How to stay cool while camping: 10 tips to beat the heat when camping in summer
Get tips on how to remain cool while camping in our article on how to combat the heat! (Image courtesy of Getty) Don’t know how to remain cool when camping? Check out these tips. You are not alone in your feelings, dear reader. Millions of summer campers throughout the world endure long, hot, restless nights at camp, counting sheep, bemoaning their good fortune, and screaming countless “never agains” as they go. However, this does not have to be the case. A few easy adjustments to your camping sleeping arrangements, as well as a number of modest, heat-beating techniques, may turn your summer camping visits into something more acceptable than they were before.
How to stay cool while camping in summer: our top 10 tips
Make an effort to locate a location where your tent will be shaded for the majority of the day, and especially during the hours immediately after dawn and before sunset. For further information, see How to pitch a tent. Knowing that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, all you have to do is use your compass to locate the four cardinal directions and then choose a pitching location that will be protected from the sun during the hours before dusk and after dawn by features such as trees, bluffs, boulders, or buildings, among other things.
2.Ditch the rainfly when it’s dry
The rainfly on your tent is not only intended to keep out water vapor in the air, but it is also intended to keep in the heat generated by your body. However, although this is advantageous during the winter months, it might make your shelter seem more like a sauna during the hot months, which is not conducive to sleeping in. If the forecast is good, it’s a good idea to remove the rainfly, which will allow your body heat and hot breath to escape through the mesh of the tent inner, resulting in a sleeping area that’s several degrees cooler, less humid, and less prone to condensation.
When the prediction indicates that the weather will be fine, store the rain fly in its stuff sack.
3.Choose your tent carefully
There are a few traits and attributes that might distinguish one tent from another when it comes to camping in hot weather. In particular, ventilation elements like as a wide mesh canopy, vents in the tent walls, and a double-doored design are vital since they will aid to increase circulation within the tent while also allowing heat and humidity to escape from inside to outside. It’s also a good idea to pack a larger tent than you think you’ll need — because our bodies are to our tents what our radiators are to our houses, the more room your “central heating system” needs to heat up, the lower the temperature inside your tent will be.
You should also check out our pick of the finest huge tents for 2021 if your tent is a little on the tiny side.
4. Take your tent down in the daytime
The “greenhouse effect,” which occurs as a consequence of the sun’s rays traveling through the tent walls, may cause the tent’s inside to become a bit of a furnace if your tent is exposed to the sun for an extended period of time throughout the day. To avoid this, the best idea is to take your tent down before the sun comes up in the morning and pitch it again around nightfall or later in the evening. This may seem like a lot of work, but it will be well worth it when it is time to go to bed.
(Image courtesy of Getty)
5. Use the breeze
Making ensuring your tent’s entrance is towards the wind is essential while setting up your shelter. In order to determine this, consult the weather prediction, which should indicate both the strength of the wind as well as the direction in which it will blow. For example, “12 mph SW” indicates that the wind will be blowing at a speed of 12 miles per hour from the southwest, which is the direction in which you want your tent to be facing when you pitch your tent. Check out our list of the top hiking weather apps to uncover the most dependable and accurate forecasting tools.
6. Reflect the heat away from your tent
If you are unable to find a covered location to set up your tent, the next best option is to use a reflective thermal survival blanket (also known as a “space blanket”) or two to generate your own shade and protect your tent from the sun while you are camping. These are most effective when they are suspended a foot or more above the tent canopy, allowing for proper circulation between the blanket and the tent canopy. The quickest and most straightforward method of suspending a survival blanket above your tent is to use supplemental cable to tie it to branches of neighboring trees.
7. Bring a frozen water bottle
This one takes the cake for the best camping hack of all time in our opinion! It works like this: if you’re vehicle camping, freeze a bottle of water at home, store it in a cooler (see our best camping coolers), and then bring it into your tent with you at night, wrapped in a t-shirt or pillowcase. When you go to sleep, tucking this inside your sleeping bag can help to keep your body cool and make catching some Zs much more comfortable. If you don’t have access to a cooler, you can make do with chilled water from a nearby stream or river.
8. Bring a tent fan
A portable camping fan can help you produce your own breeze if there isn’t any available. It is possible to change your tent evenings from steamy sufferfests into something much more bearable by using the finest camping fans, which are extremely quiet and lightweight and can be fastened to the gear hooks in the canopy of your tent.
Who is our favorite camping enthusiast? The Odoland Portable LED Camping Lantern and Fan is a lightweight, portable LED camping lantern and fan.
9. Camp near water
Generally speaking, ambient temperatures in the vicinity of water features such as lakes, streams, and rivers are less extreme than those in more dry, water-free environments. It should also assist to reduce your core temperature down a degree or two before night, which should make falling asleep that much easier when the temperatures are too high. Camping near a water source is one of the most effective strategies to remain cool (and is also convenient for hydration) when camping (Image credit: Getty)
10. Try a hammock
Two of the most frequently mentioned disadvantages of hammock camping are that the fabric of the hammock typically over-compresses the insulation in your sleeping bag, making it less efficient, and that it exposes you to more wind. While this can be a problem at other times of the year, it is a gift during the summer months! It also eliminates the need for an insulating cushion to support the underneath of your body as you sleep, allowing your buttocks, back, and legs to reap the full advantages of any breeze that may be blowing while you sleep.
