Any quality tent should be designed so that the fly does not touch the tent wall. It should be taut when assembled, with no obvious stress or waves in the fabric.

2torial #0500: Learn2 Choose the Right Tent (Continued) Know your tent's fabric components Rip-stop nylon looks like a lot of little squares sewn into the material. It is lighter, more tear-resistant and "breathes" better than regular taffeta nylon, but doesn't retain waterproof coatings as well. The upper portion of the tent should be constructed of a combination of ripstop nylon and mesh panels for ventilation. The bottom of the tent should be taffeta nylon with a permanent waterproof coating (often made of urethane). A fly, or rainfly, is an outer layer of fabric that keeps the rain off the walls of the tent. It should cover the tent almost completely, and should be made of a tough, waterproof-coated material. Make sure that your fly is designed to leave at least one inch of space between itself and the tent surface when taut. Zippers should be self-healing and the best mesh panels are generally described as no-see-um netting (very small holes).lipping. Step 3