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Rant: Realized I was setting up my tent in the worst spots for 5 years straight
Last weekend I camped at a spot in the Smokies and my neighbor walked over after dinner. He asked why I was pitching my tent at the bottom of a slight dip. I said it seemed flat enough and he just laughed. He explained that any rain would pool right under me and that I should aim for higher ground, even a few feet up. I've been camping for 5 years and never thought about it. Has anyone else had a basic camping rule that took way too long to click?
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nathan_kim5mo ago
Learn from me, always stake your tent on a slight rise, not a dip.
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gracej995mo ago
Two years ago I staked my tent in a little dip near a creek in the Smokies. Woke up at 3 AM with water seeping through the bottom of my sleeping bag. Never made that mistake again. Even a six inch rise makes a huge difference when it rains all night. Small slopes are your friends, just don't go crazy and pitch it on a 45 degree angle unless you enjoy rolling downhill.
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sagejackson5mo ago
Learned that one the hard way too.
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