How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

[Diveralan]

I will be camping with my son this weekend and the forecast is calling for strong winds, Today we had gusts of 65 mph across the state.
What can I do when setting up the tent to enable it to remain standing with heavy winds like this expected? I plan to use lots of guy lines with good stakes and hope to find a place to set up that is wooded to provide some protection from the wind. Is is also forecast to rain so I don't want to set up in low ground. Any other suggestions?

Thanks
Alan

[GlitterHiker]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

It will definitely be an adventure. I agree with Hogsnapper for all the points he mentioned; it won't be pleasant. I camped last year about this time, under similar conditions. The nights I could plan & adjust for. It was the days that were tough. For me, I was camping in a touristy area, so I had places nearby where I could spend some time indoors. And I think I ended up buying stuff to eat since it was so hard to cook.

[immortal_ben]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

I would be surprised if winds in the 60s were still around several days from now. It is possible, however.

Pitch your tent on a SLIGHT incline and use a footprint. If you are really concerned about a lot of rain running under the tent, dig a small trough all around your tent, and let it drain off downhill.

Guy the tent out tightly to minimize flapping and to keep the fly off of the tent body. That will help prevent condensation from building up inside as well.

It is dangerous to camp under trees in high winds, but if the trees are tightly packed and you get in the middle of them, that would minimize the wind hitting tree branches, minimizing the danger of falling branches. Make sure everything above you is nice and green. Set your tent so the door is away from the wind.

Are there any caves in your camping area. That could be a cool way to get through the weekend.

It would probably be wise to take firewood with you (if it is legal where you live) and tinder as well. It will be hard, maybe nearly impossible, to keep a fire going if winds are high and it is raining at the same time. Dig a trench or pit to build your fire in, slope the bottom of it slightly, and dig a drainage trench downhill from your fire pit. You might also build a wind screen on the upwind side of your fire pit.

Expect to spend a lot of time in your tent (or cave) so take along something to do for hours upon hours. Take food that does not need to be cooked unless you can find that cave, or unless you have something like a Jetboil to cook with. Just make sure the tent is REALLY well ventilated if you do that. You do not want to kill yourself making supper. I am able to use my Jetboil in the vestibule of my tent with no problems.

Overall you just might have a miserable weekend. Personally, I would like the challenge of camping in those conditions.

[busere]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

I'd have to agree with HogSnapper...weather like that could make for a very bad time and could deture your son from wanting to go camping ever again...I would plan for a later date.

[GlitterHiker]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Personally, I would like the challenge of camping in those conditions.

I was guessing you'd reply with something like that!

[immortal_ben]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Well, I have been camping on the edges of a tropical storm, but it was not on purpose. That Coleman tent did not live through the event in usable fashion. I want a REMATCH!

[Diveralan]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

The storm system moved in sooner than expected and it looks like we won't receive as much rain as expected and it won't be as windy as expected either, however temperature will be in the 30's . I am going to postpone. I can handle wet and windy but when I look at the temperatures along with the rain and wind it just doesn't look very fun. There is always next month.
I too would enjoy the challenge if my son was a little older.

[immortal_ben]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Probably for the best, my man. No sense being miserable for no good reason.

[Monk Industries, Inc.]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

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[Diveralan]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Thanks Kermit. I have looked at your site before and will have to place an order. Here in Oklahoma it can be very windy almost any time of the year and if it's not windy or cold it is probably to hot to camp. It's best to be prepared for heavy winds and hope they are not to strong.

Alan

[kjmillig]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Agree with the above. Start with a tent designed to survive strong winds. Wind that increased during the night shredded the only cabin tent we've ever owned even though it was staked and guyed to the hilt. Since then I've not been a fan of cabin tents unless owned and set up by someone else. Now that there's only my teenage girls left at home we own 2 smaller tents, but even those aren't designed for high winds (unfortunately).

[busere]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

The best I've seen in high winds, are normaly high $. Lowprofile backpacking dome tent's, Springbar tents, and some modern day tipi's, though most modern day tipi's are floorless. But they all need to be guy lined to the hilt.

[Diveralan]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

I am currently using a Sierra Design dome tent. About 2 years ago I was camping in Colorado and a thunderstorm moved in overnight. That night we had gusts of about 45 mph according to the ranger I talked to the next day. We had also had heavy rain and small hail. It was windy when we set up so I used two guy lines at each corner and glad I did. When the storm hit the tent felt like it was going to blow down and I remember looking outside seeing the hail and hoping it it would not get any bigger. The tent held with only minor damage to the poles and we stayed dry. A few of the guy lines also came loose.

I think this was about strongest winds this tent could take and I agree for anything stronger I would want something with a lower profile.

[zack0109]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

Only an idiot would go out in that kind of extreme weather & risk your & your sons life.
I don't mean to sound harsh but you are exactly the kind of stupid people the police & rescue-crew have to put their own lives in danger to save!
You can't wait till the weather gets less adventurous than your imagination?

[renodesertfox]

Re: How do I set up a tent to surrive strong wind?

If one is prepared, there is no such thing as bad weather. It's just different.