How Long Does It Take To Set Up A Tent? A Complete Guide To Pitching Your Tent

Here’s a question I get asked a lot: “How long does it take to set up a tent?” My friends, relatives, and colleagues love hearing about my camping adventures but they seem overly apprehensive about setting up a tent and how long it takes. 

I have set up many different types of tents, many different times over, so I certainly know my stuff. But even I can’t tell you exactly how long it will take you to set up your tent, there are too many variables to consider, not least of all how familiar you are with setting up your tent. Here’s everything you need to know about pitching your tent quickly.

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10 Camping Essentials – Camping Gear & Accessories

Camping essentials so you have fun camping so you go camping more!

  1. Matches, lighter or flint to get your campfire started so you are always prepared.
  2. Reusable water jerry can with tap. I love that this one is foldable yet still super strong. 
  3. Comfortable camping chair. This one has a cooler bag and cup holder to ensure you have a cool drink within arms reach so you can sit back and relax.
  4. Portable gas camp stove to cook or reheat your favorite camping meals and stay nourished.
  5.  Axe or tomahawk to cut wood for your camp fire. 
  6. Jaffle iron to make delicious pie’s, panini’s, toasted cheese sandwiches and more around your campfire
  7. Heavy-duty gloves for handling items on your BBQ, grill or firepit safely.
  8. A long-handled shovel has so many uses from digging your car out of it gets bogged to moving coals around in your camp fire.
  9. Waterproof, quick-pitch tent with plenty of space for your gear and to protect you from the rain.
  10. Dirty gear bag that fits over your spare wheel so you can take all your rubbish with you.

Factors That Affect Your Tent Set-Up Time 

There are numerous factors that can significantly alter how long it takes to set up your tent. Here are some of the most important ones to consider. 

Tent Size

Generally, larger tents take longer to set up than smaller tents. For a start, there are more components spread out over a larger area. A large tent will also take longer to unpack and unfold, as well as being more unwieldy to put up.

Type Of Tent

Unsurprisingly, pop-up tents can be set up in seconds, whereas frame tents can take more like 15-20 minutes at best. If your tent set-up time is important to you, make sure that you carefully consider how easy your tent will be to pitch before you buy. Instant dome and cabin tents make very good choices. These types of tents often come with pre-attached poles, so they can be set up in less than 5 minutes. 

We currently have an inflatable tent that pumps up with a manual foot pump and doesn’t have any poles. My husband can even put it up by himself whilst I make sure the girls are happy. I reviewed the best 4 person tents here.

Our inflatable Zempire Aerodome tent
Our inflatable Zempire tent. No Poles make this fairly fast to set up.

Level Of Experience

If it’s your first time setting up a tent, it may take you a while to get the job done. Likewise, if it’s your first time setting up a new tent, it’s going to take a little longer than pitching a tent that you are familiar with, even if you are a seasoned camper. 

Assistance

A second or even a third pair of hands can be really helpful and make setting up a tent much faster, especially for larger models. However, some helpers can be more of a hindrance, especially if you have got setting up your tent alone down to a fine art!

Weather

Wind and rain can greatly increase the time that it takes to set up your tent. Rain can hamper visibility, while the wind can play havoc with your tent placement. Plus, when the weather is bad, you are under more pressure to set up your tent as quickly as possible.

However, if you are really battling against the elements it’s best to take your time staking down corners as you go. Progress slowly but securely, or else you may end up losing your tent. Read more about how to set up a tent in the rain here.

Equipment

Having the right equipment on hand can help you to set up your tent quickly. A mallet will help you stake out your tent faster than with a rock, for example. Plus, you should also make sure that you have sufficient tent stakes, guy lines, and all the necessary tent components, as well as a fully charged flashlight. Setting up a tent in the dark is a surefire way to slow down your tent set-up time. 

How To Choose The Best Site For Your Tent

Before you set up your tent, make sure that you choose the exact location with care. Otherwise, you may find that it takes you longer than expected to get your tent set up. What’s more, you could even damage your tent or end up having to take it down and repitch it elsewhere. 

Find A Durable Surface

When wilderness camping away from designated campsites, it is important to only set up camp on durable surfaces as recommended by the Leave No Trace Policy principles. If possible, set up your tent in an area that has previously been camped on in well-traveled areas, preferably without vegetation. 

Durable surfaces that are suitable for tent camping include dry grass, gravel, compacted dirt, and sand. Before you start unloading and pitching your tent, inspect the ground and the nearby surroundings. For example, you wouldn’t want to set up your tent near any cliffs that could erode or beneath any potential hazards such as damaged trees. 

Avoid Wind-Related Problems

Even the best-pitched tent can struggle in strong winds. To ensure that you get the best night’s sleep possible, keep an eye out for natural windbreaks when choosing your camping site. Features such as tree groves, hills, and stone walls can provide good shelter. So, if there’s a breeze that is building up, be sure to carefully consider your best placement options before setting up camp. 

