tent
Enable an AI agent to recognise a tent, assess its readiness as a temporary shelter, and decide whether and how it may be pitched, occupied, maintained, packed or withdrawn from use.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise a tent, assess its readiness as a temporary shelter, and decide whether and how it may be pitched, occupied, maintained, packed or withdrawn from use.
A tent is a relocatable ground shelter whose weather envelope is a textile or polymer membrane given its shape and stability by poles, a rigid or inflatable frame, or guyed tension, and which is erected and struck without a permanent foundation or load-bearing walls.
It can be Select an available assembly configuration and identify missing components before pitching.; Match the tent's pitching envelope and anchoring requirements to a proposed site.; Erect, tension, secure and inspect the tent using its applicable instructions.; Arrange occupancy, entrances and ventilation within supported use constraints.; Identify damage and select an appropriate repair, replacement or withdrawal action.; Dismantle, clean, dry, inventory and pack the tent for transport or storage..
Distinguishing features
Determine whether the primary shelter enclosure is a flexible covering held in a usable shape by supports or tension, rather than a rigid building shell.
Determine whether the item is designed to be erected and dismantled as a shelter system, even when its intended deployment lasts longer than a camping trip.
Check whether the covering and support arrangement define an occupiable interior; a loose sheet alone does not establish a complete tent.
Distinguish a tent from a bivouac sack by whether it creates supported shelter space beyond a close-fitting sleeping enclosure, while recording ambiguous designs.
For open-sided, floorless or vehicle-attached shelters, record the actual enclosure and dependencies rather than deciding identity solely from the presence of walls, a floor or independent supports.
Scope
+ Tent identity and the components required for its intended configurations
+ Fabric enclosure, openings, floor and supported interior space
+ Poles, frames, inflatable supports, guy lines and anchoring interfaces
+ Pitching requirements and compatibility with a proposed site
+ Shelter performance evidence, occupancy constraints and current serviceability
+ Inspection, repair, drying, packing and storage readiness
- Campsite ownership, booking, access rights and land-use permissions
- Terrain, soil, weather and surrounding hazards as independently modelled conditions
- Sleeping bags, beds, clothing and other occupant equipment
- Stoves, heaters, electrical appliances and their operating procedures
- Permanent buildings and their structural systems
- Trip planning, emergency response and occupant health records
Characteristics
- Shelter form
- Dome, tunnel, ridge, pyramid, framed, inflatable, other or unresolved Identifies the pitching arrangement and the support components that must be present.
- Enclosure configuration
- Single-wall or multi-wall; floor present or absent; inner and fly fitted or omitted; openings configured Separates the tent's current assembly from other configurations with different shelter properties.
- Required component completeness
- Complete, incomplete or unverified for a named configuration, with missing components identified Prevents an incomplete packed kit from being treated as ready to pitch.
- Support and anchoring dependencies
- Required poles, frame members, air beams, stakes, guy lines, ballast or external attachment points Determines whether the tent can be assembled and secured with the available equipment and site.
- Pitching envelope
- Metres of length, width and height, including guy-line extent and entrance clearance for a named configuration Determines whether a site provides enough space for a complete pitch and usable access.
- Usable interior geometry
- Metres of usable floor length, width and headroom; square metres of usable area Supports assessment of occupant and equipment fit beyond a nominal capacity label.
- Declared occupancy
- Provider-stated occupant count and intended sleeping, standing or event use; unknown where absent Provides a claim to compare with actual layout, access and applicable restrictions.
- Environmental performance evidence
- Product-specific instructions, test reports and observations linked to configuration and exposure conditions Keeps supported performance claims separate from assumptions based on appearance or marketing categories.
- Pitch condition
- Packed, being erected, pitched but unverified, inspected for stated conditions, compromised or being dismantled Distinguishes physical assembly from evidence that the current pitch is suitable for use.
