Leisure Fayre of Lyndhurst
Leisure Fayre of Lyndhurst |
||
|
Tent terminology - glossary Alloy pole (Coleman) - High performance 7075-T9 aluminium, offering strength and lightness of weight. (Duraluminium) Bathtub groundsheet - The groundsheet fabric extends up the side wall of the inner tent to stop any splash back that may occur. Black "no see 'um" mesh - Allows ventilation but keeps out flying insects. Stops anyone seeing in - like a net curtain - and is black to be less noticeable to the human eye. Colour coded poles - Each pole has a different coloured strip corresponding with a coloured tag on the tent sleeve through which the pole has to be threaded. Makes pitching easier. Compression carry bag - A tent bag with an arrangement of straps around it which, when tightened, reduces the size of the packed tent. Condensation - The average adult exhales 285 centilitres of water as vapour overnight, this can condense as water droplets on the inside of the tent, adequate ventilation is a must to reduce this effect to a minimum. "D" shaped door - Literally a door shaped like a "D", when the zip is undone the door rolls right back to give better access than a straight "up and down" zip. Draught strip/snow valance - An extension to the bottom of the flysheet, reaching down to the ground and extending outwards to keep out draughts or to pile snow onto for insulation. Duraluminium - A superior aluminium, engineered using aerospace grade metals and technology. Fibreglass pole - Used in various lengths and diameters to suit each tent. Tips and steel connecting ferrules are smooth finished to give snag free travel through pole sleeves and eyelets. The sections of each pole are "shock-corded" together. Fire retardant - The components of some tents are treated with fire retardant to reduce the risk of ignition and "flare-up" if accidently ignited, giving the occupants more time to escape safely if a fire accident should occur. Flysheet - The rain-proofed outer fabric of a tent - usually proofed on the inside with a p.u. coating. Geodesic design - Where the poles used in a dome tent cross over at different points, giving an exceptionally strong and stable structure. In this design the tension of the inner tent fabric is evenly spread, compressing the pole configuration further and adding to the structural strength. Hydrostatic head - A measurement of waterproofing - For any fabric to be considered fully waterproof it must be able to withstand the pressure of a column of water 1,000mm high without leaking. This is classed as a hydrostatic head rating of 1,000mm. Tent flysheets are usually treated with a p.u. coating to give a defined level of water resistance. The higher the "hydrostatic head" of a fabric the higher its water resistance. Hytex -SPU-SLDR - Flysheet fabric used by Vango on their backpacker range of tents e.g. TBS Micro 2000. SLDR fabric is very strong and lightweight it has a "double ripstop weave" to increase strength and tear resistance and uses 40 denier nylon yarn with a 250T thread count. SPU is a silicon elastomer applied to the exterior of the fabric to act as an initial barrier to u.v. degradation, water absorption and soiling. Inner tent - The separate, inside part of a tent, usually self contained with a sewn-in groundsheet. Forms a bug and snake free, snug sleeping compartment. Lantern hanging loop - A sewn-in loop, usually near middle of interior of tent roof to give a lantern hanging point - only suitable for an battery powered lantern as the heat from a gas or petrol lantern could melt the tent and/or cause a fire. Nylon - Fabric used for both flysheets and inner tents, it is lighter weight than polyester, but does not resist u.v. degradation as well. To counteract this, top quality tents using nylon for lightness usually treat exteriors with silicons. Oxford nylon - A heavy guage nylon sometimes used for pole sleeves for extra durability. P.E. - Polyethylene, the most durable fabric for groundsheets and virtually universally used, exceptions being specialist tents where weight considerations are critical. Polyester - Superior fabric to ordinary nylon as it stretches less (the fibres absorb less water), has a higher resistance to u.v. damage and exceptional colour fastness. Powerflex alloy - Poles exclusive to Vango tents, precision made from T6-7001 alloy, they are strong, flexible and corrosion resistant and are, at present, unmatched for value. P.U. - Polyurethane, a flexible, waterproof coating applied in layers to the inside of tent flysheets. The thickness and number of applications will determine the hydrostatic head of the fabric. P.U. also bonds strongly with the hot seam tape used to seal the stitch holes in seams. Ripstop - A type of weave, double ripstop has re-inforcing woven both horizontally and vertically into the fabric increasing its strength and tear resistance. Seam sealant - Flysheet seams are sealed with waterproof tape during manufacture, however stressed areas, such as points where loops and toggles are sewn into seams, can start to seep, we recommend that these areas are treated with seam sealant to minimise this possibility. Shock cord - Thin elasticated cord that is threaded through the hollow sections of fibreglass tent poles, holding the sections together, but enabling them to be collapsed and folded for packing. Snow valance - See draught strip. Taped seams - The stitch holes in the flysheet seams need to be sealed against water leakage, this is done using a hot-air tape which strongly bonds with the p.u. coating. Tension adjusters - Webbing loops with buckles used as pegging points on the main stress areas on some flysheets. They allow for correct adjustment of the flysheet particularly when pitched on uneven ground. T.B.S. - Tension Band System used on Vango tunnel or hoop tents, this gives greater strength and stability in adverse weather conditions by allowing the hoop structure to be supported and stabilised in side winds. The hoop apex is connected to the base by a system of adjustable webbing straps giving an internal bracing system for each hoop. U.V. degradation - All fabrics suffer from the effects of sunlight, the ultra violet rays slowly destroy the integrity of the fabric as well as bleaching out the colour, eventually leaving it weak and brittle. Polyester resists these effects far better than nylon hence its popularity as a flysheet material. Problems of this nature usually occur when tents are pitched for long periods of time in sunlight, normal use (one or two weeks at a time) and good care, will give most tents a life of many years. Vis-a-vis - Where the inner bedroom compartments face each other across the living area. Zipped gusset - A gusseted flap which can either be zipped closed, down each side, or can be unzipped and guyed out into an open position thus controlling the amount of ventilation. Zippped GussetA closure of material that can be zipped each side to open and close ventilation. |
|---|