Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival
Chapter Sixty-Three
Tents
Copyright © January 7, 2025 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.
My book Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival contains 105 chapters and it has 700 pages.
The following information is included in chapter 63 of the above book.
Introduction to Tents
A tent may be a reasonable option for some people depending on their circumstances, their health, and their physical abilities. This chapter will review the advantages and disadvantage of tents, and the primary factors that should be considered when selecting a tent, and a few of the more popular types of tents that are currently available.
I should mention that my wife, our 3 pre-school age children, and I lived in a tent while I was building a rustic log cabin in the backwoods of Maine during the summer and fall of 1975 when I was 26 years old. That experience significantly impacted my perspective about tents.
History of Tents
Tents have been used for thousands of years.
For example, the Holy Bible says that Abraham and Sarah lived in a tent.
Genesis 18:9 and 10 (King James Version):
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. ...
10 And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
The Holy Bible says that God chose a tent to be the place in which He would dwell when He traveled with the Israelites.
Exodus 26:13 (New King James Version):
13 … what remains of the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and on that side, to cover it.
2 Samuel 7:5-6 (New King James Version):
5 'Thus says the LORD: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?
6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle." '
The Holy Bible says that the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker and that he supported himself by making tents as he spread the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Acts 18:3-4 (New King James Version):
3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Do You Need a Tent?
Depending on your specific situation, you may or may not need a tent. A tent is usually a temporary shelter.
If you will need to travel by foot or by bicycle to another location and it will take two or more days, then some type of tent may be useful.
However, if you will be using some type of motor vehicle to travel to another location then you may be able to sleep inside your vehicle. If the vehicle has "bench type seats" then you could lie lengthwise on a seat and sleep. If you have relining seats then you could tilt the seat backwards and sleep. If you have a van, SUV, or a truck with a covered rear end, then you may be able to sleep in the back of the vehicle.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Tent
The following issues will influence the type of tent that would be appropriate for your specific situation.
- Method of Travel: If you will be walking then the size and weight of the tent will be very important because it will reduce the amount of other stuff that you can take with you. If you will be pulling a luggage carrier behind you while walking, or if you will be riding a bicycle, then a slightly larger tent could be considered.
- Potential Places to Erect a Tent: There will need to be places along your route where it will be safe and legal to setup a tent.
- Footprint of the Tent: A bigger tent requires more level ground.
- Number of Occupants: More people will require a bigger tent. Or you may chose more tents and put fewer people in each tent.
- Total Weight of a Tent: The tent material, the necessary setup items, and the size of the tent will determine its total weight.
- Total Size of Collapsed Tent: This will determine the amount of space required to store the tent when in transit between destinations.
- Weather Conditions (Wind, Rain, Snow): The tent material and the way it is made will impact its ability to withstand bad weather.
- Temperatures (Hot or Cold): Some tents have been designed for tropical climates and some have been designed for colder climates.
- Time Between Setups: Most portable tents are designed to remain in one spot for one night. Other types of tents are designed to be used for several days or weeks in the same exact spot. However, many areas have laws about how long a tent can remain in one spot.
- Time to Setup: The effort and time required to setup a tent can be a significant factor if the tent is only used for one-night stops.
- Life Expectancy of Tent: This does not refer to how long a tent will last when it is stored inside your closet at home. This refers to how long the tent will last when it is setup and exposed to normal weather conditions. The sun, the temperature, and the wind will all gradually destroy a tent. No tent will last forever.
- Temporary or Semi-Permanent or Permanent Shelter: The amount of time you will be spending inside the tent each year should be considered when you select a tent.
- Customer Reviews: Read all the customer reviews for any tent you are seriously considering before you make your final decision.
Factors that Impact the Design of a Tent
- Height of Tent: There are three basic options as follows:
- Crawl into the tent and lie down flat to sleep. A cot will usually not fit inside this type of tent.
- Sit on the ground and your head does not touch the roof. A cot with short legs will usually fit inside this type of tent.
