When the sunrise comes streaming through the tent window after you
slept soundly through a gale-force night, you’ve got yourself a
well-pitched shelter. If you’ve never set up a tent before, it’s been a
while since your last campout or you’d just like a few ideas on how you
can smooth out the process, this article can help.
Tent setup has four phases:
- Pre-trip preparation: Practice pitching and make sure you have everything.
- Campsite selection: Minimize impact and maximize weather protection.
- Pitching tips: Follow these steps to make setup easier and your tent sturdier.
Tent Setup: Pre-Trip Preparation
Before you hit the trail, set your tent up at home: Home
offers a low-stress environment for you to master the pitching process
for a new tent. The worst time for learning is after you’ve finished a
long day of hiking, the sun has set and the rain is coming down
sideways.
Read the instructions carefully and inventory the parts: Reading
instructions, rather than grabbing things and winging it, is a great
way to prevent confusion and damage to tent parts. And if a piece is
missing, you’ve built in the time to get it before your trip. And don’t
forget to pack along a copy of the instructions.
Decide on your footprint strategy: Though tent floors are
heavy duty to stand up to water, abrasion and wear, the ground is a
formidable foe. You can combat this problem by buying a footprint—a
custom-sized ground sheet that offers an extra layer of protection. You
can also buy Tyvek® material to make your own footprint or you can
simply buy a tarp.
Footprints are sized smaller than your tent floor so they don’t catch
and pool rainwater under your tent. If you make your own footprint, do
the same. If you bring a full tarp, fold it under so that no part
extends beyond the floor perimeter.
...More
...More