Wet Canvas

Don't forget that if your canvas (or nylon these days) shelter is wet when you pack it up for the weekend to dry it as soon as you get home (or the next sunny day).

If you fold it and leave it in the bag until your next trip it will be full of mildew and plenty of stink. You don't want to be breathing that stench in while you sleep!

Keepin' It Dry

If you're looking at staying in a site for a period of time (ie more than 2 nights) and rain is in your future you may consider digging your way to dryness. If you dig a trench completely around your tent or shelter that's about 6-8 inches wide, the rain will roll into that trench rather than under/inside your tent and making your floor wet and muddy.

If you have any kind of porch or overhang in front of the door you may want to extend the trench outside of that. This way when you're going into your tent you can leave your muddy shoes at the door and not track it inside your dry living space.

Wooden Vampire Killer Stakes

So after beating wooden stakes into the ground for about 15 years they tend to split at the ends. Here's a super easy way to fix them. Cut their tops off right below the split. I used an electric mitre saw. Cut another rope notch using the saw but cutting several 1/2 to 3/4 inch cuts big enough to fit a rope in.

You get to keep the old stakes and it's free!