- Stand up and move around inside the tent. Depending on the design and size of the tent, a normal cot and a small table and folding chairs may fit inside this tent.
- Length of Tent: The tent should be long enough so that the tallest person in your party can stretch out flat without having to curl up to prevent his head or feet from touching the walls of the tent.
- Footprint of Tent: This will determine how may people can sleep inside the tent and how much stuff can be stored inside the tent.
- Seams: Carefully examine all the seams. The floor should be joined to the walls so that rain and dirt cannot get into the tent.
- Rainfly (Rain Fly): This is a waterproof covering that fits over the outside of the tent. A rainfly normally does not make direct contact with the roof or the sides of the tent. This keeps moisture off the roof and sides of the tent and this reduces the amount of moisture that leeches into the tent. A full rainfly also reduces the amount of wind that makes contact with the tent material. Therefore a rainfly will extend the useful life of tent. But this means you may need to replace the rainfly before you have to replace the actual tent.
- Doors: If possible, the door or doors, should allow movement into and out of the tent without people stepping on each other. This will allow a person to exit the tent at night to relieve themselves with the minimum disruption in the sleep of the other occupants of the tent.
- Windows or Vents: They usually have an exterior flap that can be tied down or zippered to the tent to close the opening. When open they allow for ventilation and for visibility (very useful). They usually have an insect screen or mesh on the inside of the opening that prevents insects of all sizes from getting into the tent through the opening. However, each time the door is opened, insects can get into the tent. The interior screen material will not prevent odors, pollen, smog, or very fine dust from entering the tent when the exterior flap is open. These openings are critical in a hot climate.
- Tent Support: Some tents have a framework that is 100% inside the tent. Some tents have their framework 100% on the outside of the tent. Some tents have a center pole in the exact center of the tent to support the roof.
- Pole Construction: Hollow poles are usually stronger than solid poles. Aluminum poles are usually stronger than fiberglass poles. Fewer poles usually mean the tent is easier and faster to setup. The way the poles attach to one another impacts the stability of the tent.
- Other Items: You may need tent pegs (stakes), duck tape (for repairs), 550 paracord, and a small broom and dustpan. A battery-operated fan for ventilation and coolness may be very useful.
A Few Popular Tent Designs
- Bivy Sack: A one-person tent that is a little bigger than a sleeping bag. It is usually portable and it doesn't weight much. However, it is very cramped and many people feel claustrophobic inside one of these tents and this makes it difficult to get a good night of sleep. Ventilation is bad. Moisture can more easily leech into the tent.
- A-Frame or Center Ridge or Pup Tent: A basic two-person tent. The outside of the tent floor is staked to the ground. A pole is set upright at each end inside the tent. The poles are secured to the ground or a nearby tree to keep the tent upright. A person crawls into the tent and then lays down flat to sleep.
- Dome Tent: It has a rounded top that easily sheds water and wind. However, larger dome tents are not as efficient at shedding water and wind. The walls are curved from the center of the roof down to the ground. This reduces the headspace closer to the walls.
- Cabin Tent: It has four vertical walls. The front and rear walls are the highest and the left and right walls are the shortest. The vertical walls are a disadvantage on windy days. This tent takes time and effort to set up and it requires ropes to secure it to the ground.
- Canvas Tent: An expensive luxury tent that is made of canvas instead of nylon or polyester. It is heavy and bulky. It is usually waterproof and it has a long life. There are different designs.
- Extreme Weather Tent: It is designed for all four seasons. However, a person can still freeze to death during the winter inside one of these tents. A significant snowfall can collapse the tent on the occupants inside the tent.
Conclusion
A tent might be a good option for some people for a short period of time.
A tent will protect you from the wind and rain and most insects.
But a tent provides no protection from criminals or wild animals.
A better option is a temporary shelter or a cabin cave. See chapters 66 and 67.
If the above information was of interest to you then you may wish to consider purchasing my book that contains the above chapter plus 104 other chapters.
Click here to read more information about my book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival."
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com