How to Cool a Tent without Electricity

While camping, it is not easy to carry electrical equipment like a generator, etc., with you. But you might have to carry the electrical equipment with you as you may not be able to survive in such hot weather. So, to enjoy your tour, you must know how to cool a tent without electricity.

If you are a nature lover and want to enjoy your camping trip at a quiet place, then you can choose to go camping on a mountain, beach, forest, etc. You can ask any experienced camper, he/ she will agree that carrying too much stuff to camping is not a good idea. You may feel tired by carrying these kinds of stuff and may not be able to enjoy your trip in that case.

Most campers prefer going on a camping trip during summers thus, you must know how to keep your tent cool without electricity. During summers, your tent might get too hot, and hence you might feel uncomfortable staying in it. Many campers don’t want to carry heavy stuff like generators, fans, or air conditioners while camping. They prefer carrying lightweight kinds of stuff.

There are many ways on how to keep your tent cool, which can help you keep your tent cool even in hot and humid weather. You can use these ways to keep your tent cool even without electricity.

Related Post: Are you worried about staying warm inside a tent if you don’t have access to electricity? Here’s how to do it naturally.

Why do you need to do so?

There are different aspects which make us use ways on how to cool a tent without electricity. The various aspects that lead to the heating of tents during summer and day time are mentioned below:

• If the tent is exposed to sunlight. The temperature of the tent keeps rising if the tent is exposed to sunlight directly. Although some tents are made up to block UV radiations, they can’t stop the temperature from rising.
• Poor ventilation can also lead to rising in the temperature of the tent. Heat can either come from the sun or yourself. The hot air inside the tent rises itself. Due to poor ventilation, the hot air is trapped inside, making the tent warmer.
• Using a dark-colored tent may also result in a hot tent as dark colors tend to trap heat inside them. Thus, it is suggested to use light-colored tents while camping.
• Sometimes the weather is also hot, which makes the tent hot. Rainfly can also result in rising in temperature as it does not allow proper ventilation.

Why is cooling a tent necessary?

It is important to keep the tent cool, especially on sunny days in tropical regions. It is very difficult to stay inside the tent if the tent is hot. You must know how to keep the tent cool during hot days. Due to the hotness, you may feel restless and sweaty. It will make your trip a hell.

In some areas, the temperature rises to 120-degree F. You may feel uncomfortable if the temperature rises above 90-degree F. In such cases, the only thing you can do is keep your tent cool. In these areas, it is difficult to access electricity thus, you need to learn ways how to cool your tent without electricity.

Some common mistakes that you can avoid while camping

• Select the Area smartly.
• Correct time to pitch the tent
• Proper Ventilation

Selecting a correct and proper location

Selecting the correct location is very important while setting a tent.  You must select a location away from the sun. As pitching the tent, during daytime can trap heat inside the tent. If the tent is directly disclosed to sunlight, it will make your tent hotter. Setting your tent in the direction of the wind can help you keep the tent cool. To avoid converting your tent into an oven, you must ensure that your tent is around trees. You can also try pitching your tent near the riverside as the cool breeze from the riverside can make you feel cool.

While setting up a tent, you must pay attention to the direction of the sun. There may be chances where you will find shade early morning, but during the daytime, the tent might get disclosed to sunlight. This can make your tent hot.

You must set up your tent in a quiet place as it will help you keep yourself and your tent cool. In a crowded place, the temperatures rise during the campfire. Thus, making your tent warmer.

If you pitch your tent in the direction of the wind, the tent will be properly ventilated. This will make you keep the tent cool. The wind may be uncertain, so you need to keep an eye on the direction of the wind. You can also take the upper hand by pitching your tent under trees. Setting your tent under dense trees will block the sunlight for you, and instead of sunlight, you can set up your tent in the shade. You must make sure that the trees are not too low or weak as they may fall on you and can injure you.

Perfect time to pitch a tent

Most of the campers are eager to pitch their tents up just after reaching the camp location. This is a huge mistake done by the campers. When it is time to take a rest in your tents, the heat from the sun is already trapped inside them.

The best time to set your tent is during sunset as it will avoid heat from trapping inside and will keep your tent cool.