- Enclosure and support condition
- Location-specific tears, seam leakage, coating deterioration, failed closures, distorted supports or air loss; inspected sound or unverified Connects defects to loss of shelter function and repair or withdrawal decisions.
- Packed mass and dimensions
- Kilograms and centimetres for an explicitly listed component set Supports transport decisions without confusing minimum advertised weight with the actual carried kit.
- Drying and storage readiness
- Dry and inspected, wet, contaminated, temporarily packed pending drying or unverified Determines whether packing is a temporary transport action or suitable for storage.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 36 questions.
Shelter identity and assembly Establishes what shelter system is present and which assemblies it can form.
A packed collection of fabric and supports must be recognisable as a particular tent with configuration-specific dependencies.
Tent boundary
Identifies the enclosure and distinguishes the tent from adjacent shelter types.
Supported shelter identity
Record the covering, supports and intended interior that establish the item's identity, including ambiguous shelter forms.
- What covering and support arrangement create the intended occupiable shelter space? definition
- What evidence distinguishes this item from a tarp, canopy, bivouac sack or rigid shelter? boundary
Configuration and kit
Relates each intended assembly to its required components.
Configuration completeness
Record supported assembly variants, the components each requires and the completeness of the available kit.
- Which instructions establish the permitted combinations of inner, fly, floor and support system? provenance
- Which required components are present, missing or incompatible for the selected configuration? measurement
- Which configuration can be assembled with the available components? action
Pitch and structural support Describes the space, support arrangement and securing work required for a usable pitch.
Tent readiness depends on its interaction with the site and on the assembled support system.
Site fit
Connects the pitching envelope and attachment requirements to a candidate location.
Pitching space and interfaces
Record the complete footprint, including securing lines and access, together with required ground or external attachments.
- What space is required for the body, vestibules, guy lines and entrance clearance in this configuration? measurement
- Can the proposed site supply the required anchoring or attachment interfaces without obstructing access? action
Support and tension
Records how supports, connections and anchors hold the enclosure in its intended shape.
Assembled support readiness
Record correct support engagement, fabric tension and securing status against the applicable pitching instructions.
- Which poles, frame joints, air beams, guy lines and anchors are required to complete this pitch? definition
- Which support or securing points are loose, damaged, incorrectly fitted or still unchecked? measurement
- What adjustments or replacements are needed before the pitch can be accepted for the stated conditions? action
Weather envelope and moisture Records how the configured tent manages external exposure and internal moisture.
An agent must distinguish documented shelter performance from leakage, condensation and unsupported expectations.
Exposure and water entry
Relates weather-performance evidence to the actual enclosure and its observed behaviour.
Supported weather performance
Record product-specific exposure claims and observations of water entry or deformation, retaining their conditions and limitations.
- What read instructions or test evidence support rain, wind or snow-use claims for this exact configuration? provenance
- Where and under what conditions have water entry, pooling or enclosure deformation been observed? measurement
- Do the expected conditions fall outside documented use, or is the evidence insufficient to decide? boundary
Airflow and condensation
Records vent arrangements, wall separation and evidence about internal moisture.
Moisture management state
Record available ventilation paths, their current settings and observations that help distinguish condensation from external leakage.
- Which vents, mesh panels and openings are available, and which are currently obstructed or closed? measurement
- What observations support identifying the moisture as condensation, external ingress or an unresolved combination? measurement
- Which instructed adjustments to openings, tension or wall separation could improve moisture management? action
Occupancy, access and use Assesses whether the interior and openings support the proposed occupants and activities.
A nominal capacity does not establish usable fit, accessible exits or compatibility with activities inside the tent.
Interior fit and access
Relates usable geometry and opening operation to the proposed occupancy layout.
Occupant layout and exit access
Record occupant and equipment fit, usable headroom and the ability to reach and operate entrances.
- What usable dimensions remain after accounting for sloping walls and the proposed equipment layout? measurement
- Can the proposed occupants reach and operate the exits with bedding and equipment in place? action
- What source and assumptions underlie the stated occupancy capacity? provenance
Activity compatibility
Captures tent-specific restrictions and interfaces relevant to intended activities.
