Most new campers don’t realise that tents can get pretty hot during the day. So much so, that you won’t want to go into them. Even in to evening the heat can linger, making it hard to sleep.
So what is one to do? Well you could get a one season tent that is basically an insect net with a frame. If you are just going to be camping in hot conditions then I suggest getting one of these. They are the simplest way of keeping your tent cool.
However, for most of us, weather conditions can be unpredictable with high temperatures during the day and cool during the night. Such a tent wouldn’t give any protection against the cold. And having multiple tents for different types of weather just isn’t viable.
Why does your tent get hot?
The sun’s rays heat the side of your tent which in turn will heat the air inside. The air inside your tent isn’t able to circulate so the heat just keeps building and building. This is partly due to the fact that most tents only have one entrance and inadequate ventilation.
Ventilation is normally kept small to try to keep the heat in during the night. Tents with two doors or proper sized windows will be able to allow the air the blow through the tent which will keep it cool.
1.Camping under a rock overhang
Over the years I have found my favourite spot for camping on hot days is under large rock overhangs. As soon as you even walk into these areas you will feel the temperature change. This is due to the fact that the sun can’t get to you and the cold rock will literally throw cool air down towards you. At least that’s what it feels like.
The only problem with this is that they can be hard to find and when you do you need to make sure the sun won’t move around during the day so you it can heat your tent in the evening. You would be better to have the sun on your tent in the morning if you are an early riser. The sun can heat a tent pretty fast, even early in the morning.
Simply pitch your tent as normal under the overhang and enjoy your camp. Just make sure there arent any signs of rockfall in the area.
2. Let it down
As mentioned above, the reason your tent gets hot is because it heats the air inside of it. By putting it down during the day means there is no air inside to heat.
If you intend on staying in the same place that night then leave the pegs in place. Just take down the poles but don’t remove them from the tent. When the sun starts to go down you don’t have to start worrying and pitching again. Simply pop your poles back into place and you will be ready to go in seconds.
3. Tarp/ Shade
Pitching your tent in shade of any kind will greatly decrease the amount of heat that can be generated in your tent. If there aren’t any overhanging rock faces around then under the canopy of the trees is the next best thing.
If there aren’t many trees around then I suggest setting up a tarp over your tent. Don’t just lay it over your tent. This will just make things worse. You need to have it elevated over your tent but not touching. This will stop the sun getting to your tent and allow the air to flow as much as possible.
Tie the four corners of your tarp to trees. If there are no trees around then you can still do it using four poles and some paracord.
- Someone has to stand at each corner pole while the pole is looped through the tarp grommet holes.
- The four corners are then pulled until the tarp forms a roof over your tent.
- Use paracord to pull the top of the poles outward. Secure the paracord using pegs.
- For extra stability angle the bottom of the poles in towards your tent.
- Once all paracord is secured then the tarp will be going nowhere.
4. Portable Fan
As mentioned above, the main reason a tent heats up is because of the air heats up and has nowhere to go. By using a portable fan you can get the air to circulate a lot faster than by itself. Basically you are trying to blow out the hot air so that it can be replaced by the cooler air outside.
These are ideal for when you are camping in a campground that supplies electricity to your plot but you can get battery fans that work really well. It doesn’t take much the get the air moving.
5. Mobile Air Conditioner
These are probably the most effective way to for cooling your tent. Obviously these are for car camping and for electrified campgrounds. You can get them all different sizes depending on the size of your tent and how cool you want it.
Personally, I don’t have one because I think they are a bit of overkill but the option is there if you want it. Check out Amazon to see which tent air conditioner would suit you best.
You could make your own pretty easily. Give a quick google search for homemade air conditioner for tents and you will find a few variations.
6. Direct towards the wind
If you are stuck without a fan then you could use the wind to try to circulate some air. Pitch your tent so that the wind will be blowing directly in the doorway.
If you’re camping on the beach the direct the doorway towards the sea to take advantage of the the cooler offshore breezes. If you are camping near a river then point the doorway up-stream.
7. Use a reflective shade
Thermal barriers, the type used in construction, are normally used for insulation to keep things warm. However, because have a reflective surface they can be used to reflect the sun’s rays away from your tent.
