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Topic: Personal Wind Speed Limit.

Dicko Smitt

13/9/2018 at 12:06pm
Location: Coventry
Outfit: None

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I wonder if anyone has a personal Wind Speed limit as to what they will camp in ?
I've read previous posts where people have been campimg in storms that bad nobody survived but them.
I'm thinking of a comfortable stay at a camp site rather than a Bear Grylls exercise.
I have been caught once in 40 mph winds and it flattened our tent by shredding the fibre glass poles.
I now have a steel polled tent that i made cross members for so that when assembled it is one rigid shell rather than relying on the tension of the fabric to keep it upright.
Having said all that my personal wind speed limit is 18 mph gusting at just above 20 mph.Anything above that to me is not an enjoyable experience.
I'd be interested to see if anyone actually checks the weather (Wind Speed)before deciding it's OK to go camping.

TimCESmith

13/9/2018 at 12:50pm
Location: London
Outfit: Karsten 350 + SE CA EA RA FW & ZIG

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We check the forecasts for wind before we set off. Our Concorde has survived 29mph sustained wind with the awning on and I reckon would cope with more. The awning has a toggle in groundsheet and is a bit fussy, so I'm sure the tent minus awning would go higher still.

I love camping in a storm, keeping an eye on how the outfit's behaving and adjusting the rigging as required. I've ended up using clingons to keep the mud valances down, anchoring the vents with clips made from clothes pegs and bits of old corks, and most recently setting up an A-frame to support the front end:

We've got to know this tent over quite a long time: I wouldn't plunge into a 30mph wind with a new one. I'd also not set up in winds over 20 unless I absolutely couldn't avoid it: you really need all the pegs in and the guys balanced before the wind picks up.

Ewen c

13/9/2018 at 1:28pm
Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Outfit: Tents

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I have never known what the wind speed has been but it has often been the case of praying that the fly doesn't blow away when up the hills. Sleepless nights waiting for the twang/thud of a peg coming loose. The worst one in a big tent saw the fitted groundsheet being lifted by the wind but the tent stood firm....Dutch storm tent of course.
Actual wind speed not known.

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Bob61

13/9/2018 at 5:38pm
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I always check the weather forecasts, rain and wind, before going camping but they can sometimes be unreliable. I once lost a deposit when I cancelled a trip expecting storm force winds and I later discovered the winds weren't bad at all.

Nevertheless I don't go camping if the constant wind is forecast to be 25mph plus. I once had to endure winds forecast as 28mph and it was quite scary watching my dome tent twisting and almost laying flat, but it survived. No knowing though if they actually were 28mph or higher. I am not too interested in 'gusts' as I think they are just educated guesses.

Another issue I have with weather reports is that the forecast comes from the nearest weather station which may not be accurate for the specific location you want to go to. For instance, last year I camped at Highlands End campsite which is on top of cliffs. The nearest weather forecast was for West Bay which is in a valley between cliffs. Turned out to be completely different on top of the cliffs and I had a rather noisy windy night. I wouldn't have gone if I had an accurate report for the weather in the cliff tops

I have just returned today (early) from a trip to Cheddar because the BBC weather is reporting rain for most of tomorrow morning and early afternoon and I didn't want to pack up in the rain...however, they also forecast drizzle for a period this morning and although I could see rain clouds in the distance it didn't rain in Cheddar. So it's all a bit pot luck I think.

ficklejade

13/9/2018 at 10:19pm
Location: Isle of Mull
Outfit: 2 x Outwells Kairos 400 Caranex

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I've camped (inadvertently) in 55mph on the west coast of Skye and it was not nice! The wee pop-up stood it, but it was the noise.

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" When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"

Dicko Smitt

14/9/2018 at 9:01am
Location: Coventry
Outfit: None

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The problem in Cornwall is the outlying campsites which are almost stuck in the Atlantic Ocean. Luckily since starting to check wind speeeds since last year it's proved it for me.

TraceyD

14/9/2018 at 10:15am
Location: East Ull
Outfit: Kampa Kielder Air 5

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I would happily camp all week in rain as long as there was no wind! Packed up and came home a day early from hols this year when strong winds and rain were forecast, no fun packing up in that! Also badly damaged our tent once when setting up in the wind, caught side of trailer during a huge gust and a big tear down the side

. Another time stayed on a site that was a virtual wind tunnel as they'd chopped trees down. Added extra guys and ratchet straps and went against the sites rule of not parking next to tent to give us a little more protection - i think that was our worst experience!

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May/June - Spring Valley
Aug/Sept - Leekworth

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