How To Enjoy Camping In The Rain

Depending on how hard it is raining you still may be able to have one. Just be sure to pack a lighter as they work better than matches when raining. Also, make sure you keep some fire starters in sealed containers or plastic bags so they are nice and dry when you need them. As long as you prepare well, camping in the rain can be remarkably invigorating. While you can never absolutely guarantee to stay dry, you can prepare for the rain and use common sense.

Don’t get caught off guard; here are 10 tips to prepare in case you find yourself camping in the rain. Take the time to venture away from your much awaited campsite and hikes and go on a drive to get the lay of the land. On our recent trip, we spent some time in some older hotels around the site built over 100 years ago.

Find Activities Close To Home

Some people bail at the first sign of bad weather, but we’ve never cancelled a trip or left early. We often plan our camping trips and hope for the best. Nothing will make a wet trip more miserable than finding out your rain jacket is no longer repelling water. If rain is in the forecast, check all your camping gear for waterproof-ness. You can do this easily by spraying water on the surface of your gear. If it soaks in, you’ll need to clean and re-waterproof.

Several well-placed tarps that are carefully staked outside your RV allows you to still move around a bit, instead of staying cooped up in an RV the whole day. The rain may be a slight mist or drizzle and not heavy enough to keep you from hiking or enjoying other outdoor activities. While a raincoat or poncho may be enough to keep you dry, take extra precautions, and be aware of your surroundings. Watch out for slippery rocks, logs, or anything covered in moss. The last thing you want is to slip and fall into the water or a puddle that will soak your clothes through. Bring along some towels to use to clean off any damp areas or dry chairs down after the rain.

Camping In The Rain: Top Tips, Hacks, And Gear!

Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Be sure to dry off any camp stoves and cooking gear. Sleeping bags may be damp and need to be dried also. Overcast, cloudy skies and rainy weather can make it darker. Be sure you have enough flashlights, lanterns, and batteries.

In wet conditions, keep firewood dry by storing it in your car, or by wrapping it in tarp. This one might seem fairly obvious, but use quality camping rain gear. Invest in waterproof pants, a good rain jacket and a solid tent. If only there is a break in the rain and sun comes out , stop and dry your tent or clothes as much as possible. After a few days of hiking and camping in a rain, if the weather gets better – consider taking a day off to dry your gear before you move on.

Use Interesting Gears

Even if it’s not windy, take the time to secure your guy lines too to help maintain this tension as the fly becomes saturated. Most modern tents do a very good job at stopping the rain from getting in, no matter how horizontal it is. But some tents can only take so much of a battering from the elements. These tips will help you get the most out of what your tent offers to hopefully prolong its weather protection for as long as the rain keeps falling.

If there’s a high chance that it’s going to rain on your trip, plan for a movie night. Make sure the portable DVD player or tablet is fully charged, bring out the popcorn and snacks, and watch a family film that everyone agrees on. Even when it’s raining, it’s possible to get a campfire going in light rain.

Tip #12: Dry Things As Soon As Possible

Find a spot that is more or less flat but not in a hollow of a ground where water could gather. It’s actually better to pitch your tent on a slight slope, so water can flow away. If the rain is in the forecast for both night and day it’s worth to familiarize yourself with a few good tips for hiking in the rain, too. No matter what, never cook inside your tent or any enclosed spaces, even with a small backpacking stove. For rainy-day campfire food, anything you can wrap in aluminum foil and throw on the fire will work wonderfully.

Where you set up your tent is important if you anticipate rain. Look for an area away from lakes and rivers since water levels can easily rise with torrential downpours, and settle where it’s slightly elevated. To avoid collecting puddles beneath your tent, look for a site that slopes away on all sides so water drains away from your site. This sheltered area also gives you a place to set up your camping chairs and sip on a steaming cup of tea each morning. There you have it, a few ways you can prepare to survive camping in the rain.

These ultra light, quick dry towels don’t take up much room so it is easy to pack several. Zip any tent windows closed to help keep the interior of your tent dry if it is raining hard. I find it surprising the number of people that say rain blows in their windows of their cabin tents due to a smaller rainfly.

You can choose to relax by reading a book, listening to music, or even taking a nap! Coloring or Activity books can keep you busy as well as board games or card games. Doing crossword puzzles, word search, or sudoku are all ways to spend a rainy morning or afternoon.

Enjoy Your Trip And Make Sure To Have Your Campfire

Then add camp chairs, a table, and any other creature comforts you deem necessary. We’ve been camping a long time, and we know the best ways to survive the rain when camping. Playing games, eating lunch – it’s gives you an opportunity to get out of the rain. Another alternative if you’re within driving distance, is to head to the nearest town and check out the schedule at the theater. You may be camping but there are no rules that say you can’t spend a couple of hours watching a movie indoors.

Getting wet is not only unpleasant but can significantly lower body temperatures. Camping in rainy weather is a complicated situation, especially with toddlers. Thus, you should check the weather before you go and look for an ideal place. Also, pack extra things or outfits, and don’t forget their toys or any entertaining gadgets you can use.

Do all those things you said you’d save until a rainy day. Get out the old puzzles and games; finish that long-forgotten sewing or woodwork project; read that novel; dance with your loved one on the living room floor. If not, you may need to spray it with some water repellent to help in the long haul, when trying to survive camping in the rain. Learn to set up your tent in an area that won’t leave you walking out into a puddle or even worse, the rain running into your tent. Camping can be such a fun way to connect with family and get away from it all. The issue with camping is that the weather is out of our hands, it’s up to Mother Nature to determine whether you will be camping in the rain or sunshine.

The floor should be dry within minutes, the walls would take much longer. So just unpack and set up carefully, making sure you don’t touch the walls. Check if there are no sharp objects that could puncture your tent’s floor.

Synthetic bags are able to retain more heat when they are wet and are much more comfortable than a down one which loses all its insulation when it becomes wet. For extra protection, add a sleeping bag liner to not only provide warmth but act as another barrier against water. If you’re camping without a tent, then you’ll need to be creative when the rain suddenly comes. Make the most of the natural surroundings and look for areas that will offer the most protection, such as large trees or outcroppings of rock that can act as an umbrella. Other possibilities include caves or grottos tucked away behind waterfalls.

Use a sharp knife to peel off strips of wood from fallen branches. This can be highly beneficial if it rains for several reasons. Also, stick a few rolled-up clumps of newspaper into your shoes at night. This will speed up the drying process by sucking moisture out of the shoe leather like a sponge. High ground is the best marker of a great location! If you plan on hanging a tarp for protection, you will want to choose an area with trees.