Is your tent too bright for you to sleep comfortably?
Do you wake up as soon as the sun rises because it’s simply too bright?
When people go camping, they want to relax, and for many, this means they want to sleep in.
But when the sun comes up at 5 AM, you may end up wide awake in the glow through your tent walls.
One option is to drop a ton of cash and just buy a new blackout-style tent.
The other, more cost-effective, is to learn how to blackout a tent.
Converting your tent to a blackout style is simple with a few easy tips to implement. Some of the most common tricks include:
- Use a blackout liner in the tent
- Drape the outside of your tent with a blackout material
- Use a blackout sleep mask
- Find a shadier spot
- Use darker tent material
- Use specialized darkroom technology
Look ahead for more details on these and answers to commonly asked questions.
What You’ll Need
These are some of the products you’ll need to darken your tent.
We’ll recommend certain options, but if you find a related one or already have something similar, save yourself a few bucks and try it out.
Dark Tarp – Using dark tarps of some kind (check out the link to the one we recommend on Amazon) is usually a simple and affordable way to darken your tent.
If you’re using a different tarp than the one we recommend, make sure your tarp is darker-colored, yes, but also make sure it isn’t too heavy or your tent will get unbearably hot.
Sleep Mask – Sleep masks may seem like a cop-out, but it’s an even more affordable way to block out the sun.
There are a ton of sleep masks products out there, but we like this sleep mask/earplug combo.
My wife uses this one when we go camping to block out sounds and views, and she loves it.
If you already have your own, give it a shot before buying one.
Dark Colored Tent – A darker colored tent doesn’t have to be expensive as many blackout tents are, but the darker shade will block out some of the light.
Combined with some of these other techniques you’ll get a true blackout experience without breaking the bank.
We like this Coleman tent with darkroom technology.
It keeps the sleeping space quite dark even without other strategies at an affordable price (click the link to check the current price on Amazon).
Towels and blankets – If you don’t want to spend money, simple towels and blankets will go a long way towards darkening a tent.
Unfortunately, these are heavy and prevent ventilation.
The air will get stifling quite quickly in the hot summer months.
We still think it’s best to look for our recommended strategies first.
7 Methods On How To Blackout A Tent
This section covers a little more detail on each of our simple 7 strategies for how to darken a tent.
Doing any one of these will darken your tent, but combining them will make it even darker.
Use A Blackout Liner In The Tent
The first and most effective strategy for darkening is to use a liner inside the tent to block out the sun.
Clip or wrap your tarp or blankets around your poles all along the walls to block the sun.
Avoid blocking windows or vents if you still want air to circulate.
However, this will still allow some light to get in.
A tarp is usually lighter and won’t retain as much heat when compared to blankets or towels.
Sheets may work, but they won’t block light as well.
Drape The Outside Of Your Tent With A Blackout Material
This is similar to the last strategy, but now you need a larger tarp to drape outside the tent.
It’s up to you how much you tarp, how you tarp, and what you use.
If you tarp only over the top, you’ll block much of the light while still allowing for good ventilation.
When you tarp the entire tent, you’re going to block most or all of the sun, but you’ll tarp some of the hot air.
If you’re able to get a little space between the tarp and the tent itself, this will help with both ventilation and sun-blocking.
This strategy is best overall, but it requires more work and propping up parts.
Use A Blackout Sleep Mask
Without affecting the ventilation at all or using any tarps or other complicated setups, a sleep mask should block out the sun with little effort.
All you need to do is put on the sleep mask and enjoy the darkness.
If you want the whole tent dark, this obviously won’t work, but if you’re just looking for darker sleeping, give it a shot.
If you’re like me, it’s too much of a change to sleep with a mask on, so you’ll need to go for another method.
Find A Shadier Spot
This is a simple fix that may help or augment one of the other methods.
Find a shady spot!
Look for trees with large branches and leaves.
Avoid camping near other campers, especially ones who use a lot of lights.
Find a spot away from light pollution or have blocked it with hills and trees.
Many people do this anyway because it helps them get a better view of the stars.
Use Darker Tent Material
If you haven’t bought a tent yet, get one with a darker color.
The darker color will block out more of the light.
The downside of this is usually a hotter tent when directly in the sun.
You may wish to use a tarp on the outside as well to prevent direct contact with the sun (reducing heat) and allow for ventilation (fresher air).
This is assuming you don’t want to just spend the extra money on a blackout tent.
Use Specialized Dark Room Technology
Many tent companies will offer special tricks in their tents without needing to go for the true blackout tent.
