A Sibley tent (bell tent) had a circular lowest point plan some 10 ft to 15 ft across, a isolated Frame Tents central pole some 10 ft high, and walls about 3 ft high. Guy ropes were connected every 2 ft around the apical of the walls - these had to carefully tensioned to hold the pole upright and keep the tent in shape.

A pup tent is a small rewording of a ridge tent intended for 2 or 3 people. It usually of the old school a rectangular boards of dimensions ranging from 4 ft by 6 ft up to 6 ft by 8 ft, and ridge heights ranging from 3 ft up to 5 ft. The lateral walls are usually about 1 ft high. There are guy ropes for each pole, at each corner, and in the centre of each side, and these guy ropes help to maintain the appropriate shape. Earlier versions had a particular upright pole at each end, while later versions often have two poles at each end, arranged rather like an 'A' shape, in order to make access easier. Some models have a horizontal ridge pole joining the tops of the foot poles to support the centre of the tent.