Avoid Water-Related Problems

As you probably already know, it is recommended that you camp at least 200 feet away from all water sources. Not only does this help to prevent water pollution, camping on drier and higher ground means less condensation will form in your tent overnight – drier air has less moisture to start with. Similarly, avoid camping in dips as humid air will collect over the lower ground and rainwater will pool. 

How To Set Up A Tent Quickly: Step-by-step Guide

Here’s my guide to quickly pitching your tent complete with step-by-step instructions.  

1. Lay Out The Footprint

The first step is to lay out your tent’s footprint or groundsheet. A high-quality footprint will not only make your tent last longer, it will also make for a more comfortable night’s sleep, especially if you are camping on hard ground. Make sure that you lay it out with the shiny side facing upwards. 

2. Unfold The Tent Body

Unfold your tent, matching its corners to the footprint. If it’s windy, you’ll want to orient the side with the strongest pole structure towards the prevailing wind. Similarly, in case of rain and wind, you’ll want to locate your tent opening away from the wind to prevent your interior from getting soaked. 

3. Assemble Your Tent Poles

Carefully assemble your tent’s poles. Avoid allowing your tent poles to snap into position, instead, ensure that each individual pole section is fully inserted into the next one. 

4. Attach Tent to Poles

With your tent laid out and the poles intact, it’s time to attach your tent to the poles, raising it up as you secure it with the clips. 

5. Set Up Your Rain Fly

Unless you’re camping on a hot summer night, chances are you’ll want to set up your rainfly to protect yourself and your gear from any downpours. Place your rain fly over your tent and connect it, making sure that the doors line up. 

6. Stake Out Your Tent

Gently hammer your tent stakes into the ground, staking down your tent’s tie-down loops. Start with the corners then move on to the doors and attach any guy lines. If you tend to camp off the beaten track or in windswept areas in particular, I highly recommend investing in a pack of Orange Screw Tent Anchors. Trust me, they are invaluable and a real lifesaver in sandy soils or windy weather. 

7. Tighten Rain fly

With your tent pitched, all that remains is to tighten up the rain fly via the adjustable straps. Make sure that the tension is even, with the seams lined up with your tent poles. 

Choose-a-shady-spot-for-your-tent

Tent Pitching Tips

Here are a couple of my favorite tent-pitching tips that I’ve picked up over the years. 

Remove Campsite Debris

Before you lay out your footprint, take a few minutes to remove any small branches, stones, or anything that is likely to prevent you from getting a comfortable night’s sleep in your tent. 

Check Rain Fly Tension

You probably adjusted your rain fly for a snug fit when you set up your tent. However, it’s important to periodically check your rain fly’s tension, especially just before you settle down for the night. Rain flys can work loose in bad weather, notably in the wet. 

Stake Down Corners in Windy Weather

If you are struggling to set up your tent in the wind, stake down each corner at the outset. You can then proceed to set up your tent and re-stake as you’re ready rather than struggling against the wind. 

Increase Strength With Guylines

You’ll want to use guy lines if the weather looks like it is set to become stormy. Attach your tent’s guy lines to the guy out points on your rain fly – small loops situated about halfway up the fly, usually directly over a tent pole. If you are camping in an area where there are no trees, secure your tent to the top of a trekking pole and stake the end to the ground. 

How Long Does It Take To Set Up A Tent? FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Set Up A Frame Tent?

Generally, setting up a camping frame tent will take around 20-30 minutes, depending on your level of experience with the model, the tent size, and if you have any help. 

How Do You Set A Tent Up Fast?

If speed is essential, I highly recommend purchasing a pop-up instant tent that you can set up in seconds. Otherwise, the best way to set up your tent quickly is to practice. Try setting up your tent at home and get comfortable with the pitching process. Once you get the hang of it, time yourself. Don’t forget to practice setting up your tent in different weather conditions so you’ll be fully prepared for all eventualities. 

How Long Does It Take To Put Up A Six Man Tent?

Setting up a six-man tent will usually take between 10-30 minutes depending on your tent’s design, how much help you have, your familiarity levels, and the weather conditions. 

Final Thoughts on How Long Does it Take to Set up a Tent

So, how long does it take to set up a tent? As a ballpark figure, I’d say 10-15 minutes is probably pretty accurate for most campers. However, the time it takes to set up a tent can vary considerably from as little as a few seconds for pop-up tents, to around 20-30 minutes or even longer for large frame tents. 

Remember, the more familiar you are with setting up your tent, the quicker you’ll be able to set it up. If you haven’t used your tent for some time, don’t hesitate to have a quick practice run setting it up before your next camping trip. This is also a great way to check that you have all of the parts and necessary equipment before you hit the road. 

For more camping articles check out this page.

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