How To Stay Cool While Camping

There’s nothing like a summer camping trip to enjoy with the whole family.

However, in the peak of summer, you can become very hot very quickly without air conditioning and nowhere to escape the sun’s harsh rays.

In this article, I will cover ways in which you can stay cool while camping.

Let’s begin.

With the weather warming up for summer, there’s no wonder you want to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine on your camping trip.

However, staying cool when you’re camping can be a challenge, especially when your tent begins to heat up. Even sleeping in can become a challenge in the heat!

So, how can you stay cool while camping?

How To Stay Cool While Camping?

There are various ways in which you can stay cool while camping. 

Set Your Tent Up In The Shade 

Although this isn’t always possible depending on the location that you’re camping, one of the best ways to remain cool is to set your tent up in the shade.

If you’ve got a normal compass, or one in your smartphone, you’ll easily be able to figure out where the sun will pass in the sky and whether your tent will have adequate shade throughout the day.

If you’re camped under trees that provide ample shade from the sun at all angles, then you should be fine to leave your tent up all throughout the day.

Disassemble Your Tent 

If you’re camping somewhere that doesn’t have enough trees, a good idea is to disassemble your tent during the day. Your tent will act like a green house if it’s left up in the sun, and is pretty much unbearable to sit in from the mid morning onwards.

Taking your tent down will mean you won’t be tempted to sit in it for too long, and will minimize the risk of you becoming dehydrated as a result.

No fabrics deal well in direct sunlight, and this will likely cause your tent to deteriorate at a quicker rate if you don’t take your tent down.

Whether your tent is made out of nylon or polyester, it’s a sensible idea to take your tent down before the hottest part of the day.

Keep Up Your Hydration Levels

This might sound like an obvious one, but ensuring that you keep up your hydration levels is essential anyway throughout the summer, but especially when you’re camping.

This comes down to the fact that you’re outdoors all day long, and might not have access to much shade depending on the location that you’re camping.

Before you head out on your camping trip, try to get used to drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day. This will put you in good stead to drink enough water and act as a good reminder when you’re on your camping trip.

Dehydration can lead to a variety of problems and health risks, so try to drink a minimum of half a gallon of water per day or more.

If you begin to feel thirsty, then you’re already dehydrated. Bearing this in mind, you need to sip water throughout the day consistently without fail. 

Make Use Of The Breeze

Picking the location of your tent is absolutely essential when it comes to keeping yourself cool.

Think of it like natural air conditioning. Even if the wind isn’t significant, try to strategically pitch your tent where there is a little bit of breeze.

To do this, you will want to check the weather on an app and figure out which way the wind blows.

Alternatively, you can use the old fashioned method of using your finger! 

Strategically Choose Your Tent 

Choosing your tent is super important when it comes to keeping cool.

Although you might overlook them, the mesh walls of your tent play an essential role as they not only keep the bugs out, but also allow the breeze to pass through your tent.

As a result, you will want to opt for a tent that has as much mesh as possible. 

Travel With A Portable Fan 

Another important essential is to travel with a portable fan.

A good camping fan will be lightweight, portable, as well as quiet to ensure it doesn’t wake up the rest of the camping ground.

You should be able to attach your portable fan to the tent’s floor, ceiling or walls to get a good breeze flowing through the tent.

Remove Your Rain Fly

If the weather allows, you can remove your rainfly. This allows all of the built up heat and moisture in your tent to escape through the top. 

During the blistering hot summer months, this can make a huge difference to help you stay cool.

Take A Cold Shower Before Going To Bed

When you’ve spent the day in the sun, it’s likely you’d want to shower before bed anyway. 

However, immersing your body in cold water also helps to bring the internal temperature of your body down and works to cool you down just before you get into bed.

If you go to bed both comfortable and cool, then you’re much more likely to be able to fall asleep easily than if you were hot and sweaty getting into your sleeping bag.

Pack Light Colored Clothing

While dark colors are good for concealing more dirt than light colored clothing, they’re also great for absorbing the sun’s rays when you’re out and about.

As a result, you should mainly pack light colored clothing to help keep you cool throughout the day. 

This means you’ll be working with the sun, not working against it, and as a result will be much more comfortable than you would be if you only packed black clothing.

In Summary

So that’s how you stay cool while camping!

I hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of how you can remain cool, even on the hottest of days in the summer when you’re camping.

Have fun and make sure you stay safe when you’re camping in the summer!