- If this is the case, be sure to check out our top-rated hammocks.
- (Image courtesy of Getty) Kieran Cunningham is the Editor in Chief of Advnture.
- Mountaineering in the Himalayas, the Alps, and the United States have been highlights of his life.
- In his spare time, he climbs when he should be writing, writes when he should be sleeping, and generally has a good time.
- [email protected]
28 Tips on How to Stay Cool While Camping
Summer camping in certain locations (such as the United Kingdom and northern Europe) means that you can finally break out those new hiking shorts that you knew you’d need at some time. To do so, you must be willing to remove one of your layers, maybe even a vest top, depending on your level of bravery and confidence. For the most part, staying cool when camping is not a problem, and it is certainly not something that should be a source of concern the majority of the time. Camping, on the other hand, may be plain awful when the temperature rises beyond 30 degrees Celsius in other nations where extreme summer heat is a regular occurrence.
Make sure to check out our guide to camping for novices before you go, as well as the top recommendations for camping in the heat that are included below.
28 tips to stay cool while camping
If you’re fortunate enough to have a ‘real’ summer climate and are planning on going camping this summer, then read on for some helpful hints on how to keep your cool in the great outdoors.
Create a cool campsite
Before you even think about where you’re going to set up your tent, take a look at the sun’s position and select a location that will give the largest amount of shade during the warmest hours of the day. If you’re camping in the summer, this is especially important. There is no problem with getting a little sunset sun because the temps will have cooled down by then (hopefully!). However, if at all feasible, your campground should be in the shade throughout the morning and afternoon hours.
2 Get high and enjoy the breeze
Gaining elevation is an excellent technique to bring a refreshing wind into your tent and camping location. However, finding shade does not necessarily go hand in hand with finding a good spot to sit. It’s still worth it to remain up as long as you can, if you can throw up a tarp for sun protection and there is enough wind to keep you from melting in the oppressive heat.
3 Put up a tarp
While looking for the most shaded, breezy area to set up camp, keep in mind whether there is enough space to set up a tarp or beach canopy to give additional protection from the elements. This will make the experience of hanging out at camp much more enjoyable. Make certain that it does not obstruct any valuable wind that may make its way into your tent.
4 Camp near water
Having the ability to dip in and out of a river or lake whenever the situation calls for it is the most optimal method to enjoy camping in hot conditions. It’s also unnecessary to arrange activities around staying cool — just bring a soccer ball, a frisbee, and an inflatable ring and you’ll have nothing but cool and happy campers on your hands! Having access to even a tiny brook or stream where you may paddle and splash about can make a significant impact.
5 Take an inflatable pool
If you don’t have access to a huge body of water, consider bringing your own! When it comes to keeping youngsters cool, a small inflatable paddling pool is great, and there are few better ways to spend a day than lounging in a pool with a cold drink in hand.
Make your tent as cool as possible
Yes, there are some really cool tents available, but many of them will not keep the heat out as the temperatures begin to rise. If you’re buying a tent designed for camping in hot weather, go for a light color that will reflect the heat better than a dark color, rather than a dark color. In addition, choose a lightweight double walled tent with a mesh interior for the maximum possible ventilation and minimal weight. You might also use a tent with fans, such as theSiesta4: heat and light blocking tent with fans!
7 Take off the fly
Alternatively, if the likelihood of rain is low and your tent’s interior part is largely made of mesh, you can remove the rain fly altogether from your tent. Not only is this THE greatest method to take use of the through-breeze to keep you cool while you sleep, but it also opens up a ceiling of stars to watch while you go off to sleep.
8 Open the vents
If you don’t have the luxury of a mesh inner tent to strip down to, make sure that all of the windows, doors, and vents in your tent are open as much as possible.
In an ideal world, all of them would be covered with mesh to keep the pests and mosquitoes out.
9 Use a sleeping bag liner
Make sure that all of your tent’s windows, doors, and vents are open if you don’t have the luxury of a mesh inner tent in which to strip off. To keep pests and mosquitoes out, these should ideally all be covered with mesh.
10 Get a tent fan
Do you have trouble getting any natural air into your tent? Use a small fan to keep your tent cool while you’re away from home. If you’re camping at night, hang it from the ceiling of your tent, or place it on your dining table to provide some relief during meal times.
11 Reflect the heat away
For situations when there is little shade and you really want to keep the heat away from your common area or your tent, reflecting thermal survival blankets might serve as a good alternative. Set them up like a tarp over your hang out area or a few feet above your tent, just like you would a tarp.
12 Sleep in a hammock
Getting raised and sleeping on a hammock is one of the most effective methods to remain cool at night. Due to the lack of a mattress underneath you (which was meant to trap hot air for better insulation), you will instantly feel cooler, and if you raise your tarp to a good height, you will receive an excellent cross wind above and below you.
Food and drink to keep you cool
Having a nice cooler with plenty of capacity is vital while camping in the heat. Ensure that it is stocked with plenty of cooling snacks, beverages, and popsicles. If it’s really hot, you may need to refresh your ice supply every few days, so make sure you have access to a store where you can acquire more ice.
