March 14, 2019

If you are like me then you enjoy seeing the world and camping in the wilderness. In this wonderful country the "wilderness" can be almost any environment you can envision. Spring and Summer camping in mid-America and in the northern part of the states is fun and exciting, and often in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and parts of Michigan I will often enjoy
the endeavor with nothing more than a lightweight hammock or a simple bedroll and groundcloth.
That being said, there is almost nowhere else in the country that I will camp out while exposing myself to the environment without the benefit of a good sturdy tent, and preferably a military surplus tent. The reasons for this are manyfold, and actually change depending on the environment in question, but in this writing I want to cover camping in the desert, and explain why it is important to have a well bit, rugged tent to use as your shelter.
1. The heat/cold. One of the most frustrating things about the desert is that you can die in it either from heat stroke or hypothermia both on the same day. Therefore, it is imperative to have a shelter that will keep you warm and cool at the same time.
2. The sun/terrain. You may be thinking: "the sun? We just covered that." Well, no; what I said before was "heat". There are other aspects of the sun that are harmful, not just the heat that emits from it. Your canvas military surplus tent will handle that constant barrage of UV rays much better than your skin will. Also, you will need protection from wind blown detritus, sand for instance.
3. Critters. It shouldn't take me to tell you that the desert harbors some of the most heinous creatures on the planet. Just like in the ocean, everything that lives there has fangs, stingers, needles, teeth, and venom that makes it contrary to human interaction. Therefore you don't want to be susceptible to contact with any desert creature while you are sleeping. A well sealed and heavily constructed army tent is your best bet to keep you from them.