Frame Tent a Fit For You?

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Tents typically come in three varieties: pole, rope and frame. Pole tents use poles to support the roof and walls of the tent, while ropes are required to keep the poles upright. Rope tents typically have one center pole, but the rest of the tent is supported by tension from ropes. Frame tents use an internal frame (usually of metal poles) to both support the uprights and the tent roof itself.

Frame tents do not require any ropes at all in order to stay upright, so they can be set up on concrete or rocky ground, unlike tents which require ground stakes for their ropes (although it is generally a good idea to stake or weight down the tent in some fashion, as a strong wind can blow it over). And because frame tents do not require ropes, they are much easier than canvas tents for novice campers to set up.

While all tent frames have upright poles, they typically have fewer long poles than a pole tent and are more compact when disassembled; a pole tent typically will not fit in the truck of a standard car, but many frame-based camping tents will.

These have a large advantage over pole and rope tents in that they can span large areas without needing support poles. Pole and rope tents will always have one, if not two or more upright poles in the center of the tent to support the roof. But the frame inside a frame tent, however, supports the roof, so uprights are only needed at the four corners, and sometimes down the sides. This creates a large, uninterrupted space in the center of the tent, making it more useful.

A frame tent can be put to a number of uses. Besides camping, a wall tent frame can often be found at craft shows, flea markets and other outdoor events. Portable carports are another form of these. In fact, you could not have a portable carport without the frame; it requires that there be no center pole or upright poles on either end in order to be functional. Patio tents/day shades are another form of frame tent.

You may also see frame tents at large outdoor functions, such as weddings or graduation commencements. Again, the greatest benefit is the fact that the interior space in the tent is completely unobstructed; brides and graduates do not have to worry about a pole being in the center of their aisle.