14 Drink lots of water
Keep in mind that staying hydrated is one of the most crucial things you can do to keep cool while camping in extremely hot temperatures. In ideal conditions, you should be consuming a minimum of 2 litres of water per day in moderate temperatures; attempt to increase that to 3 litres, or even more if you are physically engaged. Put your water in an insulated container to ensure that it stays as cold as possible. Thus, you have a better chance of drinking more fluids while also being more easily aware of how much fluid you are taking in.
15 Replenish your electrolytes
If you are sweating a lot, you will be losing salts as well as water from your body. Therefore, be sure you mix in some electrolyte pills, such as Nuun, with your water. Alternatively, you may prepare your own beverage by combining sugar, salt, and lemon juice into your water. When exercising in the heat, it is especially vital to drink enough of fluids since you will be sweating considerably more.
16 Eat cold food
Many people experience a slight loss of appetite when it is hot outside. As a result, this is the ideal time to consume some refreshing salads, which are simple to prepare and require little or no preparation. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables will help you feel less lethargic than heavy prepared meals, which is a welcome relief when the heat is already sapping your vitality.
Clothing to stay cool in
Though it may make you feel hot and sticky to wear a hat, keeping the hot sun off your head is a good approach to avoid heat stroke.
Consider purchasing a hat with a brim that extends all the way around to provide you with additional sun protection on the back of your neck and face. If at all feasible, buy a hat with a UPF rating of 50 or above for the best possible protection.
18 Wear light colours
Stay away from wearing dark colors since they absorb the heat from the sun and make you feel more hotter. Instead, dress in light-colored clothes that performs a better job of reflecting the heat away from your already-hot torso and legs!
19 Choose lightweight items
Lightweight clothes will make a significant difference in your ability to stay cool in the heat. However, if you plan on spending a lot of time in the sun, be sure that your clothes isn’t too thin that damaging UV rays may pass straight through it. Consider wearing light-weight clothing that has UV protection built in, just like you would with your hat.
20 Wear loose clothing
Clothing that is too tight and restricting may be irritating even when worn under the best of circumstances. Increase the temperature and it might get downright uncomfortable! Choose baggy pants, skirts, and shirts to replace your rigid jeans with looser-fitting clothes that allows for more ventilation within your clothing.
21 Soak your hat or bandana
If the heat is becoming too much to bear, soak your hat in water before putting it on to keep cool. Put an abandana or a buff around your neck and do the same thing as before. The chilly water will gently drip down your back, and the sodden bandana will assist you in keeping your body temperature as low as possible.
22 Wear sunscreen
It should go without saying that you should use sunscreen when the weather is sunny and hot. Make sure it has a high SPF rating and that you reapply it throughout the day to avoid sunburn. If you will be in and out of the water, consider using a waterproof sunscreen.
23 Wear sandals
Wearing sunscreen when it’s sunny and hot is a given, yet it goes without saying. Make sure it has a high SPF rating and reapply it throughout the day to maintain its effectiveness. Waterproof sunscreen is recommended if you will be in and out of water.
24 Wear moisture wicking socks
To avoid excessive perspiration and discomfort when hiking or exploring in regions where shoes are required, choose for lightweight hiking shoes (instead of boots) and thin, moisture-wicking hiking socks to keep you comfortable.
Cool activities
The most apparent and fun technique to keep yourself amused in the heat is to jump into a chilly pool of water or a lake. Explore a few undiscovered swimming holes and spend the rest of the day diving in and out of the water. If you are comfortable in the water, swimming from point A to point B down a river or across a lake to an isolated island may be a terrific way to keep active while the weather is scorching. In addition, it was a fantastic adventure.
26 Tubing
Tubing is a pleasant and really refreshing activity to participate in during the summer heat. Jump into a slow-moving river with your inflatable ring, a picnic packed in an impervious bag, and prepare to be transported back to the days of Huckleberry Finn!
27 Head for the hills
If getting into frigid water isn’t your thing, then take a trek up to a high point and enjoy the view.
Temperatures are often lower, the wind is milder, and the vistas are far superior to those found in the lowlands. Sure, it may take a lot of effort and sweat to reach the top, but the effort and sweat will be well worth it once you reach the pinnacle.
28 Get active at the coolest times of the day
As soon as the sun shines through your tent in the morning, you’ll need to get up and out of there as quickly as possible. If you get up before the sun, on the other hand, you’ll avoid the awful heat panic that serves as your alarm clock. You’ll also be able to take advantage of the cooler and more tranquil time of day to experience the nature. Taking a nap in your hammock later in the afternoon is always an option if you need to catch up on sleep throughout the day. You’ll have enough of energy left over to go exploring again as the sun goes down.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke – know the signs
The methods listed above will assist you in staying cool even under the hottest of conditions and are essential in preventing heat exhaustion and heat stroke from occurring. However, things don’t always go according to plan, so if you do decide to go camping in extremely hot weather, it’s critical that you be familiar with the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke so that you can recognize them as soon as possible. Among the things to keep an eye out for are:
- Symptoms include fatigue and weakness, a sense of being faint or dizzy, a drop in blood pressure, a headache, muscular cramps, a feeling of being ill, excessive perspiration, strong thirst, a rapid pulse, peeing less often and producing significantly darker urine than usual.
