History of the Modern Camping Tent
The camping tent that we know and love has only come into the form that we know of today in the last thirty or forty years. These outdoor shelters have long been used in some form or another in history, going back a number of centuries, but have come a long way in technology and durability thanks to recent advances in construction and materials.
The modern styling of the outdoors tent came about in the early 1970’s as a result of a shift in the construction of the materials used in the manufacturing of the equipment. Around this time, many manufacturers opted to switch to using more ductile metals like aluminum to construct the wire frames of the equipment, offering stability while lightening the frame around the interior space.
In addition to the switch in the metals used by these manufacturers, camping tents were also being constructed with more synthetic materials as opposed to more natural, yet not as durable fibers available on the market. Cloth coverings and insulations were scrapped for more durable synthetics like rayon, polyester, and nylon, offering more durability in tougher conditions.
Prior to the modern camping shelter construction we are familiar with, the most popular means of creating outdoor shelter was to carry an awkward woven sheet of fabric made from a natural fiber along with the necessary tools that could be used to create a frame for the shelter out of nearby scrap wood. This style of construction was awkward, time consuming, and often would not hold up in the face of inclement weather.
Modern forms of outdoor shelter have tool less designs, enabling the user to snap together pieces that come built into the design rather than having to scavenge for nearby wood scraps. This also allows the user to disassemble and reassemble their equipment quickly when closing and opening up a site for settling in within the wilderness. The convenience of this design has made outdoor shelter a more viable option for the outdoorsman.
Unlike those made in the old days, modern tents are built to stand freely without much other input. Old styles emphasized the need for forest areas to be around or for there to be some sort of area to suspend the shelter covering from. This limited where shelter could be built. Modern designs allow for setup of the shelter anywhere there is ground that can be penetrated and used as an anchor.
The modern tent is certainly a marvel of technology, allowing the outdoors person to stay out of the inclement weather while also having the chance to spend their days in the great outdoors. With new technologies furthering the advancement of discount camping equipment, it may only be a short time before the next breakthrough in outdoor shelter comes along.