One of the most important factors determining whether your tent will remain cool or not depends on the time you set up your tent. If you set up your tent during the daytime, it will trap heat and will make it hotter to sleep in. But if you set up your tent during the evening time, it will keep your tent cool.

Provide Ventilation

To ventilate the tent properly, you must make sure that fresh air enters your tent and exits from the other side. Your tent can heat up mainly due to two factors:

• Through sunlight
• Ideally, from the heat released by the body, a tent should be ventilated properly to avoid it from getting heated.

Tips on how to cool a tent without electricity

Tent material

Whether the tent can remain cooler or warmer depends on the materials it is made up from. A tent is made up of many different materials. Some of the commonly used materials are polyester, nylon, etc. Although these two materials are not expensive and are lightweight, they may not provide the desired result.

The tent made up of canvas does not allow heat to trap inside it. But the tents made up of canvas are expensive and heavyweight. Canvas tents last longer as compared to other tents. These types of tents are mostly used while going for car camping. Canvas tents are nicely made and can withstand strong winds and heavy rains. You must choose a light-colored tent rather than a dark-colored tent. A light-colored tent does not trap heat, whereas dark-colored tents tend to trap heat. Selecting the correct shape will keep the tent cool.

The Shape of the tent

Tent shape is a simple trick to keep your tent cool. The shape of the tent can also allow you to keep your tent cool and avoid heat. Tents having a high roof don’t trap heat inside them. The tent’s shape should be such that it allows proper ventilation and easy airflow and does not trap heat. Dome-shaped tents can become too hot during summers.

A cabin tent is a very good option for shelter while camping. Cabin tents are more spacious and comfortable. In cabin tents, there is proper ventilation due to the space available making it cooler. Bell tents have walls that can fold, which results in proper ventilation and good airflow. It also creates a beautiful social area.

The Rainfly

Generally, tents are equipped with a rainfly, and you can remove it to increase airflow. It can also protect you from rain. If you have a privacy issue, you must not remove the rainfly to make your tent transparent.

This rainfly is usually meant to cover the connected windows and ventilators of your tent.

Without proper ventilation, the heat will be trapped inside, and you may suffer from it. So, you must remove the rainfly for proper airflow, but your privacy may be hindered from it. You can also try replacing rainfly with an opaque cloth. You can use the rainfly as a cover for the head after tying it to nearby support. This is one of the most common ways on how to stay cool in a tent.

Don’t use sleeping bags

Sleeping bags are made in such a way that they trap your body heat inside the bag only. During summer, you can place your sleeping bag on the floor. If you want to sleep using sleeping bags, then you must sleep on them instead of sleeping inside them. It is best to avoid sleeping in these sleeping bags during summers and hot days. It can get really hot inside the sleeping bag thus, you must sleep outside the sleeping bag, and you can use a simple cotton sheet to cover yourself. You must be well prepared in case the weather changes suddenly, and you feel cold. You can keep a spare blanket in case you feel cold.

Which color should be chosen for the tent?

The color of the tent must be chosen wisely. As we all know that dark colors tend to trap heat, and light colors do not trap heat. You can choose any light color for your tent, but white color is best suited for this.

Picking the correct color for your tent is quite a hard task for many people. Some people prefer dark colors over light colors as dark colors don’t let the light pass through them. If you manage to get a shady place for your tent, then you can choose dark colors.

If you prioritize other activities like hiking, playing, swimming, etc. oversleep then you can choose a light-colored tent. This can keep the tent cool.

How to Cool yourself

Camping is not all about keeping your tent cool. You must take care of your well-being also. You can keep your body cool by following the points given below:

• You must wear light-colored clothes.
• You must drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.
• You can use an umbrella or hats to avoid sunlight.
• You must avoid having spicy food.

During summers, you must feel low due to loss of energy. So, you must keep yourself cool and hydrated. You should keep water with yourself and drink it from time to time. Drinking a lot of water can keep your body temperature regulated.

You should wear clothes of light color. Thick and dark clothes can absorb heat and will make you feel hot. You must wear cotton clothes as they can keep your body temperature regulated.

Some nights can be so hot that you will not be able to sleep. During that time, you can sleep outside your tent.

Avoid eating hot foods. Hot foods can produce heat in your body. You should also pay attention to your health and cleanliness. Don’t eat food in unclean dishes and cook the food properly. You must ensure that all the utensils that you are using must be clean and washed properly. All these little things can keep you cool.

