How to use
- Measure the tent body, or read the body's length and width, in one unit.
- Enter both numbers in that unit. Feet with feet, or meters with meters.
- Press Calculate. The hero is the area. The perimeter is beside it.
- Add vestibules if the ground you need is larger than the inner body.
How it's calculated
Area = length × width. Perimeter = 2 × (length + width).
The perimeter is the edge of the rectangle. It is a starting length if you run a cord along that edge. Cords that leave the corners at an angle are longer. The page does not guess the angle.
Worked example
A body 8 by 6 is 48 square units and a perimeter of 28. In feet, that is 48 square feet and 28 feet of edge. A 2-foot vestibule on one end is not in those numbers. Add a 2 by 6 rectangle yourself if you need that ground too: 12 more square feet.
Assumptions
One rectangle. A tent that tapers, or a footprint sold smaller than the tent to keep the edge from catching rain, will not match a measurement of the fly. Units are not converted.
FAQ
Does this pick a tent for two people?
No. It measures the rectangle you typed. Capacity is a manufacturer's claim, not a formula here.
Are guylines included?
Only as the perimeter of the body, which is a lower bound if the cords run out past the corners.
Can I mix feet and inches?
No. Convert inches to a decimal of a foot, or use inches for both fields and read the area as square inches.
Is this the same as floor area at home?
The multiplication is the same. The square-footage calculator is for rooms. This page is a tent body plus the perimeter line.