If one of your party members exhibits any of the symptoms listed above, it is critical that you intervene immediately. More information may be found here.
7 Tent Camping in Hot Weather Tips: Staying Cool While Camping Hacks
The camping season has begun! Summer is one of my favorite times of year, thanks in no little part to the numerous possibilities to go camping that are available. Tent camping in hot weather, on the other hand, may be, well, hot. (Thank you, Captain Obvious, for your assistance.) That doesn’t imply that you have to put up with everything! To help you remain cool when camping, I’ve put together this page that includes instructions on how to cool a tent without relying on power. (It is doable, believe it or not!) After all, the entire purpose of camping is to have a good time.
Try one—or all—of these camping techniques for staying cool when camping in the heat.
Try to keep cool whenever you’re camping in hot weather.
How to cool a tent without electricity
In my household, we are quite frugal when it comes to utilizing the air conditioning. When the temperatures spike, though, we’re not opposed to turning up the air conditioning—especially because we have two fluffy senior dogs that don’t do well in the scorching weather. It goes without saying, however, that we do not engage in this practice when camping in hot weather. Many RVs are equipped with air conditioning, but we like to camp in a tent. That’s why we’ve come up with these suggestions on how to cool a tent without using electric fans.
No, it isn’t!
Set up your tent in the shade
Even though this recommendation appears to be a no-brainer, you’d be astonished at how many tents I see set up in direct sunlight! That’s a major no-no when it comes to camping in the heat. Tents are essentially little greenhouses. It is true that you are not attempting to grow tropical plants! You want to maintain the temperature of your tent as low as possible. The very first step is to choose a shady location to work. Try to find a tree and put up your tent in the shade, if you can do it. TFF Travel Tip: When booking a campsite, consult an online resource such as CampsitePhotos.com.
Considering which direction the sun will be travelling is important if you have a choice of trees.
Because the afternoon heat is hotter than the morning light, attempt to set up your tent in a location that will be shaded by the time the sun sets after midday. This will be located on the east side of a tree or other obstruction in the way.
Block the sun with a sun shade
This following camping in hot weather tip is quite effective! Above your tent, secure a tarp or a glare-reflective sun shelter. This will prevent the sun’s rays from heating up your tent to the point where it becomes an oven. Using tree branches, tie the corners of the tarp or sun screen together so that the cover is a foot over the top of your tent. Air will be able to travel freely between the tarp and your tent because of the open gap. I propose a sun shade that is both long-lasting and UV-blocking, such as this one: In fact, you should get two of them.
Using one sun cover above your tent and another stretched out beneath it, you can create an inviting shady space to sit and relax.
Face your tent toward the breeze
When you’re watching professional golfers, do you ever notice how they throw a handful of grass into the air to check which direction the wind is blowing? It’s not necessary to channel your inner PGA pro, but you should follow their lead. Determine which direction the wind is blowing and then arrange your tent accordingly. Are you unsure about the direction the wind is blowing? The grass technique, wetting a finger with your tongue and holding it up to feel the air, or simply checking the weather app on your phone can all be effective methods of getting outside.
Another possibility is that you are camping in hot weather in an area where the wind is regularly blowing in a specific direction.
On most days, the breeze from the coast sweeps inland, and it’s customary for the wind to blow upriver in the late afternoon (when weather is hottest).
Increased air flow inside your tent will result as a result of this.
Use nature’s air conditioning for hot weather tent camping
Hot air rises, as you may have learned in physics class or via personal experience. To keep a tent cool in the absence of power or air conditioning, you may employ the same concept that keeps hot air balloons flying. Having oriented the window, door, or mesh wall of your tent toward the breeze, make another hole in the tent’s structure. Ideally, there will be a window, door, or other mesh opening on the other side of the tent from where you will be sleeping. Open this window or door at the very top of the tent, as high as you possibly can.
One half of the room is filled with cool air.
When you’re out camping in hot weather, remember to use this trick!
Use ice + a fan while camping in hot weather
This hot weather tent camping trick does include the use of batteries, but there are no electrical hookups required. Begin by investing in a tiny battery-operated fan. If you’re looking for a fan that’s tiny enough to fit in a tent yet large enough to move a significant volume of air, I recommend this one: In order to keep your fan running for as long as possible while camping, you’ll want to bring a modest supply of batteries with you. Install an ice pack or water container that has been frozen in front of and slightly below the fan to finish cooling the room.
However, there is one significant caveat to this camping in the heat trick.
If not, it goes without saying that you should not bring ice to chill a tent that does not have power.
That is not something I would advocate for use inside a tent because it is so simple to knock it over and wet the interior of your tent.
You may use the cold water and fan approach, for example, while you’re enjoying supper. You enhance your chances of successfully utilizing this trick with ice from your cooler, be sure to read my guide on how to load a cooler properly.
Sleep on a cot
You remember how you left a foot of gap between the top of your tent and the sun shade? That was intentional. When camping in hot weather, you may make use of the same air flow principles to sleep a little more easily. Purchase a lightweight cot to use as a sleeping surface inside your tent. When you’re above the earth, air circulates underneath you as well as above you, allowing you to stay cool. This allows you to stay cooler at night! In some cases, camping cots just elevate you a few inches above the ground.
