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20+ Ways To Keep A Tent Cool? (With & Without Electricity)

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We all know the feeling of living in a tent when the sun peaks on earth.

And there are ways by which we can create an atmosphere around and inside the tent so that it stays cool.

That’s what you will know after reading this blog post. This post will help two types of individuals – one who want to use electricity to keep the tent cool and one who wants to cool down a tent without electricity.

However, I advise you to follow as many ways as possible to remain comfortably cool on any hot day. And if you are still deciding whether you should spend your valuable time in nature, read our guide on the benefits of being in nature, and I hope it will cancel out your excuses.

Also, in this same post, I’ve provided some scientific tips I have found during my experience of summer experience about maintaining ourselves. Hence, we get frustrated and can benefit from all other tent cooling tips more effectively.

Use the table of content to make your way through this in-depth and very informative post.

Tip: You can bookmark this page to continue reading from where you’ve left.

All 21+ ways to cool a tent are summarized in the image:

21+ ways to cool a tent summarized in inforgraphic - image

Ways to Cool a Tent With Electricity

how to cool a tent with electricity

1. Using a 12v Fan or a Portable Fan

What could be easier to use than something you’re not familiar with? Ya, some rich dude reading here may not have a fan at home; instead, they have AC.

But that’s not a point because you don’t need to take your ceiling fan camping. Instead, buy a nice portable fan that can shoot you out with its tremendous blow in hot summer.

Some excellent portable fans are available in the market that can run between 2.8 and 11 hours. However, I’ve seen some people who like to sleep in front of these portable fans.

When you sleep facing your face in front of the high-air circulating fans, it can dry out your nose, mouth, and throat which may cause headache, sore throat, stuffy nose.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/sleeping-with-fan-on

A portable fan or any fan won’t cause any illness, but under particular weather, it can worsen your symptoms. So, keep in mind when you go camping that you are not facing the fan directly; for this, you can change the fan’s position here and there.

To eliminate any effect that a fan can have on you, Dr. Len Horovitz, who is a pulmonologist in New York City, in an article on LiveScience, advises that you should use an air filter in your bedroom.

Horovitz also recommends daily sinus irrigation using saline to clear out dry congestion, nasal passages, and other nasal-related problems.

Now that you know the basics, I would like to suggest two portable fans that I think are unique and good for camping. It’s on you whether you wanna purchase them or not.

Quick hack: If you have some ice cubes with you and a broad enough pan then put your cubes in that and place them in front of the fan. Now what will happen, the wind that touches you will be cooler than normal as it is now charged with the power of ice.

Best Portable Fans for Camping

Gazeled Battery Powered Fan – To Cool Your Tent
  • Speed settings: Low, Medium, and High
  • Power: 20,000mAh
  • Runtime/charge: Nearly a week
  • Weight: 2.01 lbs
  • Batteries required: No

As we can see on the image itself that this is a fully powered 20,000mAh 180 degrees rotation fan. Now, the main question when we look to buy any camping or tent is how long will it run? Here’s a breakdown of that.

SpeedDuration
LowNearly a week
MediumTwo days
High15 hours

It will be a gift for you and the first aid for your smartphone and camping lights where it can charge these things 3-5 times in an emergency. However, you’ll need a micro USB port to set the machine itself, so you need a portable power station that supports USB (I think you might have it if you’re reading this post).

The only issue with this fan is it does take time which is around 12 hours when using a 2A adapter (a USB outlet and power bank can also be used). Also, the major drawback of having this is its sound; on low and medium, it doesn’t produce that much noise, but on high speed, it is pretty loud that you may don’t like to sleep, so it better go on low setting if you want to enjoy the silence of camping.

What I like the most:

  • We can charge our smartphone 3 to 5 times depending on the battery capacity
  • The massive battery capacity where even on the high setting, we can run it for 14 hours which is near to what the manufacturer says
  • Rotation and intelligent timer function. To benefit from this place, the fan between using a stand so that everyone inside the tent can feel the coolness.
  • They provide a one-year guarantee where you can replace the fan for free or claim a full refund.

