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Step 1
Locate a good spot for your dome tent. Ideally, the ground would be flat. Try to avoid pitching the tent underneath a tree. Finally, if the area is windy, try to face the end of the tent into the wind.
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Step 2
Lay the tent out flat. Be sure to note which direction the doors are facing. Adjust the direction until they are facing the desired way. Once the tent has been correctly positioned and is laying completely flat, use a hammer to jam the stakes through the tent stake loops into the ground, thus securing the tent to the ground. The tent floor should be pulled somewhat taught by the time you are finished.
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Step 3
Assemble the tent's poles. Dome tents are generally held up by shock-corded poles--meaning they come apart for easy storage, but are held together by an elastic cord. Assemble the poles so that the cord is invisible, each part of the pole fitted into the appropriate place. You should now have several straight poles, ready to be used.
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Step 4
Insert the poles into the pole sleeves. Some dome tents have simple loops, others feature sleeves that hide the poles. Regardless, the poles should be pushed through, careful not to undo the pole pieces. The tent sleeve will not be long enough to contain the entire length of pole; be sure that an equal length of pole is sticking out of each side of the sleeve. For most dome tents, the poles form an "X" shape once they've been put into the sleeves. What you should see now is a flat tent with poles criss-crossing each other over the top of it.
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Step 5
Unzip the tent doors. Find the pins-and-rings that fit into the poles (in the case of the pins) at the base of the tent--these hold the poles in place (in the case of the rings). Some tents have pockets instead of pins-and-rings. In either case, attach the pole on one side so that one end is securely in place, then bend the pole (thereby raising the tent) until the other end is secure in its pin-and-ring (or pocket) on the other side of the tent. Repeat with the other pole or poles. The tent should now be fully attached to the frame and standing.