This is usually called darkroom technology or something along these lines.
Darkroom technology varies depending on the company and tent.
Some tents will use a special dark and sun reflecting rain fly over the top of the tent.
This blocks the light somewhat while keeping the air fresh.
Others will have insertable panels inside the tent to block out the extra sun.
This blocks out much of the light without being hard to implement.
Many of these have darker colored tents with extra ventilation to keep it cooler.
Some of these tents will have multiple rooms with the “bedroom” having the technology and the others will be just normal tents.
Learn what a rain fly is.
Why To Not Choose A Darkened Or Blackout Tent
Everyone likes more sleep and the feeling of privacy, but there are those out there who recommend against it (as do we in circumstances where you’re far from others or in wild areas).
Why? Let’s explore.
Too Much Heat
The most common problem is one we’ve mentioned several times in the post.
Darker colors will absorb more light and UV radiation.
This is great for not allowing light through, but it means the material gets much hotter than lighter materials.
This heat will, in turn, heat the air inside the tent.
Overall, a darker tent is hotter than a light tent.
When pitching your tent, avoid picking a spot that will be exposed to direct sunlight all day long.
Less Aware Of What’s Going On Outside The Tent
One big concern by serious campers is how your awareness is limited by blocking out all light.
Often, the darkening tricks will also limit the sounds you hear outside the tent.
Between not being able to see or hear, you may not be aware when creatures or other people are near your campsite.
This is a big problem if the person or creature is a danger to you, such as bears.
Some experts never recommend a blackout tent or dark tent for this reason alone.
We agree to a certain extent.
If you’re camping far from other people or in areas where there are a lot of wild animals, don’t use a dark tent.
Stay aware of what’s going on around you.
But if you’re at a campground or state park, these problems aren’t likely to happen, and a dark tent may be just what’s needed to block out the late-night partiers (you know who you are!).
More Susceptible To Sun Damage
As the black tent material absorbs more light and UV, it comes under more stress.
This makes it more likely to get damaged from the sun.
Many cheap, dark tents will end up with warps, melting, or distortions on the outside tent material.
Good tents will have extra treatment to keep them strong and resist the problems, so be wary when buying a cheap tent that’s dark.
Hard To Find Tent In The Dark
This one is kind of silly, but I had friends who went for a late-night walk and came back to their dark tent.
Or at least, they thought they did.
They forgot to hang a light on their tent or at their campsite, and they couldn’t find their dark tent for a while.
They said they were terrified, but laughed at the whole situation later.
This is a real problem, but one with a simple fix.
Just attach a light in your campsite or hang it on your tent to help you find it at night.
Commonly Asked Questions
Are blackout tents worth it?
It’s up to you.
The money it costs to use some of the simpler methods we discussed is minimal, but you won’t have as much darkening.
On the flip side, if you want or need a true blackout, it’ll cost a bit more.
Still, the methods aren’t as expensive as buying a true blackout tent right from the store, but you’ll need to do more work yourself.
Do black tents get hotter?
Yes, in general, the black or darker materials will absorb more of the light and heat energy.
This is offset with good ventilation and shaded areas outside the tent to protect it from the sun.
Can you truly blackout a tent?
Yes! There are some materials and designs including those we discuss above which, in combination, will completely block out all light.
However, to do this, you often lose some serious ventilation, so don’t expect the tent to stay cool and fresh.
Are blackout tents cooler?
When compared to light-colored tents directly in the sun, no.
The black materials will trap in air and heat and collect more energy from the sun.
If you compare a true blackout tent with our darkening strategies, yes, the blackout tents will usually be cooler.
The darkening tricks we mention will often limit ventilation and/or add weight. Both of these add heat to the tent.
How do you sleep comfortably in a tent?
It’s largely up to what you need.
There’s a big myth about how camping needs to be “rough”.
We don’t buy into this at all.
If you don’t want to be uncomfortable, don’t be.
Buy a fancier sleeping bag, use an air mattress, buy a camper!
Camping isn’t just for rugged outdoor adventures (though this is plenty of fun too!).
Consider buying better sleeping gear and battery-powered fans.
This usually gives you the most bang for your buck in terms of comfort.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed learning about how to blackout a tent.
Some serious outdoorsmen recommend against this as it limits your ability to know what’s going on outside your tent.
For most people who just enjoy camping at campgrounds, state parks, or family properties, you should have no problems when using a blackout tent.
However, remember it’s up to you what and where you decide to camp.
But when my wife and I go camping around other people, we love the blackout tent strategies we use.
