How to pitch a tent and pack for a camping weekend

A weekend in a tent is one of the simplest and nicest ways to get away. A little preparation makes the difference between a long, cold night and a great time. Here is how to pitch the tent for 2 persons, and what to pack.

Practice at home

Pitch the tent once in your garden or a park before you go. The first time takes the longest. Doing it in the dark or in the rain, without practice, is no fun.

Choose a spot

• Flat ground. Lie down on the spot to check for slopes and stones.
• Not in a dip, where rain collects.
• Not right under a big tree, where branches can fall and drips go on long after the rain.
• The door away from the wind.

Pitch the tent

1. Lay out the tent with the door where you want it.
2. Peg down the corners loosely.
3. Assemble the two poles. The color codes on the poles match the sleeves on the tent.
4. Slide the poles through the sleeves and bend them into the corner rings. The tent stands up.
5. Peg the corners tight. Push the pegs in at an angle, leaning away from the tent.
6. Put the flysheet over, if it is separate, and attach it.
7. Peg out the guy lines and tighten them. A tight flysheet lets rain run off and stays quiet in the wind.

Sleep warm

The cold comes from below. A sleeping mat under your sleeping bag matters as much as the bag itself. The sleeping bag, 3 seasons, is comfortable down to five degrees. Wear a dry thermal shirt and wool socks at night, and a merino wool beanie when it gets cold.

Light

Hang the rechargeable camping lantern from the hook in the tent roof. Bring the rechargeable headlamp for walking to the toilet at night. Use its red light in the tent, so you don’t blind your neighbor.

Food and drink

The cool box 25 liters keeps food cool for a day with two ice packs. The folding camping table and the folding camping chair make meals comfortable. The tabletop gas barbecue cooks dinner in minutes. Take the vacuum flask 1 liter for hot coffee in the morning, and the manual coffee grinder if you like it fresh.

Packing list

• tent, pegs and guy lines,
• sleeping bag and sleeping mat,
• lantern and headlamp,
• chair, table and cool box,
• rain jacket or rain poncho,
• warm layers for the evening,
• the multitool and the power bank 20,000 mAh.

Going home

Pack the tent dry if you can. If it is wet, set it up at home as soon as possible and let it dry fully. A tent packed away wet gets moldy within days.