What I don’t like:

  • On a high setting, it produces that small amount of sound you can listen to outside from a medium-size, completely closed tent. I hope they will do something about this; if they do, it is a one-stop portable fan.
ITHKY Hands-Free Bladeless Neck Fan – To Cool Yourself
  • Speed settings: 3
  • Power: 1800 mAh
  • Runtime/charge: 2.5 to 7 working hours
  • Controller type: Button control
  • Weight: 0.48 lbs
  • Batteries required: 2 Lithium-ion batteries

You may want to try it because it can start cooling you in just 3s. How? It has 60 pieces of twin-turbine fan blades, 48 wind outlets, and multiplied wind power to cool you in 3 seconds.

Don’t be fearful about hairs as it will not suck them in, and it has a bladeless neck design that ensures any child or old one can use it without causing harm to themselves.

Two main highlights for this fan make it different from any other neckband fan – it is quieter and will produce very minimal noise (noise is always a specialty, oh sorry, a drawback of fans).

The other is the material used in it, featuring Eco-friendly ABS and silicone makes the overall wearing experience softer and more comfortable.

In terms of charging, you can use your rechargeable fan, computer, power banks, laptops, and so on.

However, it is not that you’ll feel like you’re in an AC room while wearing it because no fan cools the air. It is just the blowing air that evaporates the sweat to make any individual feel cooler.

While jogging or running, the ITHKY neck fan tends to flop around. I am not saying that it is not lightweight. Instead, it is bulky, which can be easily felt.

What I like the most:

  • Dude, it cools the body whether it is camping, hiking, backpacking, or traveling.
  • If you don’t want to buy a portable rechargeable fan which I recommend, then you can just hang it around your neck inside the tent or outside it.
  • I like the design where no one can quickly figure out that you’re wearing a neck fan as it looks similar to headphones.

What I don’t like:

  • It is quieter in a low setting, but when you go on high can easily listen to the noise coming through it. It may feel like the real fan noise because it sits under your ears.

2. Using the Air Conditioner or Cooler

If you’re the kind of person who feels like they can’t get much from a portable fan, you might want to invest in a good AC or a cooler.

But if you’re willing to use AC, then you need to keep in mind that it will require extra insulation, and of course, you need to airtight your tent (Don’t airtight everything because you need to breathe, damn man). In terms of power, your AC needs to be at least 5000 BTU if the tent is small.

According to my experience, it is not good to leave the tent immediately if the temperature inside your tent is way cooler than the outside temperature.

First, shut down your AC or slow it down so that the temperature difference is not huge, then after spending 2-3 minutes in that temperature you can leave the tent.

By doing this your body will not suffer hard to raise or dropping its temperature when it faces a sudden huge temperature difference.

I don’t know this is the case with you or not but when I leave instantly my body takes few minutes to get comfortable in the sudden change in temp.

How to Insulate a Tent for AC

  • Using Reflective Tarps: They help to reflect the UV rays from the sun away from your tent. Covering the tent with reflective tarps creates a colder and darker place to sleep. And when using AC, it will yield more coolness.
  • Using Duct Tape and Pool Noodles: Another way to insulate your tent for ac is using duct tape or pool noodles. For this, seal the AC port and any opening that can help the air to leak using any one of them (you can also use both duct tape and pool noodles; honestly, it depends on your taste)

Note: I am currently researching on ACs that can be used in tents. When it is done I’ll update this post with a link to the page where I mentioned and reviewed some best portable ac for any size of the tent.

3. Using a frozen water bottle

See, this does not require any direct electricity from camping, but you need some in your home to prepare frozen bottles.

For this, fill your water bottles with water and place them in the freezer (you know all the story). Ensure the bottle is insulated to prevent the ice from turning liquid in no time.

When you sleep, position the frozen bottle under your sleeping bag where you want to feel the coolness. In the morning, you can either drink the water that is now in a liquid state again or make coffee, tea, noodles and rehydrate meals using a good boiling water stove.


Ways to Cool a Tent Without Electricity (Headache-Free)

Tent Fairy Stone State Park

1. Think Twice Before Buying a Tent

Ya, you may think what tent has to do with heating, it is due to a hot day. My friend, the truth is a tent can make you feel spicier than it is. The only way to solve this problem is at the beginning when you’re making a purchase decision.

Here are some tips for choosing the right tent for hot summer days that will help you to stay cool:

According to Sciencing, Black is the hottest possible color and white is the coolest possible color.

