Tips for Pitching a Tent

If the instructions are clear, the sun there is shining and the weather is cooperating, erecting a tent will not be too difficult. However, you need to know that often setting up a tent occurs in less-than-favorable conditions. Learning how to put up your tent before you ever go camping will ensure a wonderful and more successful camping trip.

                 

Things You Need

Tent

Stakes

Ground cloth or tarp

Mallet or hatchet

Hand-held whisk broom (optional)

Rake (optional)

Instructions

Practice Before Camping

1. You can practice with the tent in your back yard even in your living room. If you want to make erecting the tent at your campsite much easier, it is best to become fully familiar with the tent pitching steps. Even if you can’t drive the stakes into the carpeting, at least you’ll get a feel for how the rods pop together, which eyelets the stakes go into and how the rain-fly fits over the top.

2. You need to carefully read the instructions. First, lay out the tent flat, and then find where the opening is. Next, identify the correct rods and how to connect them properly. At last try to install them in the correct order. Skipping steps can cause accidental damage to your tent and make it more difficult to erect.

3. Practice taking down the tent, retracting the rods properly and folding the tent as compactly as possible.

4. Pack the tent, rods and stakes, together with the instructions, back in the tent bag to bring with you camping.

Setting Up At the Campsite

1. Usually people’s first trip with the tent will in daytime so that you can choose an appropriate campsite and see clearly what you are doing. First you need to select a site that is not in an indentation or valley. You do not want all of the water collecting under your tent if it is rains, right? Sweep or clear the tent site of rocks, branches and general detritus. Of course you do not want to sleep on those things. Look overhead for pine trees that may be dripping sap or dropping pine cones. Neither is good for your tent or your sleeping. Consider where you want your head and position the tent accordingly if there is a tilt to the site. (Consider bringing a small rake to clear the site of detritus before you pitch your tent. A small whisk broom is handy for sweeping debris that collects inside your tent.)

2. Place a ground cloth or tarp on the ground where the tent will go. Tuck the ground cloth under the tent edges once the tent is pitched. If the water collects on your ground cloth when it rains, then it’ll run under your tent and the bottom of your tent will get soaked.

3. Pitch the tent as you practiced at home. For some tents, it’s simpler to install the rods and pop up the tent before staking down the corners. With other tents, it’s easier to stake down the corners first before installing the rods to pop it up. The first method makes it easier to reposition the tent, if necessary.
4. When your tent is in the correct position, stake down it. Adjust the stakes so that they are positioned as far out as you can safely pull the tent. A taut tent will ensure you more space inside. Use the mallet or back side of a hatchet to pound down the stakes securely.

Tips & Warnings

If you don’t have access to a mallet or hatchet to pound in your stakes, a rock found at your site can also be used.

Consider replacing the aluminum stakes that come with your tent with lightweight but sturdy titanium ones.