How to Stay Cool this Summer

It’s that time of year again when the weather’s heating up and we’re all getting a little bit too warm, especially when out and about adventuring… We all know that it can be quite uncomfortable when the sun is beating down on you, there’s not a single breeze coming your way and you’re getting agitated, so we’ve put together some of our best tips on how you can stay cool whilst out and about!

Tip 1 – Stay in the shade

Whether you’re taking a hike or pitching up on the campsite, find yourself a shady spot, and if you can’t find one, make one!

It sounds pretty obvious, but the shade really does help cool you down, when you haven’t got the sun’s rays bearing down on you, you do really feel a difference in temperature. So, if you’ve got a camping pitch that’s a bit shady, pitch up and ensure that where you sit for meals or to chill out after a long day is partly in the shade so you can choose whether to sit in the sun or not.

Sun Shade Canopies

If you’re not sure if you’ll be pitching up in the shade, make your own with our range of Retro Sunshade Canopies. Our Shade Canopies are the perfect addition to your vanlife set-up, with the option to purchase one for a Campervan, Motorhome or Caravan, they’re incredibly diverse and add a ‘porch’ to your space.

What makes our Shade Canopies so great is that they are compact, they’re easy to pitch, great for dining outside under cover and ideal for short trips or one-night stops.

You can shop our range of Shade Canopies here.

Pop Tents

If you’re pitching up on the beach and there’s not a bit of shade in sight, pitch up with a pop tent. They’re incredibly easy to pitch and are great for storing all your beach essentials and if you’re feeling a little too warm or have a furry friend that needs some shade, they’re the ideal quick pitch for some shade.

You can shop our range of Pop Tents here.

Windbreaks

Windbreaks are a great way of giving yourself some shade, not only are they great for protecting you from the elements when it’s incredibly windy, but if you pitch them in the direction of the sun, you can give yourself some shade to keep you cool. Great for beach trips, picnics and pitching up on the campsite, a windbreak is essential for having a cooler experience.

You can shop our range of Windbreaks here.

Tip 2 – Take your Tent or Awning Down in the Day

Whilst you might think this defeats the point of having your tent or awning, but it’s a great way to keep cool. If you aren’t actively using your tent or awning and are going out for the day, we recommend taking your tent or awning down.

The reason? Well tents and awnings can get quite warm, instilling this ‘greenhouse effect’ where heat builds up throughout the day and when it comes to the evening, it’s almost impossible to cool your tent or awning down again before you go to bed.

So, if you’re out for a day trip, take your tent or awning down, and you’ll thank us later!

Tip 3 – Let some air into your tent/awning

If you keep your tent/awning zipped up, it'll get hot and stuffy and no one wants that, so open up the windows/doors and let the air cool down the inside of your tent/awning.

If you have interior curtains inside your tent/awning, you should keep these closed. They'll help reduce direct heat from entering your tent and can help keep it cool, and you can always open them if you feel that your tent's getting a little too stuffy.

Tip 4 – Pitch Up by Water

Pitching up by water is an easy way to feel cooler. Naturally, water is the most natural coolant, this is because water needs a large amount of heat in order for it to become hot, so on a hot day, water can still be relatively cool such as rivers, lakes and ponds.

Tip 5 – Cool Boxes

We’ve all been there, drinking a warm drink that does nothing to cool you down. But that can all change with a cool box…

Cool boxes are essential for all you festival goers, BBQ lovers, Picnic enthusiasts and Garden Party hosts. What makes Cool Boxes incredibly convenient is that they can keep your food, drinks and snacks cool for an extended period of time.

The Coleman Performance Cooler features injected polyurethane foam insulation that has long-lasting ice retention technology that keeps ice cool for up to 1 day. Its capacity is up to 15 litres which is equivalent to 22 cans, perfect for a garden party, BBQ or festival.

You can shop the 16QT Performance Cooler Box here.

Tip 6 – Wake up Early

Waking up early can be a beneficial way of keeping cool, you get to wake up to the weather being cooler before it heats up for the day and if you’re cooking breakfast, it’s best to do it when you aren’t too hot.

If you’re waking up early to exercise, you want to do this before it gets warm, this is because you want to avoid exertion in the heat so exercise early or late into the evenings.

Another reason for waking up early is to walk your furry friends! If you weren’t aware, your furry friends are super sensitive to the heat and if you’re feeling hot, imagine how they might be feeling. The RSPCA recommends walking your furry friends in the morning or evening when it’s much cooler, this will reduce the risk of heatstroke and burning their paws on the pavement.

If you’re looking for some advice on how to take care of your furry friend during the hot weather and Summer period, you can read more on the RSPCA website here.

Tip 7 – Blinds for your vehicle

If you’re a van-lifer, we recommend investing in some internal blinds for your vehicle.

Internal blinds are a great way for keeping your vehicle cool in the summer and warm in the winter, which is ideal if you’re sleeping inside your vehicle or spending an extended amount of time inside the vehicle itself.

You can shop from our range of External Blinds here.

Tip 8 – The Extras

Whilst we’ve mapped out the main tips on how you can stay cool during the summer heat, there’s still plenty of other things you can do, we’ll name a few below:

• Portable Fans
• Lightweight Sleeping Bags
• Drink plenty
• Invest in thermal flask/tumblers
• Cool mats
• Ice packs
• Lightweight clothing
• Hats to protect you
• SPF