How to keep a tent cool inside?

[Joshuwarr]

The one thing that always frustrates me in hot weather is just how hot the inside of a tent gets once the sun comes up. Obviously I should just be happy that it isn't raining but it's frustrating when, as someone that likes to party all night, I only seem to get a few hours sleep because it just becomes unbearably hot  So, what advice/tips do you have?

Maybe a bigger tent? Let me know!

[GoonerRob]

Not tried personally but people swear by using those reflective blankets, just tie them over your tent and the sun should be reflected away!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0060NKRV8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004O793JY&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0QBGJX6QM9T4THXT99C5

[zico martin]

best not to waste too much time in the tent anyway - other than when passed out anyway!

[Joshuwarr]

Ha, I rarely do spend much time in there but when I do I want to make sure I get my beauty sleep  Even if it's only 3 or 4 hours...

[musky]

Those emergency blankets will buy you about an hour. Unless there's any kind of wind when the bloody rustling will keep you up anyway.

There doesn't seem to be any realistic way of keeping a tent cool, but if you find one let me know!

[pie_and_a_pint]

It's a bugger, isn't it? You need airflow. Ideally, those tunnel tents that have doors at both ends so you can open the doors and let the air in. Or at least make sure you have a tent with a netting inner door so you can get a bit of air in.

Some people swear by Magicool spray, but aerosols and waterproofing are not good bedfellows.

[MilkyJoe]

As soon as it starts getting warm get up and open all the door and window flaps on the tent. Then when it gets too hot just drag a picnic blanket and sleeping bag out into the shadow of the tent for an extra hour or so.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

 

Make sure you sleep with The Fonz.

[Flysheet]

10 hours ago, MilkyJoe said:

As soon as it starts getting warm get up and open all the door and window flaps on the tent. Then when it gets too hot just drag a picnic blanket and sleeping bag out into the shadow of the tent for an extra hour or so.

Try and make sure you can leave some space on the shady side of the tent though!

This is as good as anything tbh, certainly resorted to it a couple of times over the years, even slept somewhere up in the green fields outside under a tree one year

 

[clarkete]

It's no help whatsoever to your question,  but when I first came if it was a nice day people would  just be crashed out inside the cinema tent, as it was big and cool.   

I guess that makes me realise that some tents let the heat out better? 

[moheetoes]

I use the foil space blankets between inner and outer tent skins, seems to give me an extra hour

[glasto-worker]

On 15/04/2016 at 5:24 PM, GoonerRob said:

Not tried personally but people swear by using those reflective blankets, just tie them over your tent and the sun should be reflected away!
 

I use them but between the inner and outer flysheet - mine are taped together so I just plop it on and they do cut the temperature down although its important to pitch the tent in the correct direction - I tend to pitch next to a large tree in the crew area and the tent is in shade most of the afternoon - if I spot any of the crew with a tall tent I will work on them to pitch close on the other side so leaving my tent in shade early morning - lucky enough I can pick my shifts so I tend to work from early morning as its better than trying to stay in the tent { if I was not lucky to get that side covered }

last year I did spot a cable running close to my tent at Latitude so I went to trace it down - it was some of the ' set up crew ' who had rigged up two electric fans within a large tent - it appeared to work for them.

Edited April 16, 2016 by glasto-worker

[Thearg]

Canvas is the forward,I know they are heavier but you get a nice lie in.

They are expensive new but you can pick them up second hand on ebay pretty cheaply,I've got a little A frame 3man I use for festivals it's 7.5kg about twice as heavy as a plastic one but much better,cooler and quiet

[grumpyhack]

6 hours ago, Thearg said:

Canvas is the forward,I know they are heavier but you get a nice lie in.

They are expensive new but you can pick them up second hand on ebay pretty cheaply,I've got a little A frame 3man I use for festivals it's 7.5kg about twice as heavy as a plastic one but much better,cooler and quiet

We had a trailer tent that was canvas and it was superb.  Cool in the heat and warm when needed.  But you do need to make sure that you only store canvas away when it is dry.  Fold it up damp and it will rot.

[Thearg]

2 hours ago, grumpyhack said:

We had a trailer tent that was canvas and it was superb.  Cool in the heat and warm when needed.  But you do need to make sure that you only store canvas away when it is dry.  Fold it up damp and it will rot.

We have a Conway as well another ebay bargain,we only use it for glastonbury and take tents to other festivals

I've been fortunate so far as my tent has always been dry by Monday morning,still it wouldn't be too bad as I could hang it on the line to dry at home

Edited April 17, 2016 by Thearg