However, good air circulation alone will not be sufficient to keep you cool.
It is possible to purchase hot weather sleeping bags or sleeping bag liners, but in reality, you may just carry a sheet and sleep beneath it.
Remove the rain fly when camping in hot weather
If the weather prediction calls for clear skies and no thunderstorms on the horizon, you can remove the rain fly from your tent. In the same way that it keeps water out, it also keeps heat in. In hot weather, that’s the last thing you want to be doing when camping! By removing the rain fly from your tent, you’ll be allowing heated air to escape through the mesh ceiling of your tent. A tent or sun shelter can keep you dry and safe from any unexpected downpours if the weather turns bad. If you have any other suggestions for hot weather tent camping, I would really appreciate it.
And don’t forget to save this page for further reference!
17 Simple Ways To Cool a Tent
It is possible that this content contains affiliate links. It is possible that I will receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link. In addition, as an Amazon Associate, I receive a commission from qualifying purchases.- Everyone’s desire is to go camping in the summer, when the days are long and the sun shines brightly. In addition to making your tent unbearably hot during the day and at night, hot days can make it difficult to sleep in your tent as well. The rays of the sun are absorbed by the tent, resulting in a buildup of heat.
Are you ready to learn how to keep your cool?
1 – Choosing the Right Tent
If you’re going camping during the summer months, getting the correct tent is the first step toward remaining cool in the outdoors. You’ll want a tent that’s breathable so that you can get plenty of airflow through it. In comparison to all-season tents, summer tents are constructed of a lighter material and have many mesh windows as well as rain flaps that may be left open during the day. Polyester tents are a fantastic choice if you’re camping in really hot weather because the material is resistant to UV rays.
In addition to being cooler than polyester or nylon tents, cotton tents have the benefit of being heavier and more difficult to set up than those made of other materials.
If it’s within your budget, choose a bigger cabin-style tent with a lot of mesh windows for your camping trip. With the larger room, you’ll get even more ventilation, with cold air traveling throughout the space to keep the inside cool.
2 – Set Up Your Tent in a Shaded Area
Rather than pitching your tent in full sunshine, choose a shady location to keep cool. Keep an eye out for areas of shade behind trees and other plants. You should keep in mind that the sun will shift around during the day, and a site that is sheltered in the morning may be in full light by the middle of the afternoon. If you can, try to take advantage of any wind you come across, no matter how slight. Even a slight wind flowing through the netting of your tent might provide some relief from the heat.
3 – Dig a Tent Pit
Bring a shovel with you, and if feasible, dig a two-foot-deep trench into the earth to store your supplies. In this trench, you should set up your tent. Pitching your tent partially in the ground, where the soil is cooler, will help to keep both the floor and the interior of your tent more pleasant during the summer months.
4 – Pitch the Tent When It’s Cooler
If you arrive at your campground on a hot day and immediately begin setting up your tent, it won’t take long for the temperature to rise. Pitching the tent immediately before the sun sets is nearly a surefire way to ensure that it will be cool inside when the sun comes up.
5 – Take Tent Down During the Day
It may seem like a lot of effort, but taking down a tent throughout the day and putting it back up at night is a sure-fire method to keep it cool during the summer. If you’re camping in really hot weather, this is one of the most effective ways to keep cool. Disassemble as soon as you wake up in the morning, being sure to store the tent in the shade.
6 – Open All the Vents
Keep your tent’s vents, doors, and rain flaps open to allow air to circulate and keep it cool. The tent will be able to breathe better as a result of the ventilation and movement of air. You may keep the mesh closed if you’re concerned about pests going inside the tent; you’ll still have plenty of airflow throughout the tent.
7 – Use Thermal Reflection
Reflective tarps and sheets will reflect the sun’s rays away from the surface of the tent, allowing the interior to be kept more comfortably cool. The most effective approach to utilize reflective tarps is to tie them to tree branches and suspend them above the tent so that they act as a roof over the tent. Always leave about 12 inches between the tent’s roof and its tarp to allow for proper ventilation and drainage. Reflective tarps are available at most camping supply stores at a reasonable price.
8 – Cooling With a Fan
The use of camping fans may be quite beneficial in hot weather. In the event that you’re staying at a campsite that has power, bring a camping fan with you that has an extension chord on it.
If you’re camping somewhere without power, consider bringing a battery-operated fan.or two. Look for fans that are lightweight and can be fastened to the tent’s walls, floor, or ceiling with Velcro straps.
9 – Add the Ice
If you’re not receiving enough cooling action from your fan, try adding ice to the tent to help it cool down. Position a block of ice in a shallow pan and place it in front of the fan to cool it down faster. Make sure you have a large enough pan to hold the water that will form as the ice begins to melt. Even in the absence of ice, cold water from a lake or river will serve the same purpose of chilling you down so that you may enjoy a good night’s sleep.
10 – Use Cold Towels
When traveling in hot weather, bring along a couple tiny hand towels to keep you cool. In cold water or lake or river water, soak a towel until it is completely soaked through. On a hot day, wrapping a towel around the back of your neck might provide immediate comfort. During the night, apply the cold towel on your forehead – you’ll be able to chill down and sleep in a tent that may still be retaining some of the heat from the daytime. Have you forgotten to bring towels? Instead, wear a tee-shirt.
