6 Ways to Insulate Your Tent For Summer

When we hear the word insulation, we tend to think of insulating against cold weather. Camping tents can be insulated against the cold in various ways. But did you know that you can also insulate a tent in the summer? By insulating your tent against the heat, you can keep it nice and cool in the summer and ensure a comfortable, enjoyable camping experience. In this article, you’ll learn 6 different ways in which you can insulate your tent against the hot weather.

How to Insulate Your Tent For Summer

In summertime, when you’re out in the bush, you might be in an open space—like a field or a clearing—where you’re highly exposed to the sun. This can lead to your tent getting increasingly, and even dangerously, hot inside. Maybe there are some trees around that could protect you, but if it’s very hot, the chances are that they’ll have dried out and won’t provide you much cover, either.

This is where the need for tent insulation comes in. For your own enjoyment and safety, it’s important to keep the interior of your tent cool and comfortable in hot weather. Here are our 6 different methods, compiled by bushcraft experts, for insulating your tent in the summer!

How to Insulate Your Tent For Summer

1. Camp Away from the Sun

Our first tip for keeping your tent cool is to avoid sunlit spaces. Don’t put up your tent where the sun is shining; try to find a space that’s shaded instead e.g. under trees. Another trick is to set up your tent at the end of the day, as the sun is going down, and then to dismantle it in the morning, as the sun is coming up. That way, less sun will hit your tent and overheat it!

2. Put up Reflective Material

This next tip is another easy, inexpensive way of insulating your tent in the summer. Placed over your tent, reflective materials will deflect heat and UV rays and shield your tent—and you(!)—from the sun. You can buy reflective materials in many hardware stores.

3. Put up a Tarp or Sheet

If you don’t have any reflective materials, you can hang a tarp, sheet, or moving blanket over your tent—that way, your tent will be covered in shade and kept cooler inside. Alternatively, if you do have reflective materials to hand, you can use them in combination with a tarp or sheet—for even more protection against the summer sun!

Put up a Tarp or Sheet to Insulate Your Tent For Summer
Although it may not look pretty, a tarp or sheet over your tent keeps the heat at bay

4. Put Ice Packs on Your Tent

Is the heat in your tent verging on unbearable? Are you struggling to stay cool even with a tarp or reflective sheet in place? Then ice packs could be your lifesaver! Simply place them on the roof of your tent and let them absorb and deflect the sun’s rays.

5. Use a Portable Camping Fan

Placed inside your tent, a camping fan will circulate air and keep your tent cool and well-ventilated. Why use a camping fan and not just an ordinary fan? Many camping fans are designed to be super portable, meaning they won’t take up too much room in your tent or your pack.

6. Get a Cotton Tent

Polyester and nylon tents are usually fine in the winter, but in the summer these materials can retain a lot of heat and overheat. If you’ll be camping a lot in summer, it might be worth investing in a tent made out of cotton instead. Cotton is a lot more breathable and will facilitate more airflow in and around your tent.

So, you now know 6 different ways in which you can insulate your tent against the summer heat. Set up your tent wisely and you’ll have a nice, cool space in which to seek refuge from the sun!

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