The camping tent is one of man’s best achievements. Not only is it simple but effective shelter it also is portable and durable. Shelters of this sort (with supportive frames and a fabric) date back centuries. This earlier version of a tent was used by groups like the Romans, the Greeks, the Persians, and so on; as it was effective and could be dismantled and set up quickly.
Romans and other forces mainly included camping equipment in their travels at wartime. Their camping gear though was nothing compared to what ours is today. It usually involved a large sheet of fabric along with support frames. Although these frames were often times just made on the spot where they were.
Once they established a border and a ground to camp; they would merely make a large frame and drape their canvas or whatever material they had across the frame. This provided them quick and reliable protection from the elements while not being a burden to put up or take down. More than likely they would just take their materials that covered them and leave the frame as it was unnecessary to even dismantle it.
This old fashion model of a camping tent was later discarded as the ’70’s began. With this new decade came new technologies; especially in the tent world. Instead of using the traditional frame materials they began to experiment with stronger materials such as metals. These metals ranged from aluminum which was lightweight yet strong to thin rods of stainless steel. After the frames began to look stronger and more portable they began to revolutionize the other half of the tent; the cover.
As the new metals increased the durability of the tent, the materials needed too as well. Thus manufacturers began to make the covers out of materials like nylon and polyester rather than the more natural materials. These were not the best materials on the market but they were more durable in extreme conditions compared to the best fabrics.
Finally the tent that we know today was developed. Instead of solid rods that were placed and tied together, they began to make them simpler with frames that snapped together. “Pegs” were added as well which are spikes that hold onto the fabric and frame of the tent and keep it locked into the ground. All of these new advancements made the tent even more convenient than it already was. It now was the best tool for an outdoorsmen as well as other people in need of quick, easy shelter.
The tents history covers a large portion of history. It was used from the times of Roman soldiers to the leisure weekends of outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Throughout history it has advanced itself as one of the greatest forms of shelter that is portable and quick to assemble. Camping tents have not only withstood the advances of technology but have embraced them, thus making them a reliable, durable, and enjoyable method of shelter worldwide.