Gear Question
Am I missing something with blackout tents?
I’m wanting to get back in to camping after a good few years as I want to be able to relax more in nature.
I’ve been looking at tents to get and a lot of places say that you should always get a blackout tent if you can. But I just genuinely don’t see the point
They add cost and bulk to the tent and make them hotter (which I know could be good depending on circumstances but for summer camping not so much) and the only positive is it’s dark when you’re sleeping.
Do these people not know sleeping masks exist? For a fraction of the cost of upgrading to a blackout tent over a normal version of the same tent, you can just buy an eye mask and boom! same effect.
I always wear an eye mask at home anyway so I don’t see why I wouldn’t do that camping too.
So am I missing something? Or are people really just desperate to spend more money than they need to?
I suspect that a lot of the interest is from parents desperate to keep their kids asleep past dawn. Kids aren’t necessarily going to go with the rational choice of an eye mask.
Yup! Thats why we got one. Kids sleep past dawn and are in bed before full dark. My second born is autistic so a regular bedtime and a dark sleeping space is 100% necessary, and there is absolutely no way she would wear a mask.
Don't be a jerk. We are here because we love camping. Refrain from insults, attacks, bigotry, etc. r/camping is a place to exchange and ask questions about camping. You might disagree with a post, but it does not give you the right to show any form of disrespect to your fellow campers.
Your comment was:
"The whole point of camping is to get away from screens, get around nature, spend time with loved ones etc. AND get towards a more natural circadian rhythm with the sun which can benefit your sleep health in the weeks following if adhered to (no screens near bedtime, get up at the same time every day etc.)
Yes! My kids slept In later than they do at home. If they even crack an eye and it’s light outside everyone is getting up. The black out tent was amazing and totally worth it.
How is having preferences for when you sleep not participating?
Some people like to stay up sitting by the fire till three in the morning while you're asleep. Does that mean that you aren't "participating" in camping?
If my idea of a relaxing camping trip includes sleeping in, then I'll do so and be happy. Sleeping in (to me) means 2PM or so. I normally sleep from 4AM-12PM. Not everyone keeps the same sleep patterns you do. And trust me, there's plenty of nature to be appreciated between midnight and 4AM. And as a bonus, hardly any other humans are awake, so it makes me even closer to nature.
But to OP's point, I've wondered the same. I have an excellent tent that is perfect for me, but those morning rays do bug the hell out of me, lol! I've tried eye masks, but just can't get used to them for some reason. I've been eyeing some blackout tents, but haven't fully researched their impact on temperature within the tent. It's usually heat rather than light that sends me out of the tent earlier than anticipated - and I mostly camp in the fall.
Oh idk because I really enjoy meeting open and welcoming folks like yourself!
Or perhaps, because I do engage with nature in a variety of ways including kayaking, hiking, fishing and more and want to share those activities with my kiddo—but it’s more enjoyable for everyone when he’s had a full nights sleep.
Yep! Got one this year for the first time bc we had a little one tagging along for camping. She’s under 1 so when we were camping this summer there were also multiple middle of the day naps and the blackout tent helped so much with getting a decent nap from her
I'm 50 and still up with dawn when camping, even if I wear an eye mask. My skin knows. 😅 Honestly, it's probably the birds. Earplugs massively aggravate my tinnitus, so I can't use them.
But I try not to wake anyone else up. Even as a little kid, I tried, but I was very bad at being quiet back then. I think I was more clumsy when trying to be quiet, so I'd trip over things, knock things over, bump into things, and just generally create a lot of clatter. I'm mostly better about that now, but the "makes more noise trying to be sneaky" still holds.
I am so lucky that all three of my kids love eye masks. It started when we had a red eye and it has stuck with all of them. The earlier you can get kids used to them the better, helps with camping and travel.
