Tents are one of the most continually changing inventory items in event rentals. To help those new to the industry, and for those who want a little refresher, what follows in a short description of basic tent types. This information came from A.R.A.'s Tent Forms and Resource Manual and from the Winter 1995 issue of InTents, the publication of the Industrial Fabrics Association International's Tent Rental Division.

A review of Eureka! Party Tents' Losberger clearspans by Steve Kohn, Miller's Rentals & Sales, Edison, N.J., along with product submissions by other Rental Management tent advertisers, on the following pages, will help readers learn more about these temporary structures.

The word "tent" is often used interchangeably with "canopy" - however, canopy also can refer to a tent without sidewalls, a small tent or even an awning-like structure.

The length of a tent often can be pretty much as requested. Most tents have standardized units and then sections that can be added.

Pole tents have poles to support the fabric roof and define their shapes. Ropes are anchored using stakes, augers or weights around the tent perimeter. Pole tents are the oldest and once the only kind of tent available. Many circuses used pole tents or a type of them called bail rings. The bail ring is a large metal ring attached to the fabric roof to hoist the center of the fabric to its peak atop the center pole.

Frame tents use a frame to hold the structure in the air. The frame has legs on each side. Ropes or cables are required to hold the tent in place. Framework supports the fabric roof and defines the shape of the tent.

Marquees (small frames) usually are an entranceway or covered walkway between two tents. Rental businesses also use them to cover food tables, bars, concession stands, etc.

Clearspans are somewhat the new kid on the block - at least in North America.

Tensile tents share some design ideas with pole tents, but rely more on the tensioning of the fabric roof for their shape. The use of tensioned fabric to shape the structure means less of a traditional support structure to maintain. Tensile tents are more curved and sculpted in appearance.

Tent accessories include sidewalls, doors, liners, skirts and all sorts of staking equipment. Read on to learn what the tent manufacturers are highlighting in 1999.

Copyright © 1999 American Rental Association. All rights reserved.