Weather is unpredictable and can suddenly change your dream camping experience into a nightmare. High winds, heavy downpours, and storms can make your trip challenging instantly, especially if you didn’t see it coming. It’s important to arm yourself against such uncertainties for a more fulfilled experience if you’re preparing to go on a camping spree. This guide offers expert tips on anchoring your tent in high winds.
1. Identify Natural Wind Protection
Choosing a camping spot sheltered from strong winds is one golden rule to securing your tent in high winds. Things and objects such as hillsides, bushes, and stones are excellent windshields. A row of trees is another ideal windshield but avoid erecting your tent underneath the tree branches.
2. Stake Your Tent Well
A well-staked tent adds to its strength to withstand high winds. Here’s how to do it.
• Pull your tent out and grab the upwind part that faces the wind to ensure that the wind goes around and above you
• Begin by staking the upwind side
• Place your backpack on the tent to hold it in place as you stake the rest of the sides
Insert the stakes at a 45-degree angle instead of drilling them straight into the soil. The angle allowance secures your tent robustly against high winds. Place stones above each tent stake to protect them from pulling out of the ground in the event of high winds.
3. Guy Ropes Offer Additional Anchorage
Staking your tent firmly to the ground doesn’t make it one hundred percent windproof. It would be best to secure your tent more by guying it out, especially when camping in high-wind areas.
Pitch your tent and use the guy ropes on all sides to secure it. Tighten the guylines and anchor them close to the base of the tent. You can also tie a guy’s rope to a tree to enhance security against high winds. However, inspect the tree branches before pitching the tent near a tree. Avoid pitching your tent near trees likely to shed their branches during high winds or storms.
4. Close The Tent Door
At no time should you leave your tent door open? The tent is likely to turn into a giant kite if the winds blow toward the open door.
The last thing you want to see is your camping gear flying into the air, creating an impression of Dorothy’s house in the fair film The Wizard of Oz. No one includes such an incident in their camping itinerary. Keeping the door tent door(s) closed always saves you from unpleasant surprises.
5. Have Prior Knowledge About Sailing Knots
Knots help you fasten guylines, making them vital when securing your tent from high winds. You must also know how to tie two pieces together if a rope snaps. Weak knots make them vulnerable. Always practice the art of tying a strong knot before your camping spree.
Camping in areas with high winds can be challenging. However, high-quality gear and the tips mentioned above will secure your tent in high winds.
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