Nailed it. That's why we have a blackout tent. Camping a few weeks ago my littlest (4yr) slept until 9 or later. (Granted she was going to bed at 9p completely wiped out)
So you've kind of answered your own question. It doesn't make sense to you so don't buy one. I've been camping for going on 30 years and we bought one and it's fabulous. I don't find that it adds any extra bulk or weight, it wasn't really more expensive, and we enjoy the extra sleep in. Don't buy one if you don't want one but leave everybody else alone about it if they do.
I camp all the time and never once woke up with the sun. Camping is my time to relax. Wake up when I want, go to sleep when I want and just enjoying the outdoors the way I want. Camping should be relaxing and something I want to do. I do not want to wake up with the sun.
I can't sleep with an eye mask on, no matter how I try. I've tried at least 8 different brands. There's something about the elastic band that gives me a terrible headache. I've tried making it looser and it didn't help. I gave up because the misery that came with the headaches wasn't worth it to me. The dark tent offers me exactly what I need for a good night's sleep outside.
They're actually cooler because the dark/reflective material blocks the sun's infrared radiation that would normaly heat up the air inside - same physics as why those reflective windshield sunshades keep your car cooler.
Not having used one myself, my guess is that they block the heating rays of the sun, but allow less ventilation. So it probably also depends on what environments you use it in. I'm a nestled-in-the-pines mountain camper, so direct sun beating down on the tent isn't often a problem.
Blackout tents are a godsend for music festival campers. There's usually zero shade, it's middle of summer and you often don't hit the hay until sunrise. A blackout tent with a rechargeable fan lets you catch at least a couple of Z's whereas a regular tent quickly turns into an airfryer.
Unless they have a material idk about. I’d imagine other than night it would be hotter in the sunny daylight.
e: oh I saw another comment. Yeah black on the inside makes total sense lol. Duh. I never have an issue tbh tho. Lights off in my tent, it’s definelty dark enough and my tents a grey/beige/green. So still probably not for me lol.
Not everyone can sleep with an eye mask on or keep an eye mask on while they sleep.
We got a blackout tent for our kid and it pushed their wake up time from before 5 to nearly 6. Worth it!
The tent we got has a reflective layer so it's supposed to keep things more temperate in general; heats up less from sun and retains more heat overnight. Not the specific reason we got it but I have noticed that the blackout tent is generally more comfortable temperature-wise than the regular one.
I don't know why no one else is mentioning this. Even when I camp in the UK in summer I can sleep in much longer in my blackout bedroom because it's much better at staying cool in the sunlight
My blackout tent is cooler. I wasn't expecting that. I got it because my partner works second shift and is sensitive to light. It wasn't my first choice. I prefer to be able to see during the day. I like waking up with the light. But it's genuinely a good tent.
I think you are over estimating the people who actually sleep with an eye mask, I know I can't do it. I just am super uncomfortable with one on. So I get the appeal of a blackout tent.
That being said, if it is hot I also cannot sleep well...so I just goto bed at sunset and get up at sunrise while camping in my normal tent. And I hope that the moon isn't too bright.
I tried the buff too, but I found it uncomfortable as well. Thankfully it isnt that big of a deal to me personally, slept mostly comfortable in my tent for the 5 weeks or so camping this summer. Full moon definitely wakes me up occasionally.
The biggest thing to me is the change from normal. I think this is the appeal of those tents. If you never wear a mask at home, it makes it one more thing that is different and less comfortable than a typical nights sleep.
Not sure why you are being downvoted. I use my buff at home all the time too. It’s the best eye mask I have ever used. Just drape it over my face and pinch the bridge of my nose and boom, total black out.
It works if I’m on my side or on my back. I can’t sleep without it now in fact.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted for sharing your experience and offering a solution, both without judgement. I also took some time to adjust to my eye mask but now I love it. AND it lets me sleep in until like 7:30 or 8:00, at home or in a tent.
As a solo camper, I like the fact that people can not see into the tent. I hate feeling like people are watching me. And the black out is only on the rain fly, so I can pop it off and just have the netting underneath.
Not gonna lie mate, you’re accusing the people here of doing what your whole post basically is.
