[Chhanda Das]

Tips and tricks for car camping in extreme heat

Summer is here in India and temperatures here are already at 42 degrees celsius. Hence, it is imperative to follow a few basic precautions if you do not want to suffer from a heat stroke. For a variety of reasons, turning on the engine may not be a practical solution to keep the car's air conditioning running in a car camping situation. Instead, here is what you can do :-

1) Park under a shade.

2) Keep the windows/doors open and use sunshades on the open areas.

3) Use a portable fan and make sure that it has an adequate source of power.

4) Consume foods with high water content. Yoghurt-based drinks and sour foods help too. Avoid heavy meals, spicy foods and high-protein foods. You can have a few dates, grapes, etc as snacks. The dates from Middle Eastern countries are by far the best.

5) Wear light-coloured pure cotton clothes.

6) Stay hydrated. You can consume one serving of oral rehydration solution or ORS once every 24 hours.

7) Spray yourself regularly with clean water from a spray bottle and let it dry under the portable fan.

8) You can use 1-1.5 litre ice bottles from a car refrigerator, wrap them in towels and use them like cuddle pillows or cuddle toys while sleeping.

9) You can practice "Shitali Pranayama" an ancient Indian breathing technique for keeping your body temperature down.

10) Avoid strenuous activities from midday to sunset.

11) You can use white sandalwood powder/paste like a natural sunscreen for your skin.

12) If you need to go outside your car during the day then please use a black coloured umbrella.

By following the above, I am easily able to keep my core body temperature around the 36-37 degrees celsius mark without using any air conditioning. Please mention more tips/tricks to stay cool. Wish you happy and safe driving and camping ��

[GTO]

Thanks for sharing, Chhanda Das! Moving your post out to a new thread.

@ BHPians, if you should spot any good post in an existing thread that deserves its own new thread, please report the post and we'll move it out for greater visibility.

Thank you!

[condor]

Chhanda, Thank you !

Why do you suggest a black umbrella ?

*

Regarding ORS - pls note Electral would have more sugar content. One can get ORS formulations - juice/powder.

Another practice I follow strictly is to always drink water which is at room temperature, no matter how hot it is outside. Those who know Ayurveda can understand this.

[Chhanda Das]

Originally Posted by condor

Chhanda, Thank you ! Why do you suggest a black umbrella ?
Regarding ORS - pls note Electral would have more sugar content. One can get ORS formulations - juice/powder.
Another practice I follow strictly is to always drink water which is at room temperature, no matter how hot it is outside. Those who know Ayurveda can understand this.

Black umbrellas have been apparently known to block harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun more than umbrellas of any other colour. Additionally, the shade provides a sense of perceived coolness.

You are absolutely correct about the ORS/Electral.

Drinking room temperature water is indeed recommended in Ayurveda from what little I know of it. One more thing that I follow is to drink water from a copper flask

[sukhbirST]

In rural areas (most states) covering the head is the norm and I think this is most important, as head has to protected first.

[condor]

I would also say that folks who have gotten themselves used to being in an a/c environment, and used to drinking cold water, are going to find it tougher to cope up with higher temperatures.

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One can also apply coconut oil / castor oil on one's scalp - at least at the top.

[Apprentice]

Hi team,

Thanks for starting and sharing on this thread. I feel car camping isn't sufficiently discussed in India. All the inputs in this thread are very practical and would help anyone spending long periods in a car in Indian summers. I think car camping in summers should be avoided as far as possible and if you must, then do it in hills. However, if you have to sleep in your car for x, y or z reasons, here are some additional points that I can think of from my own experience:

1. During the day, it's imperative to park under shade, however, move to an open area at night, away from trees and buildings. The breeze will be much better.
2. Get off the tarmac. Park your vehicle on unpaved ground as far as possible. Both asphalt and concrete retain lots of heat and keep emitting it even after the Sun has set.
3. Check which way the wind is blowing and position your vehicle accordingly. I mean, the windows should be in path of the wind. Windscreen or rear of the vehicle won't allow much air to enter the vehicle. Vehicle should be parked perpendicular to breeze.
4. Do not sleep in the car immediately after driving as engine heat will get inside and make life miserable. Park the vehicle couple of hours before getting in to sleep to allow the engine to cool down. Keeping engine bay open helps in cooling engine faster.
5. Keep the blower knob on fresh air mode, rather than in circulation mode. Even with blower off, it helps.
6. If you have a choice, always opt for larger vehicle for camping. For example, I have a Swift and a Gypsy. I would always choose Gypsy in summers. The Gypsy not only gives me more space to stretch my legs, it stays cooler as well.
7. While preparing for car camping, get cotton seat covers for you car, preferably white. Leather seat covers retain lot of heat and are hell to be on if you get sweaty.
8. If possible, shower or take a dip in a pond or brook before going to bed in your car.
9. Try using talcum powders with menthol in them, like Dermicool or Nycil. They work.

Hope this helps. Looking forward to more tips and tricks to make car feel more like home.

Thanks and regards,
GS