In recent years, yet another variation has debuted: hub tents, in which flexible poles radiate from one or more molded plastic hubs located along the tent's spine. The pole structure gives some hub tents the look of sinister sci-fi insects; one designer named his creation the Preying Mantis. The principal advantage claimed for hub designs is that the poles cannot move in relation to each other where they intersect, since they're connected via a rigid hub. This increases the tent's rigidity and therefore its ability to resist wind and shed snow. Hub designs can also be lighter, since not all poles have to reach to the ground; instead, they can terminate at a hub. In most hub designs, the poles remain attached to the hub at one end with elastic shock cord. Theoretically at least, this can simplify pitching.

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