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camping, camping for girls, girly, girly camping, hiking, hot, nature, outdoors, stay cool, weather
Here in Southern California, we are having record breaking heat! Its hot but don’t let that stop you from camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors! Here are 6 ways to keep cool-
- Where light colors. Keep away from black or dark- if you wear black, your just asking for it!
- Drink lots of water! I have a water purifier pump I bring with me so I can get water from streams- its a life saver! Invest in one!
- If you’re near a river and don’t have ice (when your backpacking), put drinks in a river or stream to keep them cool.
- And while you’re at it- jump in that river!! What better way to cool off?!
- Set up camp in the shade! Its amazing how much cooler shade is!!
- Bring fruit to stay hydrated like oranges.
- Remember that its hot! Don’t over due activity like hiking- its hot so be careful!
- Bring a cooling aloe vera after sun protection to moisturize- it cools down the temperature of your skin.
Does anyone have other good tips???
Girly Camping® 
Soak a bandana with water and wear around your head or neck….
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Great tip!
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My wife picked up something really cool along these lines. We were at an art fair and she found these tubes filled with silica gel. You soak them in water (ice water works really well), then you can tie them around your neck. They work great, and the silica gel keeps them wet a good long time.
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Good tip! I saw those when we were in Texas! They help so much!
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Hi Mandie,
Great post and I love that big sun in the blue sky! I am glad you enjoy your camping experiences. I have camped ‘all-my-life’ and all over the world in all kind of weathers (now that is not always enjoyable;0)) So here a few more tips for when the sun is brutal:
-always were a good hat and sunglasses
-when you feel dizzy or start a slight headache, or get a little confused: be careful, it might be sunstroke. Go in the shade right away, drink fluids and rest.
-dress in natural fibers like cottons and linen.
-plan your activities for the early morning or late afternoon: a siesta on midday leaves you with more energy.
-A wet neck scarf cools nicely too. There even special neck scarfs for hiking that soak water and do not drip down your spine;0)
-when you drink a lot and sweat a lot, you loose a lot of salt, necessary to keep your electrolytes in balance. So alway have some salty crackers etc at hand.
I hope, this is a little helpful for you. Looking forward to your next post and thank you for always looking at mine! Love, Johanna
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GREAT tips!!! You could make a whole new blog post with this! Haha!!
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Hey everyone,
Great tips on this post. I’d like to emphasise what Flora has said about hat and sunglasses.
I’m originally from sunny Queensland, Australia. (It’s not all sand & surf or outback desert.) You learn as a young kid just how important hat, sunnies and suncream/sunblock are for protecting yourself from sunstroke, even down south in Melbourne where I live now.
Combining being sensible and not exerting yourself overly in the hottest part of the day, making sure you alway carry plenty of water – even though it’s heavy – a small snack and wearing appropriate clothing, you can be sure to have a good time where ever you are and whatever the season.
If you plan to do something more physical than mostly sitting around camp I would suggest investigating outdoor clothing brands like Icebreaker or Northface; there are plenty to choose from. (Do check SPF ratings though – you may need to put sunblock on underneath. I have been sunburnt on my shoulders through t-shirts before.)
: )
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Yep!! A hat and sunglasses are a must! Thanks 🙂
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I would say to definitely invest in clothes with moisture wicking fabric. It sucks staying damp from sweat for long periods of time, especially if your hikes go into the evening when it gets cooler.
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Yes! Very true!
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Try not hiking during the heat of the day, hike in the early hours or evening if possible. One water bottle for a day hike is not enough, bring at least two Nalgene bottles. Also, bring salty snacks. It sounds counter-intuitive, but you lose salt when you sweat, so replenish!
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Awesome! Thank you!
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Good tips, but you forgot the best one, move to someplace cooler! 😉
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Haha!!! I can’t move from San Diego!!! Hello… its San Diego! 🙂
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These are all great suggestions. Being in Michigan, I won’t have to worry about this for a little while. My challenge in trips so far this year has been staying warm!
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Haha! I hear ya!
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Another great idea to wear wet/dry shirts that fit loose. UnderArmor has them but so do other sports brands that are cheaper. They are light, breathable and dry quick but keep you cool. Some great tips for anyone camping or hiking. We’re approaching that time of year here in the east where dehydration and heat exhaustion are big health factures.
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Here in Missouri we have terrible humidity, to the point that sweat and moisture don’t evaporate from the skin or clothes. Your tips about drinking something cool, either with ice or after cooling it in the stream, and staying in the shade when possible are about the most useful around here. Also, dipping a bandana or your hat in a stream or river and getting your head wet can make a huge difference.
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My wife and I camped in the Porcupine Mountains here in Michigan last July, and it was pushing 80 well into the night. I could have managed to fall asleep, but my wife was miserable. I fanned her for a while and made cold packs from cooler ice and we got by. What really sucked was the ice cold water of Lake Superior was only a quarter mile away, but we were at the top of a steep bluff and couldn’t easily reach it in the dark. I fell asleep dreaming of plunging into that deliciously refreshing water.
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I wish we had this problem in the uk 🙂
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Thanks for the tips! I’ll be going down to AZ for four months (Sept – Dec) and I have been worried about how I am going to survive when I am used to Canadian weather. Especially because I’ll be living in a van 😛 I hope to learn more about your journeys as I read your posts!
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Hi girlycamping! I’m currently desperately waiting for the temp to get up to 10 degrees centigrade at night so that we can head out for our first camping trip this year. reading this made me so jealous!!!!!
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Awesome!! Stoked for you to get out there!
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Ditch the tent and try out a hammock.
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Nice! I like it!
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Reblogged this on the akoonah bus and commented:
Some brilliant advice here for hiking in the heat….heed the warnings!!!
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