You can’t seem to handle someone not wanting to camp with a face mask.
“Do these people not know that sleeping masks exist?” And then later the “are people really that desperate to spend more money than they need to?” Are both unnecessarily condescending remarks.
You’re looking down on people who you are deeming to be “wasting” their money on a luxury version of something. Which isn’t cool. & honestly it’s your tone and condescension that is illiciting the reaction you’re getting. When someone comes at a group of people with attitude about something they do, they’re obviously going to get defensive about it.
Your original post says a lot more than what you’re saying. The whole post is pretty condescending. If you can’t see that then you may have some social blindness.
Lmfao your post is not bad. You won’t avoid the downvotes tho. But who gaf. Don’t really get why people think you’re bitching about black out tents when you asked things about them. Like why people get them. Probably all cause you said “do people not know” and they didn’t like that lmfao
Ussually a slightly thicker material(or add a thin extra layer). And slight more weight.
But realistically, most brands offering them are on more affordable comfort oriented car camping tents.
If you are buying a 19 pound coleman 8 man it'll make it 21 pounds for the identical tent in the blackout version.
Imo, the weight difference doesn't matter in the slightest. It's there, but ussually adds 5-10%. I have never seen the feature marketed on backpacking or UL tents where such weight differences matter.
The price will increase, but it's already ussually affordable brands, so it might mean a $150 tent is $180 for a 4 man tent. Which is pretty reasonable.
So yes, the downsides are there, but ussually minor. And aside from the cost ussually don't matter at all for the target market.
It's not. And they don't block out the sun, just make it darker, like holding a white or black t-shirt up to a light, it blocks some of the light, lot all of it.
I got my 6p blackout tent on clearance for 30 bucks. It definitely helped me sleep later in the morning and I feel like it stayed cooler than my previous tent in similar conditions.
Coleman makes an affordable black tent. After 25 years of avid camping, we are really enjoying the first season with ours! We never wanted or needed one, but I feel like I'm alot less exposed? The dark tent makes us feel cozier, and it's great in the bright mornings. There's less light/shadow figures at night, (think Austin Powers scene) but the main reason we liked this tent is that it has a full fly and covered vestibule. We live in a rainy climate, so this was important And was in our budget.
Here's the Canadian Tire link, but we bought ours on sale from a sporting goods store.
Coleman Skydome 3-Season, 4-Person Easy Set-Up Camping Dome Tent w/ Rain Fly, Vestibule, E-Port & Carry Bag | Canadian Tire https://share.google/N9zRHwYqXgwz91RLK
I think I had the Aussie version - looks like the same tent but it’s called the coleman quickdome darkroom. See my other comment for why it’s the worst tent I’ve ever used.
We had the one with the screen vestibule for one rainy night, and it literally FUNNELLED the rain inside our tent! That version was the worst tent EVER.
many places say you should get a [thing] if you can afford it when it’s never been an issue for me not having one
That can be said for many many luxury items. But you could also let people enjoy what they have without trying to feel smugly and superior for having found a less comfortable solution to paying a few bucks more for some black dye.
AYFKM? This sub is ridiculously bad about doing EXACTLY THAT. "I can't believe people pay for spots/camp in cars/need electricity/etc.
OP wasn't shitting on anyone--they wanted to know the advantages of a blackout tent.
But as usual, one Redditor downvoted, and the rest of the bottom-feeders piled on and added to the bullying.
EDIT to add: I just realized you've commented on this thread NINE TIMES. Either you own stock in blackout tents or you need to get the hell off your computer.
You went out of your way to check another commenter’s post history and how many times they commented on this thread. You also need to get off your computer.
And to save you the trouble, I commented 1 other time 😉
But no, OP wasn’t just asking for the difference between blackout and not. He was very smug about it “do these people not realize sleeping masks exist” and “are they really that insistent on spending more money for no reason” are both insanely condescending. He’s already determined the difference and came up with the conclusion a regular tent and a sleeping mask is superior and people who buy black out tents are dumb for wasting their money when you can just buy an eye mask.
