Pole-Supported Tents (Traditional Tops)
     A tent that features a set of individual poles arranged beneath the fabric roof to support and define the shape of the structure.  The fabric roof is tensioned over the poles and attached to ropes and/or cables at designated spots around the fabric's edges.  The ropes/cables are anchored to the ground using stakes, augers, or weights around the perimeter of the tent.  Pole-supported tents,are the grandfather of the tent industry, and were once the only type of tent available.  Though they have lost ground to newer designs, pole-supported tents remain popular in the United States and are still considered an important part of most tent rental inventories.

Pipe Frame-Supported (Big Frame)
     A tent with an assembled framework made of aluminum or steel pipes that supports the fabric roof and defines the shape of the structure.  The rigid framework, allows the tent to be freestanding without additional support, but requires the same rope or cable anchoring system as a pole-supported tent to hold it in place, as specified by appplicable fire or building codes.  Pipe frame-supported tents are popular for events that require smaller tents.  Most manufacturers make units as small as 10 feet by 10 feet that are easy to set up and tear down.  They are also suitable for smaller events that require few, if any interior obstruction since the frame system makes interior suports unnecessary.  Pipe frame-supported tents are available in a wide variety of styes and sizes.