Permitted interior use
Record documented use restrictions and any purpose-built interfaces without treating their presence as sufficient approval for an appliance or activity.
- What instructions constrain cooking, heating, electrical routing or other proposed activities in this tent? provenance
- Which compatibility decisions require evidence from an appliance, site or event model as well as this tent model? boundary
- What must be changed or verified before the proposed activity is supported? action
Serviceability and pack-down Tracks defects, repairs and the transition from deployed shelter to a reusable packed kit.
Tent damage can affect several shelter functions, while packing wet or incomplete can compromise the next deployment.
Defects and repairs
Connects component-level condition to shelter function and repair evidence.
Defect consequences and disposition
Record damage location, affected function, repair compatibility and any restrictions that remain after intervention.
- Which fabric panels, seams, closures, attachment points or supports are defective, and what functions are affected? measurement
- What instructions establish a compatible repair material, method or replacement component? provenance
- Should the tent be repaired, restricted to a supported configuration or withdrawn pending further assessment? action
Drying, packing and storage
Records pack-down completeness and whether the tent is ready for transport or storage.
Next-deployment readiness
Record moisture and contamination, component inventory and follow-up work needed after packing.
- Are the enclosure, floor, lines and packed accessories dry, clean and accounted for? measurement
- If packed wet or damaged, what drying, inspection or repair work remains before storage or reuse? action
- What packed mass and dimensions apply to the actual inventoried kit? measurement
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- backpacking / lightweight tent
- dome tent
- tunnel tent
- ridge / A-frame tent
- geodesic four-season / mountaineering tent
- family cabin tent
- canvas bell or wall tent
- event marquee / frame tent
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q170545 - Item 'tent' as a class of portable fabric shelter.
- Harmonized System (WCO) - 6306.22 (synthetic-fibre tents); 6306.29 (tents of other textile materials) - Heading 6306 also covers tarpaulins, awnings and other camping goods; the 6306.2x subheadings are the tent lines.
- NATO Federal Supply Classification - FSC 8340 - Tents and tarpaulins in military cataloguing; individual items carry NSNs in the 8340-xx-xxx-xxxx pattern.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- ISO 5912:2020 Camping tents - Requirements and test methods (International Organization for Standardization)
- EN 13782:2015 Temporary structures - Tents - Safety (CEN)
- CPAI-84 flame resistance of camping tentage (Industrial Fabrics Association International)
- NFPA 701 Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films, commonly specified for event-tent fabric (National Fire Protection Association)
- International Fire Code Chapter 31, tents and membrane structures (International Code Council); adopted or adapted by many US jurisdictions
- California Title 19 tent flammability rules (California State Fire Marshal)
- UNHCR family-tent item specifications for emergency shelter (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, applied to hired event tents as premises in England and Wales
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Overnight shelter for recreational camping and backpacking, pitched by the occupants.
- Car-camping and festival sleeping (family cabin, instant and bell tents).
- Hired event cover for weddings, markets, field hospitals and outdoor dining (frame marquees).
- Military field accommodation and command posts (general-purpose canvas or modular tents).
- Humanitarian emergency family shelter distributed in displacement camps.
- Seasonal hunting or work camps using canvas wall tents with stoves.
- Vehicle rooftop tents used as mobile sleep platforms on expedition vehicles.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- floor area (personal and family camping) - 1.5-25 - m²
- packed mass (backpacking tents) - 0.7-3.5 - kg
- packed mass (family / cabin tents) - 6-25 - kg
- flysheet hydrostatic head (ISO 811-style rain rating) - 1500-10000 - mm
- peak inner height (camping tents) - 0.9-2.2 - m
- rated occupancy (consumer tents) - 1-8 - persons
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wind collapse, broken poles, or peg pull-out in soft or frozen ground.
