Stretch Tent vs Marquee: Which Is the Right Choice for Your Event?

3 mins read

Want to understand the differences between a stretch tent vs marquee? You’re in the right place. While traditional marquees have dominated the events space for decades, our quality stretch tent is quickly claiming its rightful place in the industry. 

But how do these two products differ? And most importantly, which one is right for you?

Being in the business of stretch tents, we may be a little biased, but even we’re not stubborn enough to admit that marquees do have their place. Ultimately, it all depends on what you need, so let’s first break down the main differences between a stretch tent and a pole marquee.

Style and aesthetic

There are no two ways about it. The primary difference between a stretch tent vs marquee is, of course, the style.  

If you’ve ever been to a wedding or summer concert in a garden setting, chances are you’ve experienced a traditional marquee first-hand. These are assembled using strategically placed central and supporting poles (hence the name pole marquee), or through structured aluminum roof frames (generally used for music festivals).

While our stretch tents do make use of poles to support their structure, you are not limited to one type of aesthetic. Since they can be configured (or stretched!) into any shape and rigged to existing structures, you have far greater freedom over how you want them to look. Adding to that, our poles are crafted from high-strength Eucalyptus wood which creates a more natural and textured look in comparison to aluminum or steel. 

Stretch Tent vs Marquee

Color and ambience

When it comes to color, stretch tent vs marquees the pole marquees generally only come in one: White. While this is an easy and common base to work from, it does require thoughtful decor, draping, furniture arrangement, and lighting to elevate each space to achieve your desired look and feel. When comparing a stretch tent vs marquee, the stretch tent stands out for its flexibility and customizable design, allowing for various shapes and configurations that fit unique spaces.

Stretch tents, on the other hand, come in blue, beige, green, red, turquoise, orange, you name it – just have a look at ours here. We offer custom Pantone matching, so you can have the exact color you want. A broader color palette allows for greater versatility, allowing you to customize your tent to the theme of your event. If you love options, this is the tent for you. 

The fluid lines of a stretch tent add to its exotic, relaxed, and welcoming ambience – it’s almost like you can’t help but be curious about what it feels like inside. Dress it up or dress it down. The best part is that very few add-ons are needed to achieve an effect, and that’s exactly why we love stretch tents as much as we do. From the moment it’s rigged up, you’re just about ready to go. 

Safety and strength

There’s a reason why pole marquees have been around as long as they have. Once erected, they are generally sturdy and solid. However, with clunky supporting poles and a thick PVC tarp covering, one needs to be meticulous with getting the tension just right. A marquee is only as strong as its weakest point, so if that gives in, it’s all coming down hard. 

To tick the box on safety and durability, marquees can prove tricky and time-consuming to set up, which is why alternatives like stretch tents have come about. Crafted using light and free-form materials for flexible configurations, these tents are not only easier to set up but engineered to stay standing.

To give you an idea of the material used, all of our stretch tents are CALFIRE certified, 100% waterproof, and UV stabilized, using a patented 3-ply fabric pre-treated with a water repellant, anti-microbial anti-fungal solution. Now that you have a basic understanding between stretch tent vs marquees, which one is best for you and your next event? If you need more info on the ins outs and in-betweens of stretch tents, contact our team here.

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