Source: https://sciencing.com/colors-absorb-heat-8456008.html
  • If you have a reasonable budget, invest in a cotton canvas tent.
  • Cotton is the fabric that works best on summer days because it is very breathable and allows the heat to escape from the body to help your body remain cool.
  • I’ve found two best working cotton canvas tents on amazon: a pyramid cotton tent for camping and a glamping yurt tent for hot days.
  • Maybe you don’t want to invest in a canvas tent for some reason, but you have only some options left, like a tent that features or is entirely made with nylon, polyester, TPU, etc.
  • Among these, try if you can avoid polyester. If you can’t even do that, then at least go for light color tents like white, silver, sky color, pale yellow, etc. (go for lightweight color tents for summer even if your tent is not of polyester) In the list of all light colors white is the one that reflects all the colors of white light equally.
  • Black is the color that you should avoid entirely when you’re serious about staying calm, as this is the color that absorbs most light and hence most heat.
  • In summary, as the tent color becomes darker, it will absorb more heat and thus make you feel hotter; they are ideal for winter but, of course, not summer.

Now, let’s say you already have a tent that doesn’t follow any of the above criteria and don’t have the budget to buy another tent using the above tips.

In this case, keep reading the blog post to figure out what other possibilities of cooling the tent you have (we’ve already discussed the ways to cool the tent with electricity which is the easiest way to cool any tent)

2. Let the Shade Embrace Your Tent

If you set up tent under tree; it will eliminate direct heat from sun

What could be better than setting up your tent in the grace of trees? I will not give any lecture on why trees are crucial for your survival but have you ever taken some time off from your busy schedule to enjoy sleeping under a tree? If you don’t have this experience, then I am betting you miss a lot; a lot means a lot.

It is time to do this; set up your tent under the shade (any shade can work, such as a canopy, but trees are fantastic).

Why is tree shade the best?

Because their shade is more relaxed than any shade, why? Shading and evapotranspiration from trees can reduce the temperature of the air surrounding your tent up to 6 degrees F.

Evapotranspiration is when trees or plants release water vapor and move actively.

That’s why whenever it is possible to set up your tent under the tree, do that don’t miss the chance.

Awkward tip: Climb and sit on branches of that leafy tree. Find pair of 2 branches whose joins are in a triangular shape so that they can hold you properly and comfortably.

I’ve tried this myself thus I am not jesting.

3. Don’t Trap Your Tent in Rainfly

The biggest myth in the outdoor world is that a rainfly can keep your tent cool. Listen, my friends, not everything that can give you shade can keep you cool. You’re inviting your heat death.

When you dare to let the rainfly hug your tent, you’re telling the rainfly to lock the heat instead of letting it go. Do you know what this trapped moisture and heat can do with you?

That’s why I said don’t trap your tent in a rainfly; instead, you can bring and keep it in your car or the backpack if Google darling alerts you of the chances of rain.

4. Set the tent near the river

a tent is set up near river while two children staring the water of river

Most outdoor lovers know the benefit of camping near the river, but if you’re new to the outdoor world, research shows that people who liver near the river are more relaxed and calm than those who live in the noise of urban areas.

According to this research, our mind and body have a very emotional and personal relationship with water.

It is known as the ‘Blue mind’ effect, which is a state where our body and mind feel more relaxed near water, and you focus more on the river’s pleasing sound than on what causes stress.

And the stress on hot days is sweat, awful smell, feeling like you’re in the oven, and so on, which may vary from person to person depending on how they handle their mood on hot days.

So when you set up the tent in the river, most of your stress evaporates, and do you know? The more you stress, the more you suffer, even if it is an ant crawling on you.

If you are OK with an open door, open it and face your tent mouth towards the river so that the breeze coming after touching the river can make the tent’s interior lovely.

Another thing you can benefit from living near the river is you can jump on it whenever you feel like you’re going mad. Don’t live in haste; instead, enjoy your time swimming or playing in the lap of the river.

5. Let the Thermal Reflection Saves You

In the market, you can easily find a thermal reflective sunshade which may also be known as reflective tarps.

These reflective tarps reflect the sun’s UV rays to keep whatever is inside the tarp or shade cool.

