Setup
Beginner
· 1 min read
Pitch a tent in strong wind without a fight
The order that keeps the tent on the ground and your temper intact.
Wind turns a tent into a kite. The trick is to keep the tent low and anchored at every stage.
- Stake the windward corners first. Lay the tent flat with the narrow end into the wind and peg those two corners before anything else.
- Keep the poles low. Thread or clip the poles while the tent is still flat, then raise it in one movement with a helper on the windward side.
- Peg the remaining corners straight away. Drive pegs at about 45 degrees, leaning away from the tent.
- Guy out everything. Guy ropes are not optional in wind. Tension them evenly so the fly doesn't flap against the inner.
- Re-check after an hour. Fabric stretches as it settles. Tighten the guys before dark.
If the wind is really strong
Use sand or snow pegs in soft ground, double-peg the windward corners, and park the car upwind as a break. If gusts are bending poles, pack down and sleep in the car. A broken pole at midnight is worse.