11 – Ice Water Jugs
Fill a couple jugs with water and place them in the freezer for a few hours before your camping excursion. Pack into coolers so that they don’t thaw out too fast — the idea is to utilize these jugs of ice as improvised air conditioners on a hot summer night if possible. Place a jug of ice in the bottom of your sleeping bag before climbing into it, even if you’re simply going to sleep on your feet. This is a simple method for quickly cooling your feet so that you can go asleep. After the first night, after the ice has melted, you may utilize the water as a source of fresh water.
12 – Take a Cold Shower
If you’re staying at a campground with shower facilities, take a cold shower before retiring for the night. The cold water will lower your internal body temperature, allowing you to sleep better since you will be more comfortable. Is there no bathing facility? Taking a swim in a lake, river, or stream will do just as well as taking a bath.
13 – Forget the Sleeping Bag
A sleeping bag that will simply serve to increase your body temperature on extremely hot nights is the last thing you want to do on such occasions. Instead, bring along some cotton sheets for comfort and skip the sleeping bag altogether. Lay a sheet on top of the bag and use it as a protective cover. This serves as a warning that even after a hot day in the outdoors, it might turn chilly at night. Keep a blanket nearby in case you wake up feeling cold in the middle of the night.
14 – Stay Hydrated
In order to stay hydrated when camping in the heat, you need drink enough of water. Drinking enough of water and staying hydrated in hot weather will help you maintain a healthy body temperature in hot weather. And the colder the water is, the cooler you’ll feel when you’re swimming.
15 – Pack Lightweight Clothing
Avoid wearing heavy, dark-colored clothing during the daytime since they will absorb heat and make you feel hot. Avoid overheating your internal body temperature by wearing light-colored garments that are made of natural fibers such as cotton or linen, which allow heat to escape rather than be trapped. By doing so, you will be able to reflect heat while also increasing circulation via the cloth itself.
Select cotton long-legged and long-sleeved clothing to sleep in when you retire for the night before bedtime. During those evenings when the temperature dips suddenly from sweltering heat to freezing cold, cotton will keep you cool while yet providing adequate warmth.
16 – Sleep in the Dark
With you inside your tent, the early morning sun may quickly heat up your surroundings. Make an effort to retire for the night as soon as the sun sets and to awaken before the sun has fully risen in the morning. Besides allowing you to sleep in cooler settings, you’ll also be able to enjoy the sounds of birds singing when they wake up for the day as they begin their day.
17 – Skip the Tent
There will be nights when, no matter what you do, the tent will just not be able to maintain a comfortable temperature for anyone to sleep within. Take the tent down and replace it with a hammock this weekend. You’ll need a couple of trees to hang the hammock from so that you may tie it between them. You’ll have better circulation all over your body and will be able to sleep in complete comfort. In the market for a hammock, search for one that has been specifically created for sleeping rather than for lazing in your garden.
Keep a bug net with you at all times if you’re camping in an area where there are bugs.
Final Words
Are you ready to go camping now that you’ve learned how to keep a tent cool? You may camp in hot weather knowing that when it’s time to put out the campfire and retire to your tent, it will be welcome and cool, allowing you to get a good night’s sleep so that you’ll be ready for another day of camping adventure the next day using the recommendations in this article.
How to Stay Cool While Summer Camping
Summer camping in parts of the United States comes at a high cost, with scorching temperatures as a result. As for camping in hot weather, while we clearly prefer camping in cooler weather, it is quite feasible to camp in hot weather and maintain a comfortable level of comfort while doing so. Here’s how to keep cool when camping in the scorching summer sun.
Pick the Right Summer Campsite
Plan your summer camping excursion to a spot where the temperatures will be acceptable. At the absolute least, look for a campground that offers lots of shelter from the sun. Alternatively, you may bring your own canopy or awning with you. Camping near water will also help you remain cool throughout the summer months. This is especially true if the water is suitable for swimming. Lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams are all excellent choices for swimming. Camping at higher elevations is also best done during the summer months.
If sweltering temperatures are predicted, you might want to reconsider your camping plans and consider staying at a private campsite such as a KOA.
How to Stay Cool While Tent Camping
Here are some suggestions I’ve gathered over the years for tent camping in the summer heat at temperatures of 90 degrees or more!
Set Up Camp in the Shade
Finding a place with plenty of cover is the greatest method to keep a tent cool during the summer. Set up your tent in the most shady location possible to ensure that it remains as cool as possible during the day. Is there not much shade? Dismantle your tent as soon as you wake up in the morning to avoid the greenhouse effect that occurs throughout the day. It should be reassembled in the evening before going to bed. Shade and/or dismantling and reassembling your tent are also vital for extending the life of your tent because direct sunshine will wear down the textiles of your tent much more quickly.
Ventilate Your Tent
Even the tiniest wind can have a significant cooling effect on your tent’s temperature. If the weather prediction allows it, camp without a rainfly to allow for the most ventilation possible. During the day, open any additional vents, windows, or doors to allow the breeze to cool and ventilate your tent as needed. By orienting your tent entrance in the direction in which the wind is blowing, you may take this summer camping tip to the next level.
