Tents and shelters

It's the middle of the night at camp. It's pouring rain, the wind is shaking the trees... and you're still bone dry inside your tent, listening to the rain like it's a soundtrack. That scene only happens for someone who pitched everything right — in the right spot. Tents and shelters are among the most classic skills in the Pathfinder Club, and this guide covers the whole path: from the first tent in the Friend class to an improvised shelter worthy of survival mode.

⛺Why is pitching a tent an official Pathfinder Club requirement?

In the Pathfinder Club — the Adventist Church's program for boys and girls ages 10 to 15 — sleeping in a tent isn't just a fun outing: it's an official subject. The learning path is split into classes, which work like levels in a game, one per age. And the very first level already delivers the mission: the Friend class, for 10-year-olds, requires learning to pitch a tent in a suitable spot, on top of completing the Camping I honor — an honor is the patch that proves you've mastered a skill.

Moved up a class? The challenge grows with you. The grouped class card — the South American Division's official document that gathers the requirements for every class — also lists the mission of learning to pitch three types of tent in suitable spots across the following classes. And right in the first advanced class, Nature Friend, comes the Camping Craft honor, the full outdoor-living package.

The final boss lives in the advanced Exploration Guide class, for Pathfinders age 15 and up: design three different types of shelter, explain how each one is used, and even use one of them on a real campout. In other words: from the first card to the last, the tent and the shelter follow the Pathfinder every step — the table below shows that ladder.

Tent, shelter, and camping requirements from the South American Division's official class cards (adventistas.org, accessed in 2026).

🏕️What are the most common types of tent used camping?

The dome tent is the campout favorite: two flexible poles cross overhead to form a half-sphere. It's light, pitches in minutes, and practically stands up on its own — perfect for beginners.

The A-frame tent is the classic cartoon shape: a triangular roof, pitched with stakes and taut ropes. It handles bad weather well but takes more skill. The structural tent (the big cabin-style one with a metal frame), on the other hand, is what clubs prefer for longer campouts: you can stand up inside, and it fits the whole unit — the unit being the small group of Pathfinders who camp and work together.

Almost every modern tent has two layers: the breathable inner room, and the rainfly — the waterproof outer cover that works like a phone case: it's the one that takes the rain for you. A rainfly pulled tight, without touching the inner layer, is the secret to a dry night.

📍Where should you pitch a tent? How do you choose the right spot?

Rule number one: flat, slightly raised ground. Flat so your body doesn't slide around at night; raised because rainwater always runs toward the lowest point — pitch in a low spot and you sleep in a pool. Before you drive in the first stake, lie down on the ground and test it: if a rock, root, or slope bothers you, move.

Look up and around. No dead branches hanging over the tent — wind knocks them down, and a thick falling branch is a serious accident. Also avoid the lone tree in the middle of a field, a favorite lightning target, and keep a good distance from rivers and ponds, which can rise overnight.

Finally, think about wind and sun. Place the door on the side sheltered from the wind, so the tent doesn't turn into a balloon or let rain pour in. And if you can choose, let the tent catch the morning sun: it dries the dew and keeps that musty smell from setting in by the end of the trip.

⚠️What are the 5 mistakes first-time tent pitchers make?

Everyone messes up the first time — the problem is messing up at 2 a.m., in the rain. These are the five mistakes instructors see most at campouts, and every one of them has a simple fix.

Mistake 1 — pitching in a low spot: it looks like a cozy, sheltered nook, but it's the terrain's drain; the first rain turns it into a pool. Mistake 2 — sleeping under a dead branch: the danger nobody sees because nobody looks up. Check what's overhead before you pitch.

Mistake 3 — door facing straight into the wind: the tent puffs up like popcorn in a microwave, rattles all night, and if it rains, the water comes right in. Mistake 4 — pitching a brand-new tent for the first time at camp: setting it up for the first time in the dark, tired and hungry, is like taking a test without studying. Practice pitching it at home, in the yard or the church courtyard, at least once.

Mistake 5 — a loose rainfly: if the outer cover touches the inner tent, water crosses over by contact and drips right onto the sleeping bag. Pull every rope tight, drive the stakes in at an angle (about 45 degrees, pointing away from the tent), and do a final check before dark.

🌿How do you build an improvised shelter in the woods?

And when there's no tent? That's where the improvised shelter comes in — a campout's survival mode. It's for emergencies (someone got lost on the trail, the tent tore) and it's also official training: remember the Exploration Guide requirement to design three types of shelter? The three classics below already cover the mission.

The lean-to is a slanted wall of tarp or branches, propped against a crossbar tied between two trees: it blocks wind and light rain and leaves the front open for campfire warmth. The A-frame shelter is a rope stretched between two trees with a tarp over it, closed on both sides — it handles heavier rain. And the reinforced natural shelter makes use of a fallen log, a bank, or a large rock, filling in the gaps with branches and a nice thick layer of leaves. In all of them, knots and lashings call the shots: a shelter with a loose knot comes apart in the first strong gust.

Three principles apply to any shelter: insulate yourself from the ground (a thick mattress of leaves or grass, because the ground steals body heat faster than the air does), give the roof a slope so rain runs off instead of pooling, and keep the shelter small, close to your own size — a smaller space heats up faster, just like a small room with the air conditioning on. And a note of caution: shelter training is an activity to do with the club's leadership, never alone in the woods.

Design three different types of shelter, explain their use, and use one of them on a campout.Requirement 7 of the Exploration Guide class — official South American Division class card

Three classic shelters that help meet the Exploration Guide class requirement.

🎒How do you practice tents and shelters at the club?

At the club, pitching a tent turns into a speed-run game: many Counselors — the leaders of each unit — time the setup, compare results, and have members do it again. It's training disguised as competition. When it's time for a real campout, or a camporee (the big official gathering that brings several clubs together), your team pitches everything before dark, no panic.

Caring for gear is part of the skill, too. A tent packed away damp turns into a mold farm within a week: dry everything in the sun before packing it, shake out the sand, check the poles and stakes, and store the bag somewhere well ventilated. A tent is like a phone — well cared for, it lasts for years; tossed around carelessly, it dies young.

And remember: the tent is just one piece of the puzzle. Kitchen, campfire, flag area, pioneering structures (the ones built with logs, ropes, and lashings)... the step-by-step for the rest is in the guide how to set up a campsite.