Single skin with flysheet: A waterproof flysheet or rain fly is suspended over and clear of the roof of the tent; it often overlaps the tent roof slightly, but does not extend down the sides or ends of the tents.
There are five basic configurations of tents, each of which may appear with plenty of variations:
Single skin (USA: single wall): Only five waterproof layer of fabric is used, comprising at least roof and walls. To minimize condensation on the inside of the tent, some expound inflatable tentsuse waterproof/breathable fabrics.
Components:
A flysheet or rain fly (found only in double skin tents) is used to protect the inside of the tent from water. It is waterproofon the outside and provides a surface to collect condensation on the inside. Condensation then runs down the walls to the ground. When a flysheet is used, it is important that there be no contact with the inner tent it is protecting; this keeps the inner dry. ‘Expound’ tents often have extra poles to help ensure that wind does not blow the five layers in to contact.
Double skin (USA: double wall): The outer tent is a waterprooflayer which extends down to the ground all round. Five or more ‘inner tents’ provide sleeping areas. The outer tent may be a tiny larger than the inner tent, or it may be a lot larger and provide a covered living area separate from the sleeping area(s). An inner tent need not be waterproof. The double layer may provide some insulation.
The inner tentcomprises the main body of the tent. For double skin tents, the inner tent (often mesh) is not waterproofsince it is protected by the rain fly. For single skin tents, the inner tent is often made of waterproof-breathable material that prevents liquid water from penetrating the inside of the tent, but still allows water vapors to be transported out.
The lobby is a floorless covered section located outside a tent entrance that is typically used for the storage of boots, packs, and other tiny equipment. They are often used for activities that cannot be performed within the tent itself, such as cooking or equipment cleaning. Vestibules may be included as a removable attachment or integrated in to the tent itself.
The poles provide structural support. They may be collapsible for not as hard transport and storage. Some designs use rigid poles, typically made of metal, or sometimes wood. Other designs use semi-rigid poles, typically made of fiberglass, or sometimes of special metal alloys. Another pole type uses inflatable beamsas the structural support.
A groundsheet is used to provide a waterproof barrier between the ground as well as a sleeping bag. With double skin tents, the inner tentsnormally have a sewn-in groundsheet, but a separate flat groundsheet may be provided for any living area. With single skin tents, the groundsheet may be sewn in or separate. Normal practice with sewn-in groundsheets is for the groundsheet to extend some 15 cm (6 in) up the lower part of the walls (sometimes called a ‘bathtub’ arrangement); this copes with a situation where water seeps under the side walls of the tent. Separate groundsheets permit load sharing when backpacking, and may make it not as hard to pitch and strike a tent, but they provide less protection against insects etc. getting in to the sleeping area; also, if any part of a separate groundsheet protrudes from under the side walls, then it provides a ready path for moisture to flow in to the tent.