Types of Tents

Wedge Tents

This type of basic tent is attested throughout most time periods. Some early versions may not have had doors and a cheap and easy version may have been very low to the ground, such as the Civil War era dog tent. 

The standard tents use two upright poles and a ridge pole across the middle. The canvas are staked down to create tension with the poles. 

Anglo-Saxon Getelds 

We often call the wedge tents that have bell ends geteld, Old English for "tent" and pronounced "yuh-teld". The version of this tent with a large opening on the side of the wedge is also known as French Double Belled Wedge Tents. Images of Anglo-Saxon tents commonly indicate an opening on the bell end. 

Pyramid and Conical Tents

Walled Wedge Tents

Viking Wedge Tent

Canopies

The ideal canopy will not let light through, won't be too heavy, and will be waterproof or water resistant. Canopies will require poles at every corner, and possibly a single pole or a ridge pole in the middle. 

When it rains, water may pool in a canopy, especially if it doesn't have a ridge or center pole. Keep an eye in these cases, to prevent further issues.

Necessary Accessories

Pegs

Historically, pegs were probably wood most of the time, but most often we use iron or steel tent pegs. Square stock pegs are common in the Civil War reenactment community and work well for our purposes. Hand forged stakes work well. Rebar stakes are easily available online and affordable. 

We ask that you not use modern plastic stakes. Also take into account that historical tents tend to be heavier than modern stakes, so the thin modern stakes will not hold it up. 

There are also thick canvas bags that can hold these stakes pretty well, usually the Civil War vendors sell them. The thicker pegs can become heavy and dirty, so these bag can help with that and they prevent the pegs from tearing holes in the bags and nearby equipment during transport.

Rubber or metal mallets are used to drive the stakes in. Wooden mallets are also valid and don't have to be hidden during active hours.

Tips and Tricks: 

Drive the stake into the ground at an angle towards the tent. It will help prevent it from being pulled out of the ground.

If stakes get stuck in the ground at the end of the weekend, try using water to loosen the soil.

Ropes

Natural fiber ropes are ideal for canopies, tents, and camp boundaries. 

Poles

Generally, poles are made of wood, but some vendors sell metal poles. Metal poles are acceptable, so long as patrons aren't going into that tent (i.e. it isn't a display tent). Metal sleeves are a necessary evil for transportation of poles, and we have no gripes with that necessity. 

Poles can be round, square, and rectangular. 

For simple ground tents, historically sometimes spears may have been used as poles. This is acceptable, but be careful to used blunted spears and still be careful entering or walking past the tent.

Tent Vendors

Tent Care

Historical Resources

References and Further Reading