How to Set Up a Tent in Rain, Wind and Snow

The tent is one of the most important gears for camping, hiking or for any overnight outdoor trip. The tent is big in size and you will find different sized tents in the market. As they are big, campers need to carry it folded and they set it up on spot.

Therefore, the process of setting up a tent is a must thing to know. You cannot make your camping trip successful without knowing the tricks of setting up a tent properly.

You might think that you will be able to set up your tent easily through following the manual; but here is the twist, experience is always better than book knowledge. Here I will be providing you some tips on setting up a tent properly.

Learn How to Set Up a Tent Using These Tips

Learning how to set up a tent properly is a good thing for safety for your friends and family. That includes safety from rain, from snow, from wind and so on.

To learn this, you need proper knowledge and experience on different occasion camping. We cannot give you experience, but share our knowledge to help you in this situation.  

Pre-trip Preparation

For setting up a tent properly you need to maintain some phases of preparation. You need to take some pre-trip preparation, on-trip preparation, and end-trip phase.

The name says it all. You need to take some preparations for setting up a tent before you leave for your trip. 

Read the Manual and Collect the Parts

Manual is very essential in terms of setting up a tent. Without going through the instructions, it will be difficult for you to understand the basic rules of setting a tent.

Also, for setting up a tent you need some parts which you will not get with the tent; after reading the manual you will automatically understand what extra parts you need for this process.

How to Set Up a Tent at Home

As setting up a tent can be tricky at some points, it is better if you practice it at home. Take a tent and separate all the parts, after that try to perform all the steps according to the manual you read. As you will be at home you will be able to take help from others if needed.

Also, you will not be under pressure or under no time limitation; therefore, you can master the tricks easily if you want.

Research the Weather Before Tent Setting

 before going on camping make sure you do good research on the weather. There are tents for different weather condition. For example, if you bring a tent on summer camp which is made for the winter season then you will definitely feel much hot than in a summer tent.

Tents for different weather condition also has some different rules of set up, therefore, be sure to buy the right tent according to the weather condition of your camping spot.    

Setting Up a Tent in the Rain

Setting up a tent in the rain is different from setting it up on a sunny day. You need a proper rainproof cabin tent and set up it in a way that protects you from the rain. Here are some tips on how to set up a tent in the rain.

1. Set up a tarp before setting the tent. The best tarp for tent will save your tent from the rain. A tarp gives you extra protection even if you have a three seasoned rainproof tent.
2. You can use the rain-fly if you are not using a tarp. It will also protect the tent from the direct contact of the rain.
3. Before purchasing the tent, you should see the sealing well. See if the tent comes with zip-out options or not.
4. Find the right area for tenting. Don’t put up your tent around the river or lake. It can become a little dangerous if the rain gets rough.
5. Wear proper safety clothes for rain. You can wear the best hiking/camping pants and top wear that has a waterproof feature. It is wise to keep things warm if you can.

Pack the Tent Parts Separately

Separate the parts according to categories. You need to know which parts are used for setting the inside of your tent, which are used for fly and which poles are used for what reasons.

According to these separate the parts and gather them together. This can save you a lot of time while setting up a tent on spot; the chances of leaving parts behind will decrease due to this separation.

Footprint strategy: the footprint is a cover that can protect you and your tent surface from rough ground. Take a bigger footprint than your tent’s size, this will give an extra space outside your tent. You can use this extra part for removing your dirty clothes and shoes.

On-trip Preparation

The preparations you need to take while setting a tent on spot are on-trip preparation. You need to maintain all the steps of this category properly in order to set your tent without any glitch.

Choose a Spot for Tent Setting

Before setting a tent, you need to choose a suitable spot for it. As you will be in the woods, every spot is not suitable for you.

Choose a spot with the flat and dry surface ground. You need to avoid spots which have widow makers around you; as widow makers can cause unwanted circumstances anytime. Try to choose a spot within 300 meters from a water resource, if possible, find a spot near the toilet. 

Detect the Wind Direction (how to set up a tent in the wind)

While choosing a spot you also need to detect the wind direction. Setup your tent facing the wind direction and choose a place which has natural windbreaker. In summertime put the door part facing the wind to make your tent cool.

Do not expect to see the exact weather you found out while researching the weather. For this reason, you should come prepared with some extra gears. For example, rain is very natural for forest lands, it always comes unexpectedly.

Therefore, do not go camping without a rain fly or at least bring a waterproof tent to keep your gears secure. You might also want to look for higher grounds as the chance of water clogging is much less there.

Access the Sun According to the Weather

According to weather condition, the need for sunlight fluctuates. If you are camping in summer you need to avoid spots where the sun hits directly. If you are planning for a winter camping then you might want to choose a spot where sunlight has a fair amount of access.

Also, a place with access to direct sunlight will allow you to sleep less in the morning, if you are an early riser or if you want to get up early in the morning to enjoy the nature then go for a spot where sunlight can enter easily.