How to Assemble a Hillary Tent

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Hillary tents are manufactured by several overseas companies and sold through Sears department stores. The tents are cheap and have mixed reviews. Hillary tents are best suited for casual camping in mild weather because it is not uncommon for the seams to leak. The seams can be sealed and the fly can be sprayed with waterproofing material to increase the durability of the shelter. There are several different models of Hillary tents. Several models have multiple rooms and can sleep up to eight people. Hillary also has a simple dome tent for sleeping one to five people.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Tent
Poles
Stakes
Hammer

Step 1

Locate a large, flat area. Remove all sticks, rocks and hard objects. Most campgrounds have tent sites that have been cleared but recent limbs and branches should be removed.

Step 2

Remove the tent, stakes and poles from the tent stuff sack. Lay the tent on the flat area with the floor on the ground. Rotate the tent until the door is facing the desired direction.

Step 3

Assemble the tent poles by connecting the male ferrules to the female receptors. The segments are connected by cords and will easily snap into place. Lay the two long poles diagonally on the tent. The poles will make an "X." Slide the poles through the diagonal sleeves and place the ends in the round grommets. The poles will bend and the tent will be partially erected. Hook the clips on the tent seams to the erected poles.

Step 4

Assemble the two smaller poles. Slide the poles through the side sleeves and place the ends in the grommets to erect the windows on each side of the tent. The side poles do not cross at any point. Assemble the remaining, small tent pole. Place each end of the pole in the sleeves located on the door cover. The pole will bend and form a rain peak over the door.

Step 5

Walk the perimeter of the tent and use a hammer to pound stakes through all of the ground loops. Locate the tent rope on the back of the tent. Pull the rope tight to the ground and hammer a stake through the rope loop to anchor the tent to the ground.

Tips & Warnings

Hillary tents can be assembled by a single person but the larger models are much easier to erect with several people. The large models will also use more than five tent poles but the poles will fit in diagonal directions and in the windows.

Do not erect the tent in high winds. If it is necessary, anchor the fabric with rocks and sticks to prevent it from blowing away.

Resources

4x4 Icon: Hillary Tent

Article Written By Zach Lazzari

Zach Lazzari is an outdoor writing specialist. He has experience in website writing as well as standard newspaper writing. He wrote an outdoor column for the Silver World in Lake City, Colo., and articles for Colorado-mountain-adventure.com. Lazzari is currently completing his bachelor's degree online through Arizona State University and lives in southwest Montana.

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