- Rain leakage through worn coating, failed seams, or inadequate hydrostatic head; often confused with inner-tent condensation.
- Ultraviolet and hydrolysis ageing of nylon or polyester flysheets until they split.
- Fabric fire, especially untreated or poorly treated event and cheap festival tents.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning from stoves, braziers or generators used inside or too near the tent.
- Snow-load collapse of non-geodesic tents in winter use.
- Guy-line and peg trip hazards around the pitch.
- Zipper, hub and shock-cord failures that prevent a storm-worthy close.
- Hypothermia or exposure if the shelter fails in alpine or desert conditions.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- In British and Commonwealth usage a hired event structure is usually a 'marquee', while 'tent' defaults to camping; 'bell tent' is a named retail type.
- In North America 'cabin tent' and canvas 'wall tent' (often stove-jacked for hunting camps) are everyday categories; 'teepee' is used for conical canvas lodges.
- Australia and New Zealand retain a strong heavy-canvas camping tradition; the swag is a competing sleep shelter rather than a standing tent.
- Nordic backpacking strongly favours tunnel tents; the Sámi lavvu is a related conical camp lodge.
- Bedouin and other pastoral black tents (goat-hair, open-sided, guyed) are the regional dwelling form across parts of North Africa and the Middle East.
- Central and Inner Asian yurt/ger practice is neighbouring, not interchangeable, with collapsible camping tents.
- Japan's retail market emphasises compact solo and one-pole designs and a distinct festival-camping culture.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- tarp / fly - A tarp is an open sheet without a closed floor-to-envelope room; a tent encloses a pitch with walls and, usually, a floor and door.
- bivy sack - A bivy is a personal weather envelope around a sleeping bag and does not form a standing, shared interior.
- gazebo / canopy - Open-sided shade for day use; not intended as a closed overnight sleeping shelter.
- awning - Typically attached to a vehicle or building and open along at least one side, rather than a free-standing enclosed pitch.
- yurt / ger - A lattice-walled, compression-ring dwelling meant to stand as a house; not a pole-and-fly camping tent, even when both use felt or canvas.
- air-supported dome / pneumatic building - A continuously pressurised or large air-beam building, not a portable shelter struck and packed by its occupants.
- caravan / camper van - A rigid wheeled dwelling; a rooftop tent sits on a vehicle but remains a fabric shelter.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of tent this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- ISO 5912:2020 Camping tents - Requirements and test methods - Product-standard definition of camping tents, performance requirements, and test methods for rain, wind, snow and materials.
- EN 13782:2015 Temporary structures - Tents - Safety - Safety rules for large and event tents as temporary structures, including anchorage, fabric, loads and occupant safety.
- Tent - Form typology (dome, tunnel, ridge, geodesic, marquee), materials, history and regional shelter forms.
- International Fire Code, Chapter 31 - Tents, Temporary Special Event Structures and Other Membrane Structures - US model fire-code treatment of tents and membrane structures (flame resistance, exits, location, occupancy).
- CPAI-84 Specification for Flame-Resistant Materials Used in Camping Tentage - North American flammability specification widely cited for camping-tent fabrics.
- Family Tent (standard UNHCR shelter item specification) - Humanitarian use of the tent as a specified relief item, including typical floor area, packing and material requirements.
What the second pass must settle
- Does the registry intend tent to include open-sided event tents, tarp tents, bivouac hybrids, rooftop tents and vehicle-attached shelters, or do neighbouring entries own some of these?
- Which existing Vercy world models already own this concept or reusable parts of it, so that a publication should link to them instead of duplicating them?
- Which product instructions and test methods provide usable evidence for weather performance, and how should results with different configurations or methods be compared?
- How should occupancy assessment vary between sleeping tents and larger event tents, including jurisdiction-dependent access and exit requirements?
- What inspection evidence is sufficient to return repaired fabric, degraded coatings or damaged supports to service, and which cases require specialist assessment?