They aren't preventing anyone from enjoying what they have or acting smugly superior, they are simply asking why so many people say to get one / if they are missing something.
Edit: Lol - downvoted for pointing out a blatantly obvious fact. People are so fucking weird.
Again; they aren't preventing anyone from enjoying what they have or acting smugly superior, they are simply asking why so many people say to get one / if they are missing something. And I don't see that they keep disagreeing with people - I see them agreeing with some about things and having conversations. You seem to be disagreeing/arguing more than they are.
A blackout tent gives you more options. Options are useful things to have in expensive kit. If you have a blackout tent but want to let some light in, you can do so by just not closing up all of the windows tightly. If you have a normal tent and want it to be darker for some reason, you’re screwed.
some people don't want to wear a mask. Some people don't like the feeling of a mask, some people don't know or have never tried to wear a mask.
Most campers without blackout tents will experience bright light in the early morning.
Some people want a heavier tent material to keep in warmth, some people will enjoy a warmer tent in early spring, early fall, and winter.
I know LOADS of people complain about other campers making noise ... ear plugs are a pretty easy solution to this but many people don't do this, say they can't sleep with them in .... to each their own
Both of my kids have them and use them often. I have borrowed them a couple of times and really loved the fact that they block that unwelcome morning sun. They don't seem heavy, they are just coated with a different material that maybe adds ounces. I am speaking of the Coleman 4 man tents however.
At first I wore a mask out of necessity because we lived in a rental with terrible curtains and it would get light out at 4am in the summer.
It was definitely kind of uncomfortable at first but after a couple of weeks I didn’t even notice it and sleep with one everyday, it has noticeable improved my quality of sleep, even when it’s technically not light enough to “need” it.
I got a mask because even with my black out curtains ... i still can see some light. I don't care for the mask, and I move around a lot at night and it ends up in a very different location than where it starts - I don't use it at all and would rather be awake at sunrise than wear it - to each their own
The only time I ever wished for a blackout tent was in the early 1980's when I was hitchhiking around the Yukon Territory in summer. The sun didn't go fully down so it never really got too dark at night. Beyond that, I've spent hundreds of nights in the backcountry in the PNW with no need for one.
I use a Buff as an "eye mask." Much more comfortable than a regular eye mask.
I don't own a blackout tent, but the only reason I might consider one is if it keeps the inside temp cooler.
Otherwise, since you have to have all the windows zipped up (or no windows at all) for the blackout to really work, I worry about a complete lack of airflow.
Same! I never sleep with an eye mask at home, but sometimes the moon is so bright when camping. And when it's cold, I pull a beanie down over my eyes and the buff up to my nose
I usually sleep with the Buff over my eyes and earplugs in my ears because of the early morning sunrise AND the 5am screeching and cawing of birds. I'm usually the first one awake at the campsite anyway, but this combo at least helps me sleep in a bit longer than normal.
I think it has far more to do with how popular festivals have become. You don't need a blackout tent if your site is shaded, but if you're in a field or farm, and it didn't crawl into your tent until 5am, you want every second lol.
I love our blackout tent, my kids don't wake up as early either. I don't think it's any more bulky. I would not be able to sleep with an eye mask. I know some people are not bothered by early light so it depends how much you care or need it. You know what I hate, that I also like to go camping and so many times I have to hear generators non-stop instead of relaxing to nature sounds.
They're cooler and if it's hot I don't want a sweaty eye mask on my face, plus that's not a reasonable expectation of little kids and the so will wake them at 4 am otherwise.
My husband and I prefer to live with the sun when we are camping. If the sun is up, so are we. When the sun goes down, so do we. We live on nature’s schedule, and that recharges us. I have never personally liked blackout tents because they take that away.
My blackout tent cost a whole 40 euros. Not 40 euros extra, 40 euros total. New. This isn't some magic proprietary coating. It's standard on even some pretty low-end tents.
