You'll want to seal all floor and fly seams with a commercial sealant before using the tent.

2torial #0500: Learn2 Choose the Right Tent (Continued) Choose your poles Poles are generally aluminum (or sometimes fiberglass), but aluminum varies widely in quality. Good aluminum poles are generally about 1/4 inch in diameter, flexible yet strong, anodized or coated in an electrolytic process, and are easy to fit together because they're held together with shock cords (thick, elastic bungee cords nestled inside the poles). The best aluminum is 7000 series, generally from Easton. Cheap aluminum poles are generally about 3/4 inch in diameter, inflexible, uncoated and not held together with shock cords. They're found on less expensive family camping tents. Fiberglass poles are not as durable or lightweight as good aluminum, and again, are found on less expensive tents. Step 4