Parts of a Tent – Fly, Vestibule, Poles and Guy Lines

All 11 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 5 main parts 5

Fly The waterproof outer tent that goes over everything. It reaches down to the ground. It is also called the rainfly or flysheet.
Guy lines Cords from the fly out to stakes in the ground. They hold the tent steady in wind.
Stakes Metal or plastic pins pushed into the ground. They hold the tent and its guy lines down. They are also called tent pegs.
Inner tent Where you sleep, hung inside the fly. There is an air gap between them.
Poles Bendy poles that arch over the inner tent and hold its shape. A dome tent can stand on its poles alone.

Pitched: 5 2

Vestibule A covered area with no floor outside the door. It is formed by the fly and keeps boots and packs dry.
Vent An opening in the fly that lets damp air out. Less water then condenses inside.

With the fly off: 6 4

Mesh Fine netting on the inner tent. It lets air through and keeps biting insects out.
Door The zipped opening in the inner tent.
Clips Plastic clips that hang the inner tent from the poles. Some tents use fabric sleeves instead.
Groundsheet A waterproof sheet under the tent's floor. A separate one is often called a footprint.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. Wikipedia, Tent, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent : fabric over a frame of poles; guy ropes tied to tent pegs or stakes; double-skin (double-wall) tents with a waterproof outer tent reaching the ground and one or more inner tents for sleeping; the vestibule, a floorless covered section outside the entrance for boots and packs; poles held by clips or fabric pole sleeves; dome tents are free-standing but need pegging down in high winds; groundsheets, sewn in or separate (a footprint); vents and doors covered with fine-mesh netting where there are biting insects. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

These are the parts of a tent on a double-wall dome tent, drawn pitched and then with the fly taken off. Start with the 5 main parts.

Read the full guide

Pitched

The fly is the waterproof outer layer, reaching to the ground. In front of the door it forms the vestibule, a porch with no floor. Guy lines run out to stakes to hold it steady.

With the fly off

Underneath is the inner tent you sleep in, with mesh for air and a zipped door. The poles arch over it and clips hang it from them. The groundsheet goes under the floor.

Pitch the poles and inner tent first, then throw the fly over and stake out the guy lines last.

Questions and answers

What is the fly on a tent?

The waterproof outer layer that goes over the inner tent and reaches down to the ground. It is also called the rainfly or flysheet.

What is a tent vestibule?

A covered area with no floor outside the tent's door, made by the fly. It is where boots, packs and other gear stay dry.

What are tent stakes for?

They hold the tent and its guy lines to the ground. A dome tent can stand on its poles alone, but it still needs staking down in wind.