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Camping is a wonderful way to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
But, if you don’t take some extra precautions, you could find yourself in a dangerous situation.
In this article, we’ll discuss 10 tent security tips to keep you and your family safe while camping!
1. Use a Tent Lock
As you might imagine, a tent lock attaches to the zippers of your tent, effectively locking the entrance so people cannot get in. You can set it with a passcode just as you would for your locker. The lock helps deter intruders from easily gaining access to your tent while you are sleeping or away.
We prefer a lock with a passcode, not a key, as it’s one less thing to carry and potentially lose. And one with a flexible cable lock, as it’s easier to thread the cable through your tent zipper holes.
Master Lock 4688D
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Of course, camping tent locks are not a complete tent security solution as they probably won’t stop a very determined burglar. But, most thieves will choose the path of least resistance, and a tent lock will be enough to deter these intruders 90% of the time.
Check out our guide on how to lock a tent from inside for more tips and tricks to secure your tent doors.
2. Choose a Safe Campground
Picking a safe campsite can be the most effective way to protect yourself (and your stuff) when you’re out in nature.
Tips for Choosing a Safe Campsite
- The best way to ensure your safety while tent camping is by picking a spot that’s well-lit and populated with people. The more eyes on you at all times, the better!
- If you like camping off the beaten path, don’t stray too far. The further you are from civilization, the easier target you become.
- Set up camp in an open area free from vegetation and trees as they can make it hard to see any potential thieves that are coming up on you.
3. Hide Valuables
Another important security measure to take is to hide any valuables from plain sight. If there are any windows in your tent, make sure that you cannot see anything important through them. This will drastically decrease the chances an opportunistic burglar will break into your tent and steal something!
Better yet, storing valuables in your car is a great idea if you’re going on a day hike or are simply away from your tent for any reason. And since it’s more difficult to break into the trunk of a vehicle than it is into a tent, lazy robbers will be deterred.
An even better idea, leave as many valuables as you possibly can at your house and only take what you absolutely need. Every item you leave at home is one less thing to worry about, and one less thing to try and keep hidden from potential thieves.
4. Camp in Groups
As the old saying goes, there is strength in numbers! When you camp with friends, thieves may be less likely to steal your belongings because they will see other people around and think it’s too risky.
5. Monitor Your Tent
Monitoring your tent while you are sleeping or away is an effective measure to keep your belongings, and self, protected.
There are many different ways to monitor tents, including:
Motion Sensor lighting
Setting up motion sensor lights around your camp is an effective way to deter would-be thieves from entering your tent at night. And may even scare off any wild animals, like raccoons or bears, that may stumble on your site.
Related: When Camping Outdoors Do Raccoons Attack Tents?
A simple, solar-powered light, which is easy to carry and set up, will charge throughout the day and help protect your tent at night.
LED Solar Motion Sensor Light
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BASU Alarm
The BASU alarm can be used as a tripwire alarm or as a tent alarm on your tent zippers to alert you if someone is trying to gain entry. And it’s just a good alarm to keep in your possession as you can quickly activate it in case of an emergency.
To use this as a tripwire alarm, tie it to an item like a camp chair or picnic table. Put the tripwire near the entrance so if someone tries to get in, they will set off the alarm and create noise.
To use as a tent security alarm, attach one end of the alarm to one zipper on your tent, and the other end to the other zipper on your tent’s door. When someone tries to enter your tent, they will effectively set off the alarm.
BASU eAlarm Plus 130db Emergency Alarm for Camping
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Perimeter Alarm
The Camp Perimeter Security System, CAPSS for short, is a perimeter alarm used by hunters, campers, hikers, and more.
The alarm module can be used as a perimeter security system for your campsite. If someone or an animal wanders into your campground, it alerts you with flashing lights and a 135-decibel alarm.
Brite Strike Camp Perimeter Security System
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6. Take Your Dog Camping
Take your dog camping for fun… and safety! A loyal canine companion can help protect campers from intruders and even alert you of animal threats in the vicinity. And they don’t need to be physically strong or vicious. A loud bark is enough to wake you at night or scare off a threat.
Plus, who doesn’t love watching their good boy or girl run around in nature?
7. Meet Your Neighbors
This next tip is a simple one, but it will likely have a positive impact on your camping experience.
When you’re camping near another camper or group of people, say hello and be friendly when setting up or passing by. It doesn’t need to involve deep conversations – just something small like asking about their campsite location (if they are set up). You can often get an idea about the person or people through their conversation with you. Plus, campers are generally welcoming and watchful of each other.
8. Arm Yourself
Ultimately, the person most invested in your tent and personal security is yourself. So, it’s not a bad idea to take along a weapon for self-defense. Not from just a human threat, but from an animal threat, as well.
If you’re properly trained and licensed, a gun will be your best defense against any potential threat. A knife can also come in handy as not only a self-defense weapon but an all-around utility tool, as well.
Other options include pepper spray, a stun gun, etc.
9. Use P-Locks to Protect Tent
P-Locks are an easy and convenient way for securing a tent to the ground and keeping your tent from being stolen while camping or at a festival. They’ve been designed with the on-the-go person in mind, as they’re lightweight enough for you to carry them anywhere without a hassle!
P-Locks Theft Deterrent Anchoring System
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Setting up P-Locks is easy as it requires no tools. After you screw the P-locks into the ground, align the P shapes together and place your lock through them (lock not included). This will stop any outward movement and help protect your tent from opportunistic thieves looking for an easy score.
To pull the lock out of the ground by force, you would need 1,700 lbs. vertical and 2,900 lbs. horizontal pressure! However, once you remove the lock, outward movement is possible again.
While this won’t stop a determined burglar from just cutting open your tent and stealing your belongings, it will help prevent any thieves from stealing your entire tent. While there’s really no such thing as a theft-proof tent, P-Locks help you get pretty close.
P-Locks Theft Deterrent Anchoring System
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10. Use Common Sense
Camping in a tent is safe and fun for the whole family, but bring your common sense.
Think about what valuables you need to take on your camping trip and only bring the essentials.
Don’t sleep with all of your items in plain sight inside a tent (a locked car is better for these things).
Be aware of your surroundings.
If the campsite doesn’t feel safe, then don’t risk it, find another one.
By using a little common sense, your tent, camping gear, and even yourself will be better protected.