Why Are Heavy Duty Tents Aluminum?

Why are heavy duty tents aluminum?

The quick answer is because aluminum is a lighter, yet more durable substrate that results in a longer-lasting frame to support your custom printed investment. While steel is an economical alternative, it's incredibly heavy and manufacturers are forced to produced thin frame profiles to avoid the overall structure becoming too heavy for traveling and setting up. The result of a thin frame profile is a tent that is highly susceptible to wind and wear-and-tear damage. Because of the lighter weight of aluminum, frames can be built far more robustly even at a comparable weight to their less durable steel counterparts.

Consider the thickness of your tent frame like a comparison between a pop can and a soup can. The walls of a pop can are very thin, allowing you to literally crush the entire can with a single squeeze. A soup can is designed with significantly thicker walls that would take much more power to affect its shape. When determining the quality of your tent frame, consider aluminum to be an essential qualifier. Aluminum frames tip the benefit scales unfairly by being stronger and lighter, while the only benefit to steel is the lower cost of the material.