How to Pitch a Dome Tent

Pitching a tent is an essential skill in camping. A well prepared tent is a warm, dry and safe place to retire to at the end of a long day of hiking, sightseeing or just relaxing around the fire. In this how-to, you'll learn the steps to pitch your dome tent properly on your next camping trip.

Things You'll Need

• Tent and parts, camp site, hammer

Instructions

1. Before placing your gear on the ground look for an area that will make a good tent site. Look for an area that is level, rolling downhill in your sleep would be less than pleasant. Make sure that the area is not a low point, it may rain overnight and the water would collect in or run through your tent site. Also check for tree roots, as they are rather rough on your back when you are lying on them.

2. Once you've found a place for the tent unpack the tent, poles, stakes, rain cover, ground cloth, and any accessories. Make sure you have all of the tent parts on hand before you start putting up the tent. Also have a hammer available for putting in the tent stakes.

3. Clear the ground of any rocks, branches or other debris under and around the tent. You may also want to sweep the ground free of smaller material like pine needles and leaves.

4. Spread out a ground cloth where you are going to place the tent. The ground cloth protects the bottom of the tent from punctures, moisture, and undue wear and tear. After the tent has been put up you will fold the edges of the ground cloth back under the tent.

5. Spread out the tent itself and orient the tent. Locate the door and place the tent facing the direction you would like it to face. If possible avoid placing the door in the direction of the prevailing wind. This will make it much colder inside the tent and cause smoke from a fire to blow inside the tent.

6. Assemble the tent poles and insert them into the correct sleeves or clips on the sides of the tent. There may be a guide sewn to the tent that shows where each pole is supposed to be placed.

7. Pole by pole, place both ends of the pole into the metal rings located at the bottom corner of the tent. Once you have each pole bent into position and locked into the eye ring at the corner, the tent will be free-standing.

8. There are also loops for stakes at the corners, and often the sides of the tent. Pull the corners of the tent out until they are snug and stake them with a hammer and a tent stake. Tuck the free edge of the ground cloth back under the tent.

9. Add the final touches to your tent setup. A light that is easily accessible is always handy in the middle of the night. If you expect rain or other inclement weather, place the rain cover on the tent.