Purpose of this Blog

Hi, I'm Rose.

I want to teach you how to set up a tent.  I'm mainly doing this as an assignment for my Technical Communication class, but I think this will also be a fun way to learn how to blog.

I'm not writing any instructions today, but I want to give you some background about myself before I get started.  I'm a bit of a sci-fi geek, but I also love the outdoors, especially camping.  I am 34 years old now and I have been going on family camping trips practically every year since I was three years old.  Tent camping is all I know and I love it.  I've never camped in an RV and I don't consider it a very natural form of camping.  Over the course of my life, I have camped in several different tents and can easily explain how to set up any of them.

There are many types of tents and brands.  You most likely don't own the tent I'm going to set up for my example, but the basics are the same for any tent.  I'm going to give you step by step instructions with photographs, personal tips, and recommendations to teach you how to set up a tent on your first try.

Getting Started

Getting Started

You have arrived at the campground, checked in, and found the perfect level campsite.  You pull your tent bag out of your car or truck.  The only tool you need to grab out of your toolbox is a hammer.  Depending on the size of your tent, you might also want to grab a person to help you out as well.  

For demonstration, I am setting up a Eureka! Copper Canyon 6 tent.  This is a large, 6 person tent, so two people are setting it up.  It can be set up by just one person, but it is much easier and faster, if you have help.

Now, let's set up the tent.

Preparing Tent and Equipment for Set Up

1. Empty tent bag of its contents.  
2. Locate the tent, rain fly (possibly wrapped up in the tent), poles, and stakes.  (The rain fly can be an optional piece of equipment; some tents do not have one.)

   

   Tent, Poles, and Stakes

3. Place your tent where you want to locate it on the campsite.
4. Locate the door end of your rolled up tent.
5. Face the door in the direction you want.
6. Unroll and unfold your tent.  (The rain fly may also be rolled up with the tent, if it is, set it aside for now.)

   

   Unrolled Tent

   
   

   

   Unrolled and Unfolded Tent. 

7. Connect your tent poles together from their folded up storage condition.  (The number of poles you have will vary by tent model.  The Copper Canyon 6 has six poles: four structure poles and two roof poles.)
   

   

   Tent Poles (Connected and Disconnected)
   Structure Poles (Left) and Roof Poles (Right)
   
   
   

8. Identify how many stakes your tent requires.  (Most tents require at least four stakes, one at each corner.)

   

   Tent Stakes

9. Locate where your stakes go.
10. Place stakes and poles near where they will be used on the tent.

    

    Place Stakes Near Where They Will Be Hammered In

We are now ready to raise the tent.  If you are setting up a large tent, this is a good time to find someone to lend you a hand.  Continue on to my next blog post.

Raising the Roof

Raising the Roof

Depending on the size of your tent, raising you tent structure can be the most difficult part of setting up your tent.  As I said on my previous post, ask a friend, family member, or neighbor for assistance, if you think you might need help because of the size of your tent.

Installing Poles And Stakes

1. Guide your roof poles through the tent roof sleeves.  (The Copper Canyon 6 has two roof poles, but some larger tents can have more.  Smaller tents may not have roof poles at all, but have poles that support both the structure and roof)
   

   

   Slide Roof Poles Through Tent Sleeves

   

   Watch For Snags In The Sleeves



Roof Poles Create An X In The Center Of The Roof

2. Insert ends of roof poles into plastic sockets located and attached to the tent at each corner of the roof.  (The tent roof is now ready to be raised.)

   

   Roof Pole In Plastic Socket

   
   

   

   Roof Structure Ready To Raise

3. Raise each corner of the tent structure with structure poles.  (Start with the four corners, if you have more than four structure poles.)
4. Insert top of the structure pole into the bottom end of the plastic sockets already attached to the roof poles.  (On the Copper Canyon 6, the top of the structure poles are open and the bottoms have plastic capped holes.)

   

   Plastic Socket With Structure And Roof Poles Installed

5. Insert bottom of the support poles onto the metal pins attached to the bottom of the tent on the metal rings.

   

   Fit Pins Into Bottom Of Structure Poles

6. Attach tent clips to structure poles after all corner poles are connected and pinned down.

   

   Raise All Tent Corners Before Attaching Clips

   
   

   

   Attach Clips

7. Re-position the tent, if you moved it around while raising the roof.
8. Hammer stakes through the loops located at the bottom of the tent.  (To avoid injury, do not hammer stakes into wood or rock.  Trust me, you will have a very difficult time removing stakes from tree roots.)

   

   Hammer In Stakes

Your tent is structure is up, now all you need to do is put on the fly.  See my next post to finish the job.

Cover that Tent

Cover Your Portable Home

Attaching a tent's rain fly is optional, if you have one or want to.  Some tent models do not have rain flys.  You may also not want to put on a fly, if it is really warm out and there is no chance of rain.  Some tents also have windows in the top of the tent for stargazing, so if you plan on looking at the stars don't cover your windows until after you're done looking.  If there is any chance of inclement weather, I strongly recommend you put on your tent's fly.  A fly will not only keep you dry on the inside, but also protect your tent structure to an extent from strong winds.

Attach the Rain Fly

1. Spread out fly and insert any fly poles, if you have them.  (The Copper Canyon 6 does not have a fly pole.)

   

   Unfold The Fly

2. Position rain fly over the tent structure.

   

   Position The Fly Into Place

3. Adjust the rain fly until you have it inline with the tent corners.  (Some rain flys may have the tent logo on one side of the fly that usually goes on the side over the door.)
4. Attach rain fly to the tent frame using using the hooks attached to the fly.  (The hooks will attach to the plastic or metal loops at the bottom of the tent.  The fly loops are separate from the stake loops, but located in the same areas.)

   

   Attach Fly Hooks To Tent Loops

5. Attach the underside of the rain fly to the tent frame poles using Velcro straps attached to the rain fly.

   

   Attach Velcro Strap To Pole

   
   

   

   Most Tents Have Velcro Straps At Two Places On Each Corner

6. Stake out the rain fly's guylines in the event of severe weather.  (Staking out the guylines is optional, but it gives the tent extra anchoring to the ground during a rain storm or strong winds.)

   

   Optional Guylines On Fly Corners

   
   

   

   If You Use The Guylines, Have Extra Stakes On Hand

   
   

   

   Guylines Anchor A Tent Even More

7. Close tent doors and windows as desired.

   

   Tent Door With Window Closed

   
   

   

   Open Windows For Fresh Air

You did it!  You raised your portable home.  I recommend putting your tent, pole, and stake bags inside the tent, so they are handy when you break camp.  (Follow the steps in reverse order to take down the tent.)  Now, you just have to furnish your portable home, cook dinner, light a fire, roast s'mores, and enjoy the outdoors.  Have fun!

I Like Tents I Can Stand In