How To Lock A Tent At Night


image lock a tent

Are you feeling unsafe sleeping in a tent? 

Do you want to keep your tent more secure while camping at a festival or in the wilderness? 

Then, you may want to learn how to lock a tent at night. 

Locking a tent at night is only one way to secure your campsite more effectively. A tent lock can be used, but you may also want to make sure you choose a safe campsite, use a campground if possible, and secure valuables out of sight. 

Read on for more details on locking and securing tents. 

image lock a tent

Do Tents Have Locks?

Yes, tents can have locks, although in the majority of cases, it will be something extra you have to purchase. Tent locks make it more difficult for outsiders to access your tent, but as with other security elements, they aren’t always guaranteed. 

Investing in a tent lock does make your tent more secure, and can help you feel safer. But there are other steps you can take to additionally help make your camping as secure as possible (see next section). 

The locks you use to lock a tent are often the same ones you use for bikes, lockers, and luggage. You use a tent lock effectively by securing the zippers in your tent. 

You can either lock two zippers together making it much harder to open the door. Or you can lock a zipper to a heavy or ground secured object making the zipper harder to move period. 

Either way, you shouldn’t advertise the fact you’re using tent locks as this may also send a signal that you have valuables in your tent. Try to secure the door from the inside where possible. 

If you’re locking your tent during the daytime while you’re out, cover up the lock so others don’t see it. 

You can use any lock out there, but I have found the TSA combination luggage locks to work easily for me as the user and effectively in securing the tent. 

5 Safe Ways To Secure Your Tent

In this section, we’ll look at 5 safe ways to secure your tent. These ways all used together greatly reduce the chances of any kind of intrusion whether it’s at night or while you’re gone during the day. 

#1 Use A Tent Lock

As we discussed in the last section, using a tent lock is a great way of securing the door to your tent. 

Let’s face it: tent walls and doors can be easily accessed if someone really wanted to. 

However, as with normal security at your house, the vast majority of intruders and thieves are looking for easy access. If they come across any hint of resistance, they just leave for an easier target 90% of the time. 

A tent lock provides this wall that they don’t want to cross. Tent locks are especially effective at protecting your tent interior while your gone exploring for the day. 

#2 Choose A Safe Campsite

Even more than tent locks themselves, picking a safe campsite can be the most effective at being safe. 

If you’re camping at a campground, don’t pick a spot too isolated from others. The more eyes around, the safer you and your stuff will be. 

For those who like true wilderness camping, don’t travel too far from the beaten path. If there are shady characters about, they will look for those who are very isolated. 

When there’s a choice, don’t choose a spot which is completely covered with vegetation, ground cover, or trees. You won’t see people coming from a ways off, and potential thieves will feel safer if it’s hard to see them. 

#3 Use A Campground

Obviously, using a campground is among the most secure places to camp. These places will often have dedicated works who circulate the camp on occasion. 

Campground’s will also be in closer quarters. This is worse for those who want to get away from it all, but it is better for security as potential thieves are less likely to break into places where there are a lot of people. 

#4 Secure Valuables

Another great precaution to take is storing your valuables somewhere other than your tent. 

If you’re car camping, put your valuables in the locked car. This will prevent people from being tempted in the easier target of a tent. 

When cars aren’t available, store valuables with you or in an additional locked box in your tent. 

Another great precaution is keeping them out of sight where possible. No one will try to steal from you if they think you have nothing of value. 

The best way to secure valuables, though, is to leave them at home. When you’re camping, you don’t need to bring expensive items unrelated to coming; just leave it at home.  

#5 Camp With Others

Camping with other people you know and trust is an extremely effective way to secure your tent. 

This is especially true for those who enjoy camping out in the wilderness farther off the beaten path. The phrase, “strength is numbers,” is popular for a reason. 

As we’ve said before, thieves and criminals often look for the path of least resistance. If your campsite consists of a bunch of friends, chances are very low they would even consider trying something. 

This idea works when camping in crowded places, such as at a festival, too. You don’t want to leave your tent alone, but with a lot of people camping together, you could always take turns waiting by the tents to make sure they stay unbothered. 

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed learning about how to lock a tent at night. It may seem like a tent can’t be secure, but installing a lock and trying to take safety precautions will greatly reduce the chances of something bad happening. 

Realistically, the chances of anyone trying anything are very low when camping, but these steps can always help make you feel more secure if you need to. 

Interested in tent accessories? Check out the best tent rainflies

Now get outside and enjoy the fresh air! 

Zach

Zach has been an outdoor enthusiast since childhood when he joined the Cub Scouts of America. Since then, he's spent a lot of time camping with his wife, three boys, and dog.

Recent Posts