WHILE the thought of summer camping might conjure up idyllic thoughts of easing back in your chair, cool drink in your hand as you listen to the sounds of the wild, it isn’t always quite so perfect.
Most people have their own comfort level – usually between 20C and 23C – but once the mercury starts climbing above it, camping can quickly become potentially uncomfortable, particularly at night.
So here are some pro tips to help you stay cool while camping in a heatwave…
Find a shaded pitch
This seems almost too obvious, but try to judge the position of the sun at the peak of the day – usually mid to late afternoon – and try to pitch in the spot where the shade will be around then.
Tarp or canopy
If there’s no shade available, consider using a tarp or canopy to create your own shade.
Use your sleeping bags
During the day, lay your sleeping bags or blankets out over the top of your tent. While the very thought of it seems counterintuitive to be adding insulation to the tent you want to keep cool, science actually dictates that it can have the opposite effect.
The insulating layer over the top of your tent will help prevent the sun’s rays penetrating through the fly sheet and turning your tent into an oven.
Maximum ventilation
Again, an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many people choose to overlook all the ventilation flaps. Overnight, it is essential not just to avoid condensation but also ensure some air flow when it’s warm and sticky. Even unzipping the door until it is half open will make a tremendous difference to your night’s sleep.
No fly zone
If you know you’re in for a dry night, ditch the fly sheet and just sleep in the inner section of your tent. Not everyone can get on with this method, but its a real winner when camping in a heatwave.
Spread the bag
Keep your sleeping bag unzipped down to your feet and spread it out so that you can pull it over you if you feel cool in the night, or easily push it off to keep your temperature regulated.
Heatwave spray bottle
A good tip when the heat really bites is to have a spray bottle on hand. Spray your skin with a thin film of water to get an instant cool down.
Iced bottles
You can’t carry a freezer in your pack, but you can take frozen water with you. Just a couple of 500ml bottles stashed in with your perishable food will last up to 48 hours if kept shaded. Plus you’ll have a welcome cold drink on hand as it melts.
Go ‘cowboy style’
If you struggle to sleep in the heat, consider cowboy camping and sleep out in the open air. Try to research in advance what the terrain is likely to be for bugs like mosquitoes and midges so you can think about packing a bug net or not.
Switch to hammock and tarp camping
A hammock has to be one of the best options during the hot summer months. Most good hammocks will have a built-in mosquito net, and a tarp is always going to much more open and ventilated than an tent.
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