Easy Tent Tips Every First-Time Camper Should Know

With summer in full swing, camping season is finally here. More and more people are venturing into the great outdoors, and for some, for the very first time.

Why Tent Setup Matters for First-Time Campers

Camping for the first time can be stressful. There is a lot that goes into ensuring a camping trip is a success and not an epic catastrophe that leaves you telling the tale for years to come.

While Indiana and Kentucky have a ton of beautiful State Parks and National Forests for first-time campers to explore, for any beginner to the world of camping, getting your tent set up can make or break your experience. Fortunately, we have some easy tent tips to help you get off on the right foot.

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Test Your Tent Before You Go

Whether you've found a good deal, were gifted a secondhand hand-me-down, or you just sunk some cash into a brand new tent, this first step will always be the same. Set it up for a test run in your backyard. This allows you to make sure all of the parts and components are there and in good working order. It also gives you the opportunity to figure out how to put it up - and take it down - before you are in the middle of the woods.

Once you have your tent set up on a test run, it's a good idea to check it for any rips or tears. If it's a new tent, this will hopefully give you the chance to exchange it from wherever you bought it. If it's secondhand or thrifted, you'll have some time to make any necessary repairs.

Waterproof Your Tent for Extra Protection

In addition to checking the tent for any damage, now is the time to give it a good coat of waterproofing. You can buy waterproofing spray fairly inexpensively, and $10 or so on a couple of cans should give you more than enough product to spray the entire tent at least once, and maybe with multiple coats. Be sure you let it dry fully before you take it down and pack it away.

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Upgrade Your Tent Stakes

Two of the biggest mistakes new campers make are using the stakes that come prepackaged with their tent and setting the stakes incorrectly. First, the stakes included in most tents are small and rather weak. They can easily bend if trying to set them into hard or rocky ground. Do yourself a favor and invest in some larger, more secure tent stakes. I personally prefer the ones that look like large nails and have a plastic piece on the end to tie off your guy lines. They are a cheap addition and really are money well spent.

How to Stake Your Tent the Right Way

Now, when it comes to setting your stakes, as a first-timer, you may think you just stick them straight into the ground and call it good, but that couldn't be further from the truth. While I hope your camping trip brings you perfect weather, you have to be prepared for the potential for wind and rain. Setting your stakes straight into the ground, making a 90° angle with the surface of the ground, will cause them to pull back out even in a light breeze.

To keep your tent from being toppled by wind, you'll want to stake it correctly. Stakes should be inserted into the ground at a 45° angle to the surface of the ground, with the top of the stake farthest away from your tent. Take a look at the video below to see what I mean.

Camp Confidently With These Easy Tips

Now that you know how to prep your tent and set your stakes, you're sure to have a much more enjoyable camping experience. Keep reading to see some of the best campgrounds in the area.