas with other tents the inner tent is erected first.