However, it is not that they reflect everything, they absorb some heat, but it is not to that extent that will make you feel like you invested in something worthless.

Any tarp or sunshade can work if you cannot find reflective tarps that please you.

The only thing you need to be aware of is that the gap between your tarp and your tent should be more than or at least 14 inches to allow air circulation and let the heat escape properly.

You have two options to tie your reflective tarp: You can take the help of available trees by connecting them to their branches or buy some poles to secure them.

For many people, it may be pretty hectic to use poles as you may need to stretch yourself up to more than you can.

In such a case, you can buy a summer canopy (don’t worry, they are lightweight) and set your tent under it. But remember, in this case, the canopy also needs that 12-14 inch gap for circulation.

6. Don’t Dare to Forget Ventilation

Open every window and put a mosquito mesh on it! The idea is to allow maximum airflow to happen. If you think, oh, Michael, what about our privacy? Nobody will come and see what you are doing in the wild. Only some mosquitoes will try to infringe on your privacy.

If your tent is adequately ventilated, it will not only prevent moisture and heat build-up but also help your body feel more comfortable than it feels in a packed tent.

It is a great way to feel more connected with nature even when you’re in a tent because your eyes can easily wander in the wilderness through the windows or from the transparent roof mesh.

7. Transform Your Towel Into AC (Traditional Way)

Whatever ways I’ve shared with you in this article about ‘how to keep a tent cool?’ is nothing in front of AC towels. This is the way of people like me who are very grounded when it comes to camping or any outdoor activity. Moreover, this simple and most potent hack to feel the coolness and cut down the weight ACs, coolers, and portable fans.

What are you going to read is not a joke but science that I learned when I visited an Indian village. The only difference is that they are using burlap or hessian fabric which is traditionally used in making 100% eco-friendly natural wheat sacks.

They are using it without any understanding of how it is cooling their wooden yurt but they are doing it well to the extent that I feel like heaven in summer.

Source: Villages of Bharat (India)

You can use a towel, and they will work fine, but I recommend you to invest in Hessian Burlap Fabric like this one which is about 10m (393 inches) and comes at a very, very low price which can last for 100s summer camping trips. However, I am going to share the steps for towels due to their popularity.

Follow these steps to turn your towel into an AC:

  1. The towel should be breathable, or it should allow the air to flow freely through it.
  2. It will work for longer if the towel is 2-3 cm thick
  3. Take note of the tent’s window size and door size.
  4. You need big enough towels to cover the windows and doors (If the towel is bigger than that, then the problem, but if it is smaller than the windows, then you need to use another)
  5. Place it on your face and try to breathe. If it is not allowing proper flow, then create some little holes to make it breathable again. That’s why I recommend Burlap due to its breathability and ability to remain wet for a long time.
  6. Now soak it in the water using a bowl, bucket, or river.
  7. Make sure it is thoroughly wet.
  8. Squeeze a little to remove extra water, then attach to the windows using velcro tape.
  9. Get inside the tent and attach the door-size towel to the door using the same tape.
  10. Wait for some time, and hurray, your tent is now getting cooler.
  11. When you think the towels are dry, repeat the steps from 6 to 9.
  12. During the day, when the sun is burning like hell, the towel will dry more quickly, and to combat this, you can use spray bottles to make them wet again without needing to leave the tent.

8. Pitch Your Tent When It’s Cool

I am pretty sure that if you set up your tent on a whole afternoon of a hot summer, then the chances of having a desirable experience inside the tent are very likely. Thence it is advised to pitch the tent just before the sun sets.

full moon night, and a men is sitting near a river that is reflecting a white mountain chain

As a result, you’ll experience less heat than when setting it on when the sun is on your head.

9. Set Tent Over the Blanket

This works well if you’re camping on hot grounds which on touching can burn your feet down (Wow, it’s rhyme)

Before setting up the tent, place a thick spare blanket on the ground and put your tent on it. Just be aware that the veil is slightly bigger than the tent’s floor.

Use velcro tape or any other type to attach the corners of your spare blanket to the corners of your tent.

What this will do is it will act as a barrier between your tent’s floor and the ground, which prevent the heat from touching the tent floor for a longer time. Doing this will make the tent’s interior less hot and more relaxed.

