First-time tent buyers often wonder “Can I assemble a tent all by myself?”. The answer is: Yes, you can. Learning to pitch a tent isn’t rocket-science! It is a fun activity, and once you have done it a couple of times, it becomes as easy as riding a bicycle. The objective of this article is to teach you how to assemble a custom tent all by yourself. We hope it serves as a handy guide every time you go for some outdoor fun and decide to pitch a tent. So, read on!
Tents come in a lot of varieties. There are the standard outdoor tents that you take with you while camping outdoors. You also have the larger custom printed pop up tents and event tents for tradeshows, corporate parties and whatnot. And you have the inflatable tents that do away with tent poles altogether and employ inflatable tubes for the framework instead. To make it easier for you, we will divide this guide into two sections. The first one will deal with assembling a traditional tent complete with a metallic framework and poles. The second section will teach you how to pitch an inflatable tent.
(A) Prerequisites
Before you go about pitching your tent, there are a couple of things you need to look out for.
- Always choose a flat surface free of rocks and other debris.
- Semi-firm soil with short grass growth serves as the ideal platform for all types of outdoor tents.
- If you are setting up your outdoor tent on a concrete surface or asphalt, check for cracks in the ground.
- Make sure there are no extruding tree branches in the area. They can rip through your tent canopy easily and leave you exposed to the weather.
- Last but not the least, pay heed to weather forecasts. Modern custom tents will protect you from UV radiations and mild rainfall. They will also keep you warm, when it’s cold outside. Drafts are also not a problem for heavy duty outdoor tents. But do not take chances with inclement weather, especially when strong winds are blowing.
(B) How to pitch a traditional custom tent?
Keep your tent manual handy. But don’t worry if you have misplaced it.
High quality custom pop up tent manufacturers like Extreme Canopy employ a simple no-assembly-required design for their accessories. This makes setting up a tent fun and easy.
Here’s the steps to follow:
- Pull out the tent from its bag.
- If it’s a custom canopy tent you are assembling, it will come with an expandable frame and canopy.
- Expand the frame a bit.
- Adjust the leg-heights.
- Make sure the canopy is attached to the frame.
- Expand the frame to its full size.
- Check the fasteners, and your tent is ready.
- If you intend to employ PVC walls with your canopy tent, make sure they are attached to the frame with Velcro fasteners.
- For a traditional outdoor tent, you need to attach the tent poles with the canopy and secure the structure with guy ropes and tent pegs.
A word on anchoring your tent
Once your custom tent is upright, you need to properly anchor it to the ground. If you are pitching your tent on semi-firm surface, employ tent stakes. These are essentially long (around 6”) pegs. You attach the free end of a guy rope to the blunt end of a tent stake, and basically hammer it into the ground. This keeps the tent from getting destabilized in mild windy conditions.
But tent stakes can’t be used on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. You need to use weights instead. Custom tent and accessories manufacturers like Extreme Canopy sell cool accessories like sand bags, stackable water weights, and stackable steel weight plates. For event tents and instant canopy tents, fix these accessories to the tent’s footplates and your tent is secure on hard ground. It’s that easy!
For additional support you may use anchors. These are essentially nylon straps that attach to the tent’s frame on one end, and to a stake or a weighted object on the other. But avoid pitching your tent in high wind, if you can help it.
(B) How to pitch an inflatable tent
Pitching an inflatable tent is super easy! If you find tent poles and frames unwieldly, this is the accessory for you. Inflatable tents employ inflatable tubes integrated to the canopies. You just need to use a pump to fill air into the tubes and make them rigid, and your tent is ready. But before you go about pitching an inflatable tent, pay heed to the following:
- Avoid rocky surfaces.
- Stay clear of trees.
- Check for leaks before assembling your tent.
- Keep a puncture kit handy.
Conclusion
Modern tent manufacturers like Extreme Canopy sell all kinds of accessories you need for promotional events and other outdoor activities. You get to buy event tents, custom promotional banners, personalized promotional flags, and whatnot. Choose an accessory that suits your requirement and get in touch with the manufacturer to have it tailored to your taste.
