Keeping the Sun Out of a Tent

When camping, an early wake-up call, courtesy of the rising sun, can force you to get up at an earlier hour than you may want. The sun beaming down can also raise the temperature quite a bit inside a tent, making it an uncomfortable place to be. A bit of knowledge and equipment, however, can help to keep the sun out of your tent.

  1. Fly

    • Adding the tent fly, which is the rain cover that most tents come with, is one way to help keep the sun out of your tent. If the weather forecast is good, or if the chances of rain are unlikely, then you might not think to put the fly on, or even bring the fly, but the fly does serve more than one purpose. If you plan on being in the tent when the fly is on and the sun is up, however, leave the tent well ventilated, as the fly will cut down on the breathability of the tent fabric.

    Location

    • Picking a spot for your tent that is unlikely to get much sun is another good way to reduce the sun exposure of your tent. A tent located under a forest canopy, for instance, will be well protected from the sun. Likewise, a tent on the western side of a large boulder or hill will protect you from the sun rising in the east, depending on your location and the time of year.

    Tarp

    • Another way to keep the sun out of your tent is to set up a tarp or a similar device above the tent. By stringing a blue tarp between several trees, you can dramatically cut down on the amount of sunlight coming in. A tarp will be more or less feasible, depending upon the plants and the landscape around you, but even trekking poles could be used to construct a crude lean to over the top of a low profile tent with a tarp.

    Tent Type

    • The amount of sunlight that penetrates in to the inner areas of the tent will have a lot to do with the type of tent you use. A single wall tent, for instance, will offer much less protection from the sun. Likewise a tarp tent that does not reach all the way to the ground will offer little protection from the sun. A double-walled tent, and preferably one that uses dark fabric for the walls, will be best for keeping the sun out.