Note: It will be better if the blanket is insulated.

10. Don’t Torture Your Tent During the Day

If you obey all the tips, then you don’t need to do this as you can be inside a tent and stay cool even when the sun is at its peak.

However, if possible, take your tent down during the day if you don’t use things like a sunshade or a reflective tarp because as the day progresses, the temperature will rise till the sun starts to set down.

And during this timeframe, your tent will trap a fair amount of heat that you can feel even at night as it is made of materials like polyester and nylon, which don’t cool down immediately after sunset.

11. Time to Dig a Tent Pit

Don’t go mad still, and you have lots of ways left to cool down your tent. One of the easiest ways is to take your camping shovel (Link to our article where after days of research, we’ve selected some best camping shovels that are worth every penny) and dig a 2-3 feet deep trench wide enough to fit your tent.

Now set up your tent in this trench where you can feel the temperature difference between the trench and the hard ground.

This trick will work best for those camping in the jungle because you can easily find that the trench is a little wet and cooler than the surrounding.

12. Feel the Breeze

The easiest and effortless way is to get your face out of your tent and feel the breeze. Even if the breeze is warm but if you’re sweaty enough, the same warm breeze will feel like ice.

You can generate the breeze using fans and AC, and the AC’s air will probably be cooler than anything. To make the fan’s air cooler, you can use the ice. I’ve already described the entire process in the section on cooling a tent with electricity.

If you haven’t read that, then, in short, take a wide pan and put some ice cubes on it. Put this in front of the fan and enjoy the cool breeze.

13. Spritz Your Face & Then Feel It

Do you have a spray bottle? If not, purchase it; it will become your savior on a hot sunny day.

You may not need this inside the tent if you have electricity or follow the above ways. Instead, it will work as a friend when hiking or doing other things outside the tent.

To do this, fill the spray bottle with water (cold water will be 💋), and whenever you will draining or sweaty just spritz the water on your face till you feel calm. Now either leave the wet face as is or wipe it after 40-60 seconds of spritzing.

This water spray will absorb all your heat and give some ease and mental relaxation. Try it at home, and then you’ll know how it will help during summer camping.

To make this even more advanced, wet your towel or scarf with cold water and wrap it around your neck to have the cooling effect for longer.

You can put the same wet scarf on your face and head when you’re inside the tent.

14. Say Bye-Bye to Sleeping Bag

Sometimes it is better not to bring your sleeping bag and sleeping pad for camping. Why even do you need it in summer? I have no reason to use it on my summer camping trip.

Instead of a sleeping bag, bring a thin blanket to muffle yourself when sleeping.

And use a cot instead of a sleeping pad; a cot will help the air circulate correctly, which helps keep the body cool. Trust me; you’ll thank me later (You’re welcome in advance)

15. Sleep in Dark (It’s Not Scary!)

Research has shown that sleeping in complete darkness pineal gland initiates the production of melatonin which is responsible for how quickly you’ll fall asleep and how much quality and rest will be there in sleep.

However, the exposure of light halts that production.

Source: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/light-and-sleep

Now you know why darkness is essential for sleep, but how does it affect the coolness and heat inside the tent?

Well, sleeping in the dark means you’re going to bed between 9 pm and 11 pm.

Till 9 pm and above it, the temperature of the surroundings drops 1-2 degrees, but when you sleep in the dark, your melatonin releases to create drowsiness.

It signals the body to rest; thus, your metabolic heat production decreases because less work is going on, lowering your body temperature. (click here to read more about how your body temperature changes while you sleep)

Now slowly, as you fall asleep, you’ll start to feel cooler than the day.

But here is a twist, you should wake up before sunrise if you don’t like to get burned up after a good night’s sleep.

When the sun rises, the tent in which you’re sleeping again absorbs light and thus starts to trap heat.

Due to this trapped heat, when you wake up, you’ll always wake in some amount of sweat which you may not feel good, and above all, you’ll again feel like you’re in the oven.

Do you remember that your grandparents always said that you should wake up before sunrise? It is the perfect time to obey their order.

16. Sometimes Not Sleeping in Tent is Nonchalant

Have you ever desired not to sleep in a tent? Instead, do you want to sleep in the open at night to witness the beauty of the stars?