The black-out coating is on the inside of the inner of two layers, so no, it doesn't increase heat absorption.
Better than an eye mask because you don't have to wear an eye mask, and it doesn't slip off like an eye mask can.
Mine didn’t add cost. I got mine cheaply, I’m actually desperate to spend as little money as possible. I don’t believe it added bulk, I mostly car camp these days anyways so bulk isn’t an issue. if I’m backpacking I’ll just bring my covered hammock. I am aware of the existence of sleeping masks, I even use one if I nap at home. They actually make it cooler not hotter which is their main advantage over sleeping masks for me. That seems to be your most fundamental misunderstanding of many condescending misunderstandings. . Gives me an extra hour or two in the morning before I wake up sweating from the sun cooking my tent. Extra handy if I’m camping at an event where I am up dancing all night, but nice for normal camping as well.
Agree with OP. Kids are grown now but when they were little part of the fun of camping was being up at the crack of dawn and watching sunrises with them. I was up before sunup making coffee and enjoying the stillness of the night turn into daylight cacophony of nature. It’s wonderful to watch the world wake up. One person mentioned the importance of regular sleep hours for an autistic kid, that makes sense. Otherwise camping should be a sunup to sundown adventure! WooHoo.
Got my blackout tent when i had my son, camping with a 6 month old i needed a dark place to let him sleep. Worked great for nights that didnt get dark until late as well as naptime and early mornings.
Sleep masks fall off in the night too
You should buy a tent that suits your needs. I do like to sleep in utter darkness, but that's not for everyone. Seems a bit silly to recommend really anything at all on such a blanket level.
And we don't have to confine our nature activities to daylight hours either! I routinely stay out on my kayak (with the appropriate lights) well after dark and have gone on hikes at midnight. Less people, more (and different) nature to observe - it's a win all around.
I don't see the point - I like being woken up by the early sunlight in the morning so I can enjoy the early morning calm, chill, and wildlife activity with my coffee. It's a big part of why I go backpacking. My wife and our hiking friends typically sleep later so it's nice relaxing time in the wilderness I have to myself. Given that I'm hiking most of the day, I typically am ready for bed shortly after sundown and fall asleep pretty quickly - so it's not like I'm missing any sleep. And I have an eye mask as well, so if I want a mid-day nap I can use that (but am way more likely to nap out in the open shade rather than in my tent).
I don't ever need to stay up very late to stargaze and don't see much wildlife in the dark - and backpacking doesn't involve campfires & beer, but I guess if you're car camping and staying up late then sure - maybe you'd want to sleep in and a blackout tent would make sense (though even when I did that I never felt I needed one). But OP is saying the recommendations are across the board, not just specifically for people wanting to stay up late.
I have zero interest in a blackout tent. I didn't even know people used them for actual camping, I thought they were mostly used for music festivals where people would stay up until late hours of the night and want to sleep through a big part of the day.
Also... I don't do eye masks. I can't sleep with something on my face.
Just get a cheap tent and put a tarp up and over tent and extend It to make a covered verandah at front.
I used a cheap tarp 16x10 feet.
I get the one which has a silver side which I use as the top. Blocks out heaps of light, heat,rain. Also blocks out those full moons.
I have owned one blackout tent in my life, a coleman quickdome darkroom.
Worst tent I’ve ever had. Tore open on the 3rd day of a 2 week camp. The dark did not make it cooler. If anything it was hotter in there than a beige or grey tent.
I hated needing a damn torch just to find something in the tent in the middle of the day.
In 20km/h winds you could hear the fabric screaming as it slowly broke apart, and many small holes were visible in the fly by day 4. On day 7 the door zip separated from the main tent, meaning the tent could not be zipped fully. I’d already used all my patches and hand sewn several running tears in the tent walls where stray threads had just unravelled.
