A good camp site and a well-pitched tent make every trip better. Here is the system for choosing and setting up camp efficiently, regardless of the terrain.
Site Selection
The first and most important decision. Evaluate these factors before unpacking anything:
- Drainage: Will water run through this site in rain? Look for slight elevation above surrounding ground or a site that is not in a natural drainage line.
- Widowmakers: Dead branches overhead in the canopy that can fall in wind. This kills people. Look up before you look at the ground.
- Flood risk: In any watercourse country, do not camp in the river flat. Flash flooding can occur from rain kilometres upstream with no warning at your location.
- Wind: Some shelter is generally good; a site in a gully that channels wind is miserable. Natural windbreaks on the windward side without creating tunnel effects.
Pitching the Tent
Learn your tent at home. Every component should be familiar enough to assemble in poor light and poor weather without consulting instructions. Practice matters. Pitch with the door facing away from the prevailing wind. Stake out all corners before tightening anything — tightening individual corner stakes makes the final geometry difficult to adjust. Peg every guy rope if wind is possible.
Sleep System
Sleeping pad first, then sleeping bag. The pad insulates from ground cold — this is more significant than the temperature of the air around you on cold nights. A sleeping bag rated to -5°C on a 0°C night is inadequate if your sleeping pad is thin. R-value 3.5–4 is appropriate for Australian shoulder season camping.
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