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Tent Construction
Tents now-a-days are made from nylon. Nylon is used because of its superior
strength to weight ratio. There are two different types of nylons
used. Taffeta, ripstop, or a combination of both. Taffeta is just
the plain weave nylon while ripstop is a reinforced nylon weave.
These reinforcements allow the nylon to eliminate tears in the nylon
from becoming larger and unrepairable. Mesh is also widely used
in tent manufacturing because of it's ventilating factors. The mesh
material is used on the doors and windows to allow for air flow
while stopping insects from getting inside the tent. Finally, tents
must have poles in order to give the tent a shape and structure.
Tent poles are usually made from either fiberglass or aluminum.
Aluminum is lighter and more durable than those made from fiberglass.
Fiberglass poles have a tendency to dryrot and will break after
years of use, usually while on a trip.
Tents come into two categories: three season and four season. However,
some of the manufactures have come out with convertible tents, which
can be used in all situations. These tents are three season tents
that can be converted for four season use. Four season tents were
constructed to withstand high winds, can handle snow, and will keep
heat better(little ventilation) than a three season. These tents
are usually heavier on the packer and billfold as well. After one
use in rough conditions though the price is minimalized by the comfort
achieved. Four season tents are primarily used for extreme winter
and/or high-altitude conditions. Both conditions involve radical
changes in weather that usually involve high winds. Because of the
weather factor, manufactures attempt to build tent with optimum
structural integrety, maximizing its ability to keep heat, be easily
set-up, and be light weight and compactible. These are the main
reasons why they are so expensive. However, even though these are
exceptional tents, they might not suite your needs!
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