Wear the Right Clothing
The most common summer camp wardrobe items are shorts, T-shirts (or tank tops), and sandals. However, they are not suitable for all camping situations. The most important thing to remember is to dress appropriately for your camping trip. It goes without saying that RV camping and trekking demand very different attire. When camping or trekking in a remote location, it’s preferable to dress in lightweight, breathable materials. If you’re hiking or bushwhacking, it’s best to wear trousers rather than shorts because they are more lightweight and breathable.
If you’re working out in a hot environment, a lightweight, moisture-wicking tee shirt (or long-sleeve tee shirt) will keep you cool and dry.
A decent hat is just as vital as the correct summer camp gear when it comes to enjoying the outdoors.
Properly Pack Your Cooler
The ideal sort of cooler for camping is a matter of personal preference, and everyone has an opinion. The most important thing to remember during summer camping is to correctly load your cooler so that it can keep your food chilled for as long as possible. My method is to start with a foundation of block ice, then load my food in the reverse order in which I want to utilize it, and finally top everything with ice cubes to keep it from melting. Keeping your cooler in the shade, opening it as little as possible (and doing so as fast as possible when you do), and never draining the meltwater are three more ideas that will help keep your cooler cooler longer.
It also helps a great deal when camping in hot weather if you have a layer of reflective paneling on the outside of your cooler.
- Visit OurYeti Cooler versus Coleman Cooler Head-to-Head Showdown for more information.
Drink Plenty of Water
Despite the fact that it’s so clear, we’re all guilty of forgetting to drink enough water from time to time! As a result, bring lots of water with you and make sure you and your family drink enough water throughout the day. Keeping hydrated is as crucial while you’re swimming or engaging in other activities that cause you to naturally stay cooler. One of my favorite summer camping tricks is to fill milk jugs with water and freeze them before heading out. This helps to keep the water cooler for a much longer period of time!
Don’t Cook During Midday
When camping in the summer, avoid cooking during the middle of the day. Cooking should be done in the morning and evening. On really hot days, campfires and even camp stoves generate far too much heat to be practical. For lunch, eat something simple like a sandwich or anything you’ve prepared ahead of time that doesn’t require heating.
Bring a Portable Camping Fan
Whether you’re tent camping or RV camping, a portable camping fan may make all the difference in the world. The Coleman One Source Fan is one of my favorite tent fans, and it is available on Amazon. Because it includes a rechargeable battery, you may use it without difficulty in a tent. We find that utilizing a small fan (even in our trailer) makes camping in hot weather far more pleasurable for our family.
How to Keep an RV Cool in Summer
Keeping an RV cool in the summer is quite similar to keeping a tent cool in the summer. For example, it’s equally vital to choose a campground with some shade in order to keep the interior of your RV cool during the daytime hours. The use of an extended awning provides external shade, while closing the window blinds might assist in keeping your RV cool. As a matter of fact, connecting up to utilities when RV camping in the summer is the best case scenario. A park that offers RV connections makes it simple to remain cool by simply connecting to the power and turning on your air conditioner.
Then leave your windows and roof vents open to allow for a cross breeze to circulate through your home.
During the hottest part of the day, try to spend as much time as possible outside in the shade rather than inside your RV.
Don’t Forget About Your Pets
Heat has an impact on your pets just as much as it does on you – if not more so. When you’re out summer camping with your dog, make sure they have enough of shade and fresh water to drink from the water bowl. In addition, a cooling garment for dogs, such as the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler Dog Vest, can be used on exceptionally hot days or during summer hiking excursions.
How Do You Beat the Heat While Summer Camping?
The following five suggestions can assist you in learning how to remain cool when camping in the summertime! Many of our suggestions are plain sense – but there are a few less obvious camping techniques that might make staying cool even more difficult.
We’re constantly on the lookout for innovative methods to combat the heat while camping in the summer months. Consequently, please let us know if you have any further recommendations! Camping is a blast!
How to Make Camping in Scorching Hot Weather Enjoyable
The following recommendations can assist you in learning how to remain cool when camping throughout the summer! However, there are a few less obvious camping methods that might help you remain cool even when you’re in the middle of nowhere! During the summer camping season, we’re constantly looking for fresh methods to combat the heat. Consequently, please let us know if you have any more suggestions! Campfires and bonfires!
Clothing
To summarize, the main concept is to keep the sun and mosquitoes away while enabling your body to breathe to the greatest extent feasible. So you want to cover up, but you want to do so in a fabric that is as light as possible. Do you still have on a cotton T-shirt? While that material can be really handy in hot weather, the amount of perspiration it absorbs will cause it to become extremely smelly very quickly. Instead, pick for a T-shirt made of lightweight merino wool. It will help to keep you a bit drier and will last for a week or longer if you use it every day without getting smelly.
- The garment is available in black and white.
- Camping shorts are something I try to avoid at all costs, at least when I’m not in the water.
- Pants that are light enough to be worn comfortably in extremely hot weather and that enable you to move freely, but that are also robust enough to withstand abrasion and penetration are what you need.
