Prepare Thyself -Secure Your TENT!

How to set up a secure camp for any weather

I’ve seen a lot of posts asking about the weather and how the camping will be for different festivals and you have to prepare for the WORST.

I grew up camping in TN and by the time the Fall rolls around the ground will be getting cold. According to an old farmer’s almanac, you are almost guaranteed that you will not get frost from April 21 through October 10. So for the rest of the festival you better be prepared for some cold nights.

The days will probably be in the comfortable 70’s to 80’s unless there is rain or a chance of a possible thunderstorm then the temps could drop into the low 40’s and especially at night, you might get that nice coating of ice all over everything by morning. So no heat with temps in the 40’s could be quite chilly if you are not prepared.

For TN and VA festivals, I suggest that you prepared for a full range of temperatures and weather!

I think the biggest rookie mistake I see Festival goers commit – they fail to set up a secure tent and pop-up shelter – they focus on having fun and forget that having a secure, dry and upright shelter is pretty crucial if you want to survive a multi-day camping music festival and have the BEST camping experience.

I have been to several-a-roo, or Bonnaroo & Lockn festivals where there was a micro-burst and heavy rainstorm that blew down pop-up shelters and mutilated tents beyond the point of repair which left a bunch of people sleeping in their cars or trying to use duck-tape to salvage bent tents and wet stuff.

I don’t know who’s tent this is, but OUCH!

Don’t let this happen to you!

With a little preparation, you can secure your tent and pop-up like a PRO!

Here are my 8 Pro Tips for Securing your CAMP:

1. Practice setting up before you get there and add waterproofing spray

If you are new to setting up camp or have a new tent or pop-up, you must set it up and make sure everything is good to go before you go. A test run will save you a lot of frustration before you are rushing around trying to figure out the directions.

Once you set it up to grab a can of Scotchgard Outdoor Water Shield to create a durable water barrier that keeps clothing and gear drier longer. This stuff will repel the water, so once everything is soaked, nothing gets in.

Even for an older tent, this stuff will really help keep out the moisture. Not only do I thoroughly coat the top of the tent and the rainfly, but I make sure I get the bottom of the tent and especially any areas the rain fly does not cover. The tent box may say “waterproof” but when there is a torrential downpour for an hour –all manufacturer claims are off, what matters is if you and your stuff stay dry.

2. Tent Stakes REALLY Matter

Tent stakes are usually something no one ever thinks about until they are trying to secure a tent to the earth and then you realize the ones that came with the tent are a bit flimsy and pull right out of the ground. I suggest you replace your tent stakes. I always purchase new tent stakes and have a few extras when I go to a festival.

My favorite tent stakes are lightweight and have reflective ropes so you can see them at night:

GEERTOP 10 Pack 7 inches Tent Stakes Lightweight & 4 Pack Reflective 4mm Tent Guylines with Tensioner

When you arrive, before you rock out with your… …. … set up and secure your camp, even if the sun is shining and the forecast calls for no rain, spend the extra time securing your tent and shelter and you will have no worries when the rains come.

Whatever stakes you have, make sure you take the time to really brace the tent to the ground and cinch the rain fly. Check tension by looking to see if seams on the fly line up with the seams and poles on the tent body; if not, readjust tension so that they are aligned.

Stakeout tactics:

You’ll get maximum holding power in most types of soil if the stake is fully vertical as you drive it into the ground.
Leave just enough stake exposed to allow you to slip a tie-down cord over it.
If your tent has a fly, make sure you tie them to the poles. Some come with Velcro straps. Make sure you use them.
A well-pitched tent has a taut rain fly. Most rain flies have straps you can cinch at the tent corners. Snug these evenly and recheck fly tension periodically, especially before crawling in each night, because changing weather affects tautness.

I DEFINITELY recommend the pop-up over your tent or car method because a well-secured pop-up can be so important to help the shelter in place during a thunderstorm. Also, as soon as that hot morning sun hits your tent, it will start to heat up and you will not be able to stay in there long. Adding that extra layer of shade or shelter will make all the difference in staying warm and dry, and cooler during the day.