Putting ice cooler in the tent

If you have an ice-cooler to keep your food fresh, you can place it in your tent to reduce heat. You can also use a low battery-powered fan. You can buy them anywhere as they are easily available. But cooling your tent through a fan depends highly on the way you use the fan. After some time, the fan will start regulating the hot air inside the tent. So, it is better to use it as an exhaust.

You can place the fan facing outside the window, which makes your tent cooler. The fan pushing the air outside will create an air conditioning effect inside the tent. You may feel a little hotter for some time, but eventually, you will get cooler. You can also use an air-conditioner powered by a battery. It will be a bit costly, but it will provide better results in no time. You must carry some spare batteries with you to power your fans and air conditioner. Having a good airflow can make you more comfortable in your tent.

Using an ice-cooler can lessen the heat and warmth inside the tent. You can put some ice in a big bowl or basin and place it before the fan to produce cooler air. In case you use a small basin, you must empty it frequently in case your tent may get flooded. You can also make use of natural cooling tools in case you don’t have a battery-powered fan. You can leave the zip of the door open. You can also open the upper part. Ensure that you don’t leave the lower part open as it may lead to snakes, insects entering your tent. This is one of the most used ways on how to stay cool in a tent.

Space blanket

By using a space blanket, you can prevent your tent from becoming a hot oven. You can also make use of sunshades to avoid making your tent hotter. Sunshades generally come with two poles. You can pitch the poles in the ground parallel to each other. You can put the sunshade on the two poles and cover the tent with it.

Ice and Cold Towels

If you feel that the fan is circulating hot air, then you can make use of ice to cool the atmosphere. After some time, if the fan starts providing hot air, you can use the ice to keep the tent cool.

If you still feel hot, then you can use wet towels to suppress the heat. You can dip towels in cold water and place them on your body. This will keep the tent cool. By doing this, you will immediately start feeling fresh and comfortable.

In case there is no electricity, expert campers carry jugs of frozen water with them before going on a camping trip. You can use these frozen jugs to lower the heat by keeping them beside you while sleeping. If the frozen water is melting, you can replace the water with a nearby flowing river or stream.

Thermal Reflection

If you don’t want the sunlight to get trapped inside your tent, even if it is placed directly under the sun, then you can use some tools that reflect thermal energy. You can also use reflective tarps and sheets. They are easily available in camping stores. You can also purchase them from online stores.

You can either use them to cover your whole tent or only your roof. But make sure to leave space for ventilation while covering the whole tent. You can also leave some gaps on the roof while covering it for proper airflow.

Things you need to take care of while Pitching a Tent

You need to be careful while pitching your camping tent. You must make your tent using a tarp. The tarp can help you block sun rays and strong wind.

You can also dig a pit to make your tent cooler. But digging is very tiring and troublesome.

Survival blankets or emergency blankets

You can cover your tent with survival blankets or emergency blankets.  The shiny part of the blanket should face the sun. This creates a reflective cover as the shiny part reflects the tent. You can also use a shiny rainfly to reflect the sunlight. This will keep the tent cool.

Dig A Pit

If you want to make your tent heat resistant, you can make use of the ground. You can dig a pit and pitch your tent over it. The damp ground will make your tent cooler as compared to straight ground.

Remove Your Tent during The Daytime

Sunlight from the early morning sun can heat your tent more quickly and easily. It will make the tent uncomfortable for you to sleep in.

Many of the activities are done during day time, and you don’t spend much time in it. If you keep your tent pitched, it will only collect heat inside it. To avoid this from happening, you can take down your tent during the early morning and re-pitch it during sunset.

Conclusion

One of the major problems faced by campers during summers is that their tents get heated up easily. If you know how to cool a tent without electricity, then it can come in handy.

During a camping trip, there are many kinds of stuff you need to carry, making it difficult to carry electrical appliances. So, you must have some accessories prepared beforehand in case you don’t get an electric supply.

Of all the ways on how to stay cool in a tent, campers generally choose battery-powered fans or air-conditioners. You can also try other ways to keep the tent cool.

As it is said that “prevention is better than cure,” you must follow the ways mentioned above to make your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.