I have camped and hiked in temperatures as high as 42 degrees Celsius on summer days with basic facilities and completed the trip successfully.
Many adventurers go to the elevated campsite at a higher altitude, somewhere in the mountains.
You can’t skip the fully sprouted activities, even on hot days, so I have found some ways to stay cool while camping in the summer.
1. Pick a Light Colored Tent
It doesn’t make sense for you to use a jet black tent under 100-degree sunlight. You will be baked deep with your skin, and it can make you bath in sweat.
Dark colors, predominantly black, absorb sunshine and preserve heat under pieces of clothing.
So, I suggest you get some light colored tents such as white, yellow, or blue.
These reflect the sunlight and make you feel comfortable during your summer camping.
2. Choose a Site with Shade
My site location selection method is simple. I visit the campsite website and use the satellite feature of the map to find campsites with lots of trees and bushes.
Yes, it works for me!
Tents under the canopy of large trees block the scorching sun, so you can enjoy daylight fun activities without sun protection.
Besides, I observe little icons on the camping or campground map. This helps make sure that you’re not too close to the bathroom.
I’ve often found myself in a location near a public bathroom, only to suffer the consequences.
Also, you need to avoid locations close to the garbage and far from water.
I know it’s hard to find natural shade on the barren land or desert. If no shades, you can create some with your available gear.
For example, you can camp next to the mountain, particularly on the east side of the mountain, so that you can catch the shadow earlier from the west side where the sun is setting.
A tarp is also easy to set up for shade.
If you own a tarp with two poles, you can set it up over your camping tent. This helps channel the breeze through the tunnel made by the tarp facility.
But make sure that the lines at the sides of the tarp close to the ground are long enough. It should not be short.
This allows air to circulate continuously when the wind blows from the side.
Besides, a survival blanket also works magic there.
3. Set up Nearby Water
It’s my favorite!
I love fishing out there, and eating fresh fish during camping is beyond explanation. Cool breeze coming off the water, relaxing sound of a fast-moving hilly river, and playing around cool water under the shade is a different feeling while camping in the heat.
Have you slept with the cracking sound of a river or the sound of big lake waves coming and going at night?
That too feels amazing! And you would not run short of water for showers and other water-based activities, such as kayaking or boating.
After a long day hiking, getting your feet in the cool water in the evening can help you. Soak your swollen feet under ice-cold glacier water for 5 – 10 minutes. Your pain recedes well.
However, it also comes up with some challenges.
You have to face bug problems, especially mosquitoes. If it’s stagnant or still water, the trouble is inevitable. Therefore, it is essential to maintain good hygiene when camping near water.
4. Get Your Tent Facing the Wind
I tell you, the back of the tent is built to keep the wind out. So, you need to spin that feature around and face your front door right into the wind.
So, whatever big windows on your tent, make them doors where the breeze comes from.
This helps ventilate cool air under the tent.
Open side windows and get a nice breeze. If it’s a warm blow, it’s fine; it’s only a nice breeze. You’re not going to feel stuck there forever.
It won’t be like a humid environment inside for that long.
5. Take off Your Rainfly
I don’t think it’s a nice idea to have your rainfly on in the summer. So, you can keep it off if it’s a clear sky.
There is no point in covering your tent; enjoy the stargazing at night.
The rainfly traps heat inside. So, getting off it helps your body heat rise and release from the tent, and keeps the indoor environment breezy.
But check the weather before removing it.
If it’s supposed to rain, you should protect your tent roof. And it’s hot in summertime, and quick thunderstorms are common in the cloudy sky.
These need good attention.
Other than that, you can enjoy a cool breeze all night. The top of the tent works as a mesh, like a window.
6. Backpack Tent Fan
Tent fans are battery-powered and portable like a lantern.
First, I bought it for my first desert camping trip in the summer. You can use it around the tent when sitting outside it or set up in the middle of the roof at night.
I’m sure you will get a nice sleep with it at night.
It’s super handy and a great way to get a little breeze going and improve air circulation. But make sure that you have fully charged batteries or extra batteries for an extended stay.
7. Cold Water Bottle Trick
You pack a cooler in your summer camp, don’t you?
Throw some ice and water in the bottles and keep them around you when lying under the tent.
You can wrap clothes or some t-shirts around the bottles to avoid getting ice cold on your skin. And you can put down around your hand, neck, or wherever you feel hot.
Once they’re warm, you can get the bottles in the cooler and withdraw them for later use.
Additionally, frozen bottles can also achieve the same effect. When it melts into water, you can safely drink it. No waste!
8. Stay Hydrated
Oh! I feel thirsty!
You can’t go long without water on hot days. The more hydrated you are, the cooler and more relaxed you’ll feel. That’s simple.
There are several ways to stay hydrated on the trip, whether you’re hiking or around your tent. Drinking water is an easy idea.
If you lack drinking water in a rural area, you need to find water sources, such as a river, a lake, or damp soil. Then, you have to purify it to make it drinkable.
Besides, you can pack some fruits, such as cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, grapes, oranges, peaches, etc.
They can make you full and keep you hydrated.
If you have some mixology skills, you can create great mocktails and other cold beverages to beat the heat. Mulled Cider, Coconut Water Mojito, and Apple and Elderflower Collins are some recipe ideas.
I mostly prefer sipping Fruity Lemonade or Limeade Cooler under the tent.
9. Keep Cottons
Whether you’re hiking, fishing, or playing around, wear a cotton bandana.
Dip it in some ice water, or you can soak it in a river or lake, also. Twist it up, wrap it around your neck, and let it touch your arteries. Don’t squeeze the cloth too hard. A little bit of pressure is enough.
The wet cotton slowly starts cooling your blood down and makes you feel relaxed and comfortable.
When you feel it warm, wet it again and repeat the cycle.
You can also use a wet towel and put it on your neck, head, or hand. The cotton t-shirt, or any other piece of clothing, can also work the same way.
10. Set up Hammock
I don’t know about others, but I really need an afternoon nap in the summer.
Summertime is the season of wind, so being in a shade area with a blowing breeze is nothing but fun. You need to find a wind direction, though.
My favorite napping system is a hammock.
You can also sleep well at night off the ground. The wind blows all around you, above, beneath, and sideways of the hammock.
No need to worry about the bug problem if you use a netting system around the hammock.
Final Thoughts
The morning is the perfect time to engage in physical activities such as hiking, yoga, and exercise during the summer.
Once the temperature rises above 40 degrees Celsius, many AC consumers find it unbearable. So, you need to have all the fun under the shade.
Besides, you can eat fruit salads to stay cool while camping in summer.
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