Ropikan: Tent Tips for Happy Camping

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Tent Tips for Happy Camping

Tuck the edges of your ground cloth under your tent so water dripping off the rain-fly won't collect and pool underneath. Or, buy a Footprint, a ground cloth made to fit the tent floor without extending beyond the fly.
Stake out your rain-fly using a handy Taut-line hitch.
Loop the guyline around a tent stake. Bring the end under and over the tight line and twice through the loop you just made. Then again, bring the end of the rope under, over and through the new loop you formed, and slid up on the line until the knot holds.
No stakes? If you have stuff sacks handy, fill them with rocks and attach to the guylines. At the beach? Fill the sacks with sand and bury them.
On snow, anchor your tent by burying a trekking pole or ice axe "Dead-man" style. Tie into the center of the pole or axe, then bury it so that the line and stake from a 'T'. Be sure to bury several feet deep or they can melt out.
Many tents have two grommets at the corner stake-out tabs. Poles normally fit snugly in the outer grommets when you set up the tent. When wet, the tabs can stretch and allow the walls to droop. Move the poles to the inner grommets to restore the nice taut pitch.
Travel light! carry just the poles. fly and footprint. This setup won't fend off mosquitoes, but it's cool and airy - and with the room you save in your pack, you'll be able to bring along your tinny designer canine.
Outwit Mosquitoes ! (wait, do mosquitoes have wits?) Anyway, in breezy weather, face your tent door into the wind. The buggers will be hiding on the downwind side of the tent to keep from being blown away, so you're clever scheme will prevent them from following you in!
Always dry out your tent before packing to prevent smelly mildew! Too late? it's possible to remove the odor by soaking the tent in a tub full of water and hanging it out of direct sunlight to dry completely.
Don't shock the cords, man! collapse poles starting in the middle, not the ends. And flinging poles like light sabers? Fail!
Each time you put your tent back in its stuff sack, fold it differently, or simply stuff it in. This helps prevent creases that can wear out the waterproof coatings.