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Writer's picturePitch it Camping Club

Camping Know How? Part 2

Updated: Feb 22, 2021

Part 2

Your frequently asked questions, answered.

Q – When do I know it’s time to re-proof my tent? A – As a rule of thumb, if you are using your tent for 2 or 3 weeks per year then we would recommend re-proofing every other year. If you purchase a second-hand tent then we would recommend proofing it before use, however if you prefer, use it and see how you go. A good tip for testing the waterproofing on your tent is to pitch it in your garden and spray the tent constantly with a hosepipe on low pressure. After a good hosing, go inside the tent and inspect it for any leaks. This way you don’t get to the campsite and realise you have a leaking tent!

Q – When we were looking at tents at our local camping store, we kept coming across the wording “HH” on the different tent bags, what does this mean? A – HH stands for Hydrostatic Head, put simply this tells you how waterproof the fabric of your tent is. The higher the HH the more waterproof the tent actually is. Our tents are 6000HH so are highly waterproof. Q – Do I need to use EHU when running a 12v cooler box on the campsite? A – Yes you do, unfortunately a 12v cooler box uses a lot of energy and would drain a leisure battery very quickly. There are alternatives out there though such as a gas fridge which works independently on its own gas supply/cylinder.

Q – We are looking to buy a new tent, do we buy online or from a shop? A – This all depends on your experience in the market, there’s nothing quite like walking around a tent display and walking physically into the tent to experience the feel of it, at the moment with the current restrictions this is not possible. However, if you are a first time camping family we would recommend a visit to a good camping retailer with a good tent display. But if you feel that you want to order online why not email us at Glamperscampingclub@gmail.comand we will advise and assist you on the best choice for you. Q – Sometimes my airbed feels cold when I get into bed when camping, is there any way of preventing this? A – Yes there are ways of minimising the chill of an air bed, one option is to buy a foil backed picnic blanket (preferably the same diameter as your air bed) and lay this foil side down on the floor under the air bed, this insulates the underside of the air bed. Furthermore on the colder nights we recommend an electric blanket, set this on preheat at least one hour before bed. Alternatively if you like a little added luxury have a look at the Vango radiate sleeping bags these have ingenious heating elements built in! https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/sleeping/841-radiate-double.html

Q – Should I cook inside my tent? A – No! never cook inside your tent, for many reasons and the obvious being the safety aspect including fire and carbon monoxide, but also the smell of cooking will linger inside the tent and you will find it extremely difficult to expel the odours. If you have an open porch or canopy on your tent then this is an ideal place to cook.


Q – I’m not as fit and strong as I used to be, and my tent bag is becoming too heavy to carry. We love our Vango Edoras 600xl and we don’t want to part with it. Do you have any suggestions? A – Yes, purchase a roller bag, this will remove the need to carry your tent bag. Vango supply an excellent range of roller bags available online, we have purchased several. These bags take the physical stress out of carrying weight.

Q – Would you recommend taking our dog with us on our camping trips? A – This all depends on the nature and temperament of your dog, most dogs enjoy it and are well behaved. It’s probably best to start them off from the puppy stage, however some dogs just take to it. Why not read our blog guide on “Taking dogs camping”, this is a detailed information source on this subject and will help you decide.https://glamperscampingclub.wixsite.com/theglampers/post/taking-dogs-camping-our-guide Q – Should we book our camping trips in advance or leave it until a week before, so we can predict an accurate weather forecast? A – Try to book all your camping trips in advance, this way you won’t be disappointed if everything is booked up, we recommend using an advance weather prediction app to help you gauge the weather ahead and providing you give your campsite the required notice most will be happy to move your stay to an alternative date.

Q – We have a large polyester family tent and on hot days it becomes unbearably hot inside, is there any way of cooling the tent? A – Yes, there are several things you can do. Ensure all doors are open and toggled back with just the mesh doors in place to stop insects entering the tent, keep all air vents fully open. Top hack tip – place a foil blanket on the roof of your tent (shiny side up), this will deflect the suns heat away from the tent. The foil blanket can be secured using spare guy ropes and cling-ons. Q – Is it a problem for me to pitch my tent under a tree? A – We wouldn’t advise you to pitch your tent under an over-hanging tree, especially in hot weather as the tree may emit greenfly larvae or sap onto your tent which clings to the fabric of your tent making it sticky, which when the tent is packed away will form mould spots. Pitch away from over hanging trees whenever possible.

We hope you enjoyed this publication, watch for part 3 coming soon! .......




















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