Tips For Camping in the Heat of the Summer Sun

On the surface, the summer seems like the best possible time of year to go camping. In reality, it can actually bring some of the most challenging conditions of all.

Take enough provisions with you and wrapping up to stay warm and cosy on a cold day is easy. By contrast, staying cool when out and about in the heat of the sun is an entirely different story.

This is something that’s often overlooked by those who head out for camping trips in the summer. With wall-to-wall blue skies and sunshine guaranteed, caution has a tendency to be thrown to the wind.

Of course, soaking up the best of the great outdoors in the summer sun can be a hugely enjoyable experience. But when it gets so hot you struggle to get anything done – including sleep – the whole thing can become a bit of a chore.

With this in mind, here’s a brief overview of eight simple yet essential tips for staying cool while camping out in the summer:

1. Set Up Your Tent in the Right Spot

First up, don’t instinctively set up your tent in the first shady spot you see. Think about how shade coverage will shift during the day, and set your tent up where it will benefit from the most shade. Or if there’s no real difference from one spot to the next, set it up where you won’t be blasted with uncomfortable early morning sun that makes it difficult to sleep.

2. Take Your Tent Down During the Day

If it’s not too much hassle to do so, it could be worth disassembling your tent during the day. This will prevent the interior of your tent heating up like a summerhouse, and holding onto this heat until you next enter it. If you have a tent that’s easy to disassemble, do so in the morning and put it back up when the sun isn’t at full strength.

3. Pack a Reflective Sunshade

This is basically a sheet of reflective material you place over your tent, which ensures that the worst of the sun’s heat is deflected elsewhere. It can be a surprisingly effective way to keep your tent cool throughout the day, while also preventing things becoming blindingly bright inside.

4. Pack as Lightly as Possible

If you’ll be doing any walking or hiking during your trip, don’t take anything with you that you don’t really need. Try to pack as lightly as possible and make things easy on yourself, rather than stuffing superfluous extras into your pack.

5. Be Braced for Unexpected Downpours

The occasional deluge cannot be ruled out of the equation, even when clear skies have been forecast indefinitely. Always take a good few waterproof essentials along for the ride, in order to keep yourself and your valuables safe if/when the heavens open.

6. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration when out and about in the summer sun can be downright dangerous. Whether you plan on building a fire to purify your own water or take all you need with you, drink slowly and continuously throughout the day.

7. Remove Your Flysheet

If it’s definitely not going to rain, you can take the flysheet off your tent at night. Or at least, before going to bed and when you wake up in the morning. Doing so will treat you to a blissful breeze that would otherwise not have been able to penetrate the material.

8. Pack a Sheet Instead of a Sleeping Bag

Last up, swapping out your sleeping bag for a thin sheet can support two causes – keeping cool and travelling light. If sweltering temperatures are guaranteed for the duration of your trip, question whether you really need to bring along anything designed to keep you warm.