Don’t cancel your weekend camp because it’s too hot! Be prepared and enjoy the warm weather. As we’re hitting record high temperatures across the United States, it’s probably a good time to review some tips for hot-weather camping. Here are some tips for beating the heat that I’ve learned from over 25 years of camping with Boy Scouts.
the 3 great personality Some things to take care of are temperature, humidity, and fluids:
heat
As your body temperature rises, evaporation is how your body deals with cooling. When moisture (sweat) is released on you, it carries heat away. This works well in hot, dry areas.
moisture
Moisture-saturated air will have a hard time absorbing the extra moisture through evaporation. Therefore, in humid areas, you need to create air movement to encourage evaporation. The refreshing areas around the lakes are good for this.
wetting
Sweat pulls water out of your body, which must be replaced frequently. Feeling thirsty is not a good indicator of your need for water. Surprisingly, your urine is the best indicator. Drink often until your urine is light colored or clear. If it is dark in color, drink more water!
Water drinking tips:
- Keep water readily available and drink it often
- Avoid drinking too many caffeinated drinks. They act as diuretics and remove fluids from your body.
- drink a lot of water. Especially during a strenuous activity like hiking. Take plenty of water on a hike or hike to a known water source.
Hot weather clothes
Choosing the right hot-weather camping clothes can go a long way in making you a happy camper! Keep these tips in mind:
- Choose light-colored fabrics that allow air to pass through and do not absorb heat. Leave your black “Metallica” shirt at home! ☺
- wear a hat. Not just for shade, but to ward off heatstroke and overheating
- Nylon or polyester pants and shirts are always fine. The fabric is cool and durable and will dry quickly when you sweat
- Cotton is also a good choice. But I find it doesn’t dry as quickly and at night I don’t want a wet, cold shirt on my back
Bugs
If you are in a bug-infested area, you may need a hat with a net on it, or you may need to wear light-colored long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Above all, apply and reapply insect repellent (DEET-based), especially around the ankles, neck, and ears.
sun
I hope everyone is “programmed” to put on sunscreen and wear a hat when going on summer camp, let alone hot weather camp. In humid climates, buy waterproof sunscreen so it doesn’t come off when you sweat. And always use at least SPF 15. Don’t forget some lip balm! You can get this in SPF 15, too.
There is nothing worse than trying to sleep with a bad sunburn. ☹
Find shady spots to set up camp, bring an umbrella or make one by stringing a tarp between some trees.
Hot weather gear
When camping in hot weather, bring the same gear you would normally take camping, except your bedding should be lighter and cooler. What I mean by this is bring a light nylon sleeping bag or bed sheet and blankets.
In hot, dry weather, sleeping under the stars is the best camping has to offer. Place a sleeping pad under your sleeping bag and you’re set. If you need more shelter, you can tie the ends of a piece of cloth to the trees or raise the tarp over a tight-fitting robe, tied between two trees.
Most good three-season tents have a rain fly that covers the top of the tent to keep moisture out. This is fine in wet and hot camping, but I would remove the rain fly in hot and dry areas so you have a “reserved” roof to keep bugs out and watch the stars as you snooze.
Keeping things cool
Once you’ve settled into camp and you have your personal hydration under control, your tent in the shade, and perhaps an awning set up to get out of the amount, you’re all set to enjoy camping.
It’s not hard to keep food and drinks cool in hot weather. On the desert camping that I do, I bring two coolers, one for drinks and one for food. Knowing ahead of time that the drinks cooler will open and close all day, but the food won’t. I bring extra ice and store it in the food cooler and since the drink cooler loses ice I replace it. My coolers will keep my food and drinks cold for about 2 days. Any camp longer than that and I have to trek the snow.
If you are prepared and follow these tips, you can enjoy camping in hot weather and especially “under the stars,” a totally unique sleep! I am always in awe of the number of stars in the sky on a clear and hot night.
