Question 1

What do you do with dogs when tent camping?

Accepted Answer

They sleep in the tent with us, all three. During the day they are on six foot leashes at the site, clipped where they can reach shade and water but not the fire ring. Most campgrounds also have an overnight rule, and ours required dogs to be inside a tent or vehicle from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., so tie-outs overnight were not an option.

Question 2

Is it safe to sleep with my dog in a tent?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and for a lot of dogs it is the better option. They stay warmer, they are less anxious about noises outside, and you know where they are. Put an insulating layer under them, because the cold comes up from the ground, and leave the vestibule zipped so nobody wanders out at 3 a.m.

Question 3

Can a portable power station run an electric blanket all night?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes. A heated throw pulls roughly 50 to 100 watts on high, and a 1024Wh battery like ours gives you somewhere around ten to twenty hours at that draw. Use the timer rather than leaving it on all night, both for the battery and because you will wake up too warm.

Question 4

How many watts does a hair dryer use on a power station?

Accepted Answer

Around 1600 watts, which is near the top of what most portable units can deliver. On a 1024Wh battery that is roughly 38 minutes of theoretical run time and closer to half an hour in practice. Two people cannot both dry their hair on one charge. Ask me how I know.

Question 5

Do you need a solar panel with a power station for camping?

Accepted Answer

If you are out more than two nights, yes. Without one you are driving somewhere to recharge, which we did every single morning. The DELTA 3 takes up to 500W of solar input, and a panel on the picnic table would have replaced the whole coffee shop routine.

Question 6

What is the best camping tent for taking with a dog?

Accepted Answer

Size up. Whatever capacity you would buy for the humans, add room for the dogs, because they take more floor space than you expect and they move all night. We sleep two people and three dogs in a tent rated for six and it is about right. Dark floors and a full-coverage rainfly also help, because both cut the amount of condensation the dogs end up lying in.

camping gear

Tent Camping With Dogs: Three Nights With No Power