So what is your preferred method of keeping the tent cool?
running fans at night? stay out of it during the day? Does anyone use a portable AC unit? How about the AC Boot, anyone tried that?
just wondering, I would like to keep camping in July and Aug but it may be hard to get the family to go if it is burning up.
1 Minivan
1 DW
2 great kids
Eureka Copper Canyon 1312
& a really old Sears tent
lotsa fun
I always heard that burning up in a tent is part of it. It always was with me on those sand bars. I planned my trips in the spring and fall. I've gotten too "spoiledrotten" to tent camp again. I hope you come up with a good solution though. A hot day camping is still better than a cool day at home or work.
Your signature states that you have "2 great kids". Put them to work. Make them stand at the door of the tent with hand fans and keep you cool. No reason for ALL of you to be uncomfortable.
Just the 3 of us...SpoiledRotten, TotallyRotten, and ALittleRotten
2000 F-250 Lariat, CC
7.3 PSTD-Superchipped
2005 33RL2 New Vision - AKA "SpoiledRotten"
2000 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Edition
I have seen where the space blankets are used on PUPs, so why won't they work over a tent also?
Steve & Linda
Son married (1 DIL, 3 granddaughters 1 grandson)
Daughter can now be called a Teacher.
Miami Co. Kansas
2004 F350 CC dually 8ft bed 6.0 PSD
2009 Bighorn 3670RL
B&W under bed hitch with 18k companion hitch
Unless rain is coming, I keep the fly off the tent. Try to set up where there is a breeze and put the vestbule of the tent into the wind so there is airflow through the tent even with the fly on. A nice breeze cuts down on the bugs, too. Guy out the fly for better air flow.
-john
DW and I in our Gulfstream Amerilite 21MB
Chevy Silverado 2500 HD - Duramax Diesel 6.6L - Allison Tranny
"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area." - Major Mike Shearer - British Army - Basra, Iraq
We have a "southern" tent. The Eureka Sunrise tents have large windows on each side and a fly that uses two poles to put an eve on each side so that the windows are unobstructed. That way if there's a breeze in any direction (barring blowing rain) you can get it.
We also use fans when camping where there is electricity. Most of our camping is non-electric, however, and we have just purchased a Coleman battery powered fan. I guess we'll find out, on our next trip, in July, how well it works. I don't expect to have to use it all night. In the Appalachians, you may sometimes want a bit of a breeze early on but it usually cools off real nice before morning.
Mostly, we control the heat by controlling our destinations. We're more likely to camp in Colorado or the Smokies in July and August. Admittedly, one tends to lose some of his enthusiasm for those locations when gas is at $3 a gallon.
If you will camp with electricity, the Ozarks and Ouchitas can be nice, even in July and August. Plan your days around playing in the water and in the evenings a fan should keep you comfortable. In fact, you might find yourself turning it off before morning, depending upon your elevation.
You also might check out Mount Magazine and Queen Wilhemena state parks. I have never camped at either but I know they're both over 2500' elevation. I have been to Mount Nebo and Petit Jean state parks. Petit Jean is a bit under 2500' and Nebo a little below 2000' Nebo is nice but Petit Jean has more things to see and do.
You can generally count on a 3 - 5 degree temperature drop for every 1000 feet of elevation gain. It seems to me that the 3 degree difference is more applicable to daytime highs and the five degree difference applies to nighttime lows.
downtheroadIgo
2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Eureka Sunrise 11
Eddie Bauer canopy
You can generally count on a 3 - 5 degree temperature drop for every 1000 feet of elevation gain. It seems to me that the 3 degree difference is more applicable to daytime highs and the five degree difference applies to nighttime lows.
Well I have a pretty good ventilated tent... Eureka Copper Canyon, lots of windows. We plan on mostly hitting the Ozarks during the summer and maybe the Smokies in October. We are planning on the Buffalo river next weekend. We will see how it goes, not sure of the elevation. Still during July in the Ozarks even at 2,000 feet -6 degrees from 95 is still pretty danged hot.
The Buffalo is not real high, mostly under 1000', I believe. However, there's plenty of water to keep cool in, during the daytime. At Buffalo Point and Kyle's Landing the campsites have electricity (at least most of them) and you can use fans. The air in the Ozarks is generally drier than the air down here in the flatlands and a fan (or a breeze) does more for keeping you cool.
The mountains above the river range up to 2000' feet or so. However, I don't know of any campgrounds on top of those mountains and, if there were any, you'd be away from the water, then.
Temps should be nice in the Ozarks, this weekend. Highs in the low 80's and lows in the low 60's. Have a good trip.
Well I have a pretty good ventilated tent... Eureka Copper Canyon, lots of windows. We plan on mostly hitting the Ozarks during the summer and maybe the Smokies in October. We are planning on the Buffalo river next weekend. We will see how it goes, not sure of the elevation. Still during July in the Ozarks even at 2,000 feet -6 degrees from 95 is still pretty danged hot.
Have you used the Copper Canyon yet? I used mine in the mountains a couple of months ago when it hit about 27 degrees. Not the right tent for that weather. But, I bet it'll be nice this summer. My DD took the Copper Canyon 10 on a Youth Group campout at the beach last weekend. Four teenage girls slept in it and they loved it.
For the OP. Check out Eureka tents; Copper Canyon series. They are VERY well ventilated. And come with a little zippered flap to run an extension cord into the tent. Nice for a little radio/tv and fan.
68 Me & DW - 93 DD - 03 DD
06 F150 Screw, 6.5' Bed, 4x4, 5.4, 3.73
04 Tahoe 23RB-GL
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