I also like these SAFETY YELLOW Stakes for my Pop-up!

Rugged design with a large non-slip hook made from heavy-duty plastic and you can 16 of them for under $6 on Amazon! Extras are good!

I have also used these, Galvanized steel stakes and they are sturdy, but the plastic usually breaks on removal. Usually, on every camp trip I tend to lose another one, so be sure and check that you have the right number and maybe grab a few extras before you go!

3. POP-UP SHELTER

Even a simple pop-up like this one can run you around $100 and several years in a row I saw these things get lifted up and tossed about by the high winds or the rain rip through the top panel in a crazy downpour. Some of the more expensive models are more durable and have sandbags and reinforcement tie-downs and I recommend you batten down the hatches the first day when you put these things up!

At LOCKN festival 2019, the silver car in the photo above was impaled by a flying pop-up pole and it broke the passenger side window. There were multiple tents full of water and some just completely collapsed from about 45 minutes of high wind and rain.

You have to make use of all the ties, or guy ropes that are attached to the pop-up and use heavy-duty stakes to balance the tension of the pop-up, even adding extra ropes and stakes will keep you from becoming like the Wizard of OZ.

4. Weights

Usually, some of the more expensive model pop-ups come with weights. If yours doesn’t –you might want to consider investing in a set!

5. TARPS

I was just reading a post in the EXIT 111 group on FB and some guy was talking about how many tarps he was bringing. Tarps for the top of the tent, tarps for underneath the tent, tarps for the sides of the pop up for shade, tarps for the ground. Like five or six, obviously dude is a festival PRO because the more tarps are the better! They are pretty cheap so no need to be a wet rat. Tarps to connect tents, and the space between your pop-ups, tarps to cover your car, stake down that extra tarps over your tent and you can thank me later! Worst case scenario –if it is really raining, just wrap one around you!

6. Waterproof SOLAR lights!

You are also going to need a reliable waterproof lighting source.

I love these solar powered luci Outdoor, rainproof lights. I have several of them and I charge them in my windshield all day while I am gone, hang them on my pack, you never have to buy batteries and I have never run out of light if these charges all day. No fumbling with batteries or wondering if they will run out. The manufacturer video says they will last 18 hours on one charge! These are definitely one of my favorite pieces of gear for camping and hiking…3 of them are plenty of light for cooking, looking at the schedule or other camp activities. They are the BEST!

MPOWERED also has Luci Solar String Lights too!

I really LOVE these I use them on my outdoor patio all the time!

7. Paracord and Clips

TOUGH-GRID 750lb Paracord/Parachute Cord

Definitely can’t go wrong with this!

8. Tent Security

This topic always makes me a bit nervous because I don’t want to sound negative and start talking shit about WOOKS stealing at festivals, but yeah, it’s a thing. Broke ass, looking for what you got.

Hide your cooler, hide your liquor ’cause some broke ass will take it if they can. Sadly!

I saw some people asking how secure a festival campsite is:

Think of it like 80,000 people could possibly walk by your camp and if you have a bunch of easy money within eyesight or within reach WELL, God bless ’em –I hope they have some money in the bank or your stuff might become a WOOK trophy.

Bottom Line –at any festival my valuables are on me or out of sight and locked in my car.

I have had too many friends who have had cameras, phones, shoes, food, booze, beer and just about anything else just disappear.

I even heard about some Peach Fest thefts this year that included slashing the “gear” pocket, out of the tent in the middle of the night to take phones and wallets. So think about where you stash your valuables when you catch those Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

I’d even get a tent lock for the rest of your gear while you are gone, even if it is just dirty clothes and shoes!

There now that we are all secure.

Out of sight, locked up tight –ain’t no WOOK stealing my stuff tonight!

Well, there you have it, my BEST advice to secure your tent and have the BEST camping experience at a MUSIC FESTIVAL!

If you still are packing and need more tips, be sure and check out my other blogs.

It’s gonna take RESERVE, PERSEVERANCE and just a little patience! See you on the rail! ~WREN

Prepare Thyself -Secure Your TENT!