- GoRuck’s Simple Pants perform just as well, but they seem a touch more refined when worn in civilized settings.
- In order to dry or air out your clothing overnight when camping for more than a couple of days, you’ll need a portable drying rack or a clothesline.
- Avoid wearing footwear with waterproof membranes throughout the warm months.
- Look for the most breathable shoe or boot you can find, then combine it with the lightest merino sock you can find to complete the look.
- A silk bandana drenched in water and draped around your neck may give a surprising amount of evaporative cooling, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
You’re essentially creating a heat exchanger for your complete circulatory system in that part of your body since major blood veins travel near to the surface in that portion of your body.
Food and Drinks
On a hot summer night, there’s nothing nicer than sitting around a campfire, but trying to prepare meals over an open fire in the middle of the day is downright terrible. Put off the cooking until later in the evening and opt for quick breakfasts and lunches in the morning. If you want to cook during the hottest part of the day, consider investing in a solar oven. You’ll be relying on a cooler to keep your belongings cool, and there are several simple tactics you can do to make those coolers even more efficient.
- You can do the same thing with a low-cost Playmate.
- When compared to bags of ice cubes, large blocks of ice last longer.
- Another tip is to wrap a Mylar space blanket around your meal to keep the cool air in while you open the lid of the container.
- Only do so when absolutely required and for as brief a period of time as feasible.
- In addition, you may transfer any melt water from your food cooler to your beverages cooler if necessary.
- For most people, a gallon of water per day is plenty.
Pets
Heat has the same effect on your dog as it does on you, if not more so. Plan hiking trails and camping areas near bodies of water so that hikers and campers will have enough of water to drink and can splash about to cool down. In addition to humans, dogs may benefit from wearing an evaporative cooling vest. These are essentially diapers that can store a lot of water. As the water slowly evaporates, it cools the dog in a similar way to how we cool ourselves when we sweat. Dogs do not sweat in the same way that humans do.
The Swamp Cooler completely encircles the dog in a water-filled diaper, whilst the Jet Stream is a smaller, lighter choice for activities that last for a shorter period of time.
Soak it, place it in a Ziploc bag, and store it in your refrigerator or cooler to provide even more assistance to your dog.
Shelter
When it’s hot and humid outside, it might be difficult to sleep, especially if you’re trying to get some rest. That is why you will want specific summer camping equipment, just as you will require winter camping equipment for snow camping. A mesh cot should suffice if you don’t have any other options. Air may circulate more freely around you when you elevate your body off the ground. Therm-a-Rest manufactures a fantastic sleeping bag that is quite comfortable and packs down compact and light enough to be used for camping.
- Polyester fleece is an excellent material for hot evenings because of its breathability.
- In addition, it keeps its dry feel even after being saturated with perspiration, rain, or humidity.
- Just be aware that if overnight temperatures go below 60 degrees, this will not provide adequate insulation.
- In order for air to circulate as effectively as possible, you should avoid being beneath a rain fly during the summer months.
- How can you increase air flow while keeping the rain off your shoulders?
- It will keep rain out of your tent without interfering with air movement, and it will provide you with a comfortable spot to rest during storms.
- Together, they’d be tiny and light enough to take on a backpacking trip while yet providing a pleasant night’s sleep, keeping pests off my entire body, and serving as a daytime shade/rain shelter structure.
- Setting up camp in a wind-free hollow is a terrible idea due to the mosquitoes, but camping on a hilltop exposed to the elements is much worse due to the danger of lightning.
Turn your tent door so that it faces the breeze. Flying bugs may be seen hovering in the wind shadows created by tents, and if your entrance is downwind, they will be able to enter when you open it.
Bugs
Because it’s summer, you’re most likely camping near a body of water. And bugs are a part of that. Any person’s anti-bug arsenal must begin with a DEET-based insect spray as its foundation. Natural alternatives and home cures have been shown to be useless by scientific evidence in the past. In the previous 50 years, humans have applied more than 8 billion doses of DEET, with just 50 reported incidences of negative effects occurring during that time period. The extremely little risk you take by using DEET is substantially surpassed by the far greater chance of contracting a mosquito-borne ailment.
- According to the New England Journal of Medicine, a concentration of 23.8 percent was shown to be optimal.
- One issue with DEET is that it can diminish the efficacy of sunscreen by as much as one-third when used in conjunction with it.
- By now, you’ve most likely seen advertisements for several outdoor clothing businesses touting the bug-repellent features of their garments.
- On contact with this insecticide, bugs like mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers are killed, and I can attest that it is effective in preventing them from landing on or climbing through treated clothing.
- Permethrin may also be sprayed on any clothes or camping gear to protect it from the elements.
- You can spray it on your own clothing and equipment, and it will last for five or six hours.
- Purchasing a Thermacell mosquito-repellant device is also a wise decision.
- They both work by slowly burning a pad impregnated with alethrin, which works as an effective deterrent.
- On summer camping trips, I arm myself with all of the above, and I do not get bitten by mosquitoes.
The Ultimate Summer Camping Trick
The task of locating a source of electricity for the fan and a supply of new ice to fill the bucket will be left to you. But, if you can, invest in one of these to keep your tent or cabin pleasantly cool throughout the summer months.
