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mudhead
09-25-2008, 06:40
Headed for a sandy shoreline. Been awhile since I camped on sand. Will be foggy/wet.

Any pointers for keeping the grit out of the tent? I seem to remember no matter how hard I try, some comes in to visit.

Marta
09-25-2008, 06:45
I bring a groundcloth (a space blanket or some industrial shrink-wrap) and let an apron stick out in front of the door. It makes a little entrance mat for taking off shoes and things before entering the tent.

NICKTHEGREEK
09-25-2008, 07:24
Headed for a sandy shoreline. Been awhile since I camped on sand. Will be foggy/wet.

Any pointers for keeping the grit out of the tent? I seem to remember no matter how hard I try, some comes in to visit.
The grit plays hell with zippers on everything. A 2" stiff bristle paintbrush and a piece of shirt cardboard make a nice broom& dustpan rig. The fog is going to condense both in the tent and out, so expect damp sandy stuff.

fiddlehead
09-25-2008, 09:09
YOur post brings back memories of our kayak trip down the Grand Canyon in 2001.
Had the finest sand i've ever sand and it got in everything. Food, sleeping bags, cameras, etc.

Got used to it after a while, like everything else.
I agree a small whisk broom and apron in the vestibule area would be a good idea and try (for a while) to keep it all out.
you'll get used to it eventually.

NICKTHEGREEK
09-25-2008, 09:31
Just as an incidental, I found some 4 foot long orange fiberglass "sticks" about the diameter of a pencil at Home depot. Cut them in half and they made some pretty excellent sand stakes. Drive em' in about 30 degrees above the ground. Use a couple of half hitches and a stopper for your guy line. Far less hasssle than "traditional" sand methods.

MOWGLI
09-25-2008, 09:35
I sleep like a log on a sand beach. Bring an alarm if you want to get up in the AM.

Take off the shoes - as others have said. Be one with the sand.

buff_jeff
09-25-2008, 09:42
YOur post brings back memories of our kayak trip down the Grand Canyon in 2001.
Had the finest sand i've ever sand and it got in everything. Food, sleeping bags, cameras, etc.

Got used to it after a while, like everything else.
I agree a small whisk broom and apron in the vestibule area would be a good idea and try (for a while) to keep it all out.
you'll get used to it eventually.

I agree. You're never going to keep all of your stuff sand-free. I kayaked and tented on the bay in southern Delaware this summer and I basically accepted that the sand was going to get everywhere. It was nasty in my Ramen, though! :eek:

FatMan
09-25-2008, 09:51
Headed for a sandy shoreline. Been awhile since I camped on sand. Will be foggy/wet.

Any pointers for keeping the grit out of the tent? I seem to remember no matter how hard I try, some comes in to visit.Yeah, don't setup the tent.;) I have tented on sand many times and there is little to add than what others have already stated. If the weather is nice I don't mess with the tent, just ground cloth and sleeping bag. Just easy to pick the stuff up and shake it off that way. Dry sand is easy to cope with, but wet sand really sucks.

mudhead
09-26-2008, 06:01
I bring a groundcloth (a space blanket or some industrial shrink-wrap) and let an apron stick out in front of the door. It makes a little entrance mat for taking off shoes and things before entering the tent.
Under the tent. right? I have not used an inside cloth without a dog in tow. I have a priority envelope I will try as a shoe mat.


I sleep like a log on a sand beach. Bring an alarm if you want to get up in the AM.

Take off the shoes - as others have said. Be one with the sand.
Wicked comfy sleeping! I will attempt to become one with the sand...oooon-yelly-maaan.


I agree. You're never going to keep all of your stuff sand-free. I kayaked and tented on the bay in southern Delaware this summer and I basically accepted that the sand was going to get everywhere. It was nasty in my Ramen, though! :eek:
Yep[.


Yeah, don't setup the tent.;) I have tented on sand many times and there is little to add than what others have already stated. If the weather is nice I don't mess with the tent, just ground cloth and sleeping bag. Just easy to pick the stuff up and shake it off that way. Dry sand is easy to cope with, but wet sand really sucks.
At least wet sand doesn't blow around.
Gonna be wet, gonna be suckky, gonna be fun. I am fully wound up. Is it Wednesday yet? Ooooon-yelly-maan. Keep repeating the mantra.