Ideally you would try to set it up so that it is hanging above your tent like the tarp method. If this isn’t possible then you could just hang it over your tent as long as you don’t cover any ventilation areas.
This method also give the added bonus of keeping your tent warm during the night. This is great if you are camping in area where the temperature drops dramatically during the night.
When the sun is setting adjust the thermal barrier so it covers all areas above and around your tent. This will help keep any heat from the day inside your tent for a cosy nights sleep.
8. Remove the rain fly
Most tents have a second waterproof membrane which is attached to the outside of you tent. Removing this will have an instant cooling effect. You are basically making it more like a one season tent.
The rain fly is water proof which restricts the amount of air that can flow through it. This causes all sorts of air circulation problems on a hot day. When you remove it the air will be allowed to flow more freely through the inner layer.
Just check that it isn’t going to rain first.
9. Reflective barrier under your tent
I have already discussed how important it is to have a tarp under your tent here but it can also be used to keep your tent cooler. Just like it is used to stop coldness coming up through the ground it can also be used to stop the heat as well.
As the sun beats down on the ground it absorbs its energy. This heats the ground around us. You can check this effect the next really hot day by laying on a large rock. After a few minutes your will be sweating.
When we pitch our tent on top of this warm ground the energy is then released which can add quite a lot to the heat to the tent. Unlike the heat from the sun, which will stop when it goes down, this heat can last all night.
As I said in that previous post, I also carry a thermal barrier for a ground sheet. They are light and don’t take up much room.
10. Time of year
When you camp during the summer you will always come across this problem. But in reality it’s not a bad problem to have. It means the weather is good so it’s time to get out and play. Either use one of the methods above or just stay out of your tent during the day.
That being said, people seem to think that camping is just for summer. Camp during the cooler months and you will have the opposite problem. Having a cold tent is much worse than having a warm one. Luckily, there are a few ways to keep your tent warm as well.
Spring and fall can bring some ideal camping conditions, bringing some warmer days but not too warm. It’s all about preparing for the conditions.
What not to do
While researching ways to keep your tent warm I came across (several times) posts that tell people the dig down 2 feet to remove the hot earth and pitch on the cooler ground underneath. Not only is this impractical, as it would probably take you a day to do, but if it rains then all the water would pool in your new hole.
The only place where I can see where this might be a viable solution is at the beach. Scrape away the hot top surface of the sand and then pitch. Don’t dig down 2 ft or create a hole. Have it so the water can run away if it does rain.
Keeping yourself cool
So now that you know how to keep your tent cool you should also know a few tricks of how to keep yourself cool as well.
Stay Hydrated
A lot of people seem to think that you need to drink more water only if you are doing some sort of physical activity however during hot days it is essential to stay fully hydrated. It will not only prevent heat stroke but will also regulate your bodies temperature. So drink lots of water.
Pack bottles of frozen water
Freeze your drinking water before leaving your house. You can drink it as it melts which will give your hours of ice cold water. This will only add to the cooling effect of being fully hydrated.
If you’re car camping then be sure to put a few extra frozen bottles into your cooler. This not only gives you more cold water for longer but it will also keep other cooler contents colder for longer.
Wet towel trick
Wetting a towel and placing it your forehead and/or around the back of your neck will bring will bring immediate relief. Especially when you you use the water from your frozen bottles.
Go swimming
If you’re camping near water why not take a swim. I don’t mean anything to energetic. Just a bit of a floating around in the cool water. If you’re staying in a campground where there are shower facilities then take a cool shower.
Brightly colored clothing
Wearing brightly colored loose clothing will help reflect the sun’s rays away from you. Dark colors tend to absorb heat.
Leave the sleeping bag at home
If you know that the heat will remain for the duration of your camp and you’re not camping in a region with much lower nightly temperatures then why not leave your heavy sleeping bag at home. Using a light bed sheet might be a more sensible option.
Leave the tent at home
You could alway go without a tent. Knowing that weather is going to be good in advance will allow you to decide to take one or not. Sleeping in an open hammock, with an insect net over you can be great way for sleeping during hot weather.
Or if your like me, you could just sleep on a ground sheet. Just lay down and look up at the stars as you drift off to sleep.
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