What To Do If It Rains While Camping

Do you think that starting a fire with wet wood isn’t possible? Check out the article about starting a campfire with wet wood. Put a tarp on the groundwhere you will pitch a tent, it will protect the structure against moisture and mud. Cotton absorbs water easily, and wet cotton can be uncomfortable on the skin as well as chilly. Cotton clothes lose their insulation properties when they get wet, so this is an easy way to get hypothermia quickly. With the right materials andbuilding a tent platform guide, you can make your own platform that will protect your shelter from rainwater and mud.

If you camp in cool weather, it might be a good idea to pack some foot and hand warmers, too. The other reason for the wet tent interior can be a leaking tent. If your unit has holes or tears then you should repair them before even going to explore the great outdoors. While staying inside the tent the exhaled air won’t have a chance to go out and the condensation will build on your walls and things. How to protect your tent from the rain while you pitch it? The whole point is to keep the tent interior dry as much as possible.

How To Stay Dry While Camping?

Wool feels warm due to the crimping of the fiber, this causes it to capture more dead air and thus insulate you better from the elements. The problem here is that there are so many variables that getting your gear dry may take some creativity. Trees and brush that you can use to suspend your tarps are going to be incredibly convenient as well. If you stacked it nicely, it should still be semi-dry.

How To Cook When Camping In The Rain

These are critical to insulating your body from the cold earth. Get a good closed-cell pad and double it up with another foam pad if needed. In terms of heat retention, this is one of the most important things you can do to stay warm at night. Set up your tent in the backyard to make sure it’s functioning properly. Also, steer clear of cotton, which saps warmth when wet and takes forever to dry. Instead, opt for quick-dry synthetics or lightweight wool.

Board And Card Games

But when the rain comes it can turn a once-perfect spot into a not-so-pleasant spot. When you set up your tent, be sure to pay close attention to the ground and the way water settles on the ground. On uneven surfaces, the water will make tiny rivers in the dirt and it will puddle in certain spots. If you sent up your tent in the way of the water you are inviting these tiny little rivers to run through your tent and make you miserable. Simply avoiding setting up your tent in areas where water is flowing or where there is puddling can go a long way in making your trip drier and much more enjoyable.

I know it can get hot and muggy in the summertime though. Zip any tent windows closed to keep the interior of your tent dry if it is raining hard. I find it surprising the number of people who state rain flies in the windows of their cabin tents because of smaller rainfly.

Be Strategic In Picking Your Campsite: Avoid Puddling Water

I have taken my BA King Creek 6 out with Cubs & Scouts many times and was dry and cozy while everyone else was leaving due to being waterlogged, along with damaged and ruined tents. The other reason I love BA gear is it’s designed with big guys in mind. There sleeping bags, chairs, tables, etc… are all designed with real men in mind.

But, when you are camping in the rain, you may not be able to enjoy your normal events. We have dug trenches to divert water from flowing into our tent and campfire pit. Most camping gear is designed to be stored and used outdoors. Another tent alternative for camping in the rain is to use a Truck Bed Tent. But, make sure your gear is elevated off of the ground. Rocks and dead tree branches are usually good sources of “elevators” you can easily pick up around the campsite.

This Cloudbreak 30L backpack from FE Active is a great choice for a waterproof daypack. It’s 2.1 pounds, waterproof and can fit almost any budget. Boreas make hiking backpacks that I personally use and absolutely love. Obviously, REIhas a lot of great higher-end options for backpacks to choose from as well. These are perfect if you plan on getting a lot of use out of your pack. If not, I’ve listed a few great packs that are quite cheap below.

What Is The Best Way To Make Coffee Camping

Being mentally prepared for bad weather is also an important thing. Most campers are miserable because their rain gear isn’t up-to-the-mark. Although kit failures are not always a problem in good weather, they can result in many unpleasant and costly consequences in wet situations.

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When your trip of camping in the rain is over, and you get back home, be sure to clean and fully dry your gear before packing it away. So, when camping in the rain, if your clothes or shoes get wet, hang them in an area protected from the rain and allow them to dry. If it rains too much and the conditions remain wet, it will be next-to-impossible to dry towels, clothes, socks and shoes/boots … so, don’t let them get wet in the first place. Hooded ponchos or rain coats are wet weather camping essentials. Make sure you have enough camping rain gear for everyone in the family. If it’s still warm enough to avoid hypothermia, swimming in the rain can be such an amazing experience.

Keep Your Gear Dry With Drybags And Ziploc Bags

I’ve seen this happen to other campers on multiple occasions. Below is a list of the absolute minimum gear you will need for camping in 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.

When preparing food using a camping stove, it is often advisable to ensure the tent has enough and well-ventilated spaces. On most occasions, it would be better to cook from outside, but in extreme rain, there is no alternative but to cook from inside the tent. If you are camping with a large group of people, I often prefer to go for an affordable tarp, to protect the group from the rain. However, you will need to ensure that you have access points to make your tarp secure with using guy lines. Using reflective guylines is a good idea, especially when there is a large number of people gathering under the tarp.

If you are traveling solo, consider sleeping in a hammock rather than a tent. After choosing a safe elevation to camp at, you should place your tent away from the tree canopy. When selecting a campsite, look out for patches of high vegetation compared to the rest of the area. You can chant the nursery rhyme all you want at the campsite, but whether you like it or not, the showers will keep coming. Third, so you can have some fun indulging delusions of grandeur by imagining your tent a castle with its own moat.

With low impact camping,leave no trace, trenching is not recommended anymore. However, a plastic tarp inside the tent helps a lot. This article examines how to select the best rain gear.

I recommend setting these up if you need to store items in your car or in a bin so you can get to them without getting soaked. If you can, choose a site that is on elevated land. Make sure there are no overhangs or any drainage issues with the land you are camping near. These could cause muddy walking trails or a pile of water on your tent every hour. Come prepared, keep an open mind, and go into the experience with a positive attitude. At the end of the day, rain is just water and it will, eventually, come to pass.

Others have to recognize symptoms and take immediate action to provide shelter, removal of wet clothing and rewarming of the victim or death may occur. Set up a rain fly shelter immediately when you get to camp. This way, if the weather quickly changes, you’ll have a place to stay dry . A 10-by-12-foot tarp, with enough cord and stakes to rig it, provides a dry place to cook and make repairs.

You’ll be grateful to have easy-to-prepare items or one-pot meals in case the weather conditions turn for the worse and food preparation becomes difficult. Camping in the fall is great way to extend your outdoor adventures into the cooler months, while enjoying some gorgeous fall scenery. With a little extra preparation, you can secure plenty more star-filled nights well into the autumn season. Join Outside+ to get Backpacker magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Staying out of gullies, depressions, and soft soil, where water tends to pool. Pick a site under trees, or on the leeward side of boulders to defend against wind-blown rain.