At this point we went into town to a different outlet of the store we purchased from, with a timeline of photos of the clusterfuck, and asked for a refund. Unfortunately to do that, we had to hand the tent over before they could give us the store credit to buy something else. So we had to go back to camp, pack it all down, go get the refund and new tent, and then setup again midway through the trip.
Blackout tents also prevent profiling. Like if you have a light 💡 on in your tent, other people can see your profile from outside the tent. Blackout prevents that.
Is it really that hard to understand the concept of preference?
I don’t use a blackout tent but there’s NO POSSIBLE way I could sleep comfortably through an entire night with a mask on my face either and I feel like the majority of people feel the same way.
If the mask works for you, use it, but it isn’t hard to imagine it not being viable for others…if you try.
Depends on when you like to get up in the morning. Do you sleep in till 8 or 9am. Or do you get up at 6am. A dark tent can help regulate your Circadian rhythm
An eye mask does not provide the same privacy a black out tent does. An eye mask will allow you to see nothing, but any light inside your tent will still cast shadows onto the tent visible from outside. A blackout tent will allow you not to be disturbed by light outside, and will keep light inside your tent from disturbing anything outside. Eye masks are also just uncomfortable to a lot of people, and that discomfort is worth an additional cost to some of those people.
Either way, I do agree that a blackout tent isn’t really necessary, especially with the associated additional costs. A tarp set properly over a standard tent will allow for more light protection, rain protection, an air gap for temperature control in direct sunlight, and can be set to deflect wind or funnel wind into the tent for stability or temperature control respectively.
Just get what works for you my guy. If you don’t want to spend extra money on a blackout tent, and an eye mask provides all the benefits you look for, there’s your solution.
I don’t have a blackout tent, but I can’t sleep with a mask on and have enough trouble sleeping when camping as it is, so I can see the appeal.
I'm kinda surprised about the price difference: I remember noticing a blackout tent the same size as mine for sale every summer since I bought it, but that one now runs $100 more! It's more of a straight-wall design than I have, but even that upgrade from mine costs significantly less. At that price difference, I'd just get a big tarp to drape over the top. More versatile too, and you can loft it a bit at the top to give better breathability.
I guess bulk is a thing, but I can't imagine worrying about this for backpacking and I don't care much about size or weight for car camping. That's why I'm ok adding 8.5lb from a tarp than 2-3 with an integrated solution.
The coolest tent I ever had was one my Great Uncle gifted me. An army 4 man heavy canvas tent. By cool i mean temperature! On very hot days you could wet the canvas down and it would drop the temp so nice. Take a nap on a hot afternoon…
Why would you think that a blackout tent makes it hotter inside? It's the opposite. You know like how sitting under an umbrella is cooler than sitting in the direct sun?
Some people say they don't like having something on their eyes while they're sleeping, but that's why they make molded sleep masks. This is the one I've been using for a long time.
Not sure who is saying you should always get a blackout tent - but I disagree.
They are fine for some specific use cases, like music festivals. But even then the functionality isn’t great.
Get the tent that’s right for you. Don’t buy into whoever is trying to sell you blackout tents.
Everywhere I camp when it is night it is dark. Like can’t see your hand in front of your face dark. Pitch black even. I love waking up with the sun in nature. Even if you did block it out I would still hear the forest come alive. Birds are wild in the mornings.
I am not going camping to be up with the sun. I prefer to enjoy the nature by staying up all night. Also live in FL so it's nice at night and too sunny and hot during the day. As much as I love sleep during the day, I can't sacrifice airflow like that to be in a blackout tent. I find that best sleep is had in the shade zipped into mosquitoe netting hammock with a bandana over eyes. That way you keep your eyes dark but you full air flow and it's light to take backpacking. Since we backpacking camp in distributed sites i can't endorse a heavy tent. It's interesting to hear why other people like them. Because I'm not trying to get everyone to camp just like me,......lol
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u/ToothpasteStrangler 23d ago
I suspect that a lot of the interest is from parents desperate to keep their kids asleep past dawn. Kids aren’t necessarily going to go with the rational choice of an eye mask.