If you enjoy camping or hiking, I bet that at any point in your life, at least this thought of falling asleep while looking at stars would have come.

It is time to fulfill your heart, and to fulfill this need, be aware of something known as Bivouacking, which means to camp with a tent. For this, take out your sleeping bag, mat (in summer, it is better to go for blankets than a sleeping bag), and a good quality and size mosquito net. Set your bed inside the mosquito net (you can use tree branches to tie the net), then enjoy sleeping under the stars.

You can also use a bivy sack if you doubt the rain.

The only problem with this method is insects and animal attacks, that’s why I advise doing this in any protected area like campgrounds or national parks.

17. Give hammock a try

According to Healthline, you should talk to a doctor first if you’re planning for overnight sleeping on a hammock.

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleeping-in-a-hammock

Sleeping in a hammock is suitable for having a nap and will relax your body very quickly. The only thing is the hammock should be solid and supportive that can be adequately hung for best relaxation.

A women sleeping in a white hammock with a cowboy hat

However, if you’re the one who suffers from back pain, then it can lead to discomfort, corrupt your sleep cycle, and at the extreme, can even prevent you from sleeping.

That is why you should contact the doctor before heading to the hammock.

It can disturb those who have back pain and affect the posture of a healthy person.

Cooling Your Tent is Waste If You Don’t Maintain Yourself (Helpful Tips)

One thing I want to make apparent is that no matter how much you search for how to keep a tent cool or without electricity, they won’t help you if you don’t know how to maintain your body and mind.

First, what are we looking for: to keep the tent cool or keep ourselves cool?

All the tips I’ve shared above are to organize and optimize your tent so that it will support your body to keep its temperature where it needs to be.

Here I am discussing some steps you need to follow to maintain yourself so that your optimized tent can finally give your body a refreshing feel.

It’s Summer, Don’t Overdress Yourself.

Whether skinny or fat, don’t overdress yourself if you want any good for your body in summer.

Here are some tips so that you’re wearing perfect clothing for summer that keeps you cool instead of torturing:

  • The clothes that you wear should be ultra-lightweight.
  • No matter if you’re a male, female, or any gender, in summer especially camping, wear loose clothes (Leave your style and tight clothes at home, you can not impress nature by highlighting your figure using tight clothes).
  • Do not include black dresses in your summer wardrobe. If you’re wearing black, then you’re inside the walking oven.
  • The clothes you wear should be of light color.
  • If you can wear pure white color clothing, then I guarantee you that you won’t feel hotter than those who are wearing a dark dress because white is something that reflects light entirely and thus it does not attract heat which makes it the coolest possible color.
  • If you can’t go for white, try to remain close to white by wearing colors like red and yellow. Any color other than these will not be effective and attract more heat.
  • Dedicate even more loose clothes for sleeping (loose and light to the extent where you don’t like you’re wearing anything) and don’t wear these clothes during your day.
  • If it is possible, wash your clothes every day. Washed clothes will give you a refreshed feeling.
  • Do not worry the loose and thin clothes will dry in about 1-2 hours.

Please follow all the above tips; if you don’t, kindly not blame me and say Michael is a liar. Do it by yourself before making any comment.

Have Some Space for Tarps or Caps

In the market, various types of caps or head tarps are available. Buy and make some space for two hats or tarps.

Everyone knows what a hat can do on hot days.

Not only will it protect your face and head from the sun’s heat, but it also avoids getting spots on your face and relaxes your eyes by giving a lovely shade to look at distances more quickly.

So we have no reason why not to pack them. The only thing we need to remember is that we must not forget to handwash our hats in warm water at night so that the bacteria that might gather due to sweat and dust can’t make this hat their home to feed on you.

Remember Every Cell Get Thirsty But…

If dehydration continues, tissues of the body will begin to dry out and your cells will begin to shrivel and malfunction

Source: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/water-balance/dehydration

The above statement clearly says that cells feel thirsty and get dehydrated too. Now to combat these, you need to fulfill all the water requirements in the body. It does mean that you should drink water every 30 minutes.

It is one of the biggest myths in society that you should drink too much water.

As you’re the reader of this blog, it is my duty to literate you on what is right, and it is your duty being a reader of this blog to literate everybody around you that if you drink too much water, then it can result in water intoxication which is also known as overhydration and hyponatremia.