Thanks for the replies, all.

Marta
09-26-2008, 06:57
Under the tent. right? I have not used an inside cloth without a dog in tow. I have a priority envelope I will try as a shoe mat.




Yeah, under the tent. If there's a lot of stuff that's going to get dragged into the tent (mud, wet leaves, sand), I like to have a mat big enough to sit on, or at least kneel on, so I can clean up before I go into the tent.

That's just me being a compulsive housekeeper though.

Lyle
09-26-2008, 08:32
I will just reiterate the zipper caution. Take care to keep as much sand as possible from zippers. Depending how your doors work, this is easier or harder to do.

Have fun.

MOWGLI
09-26-2008, 08:45
I will just reiterate the zipper caution. Take care to keep as much sand as possible from zippers. Depending how your doors work, this is easier or harder to do.

Have fun.

Cameras too. :eek:

Homer&Marje
09-26-2008, 08:58
Anyone thought of bringing a bag of balloons, using static electricity with your wool socks and a balloon you might be able to pick up a lot of sand, and put it back outside.

Might be impossible, just came to mind. Ever held a balloon over the sand at the beach? It does pick up a lot, just dont know how practical it would be.

JAK
09-26-2008, 09:43
Keeping the environment out is one pattern found in nature, often effective. Other patterns include a more layered defence, getting the environment back that gets in, and being able to live with the environment when it gets in. The applies to sand, bugs, heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, and all sorts of things that go bump in the night. I prefer a fairly robust system. I like to be able to dive in and roll around in my environment and still survive. Some maybe some bags to keep sand and grit out of some things, and maybe some beeswax for zippers, but I would be prepared to get wet and get some sand in my shoes and in my food and up my butt and still have a good time. Instead of a brush I just lift the whole tent up and give it a shake. If something breaks don't bring it next time.

I have found it colder than expected on beaches, so prepare for that also.

middle to middle
09-26-2008, 11:48
I have generally car car camped on beaches. It then is easy to bring a dust pan and brush. In the woods leaves and branch work well. The door mat is good reminder to stomp off stuff outside when car camping.

Lyle
09-26-2008, 13:38
I have generally car car camped on beaches. It then is easy to bring a dust pan and brush. In the woods leaves and branch work well. The door mat is good reminder to stomp off stuff outside when car camping.

I've always found my tent stuff sack has worked pretty well to sweep debris out of the tent. Just wad it up in a bunch in one hand and sweep away.

NICKTHEGREEK
09-26-2008, 13:51
Cameras too. :eek:
Never set your TP down in the sand:eek:

the goat
09-27-2008, 11:34
i often used to camp on the beach down in hatteras, nc about seven years ago......i still have sand in my tent.

TD55
09-27-2008, 13:50
Bring along some eyes drops or eyewash. Sand in the eye sucks. Also. some light weight gloves. Garden gloves are ok. Makes work around camp easier when sand is wet. Ofcourse, easy to slip in and out of camp shoes.

middle to middle
10-03-2008, 15:18
I have a stake made for beaches called "sand hog" it is a spike with a triangle attached to it . Pretty sure I got them at Camp More in NJ on the way to the Jersey shore. They work.

middle to middle
10-03-2008, 15:22
Talking about sand camping I ask; do not Arabs camp in the sand ? They put down carpets in their tents right on the sand. Of course it doesn't rain in the desert.

superman
10-03-2008, 17:12
Pat and I got a lesson on camping in the sand on that steep hillside before the Pink Hotel on the PCT. We got part way down the steep hill (mountain side) when darkness came faster than we thought. If we'd known what was coming we'd have climbed back up. As we set up our slick rock tent on a ledge of sand there were dark clouds building and coming towards us. Everything was calm and we went to sleep. Then it hit. The wind was incredible. I had to stay in the tent to hold it down as Pat piled rocks on the pegs. We had to repeat that 3 times during the night. We barely slept at all that night. The zipper was harder and harder to use each time. The wind stopped in the morning and we continued down. We could see where we were going but the trail just cut back and forth, back and forth. That was the beginning of mile and miles of windmills.

mudhead
10-10-2008, 05:19
What worked the best for the shoes was a plastic grocery shopping bag. Knock them off, and then place them in the bag at arm's length out the tent door.

I am hesitant to use a Q-tip for awhile.