Living in a Tent Full Time

The Downsides of Living in a Tent

Living in a tent is not without its disadvantages, however, and there are things you need to take into consideration before deciding to live in a tent.

Safety Concerns

Injuries can occur when living outdoors, and you must have first-aid kits and survival gear on hand. When emergencies happen, you will need more than just these supplies. When accidents or severe illnesses do occur, a major disadvantage is that you are likely a long way away from medical treatment. It would be a good idea to come up with a plan for when things do go wrong.

Depending on your area, wild animals may also be a concern. While attacks from most animals are rare, when you live outside you do increase the risk of being attacked by wild animals. To reduce the likelihood of coming across dangerous animals, keep your food covered and sealed. If you live in an area with grizzlies, don’t keep the food in your tent. Some will also hang food from tree out of reach.

Bad Weather

When you live in a house, bad weather isn’t that big of a deal, since you can just duck inside for a few hours. Living outdoors is a whole other story. Bad weather can be an instant deterrent for many who have considered living in a tent, as those conditions can make one miserable. 

If you plan to live in a tent during the colder months of the year, you’re going to need a source of heat. You’re going to want a wood-burning stove or a quality propane heater.

Any canvas tent can be fitted with a stove jack to accommodate a wood stove. At Elk Mountain Tents, a stove jack comes standard on all models.

But even if you’ve got the perfect tent, weeks of bad weather can make you feel trapped.

Sanitation Issues

Now, we are not saying that living in a tent is naturally unsanitary, we are merely explaining that there is a natural lack of modern sanitation devices. For instance, plumbing and waste removal. While there are public facilities where one can take care of this, it can become very inconvenient for the tent dweller. What will your long term solution be?

Then there is the fact of there being no showers in a tent. Again, there are public showers, especially near places like campgrounds and beaches, but those may or may not always be accessible when one may need it. However, there is also the possibility of bathing in a river or other body of water. This is probably more doable for those who are out in the woods when living in their tents; however, heavy winters may make it near impossible to do.

Community (or Lack thereof)

Most people crave alone time until it’s all they have and then suddenly they want people. You do you; I’m not gonna judge! Know yourself and plan ahead. One idea to help you stay part of the community is to schedule regular events with friends – every Saturday you plan games, for example. Or, you might consider buying a gym membership; this would not only give you some human interaction but also allows you access to a shower. Public libraries are another way to combine community with utility — free internet!

Other things to Consider

Legality

Know your area, know the laws, and know your rights. If you intend to stay on federal or state land, there will be restrictions on how long you can stay in a given location. Are fires allowed? Do you need a permit? Research before you go!

Supplies

Generally speaking, you’re going to want the kind of supplies you would use on an extended elk hunt. Rather than list all of the supplies here, I’ll instead suggest a planning activity: Take a few minutes to close your eyes and imagine your day in great detail from morning until dark, thinking about each item you will use and when. Then, extend the exercise to include the variation in activities you can expect over the course of the week. Imagine your body from head to toe. What are you wearing? How does it change depending on the weather or the activity? Visualizing can help you work through what you need and prevent you from forgetting key items. Also, ask yourself how long the things you choose to pack will last.

“Utilities” and Groceries

Does the area have sufficient shade for the hot summer months? How easily accessible are internet and phone services? Will you need to pack in water or is there a water source nearby that you can purify? What’s your long-term solution for when nature calls? What will be your schedule for packing out garbage?

As far as food goes, you may be able to catch some fish in the river, but it can be hard to rely on that for every meal, especially since you will likely have times where the fish aren’t biting. You may be able to go hunting, but that can be an even more unreliable a way to get food than fishing if you don’t have a lot of practice. It takes a bit of time to learn and it takes practice. It would help to know these skills, just make sure you are confident enough in your abilities. It wouldn’t hurt to head into town every once in a while just to stock up on necessary commodities. (Before you do any of this be sure that you have a valid fish and game license from the state where you are staying).