Housing & Furniture Codexery

Tent

Portable shelter for camping, nomads, and emergencies

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Tent

Design: American Society of Testing and Materials Vectorization Big guy637 · Public domain

Tents have been used since ancient times, with the cone-shaped teepee used by Plains Indians for thousands of years.[1][2] The interior of an enclosed tent is typically about 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the outside due to body heat retention.[3]

A tent on a bed
A tent on a bed. Image: Slyronit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Quick Facts

Ancient example
teepee/tipi used by Plains Indians (archaeological evidence dates to variously estimated from 10,000 to 4,000 years BC)

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

Tents were used at least as far back as the early Iron Age and are mentioned in the Bible.[4] The Roman Army used leather tents, and later styles derived from nomadic tents like the yurt.[5] A teepee, or tipi, consists of a conical framework of poles, a hide or canvas cover, and pegs to hold it to the ground.[2] Tipis have probably been used since the Middle Archaic period, about 4,000 years ago.[2]

August 2009, Tent in Daisetsuzan
August 2009, Tent in Daisetsuzan. Image: Syced · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Armies worldwide have long used tents for their quick setup and takedown times.[6] The U.S. Department of Defense is one of the world's largest users of tents.[6] Common military tent uses include sleeping quarters, dining facilities, and field headquarters.[6] The TEMPER Tent, whose name stands for Tent Expandable Modular PERsonnel, is a widely used military shelter.[6]

Best tent place on the E6 -backpacking -hiking -photo -norway
Best tent place on the E6 -backpacking -hiking -photo -norway. Image: Bjørn Heidenstrøm from Sætre, Norway · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

A significant rise in tent encampments occurred during the latter half of the 2010s.[7]

Baikal Railway, Inner tent, Russia
Baikal Railway, Inner tent, Russia. Image: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the cited sources add

The "Illustrated Tent Terminology Guide" notes that dome-style tents provide good interior volume and are popular for family camping.[8] That guide explains that double wall tents have an inner mesh compartment and a separate rain fly to keep occupants dry.[8] The guide states that a freestanding tent stands up by itself without needing to be staked down.[8] The "Camping First-Timer?" article advises that the least expensive tents tend to be heavier, less durable, and less waterproof.[9]

ASTM F2441-20 Camping tent safety label
ASTM F2441-20 Camping tent safety label. Image: Design: American Society of Testing and Materials Vectorization Big guy637 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

That article recommends budgeting at least $200 for a quality tent.[10] The same source suggests buying a tent that fits one more person than you are taking on the trip.[10]

Baikal Railway, Tent, Inner tent, Russia
Baikal Railway, Tent, Inner tent, Russia. Image: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The History Behind Teepee Dwellings", Teepee Joy; Wishart, "Tipis", Encyclopedia of the Great Plains (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wishart, "Tipis", Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. facts only, no text reused. plainshumanities.unl.edu
  3. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Manning, "Backpacking: One Step at a Time", Vintage Books, 1975, p. 195 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "A Brief History of Tents - where did tents originate? The History of Tents.", www.turas.tv, 2018-07-14 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "ContuberniumTent", Legiotricesima.org (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The United States Army", Natick.army.mil, 2009-10-20 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Westervelt, Eric, "Sprawling Homeless Camps — Modern 'Hoovervilles' — Vex California", NPR, January 13, 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. "Illustrated Tent Terminology Guide", 3 August 2016. facts only, no text reused. sectionhiker.com
  9. Wikipedia, "Tent" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Camping First-Timer? Here's What You Need to Know About Tents", 16 March 2018 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  10. "Camping First-Timer? Here's What You Need to Know About Tents", 16 March 2018. facts only, no text reused. activeweekender.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Tent (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Named in this entry

NomadBoatIndigenous peoples in CanadaBook of GenesisWorld War IIndigenous peoples of the AmericasTurkic peoplesWar

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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