3.1 Choosing a pitching site
Before a tent is pitched, the exact spot it will stand on needs to be chosen with as much care as the campsite itself, since even a good campsite can have poor and better spots within it. A guide looks for a patch of flat, firm ground, clear of stone, root and anthill, and checks that it drains well rather than sitting in a slight hollow where water would collect in rain.
- Ground surface: A level, firm patch free of sharp stone, root or loose soil protects the tent floor and keeps the occupants comfortable.
- Drainage: A very slight natural slope lets rainwater run away from the tent rather than pool underneath it.
- Overhead hazards: A spot clear of a dead branch or an unstable tree avoids a falling hazard during wind or rain.
- Distance from wildlife activity: A spot away from a used animal trail reduces the chance of an unwanted encounter overnight.
- Orientation to wind and sun: Positioning the entrance away from the prevailing wind and considering the position of the morning sun improves comfort inside the tent.
- Space between tents: Leaving enough space from neighbouring tents and the cooking area keeps guy lines clear and reduces the risk of a trip hazard in the dark.
Checking the spot against these points before any gear is unpacked saves the guide from having to move a partly pitched tent later.
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Create a free account 🔒3.2 Setting the ground sheet
The ground sheet is a waterproof layer placed on the ground beneath the tent to protect its floor from damp, dirt and small stones that could otherwise wear through the fabric or let moisture in overnight. 1. Clear the spot: Remove any stone, stick or sharp ob…
🔒3.3 Pegging
Pegging anchors the tent firmly to the ground so it stays in place and holds its shape against wind through the night. 1. Square the base first: Peg each corner of the tent's groundsheet or base before adding any guy line, so the footprint is held taut and squ…
🔒3.4 Setting the tent poles
The poles give the tent its shape and hold the fabric up off the ground, and they are assembled and positioned according to the specific tent's own design before the tent body is raised. 1. Join each pole's sections: Connect the separate sections of each pole…
🔒3.5 Raising the tents
Once the ground sheet is laid, the base pegged and the poles set in place, the tent is raised into its full standing shape. 1. Position helpers on opposite sides: Where more than one person is available, have each take a side of the tent so it can be lifted ev…
🔒3.6 Fitting the grommets
A grommet is a reinforced metal or plastic ring set into the tent fabric or base, usually at a corner or along an edge, through which a pole end, a peg or a guy line is fitted to take the strain at that point. A guide fits the end of a pole into its matching g…
🔒3.7 Setting the fly sheet
The fly sheet is the outer, waterproof layer fitted over the tent's inner body to shed rain and add a layer of insulation, and it is set over the raised tent once the inner structure is standing correctly. 1. Drape the fly sheet over the tent: Lay it across th…
🔒3.8 Tie the guy ropes
Guy ropes are the final lines run from the tent or fly sheet out to pegs fixed in the surrounding ground, and they give the structure its full strength against wind by pulling it taut from several directions at once. A guide ties each guy rope to its designate…
