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A good quality and well-maintained tent will give years of service providing you with a home away from home in the backcountry or at an established campground. The level of difficulty in pitching your tent will depend on the size of your tent, ground conditions and weather conditions at time of setup, and of course personal patience. So how do you get this gigantic tent out of this little bag and figure out where these poles are supposed to go? Well it’s really not difficult at all with a little bit of practice.

Step 1: Practice

The first and most important thing to do after buying your new tent is to practice pitching the tent in your backyard. This will give you the opportunity to lay out all the parts and make sure everything is accounted for before you get 10 miles out in the backcountry only to find you are missing one tent pole. Now here is the hardest part for us guys; look over the directions! Every tent is a little bit different and may require a slightly different approach as your last tent did. Follow the steps in the instructions carefully, laying out the tent, determining the door openings, establishing the correct tent pole locations, and assemble in the correct order.

Step 2: Locate the campsite

Finding the perfect campsite out in the backcountry requires a lot of pre-planning with the maps at home and then a lot of personal observation when you get to the predetermined area. I always like to camp in areas close to a water supply for cleaning of dishes, personal hygiene and drinking water. But avoid establishing camp too close to the water for protection from flooding and avoid low areas which may not drain well if it rains. Look over the ground and stay away from non level areas, areas covered by rocks, roots or sticks. Don’t pitch your tent if possible directly under trees to avoid dripping sap or pine cones falling on your tent. And give yourself a little distance from your neighbor’s tent so that in the event his tent decides to blow away it won’t crash into yours.

Step 3: Prepare the site

Once you’ve found the perfect spot prepare the ground by clearing away any sticks or rocks from the site. If you are forced to use a slightly inclined area determine which way you want to sleep. I always try to have my head up hill. This seems to keep the morning headaches from occurring. Also consider the direction for the door openings keeping them away from any prevailing winds. Then lay out the ground cover. Manufactures may say a ground cover is not necessary with some modern tents but I always use one. It provides added protection to the bottom of the tent and an additional moisture barrier from the ground beneath. After the tent is set up don’t forget to push any exposed ground cover underneath the tent to keep rain water from collecting on the ground cover and running in under the tent instead of into the soil next to the tent.

Step 4: Pitch the tent

Unfold and lay out the tent on top of the ground cover with the door openings pointed in the direction of choice and pitch your tent just as you practiced at home. Some tent brands will need to be staked then the poles added and others will need to have the poles attached and then staked. Drive tent stakes at an angle to the direction of pull to get the best grip and in line with the seams of the tent. Assemble the poles and slip them through the sleeves of the tent body or attach to the hook system. Most tent poles are shock-corded together which reduces the miss matching of poles for assembly. Always pitch your tent with all the zippered openings closed. This will help keep the tent in its proper shape as it is erected.

Step 5: Final touches

Readjust the tent if needed before securely fastening the tent stakes down. After double checking all poles you can add the fly. Even on a clear night a fly is handy just in case it decides to rain and it will also help with the shedding of morning dew. Guy lines may now be securely fastened with guying into the wind being the most effective. Apply sufficient tension to the tent with the guy lines without over stretching. Tent fabric will last if proper care is taken but can also easily tear if stressed the wrong way.

Step 6: Ready for habitation

Your tent is now ready for habitation. While it is still light lay out your sleeping pad, sleeping bag and anything else inside your tent that you plan on storing with you as you sleep. Things that you might want to keep dry like your pack or clothes would be good to keep with you inside the tent but don’t bring food inside with you. I don’t think you want to battle a bear at 2 in the morning over some candy bar! Also ensure the tent is well ventilated by opening all the air vents to reduce condensation build up over night.

That’s all there is to it. With some practice and experience you will find yourself being able to find a suitable location and pitch your tent in just a few minutes even in the dark if needed.

Additional tent care tips

• Never force zippers or stretch the tent fabric. They will break and rip.
• Keep zippers clean from sand and mud.
• Avoid treading on your tent especially with boots.
• Do not drag your tent across the ground.
• Never cook inside your tent. Heat rises and tents burn.
• Always keep the tents exits clear in case an emergency exit is required.
• Always carry a tent repair kit and maybe an extra pole or two.
• After returning home make certain that your tent is completely dry before storing. It’s not a bad idea to set your tent up in the backyard to dry and air out before storing after use.
• Tents can be cleaned with a mild solution of warm detergent free soapy water. Detergents can strip away the water proofing. Do not scrub the tent fabric. Rinse well and dry thoroughly and re-proof with a waterproofing spray as necessary.
• Avoid folding your tent on the same folds over and over again. I like to just stuff my tent into its storage bag with the door opening going in last. When pulling the tent out for assembly the door opening comes out first.

Have fun and stay safe.

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Source by Leonard Jadrich