Tents for recreational Backpacking Tents camping are generally transportable by car. Depending on tent bulk and the empiricism of the individuality or people involved, such tents can mostly be assembled (pitched) in between 5 and 25 minutes; disassembly (striking) takes a collateral length of time (some very specialised tents have spring-loaded poles and can be 'pitched' in 2 seconds, but take somewhat smaller to strike).

At times, however, these momentary shelters become a permanent or semi-permanent home, especially for displaced people living in refugee camps or shanty towns who can't return to their late home and for whom no replacement homes are made available.