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Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

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  • Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

    Having camped each month this Summer with my son's Scout Troop, I've remembered how much I hate sleeping in a hot tent. I have an old Eureka Timberline 2, which wasn't as bad with two protected windows wide open, and a newer Inntorest 3, which was a bit clammier due to the vestibules on each side. Even with them open, it was tough getting any breeze through the tent.

    Sadly, I think the TL2 has met its end (on the last trip the seam tape finally fell off and I'm not sure I want to spend time re-taping a 28 year old tent). So, I'm down to the Inntorest, which is a great tent otherwise. It held up great in a couple of heavy, windy storms, and whenever the cool weather arrives, I'm sure it'll be very comfortable.

    I'm thinking of either getting another cheap tent with better warm-weather ventilation (ie: something without vestibules and plenty of mesh) or getting a tent fan. Weight isn't really a huge concern (this Troop doesn't do much backpacking - we rarely go anywhere the trailer can't be taken), but I'd like something under 10 lbs. My big concern with the fan is headroom. There isn't much as it is, so losing another 6 inches or so would be noticeable. Also, I've never used a tent fan, so I'm not sure how effective they really are. In the small tent, it'll probably provide enough airflow, but I'd also want to use it in our family tent (Silver Canyon 6).

  • #2
    Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

    I can imagine your weather in southeast PA is pretty much like here in north central Maryland, which means summers can be brutally hot and humid. There's not much any tent can do about that kind of heat - at least none that I've seen or heard of. So the rest of this will be about those days when you don't sweat while just sitting, doing nothing.

    Since weight is a factor for you, you've eliminated canvas which is probably the best bet against heat because cotton insulates against heat better than thin nylon. So, my next best suggestion, no matter what kind of tent you go with, would be to put a light colored tarp over it. White, gray or even tan will reflect the sun better than the usual blue or brown tarps. After that, I would definitely go with a fan - or fans - in a tent with a lot of mesh. A couple of D-Cell powered fans strategically placed could probably move enough air to make things tolerable. 12 volt fans, like the oscillating ones you've probably seen in auto parts stores or the well-known Fan-tastic Vent fans would be much better. Of course, those would require a 12 volt setup which I don't assume would fit the bill because of your looking to keep the weight down.

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    • #3
      Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

      Originally posted by MacGyver View Post
      I can imagine your weather in southeast PA is pretty much like here in north central Maryland, which means summers can be brutally hot and humid. There's not much any tent can do about that kind of heat - at least none that I've seen or heard of. So the rest of this will be about those days when you don't sweat while just sitting, doing nothing.

      Since weight is a factor for you, you've eliminated canvas which is probably the best bet against heat because cotton insulates against heat better than thin nylon. So, my next best suggestion, no matter what kind of tent you go with, would be to put a light colored tarp over it. White, gray or even tan will reflect the sun better than the usual blue or brown tarps. After that, I would definitely go with a fan - or fans - in a tent with a lot of mesh. A couple of D-Cell powered fans strategically placed could probably move enough air to make things tolerable. 12 volt fans, like the oscillating ones you've probably seen in auto parts stores or the well-known Fan-tastic Vent fans would be much better. Of course, those would require a 12 volt setup which I don't assume would fit the bill because of your looking to keep the weight down.
      Actually, weight isn't an issue; I just meant that if I were to buy another tent, I'd prefer to keep it under 10 pounds so that it would, technically, be packable if needed. It seems like there are dozens of copies of the same D-cell powered tent fan/light that are pretty cheap ($12-15 on Amazon), so I think I'll give one of those a try first. I do have a portable jump starter/power inverter for running 12V accessories, so I might get one of those larger fans for the when the whole family is camping in the big tent.

      Also, some of the sites we've camped at would have accommodated a tarp overhead (lots of trees around), but the most recent one had us camping in an open field. If I know that's what's in store, I can bring a pop-up canopy to go overhead.

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      • #4
        Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

        When I was a Scout, we camped out every month year-round. The experience taught me to not go camping if the temperature will not go below 60 overnight. I also learned I prefer to sleep outside. All you need in summer is a tarp to get under if it rains.

        I would look at using a tarp with a cot under. That's basically all the army surplus tents we use in Boy Scout camp were.

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        • #5
          Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

          Originally posted by howl View Post
          When I was a Scout, we camped out every month year-round. The experience taught me to not go camping if the temperature will not go below 60 overnight. I also learned I prefer to sleep outside. All you need in summer is a tarp to get under if it rains.

          I would look at using a tarp with a cot under. That's basically all the army surplus tents we use in Boy Scout camp were.
          That, plus look at different ways of pitching a tarp for different weather scenarios. The only real downside to tarping is that they don't offer much privacy, if that is a concern. A tent offers a sense of security for some folks, but really for me it just insulates me from the environment I am trying to enjoy.
          2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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          • #6
            Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

            I like my tent but privacy is over rated. I have gone days without seeing another person and when I do it is almost always with a good amount of warning.
            “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
            – E. B. White

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            • #7
              Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

              Been camping in SW PA many times and yes it can get pretty hot in the summer. I would suggest a tarp above the tent, light colored or even reflective. I don't know that you want it right on top where it would affect air flow, but above it a little to keep the sun off. Then perhaps a good battery operated fan inside such as this: https://weekendtacticalsupply.com/pr...antern-and-fan
              That will keep the air circulating inside also.

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              • #8
                Re: Warm weather camping: new tent or ten fan?

                Hi ChadVKealey
                I am a tent camping fan. I love my tent. So, I don't want to purchase a new tent when I go outdoors in the summer. I always try to keep it cool.
                There are 13 simple tips on How to keep a tent cool. Hope it helps.
                Happy camping!
                Linc

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