How To Stay Dry When Camping In The Rain

Every day I hope that the little storm cloud will change into a happy sun and boast good weather. However, I never let a case of bad weather and rain ruin my camping trip. That’s why it’s important to learn how to camp in the rain. Whenever hiking and camping in the rain, layer your clothes. The outer layer will always be a waterproof shell jacket and rain pants.

Overcast, cloudy skies and rainy weather can make it darker. Be sure you have enough flashlights, lanterns, and batteries. Some people recommend putting a tarp on the floor inside of your tent too, but we have never done this.

If you’re lacking in the tree department, try using hiking poles, sticks or other lightweight camping poles. Stick them in the ground securely and string up the tarp between them. You may say that these tips are not efficient, and don’t have a high impact on your camping experience, but you’re not right. Make sure you have extra dry socks along on your campout. Not to mention how quickly you can get blisters hiking in wet socks.

Camping In The Rain: Conclusion

If a storm is about to strike, the worst thing that could happen is that your gear that you hung up outside will get soaked. If you are camping in bear country, invest in a waterproof stuff sack to keep your food up on a bear line. One of the common things that seems to be left out of the tent accidentally is hiking shoes or boots. Stow your shoes in your pack, pack cover, or simply in a waterproof plastic bag. Among our other camping tips for rain, be sure to protect your gear with a proper weather-resistant or even waterproof bag. Don’t trust your usual camping tent or hiking backpack when it comes to water resistance.

As the final stake was driven in, the clouds rolled in and the downpour began. This wasn’t a quick 10-minute shower; it was a two-hour long hard rain. We waited it out in the car, playing cards and chatting. When the storm finally passed and the sun reappeared we found our campsite under an inch of water. We set up our tent on the highest ground at an angle so the water could run away from it. We also made an aqueduct system by the campfire ring to drain the water away from our pit.

Weather was looking great until there was a shift and a cold front approached. Two days prior to leaving on our trip the high was 30 degrees and it was snowing; this is mid-June I remind you. We saddled up and took the trek towing our new Micro Minnie. When we arrived highs were nearing 58 degrees with lows about 38 degrees. This was all fine with me if it were dry, but it rained, it rained our whole trip. We have all found ourselves there, on that one camping trip you booked in January for June, and it rains all five days.

How To Stay High And Dry While Camping In The Rain

It’s important that the fire starter be waterproof or weatherproof. You know what they say—April showers bring May flowers, but that’s no reason not to plan a camping trip this spring. If rain is on the forecast when you pull into your site, you will want to make sure to pick a site that has higher ground than the others. Another did a great job situating his 5th wheel away from the rain, but come hitch time, he did not have proper foot ware and had to get wet. Sometimes you just cannot avoid the water, but getting wet once while leaving is better than every time you get in and out of your trailer.

The inner layers wick moisture away from your body and provide insulation. Camping when the weather is raining can have added dangers. You may not want to camp next to a hill that is unstable when it gets soaking wet.

Wear Rain Pants

The great thing about plastic bags is they weigh mere ounces and take up very little space in your backpack. You never know when they’ll come in handy, so it’s always a good idea to have one tucked away. In a rainy situation, you can use them to double bag sensitive items, store wet clothes in, or even put over your shoes in a pinch.

Once the rain ends, you can throw on more fuel and build it back up to stay warm. It will also save time if you need to cook a meal or dry out gear nearby. If possible, grab some firewood before the rain starts and store it in a dry place to use afterward. If you’ve already started a fire when the rain hits, try to keep it going for as long as possible with bigger logs on top of the already hot coals. Unless the conditions are extreme, keeping the fire up will pay dividends when you’re trying to get warm and dry after the storm has passed.

Make sure your pants are long enough that they don’t pull up and expose your upper boot tops when you’re hiking or sitting. Your rainfly should be pulled tight as you stake it down. Sags in the fabric will cause water to pool in one area.

#tip4 Choose The Right Tent

If your tent does need more waterproofing applied, check out our step-by-step guide on how to waterproof a tent! And be sure to use a high-quality waterproofing product like Nikwax. Even if your tent says “pre-sealed,” it’s a good idea to apply additional seam sealing.

Luckily, I had gotten it pretty close to where it needed to be. In the morning, other campers near me had fared much worse, with air mattresses that had become pool floaties in some tents. I had a good quality tent that did its job of keeping the water out, despite shortcomings in how I had set it up. Reorganize your camping supplies if everything was packed in a hurry at the rainy campsite.

The rain will also prevent any insects from, for a lack of a better expression, bugging you, which is a big advantage. So here are 5 secrets to stay dry while hiking in the rain. Ziploc and other, more expensive brands offer a lot of fantastic waterproof bags. The smaller quart bags are great for phones and wallets, and gallon bags will keep a book bone dry for nighttime in the tent. Small waterproof bags help keep your gear organized and ensure everything is dry. A lot of hardcore hikers will brag about how they don’t let the weather get in the way of their plans.

Always remove shoes before coming in and out to avoid tracking in mud and water. Store some of your outdoor items in there such as cooking essentials, camp chairs, extra blankets, and most importantly, your firewood. It takes a long time for firewood to dry out and it is extremely tough to start a fire with damp wood. The goal here, of course, is to keep the inside of the tent as dry as possible. Get everything organized before you bring out the tent. Get the poles together, the peg mallet out, and try to keep everything under a tarp or shelter until necessary to bring out.

Be sure to check the forecast for your camping destination, not your home location. Camping in the rain is one thing, but camping in severe storms is not advisable if it can be avoided. I know forecasts aren’t always accurate and some storms are short lived, so use common sense. If in a sheltered spot hanging wet clothes under a tarp is a sure fire way to encourage them to dry over night. A lot of these points will be familiar from my recent winter camping article and they hold the same weight of importance for the same reasons. Once inside the tent make a rule that no wet gear passes the inner door, this includes walking boots, socks and cups of tea.

That makes step one keeping all your stuff dry, and plastic bags are one of the best ways to do that. Bring along a plethora of plastic bags of all sizes. Put your usual pants on you and add waterproof pants to protect your downside from getting wet, and you don’t need to change your pants every time get wet.

Pitch Your Tent On High Ground

Or, bring along clothes made of material that dries exceptionally fast , to make wiping down your gear and campsite less of a hassle. Another important feature that you want to look out for when buying a tent that will withstand the rain is a bathtub bottom. A bathtub bottom is where the material on the floor of your tent goes up the side of your tent somewhere around 3 to 6 in to create a bathtub-like effect. This creates a barrier to prevent water from running into your tent when it’s raining and the ground is heavily wet. Investing in a tent with a vestibule is also helpful when it’s raining, as it will give you a place to change out of your wet clothes before you get into your dry tent.