How to Cool a Camping Tent Without Electricity

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When camping outdoors in summer, one of the problems you will face is the heat. Especially in campsites without electricity facilities, cooling the tent becomes difficult. A sweltering tent can ruin your camping trip. This could be one of the things that stop you from exploring the outside world.

In this article, I will give you tips on how to cool your tent without electricity. These tips can help you gain more confidence about walking to nature.

Why is the tent so hot?

  • Sunlight – During the daytime hours, your tent may be exposed to direct sunlight. Your tent is like a greenhouse, and the temperature inside the tent will rise quickly. If your tent is not well ventilated, the carbon dioxide and water vapor in your tent will make your tent even more stuffy.
  • The human body – Your sweat and the moisture from your breath will make the tent humid. And your body itself is a heat source. Especially when multiple people are using a smaller tent. People’s bodies then heat the tent.

Ways to cool your tent without electricity

With the no-electricity-cooling method, you don’t need to carry a bulky camping generator or purposely find a campsite with electricity. This way, you have more camping sites to choose from. In addition, it’s more environmentally friendly and saves money.

Choose the right location

Before you go, I suggest you do some simple research about your destination. You need to make sure your campsite has shade. See if there are woods around the campsite.

If you can only camp in an open area, the sun will bake your tent. A shaded spot in the woods or hills is the ideal place to pitch your tent. If there is wind, that’s even better. Wind can help your tent better ventilation.

Try the river or lake to see if there is a campsite you want. Be careful not to get too close to the river or lake. If there is heavy rain, the flood may flood your tent. 

Choose the right tent

There are many types of tents. Some tents are designed for summer camping. And some tents are not suitable for summer camping.

Canvas tents are waterproof and breathable, but they are usually bulky and expensive. If you plan to car camp, then they will be ideal for you.

Light-colored tents help reflect the sunlight so that your tent won’t get as hot. Avoid choosing black or other dark-colored tents. They will absorb the heat of the sun.

Choosing a large tent will be cooler than a small one. This is why we recommend that you choose a small tent when camping in the winter. The larger and higher space facilitates the flow of air.

In addition, the ventilation of the tent is also very important. Choosing a tent with mesh windows and vents will enable you to spend your vacation comfortably.

Pitch your tent at sunset

The first thing you might consider when you arrive at the campsite is to set up your tent. If you arrive at the campsite at noon, I suggest you do not pitch your tent at that time. This is because that time is the hottest.

The fierce sunlight may give you a heatstroke. Especially if you need to set up a large and complicated tent, it will take longer and take a lot of your energy.

You can start with outdoor activities in the shade and wait for sunset to come. You can also clean up the tent area or prepare to set up your tent before sunset. When the sunset comes, you can set up your tent.

Hang rain flies on your tent

Not only can rain flies protect your tent from the wind and rain, but you can also use them to create a shaded area for your tent.

Use reflective space blankets

If you are camping at the beach or in a place without shade, you can’t hide from the sun. At this point, you can use a reflective space blanket.

Put it on your tent and let it reflect the sun’s rays back. This way the sun will not be able to directly heat your tent. Note that your space blanket should be large enough and can cover the entire tent.

Place a carpet under the tent

After a long period of sunlight on the ground during the day, the heat is stored in the soil. At night, this heat is slowly released and transferred into your tent through the tent floor. Placing a carpet under your tent can isolate the heat radiation from the ground.

Do not use sleeping bags

When camping in the summer heat, you may not need to bring your sleeping bag. The main role of sleeping bags is to keep warm. Use it in the summer, you will only feel the sweltering heat.

Use ice in the cooler

If you are not camping for a long time, and with a cooler. Then you can pack a lot of ice into the cooler and turn on the cooler in your camping tent and let the ice cool your tent.

If you also have drinks or food that needs to be refrigerated, do not use up all the ice. Otherwise, you will not be able to continue to refrigerate your food and drinks.

Unzip the tent

Unzip the tent to allow better ventilation. Let the air flow and take away the heat from the tent. If there is a wind blowing into the tent, then you can feel cooler.

Of course, if you use ice to cool the tent, the temperature inside the tent is lower than the outside, then there is no need to add too much ventilation to the tent.

Carry a battery fan

This may seem like cheating. But you can bring a fan that uses batteries or a rechargeable fan. It will make you feel cooler in the tent right away.

If you also bring ice, put it on ice and use it to speed up the flow of cold air, and you’ll quickly experience a cooler tent.

Maintain yourself

Change into loose and light-colored clothes, wear a sun hat outdoors, don’t eat spicy food, stay calm, try not to use campfires, and don’t cook while camping, all of these can cool your body.

Richard

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