You can click here to know more about hyponatremia, but in short, it means that you have a shallow level of sodium in your bloodstream, which causes the cells to flood from inside.

Overhydration can lead to severe health problems like coma, seizures, and even death.

So neither can we allow dehydration to happen nor overhydration to happen? Now, what can we do? Very simple only drink water when you feel thirsty.

For this, you need to have a water bottle in your hand or backpack so that you can drink whenever your body says instead of just drinking because someone told you that you should drink water all the time.

Don’t even drink in sips when your throat says to you. In summer, the chances that your throat gets dry every 15 minutes does not mean that your body needs water.

Instead of taking sips, drink one liter of water from your bottle or can whenever you feel thirsty, and then don’t drink even an ounce until you feel thirsty again.

You Need a Cold Shower (Water Isn’t A Enemy)

When we talk about keeping the tent cool, we are talking about keeping ourselves cool.

Just do this – If you’re camping near a river, take 7-11 dips, and then you can notice the difference between how you’re currently feeling and how you’re feeling before jumping into the river.

Now, if you’re not any closer to any river, but you want to experience the same thing, just do this – buy a portable shower and fill it with water (don’t heat your water), then arrange the shover in such a way that it is throwing water in big droplets.

Remain under the shover for at least 2 minutes if you have a limited water supply and for 8-10 minutes when you have a sufficient water supply.

If you’re in a campground with no shower system, then you have the opportunity what the shover lover doesn’t have.

Fill a bucket full of water and then take the water out from it using 1-2 litter pots (fill it).

Now take this over your head and pour the water immediately. The idea is to create a state like you’re taking a dip in the river.

Clipart showing the traditional way tp bath to cool down the body effectively

When you do this, I can assure you that the bath will vanish the excess heat from your body and make you feel like a heavyweight is taken off your shoulder.

Trust me; you’ll feel at ease and sleep more relaxed and calmer inside the tent.

Conclusion

Yes, I knew this blog post takes a lot of your time to read because it is long and in-depth.

As you know, how to keep a tent cool is not a tiny topic which I can solve in only 1000 words. This blog post is long because it has something for every type of person so that they can enjoy living inside the tent while not feeling toasted.

Like we have shared ways to cool a tent with electricity for people who believe in luxury camping, we shared many ways to cool a tent without electricity for those who believe in down-to-earth camping.

I hope this article has benefited you in some way. If you feel like it has some value, share these tips with your friends or send them to this page if you don’t have time.

I guarantee they will be treated with as much love as we treated you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why do tents get so hot?

Your tent gets so hot because of its color and the material by which it is made.

If your tent is dark in color or close to black, then it absorbs the light and thus absorbs the heat, which in turn gets trapped inside your tent (Thus, go for a light color tent) if it is not adequately ventilated to allow heat to escape and air circulation to happen.

It is made of polyester and nylon, and most of the tents are on the material side. These materials are not breathable thence; they will trap heat if not adequately ventilated.

Try to go for tents made of canvas cotton as cotton is the best thing you can have in summer due to its breathability; it doesn’t blow the airflow and thus helps the heat leave the tent and prevent moisture build-up.

Can a candle able to heat the tent?

Yes, candles can heat the tent, and it is the worst thing you can do to light a candle inside a closed tent in summer when you don’t desire extra heat for the tent.

Ventilate the tent properly if you are using candles, lamps, or even lights inside the tent so that the heat they generate can leave the tent without disturbing you.

Does the crowd increase the heat inside the tent?

It depends on the number of people in the tent and the size of the tent in which they are sleeping.

Of course, the more bodies inside the tent will collectively generate more heat.

That being said, in summer if you’re camping with family then either go for a big family tent or separate tents for every two people. In both cases, Ventilation is crucial.

Is it wrong to use a black tent?

Yes, I am saying from the beginning of the article that you should never use the black tent in summer if you want to stay alive rather than being cooked.

Black is the color that absorbs the most light and heat, which makes it the worst choice for summer but the best choice for winter.

Is it necessary to take a cooler?

No, if you’re following all the steps mentioned in how to cool a tent without electricity, a cooler is not essential.

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