The committed outdoorsman encounters poor weather, soggy trails, and tents enduring the harsh elements. While not a top choice for many, camping in the rain has provided me with some of the most enjoyable nights spent sleeping in a tent. Personally, I find the sound of raindrops hitting the flysheet and the cozy feeling of a warm, dry sleeping bag after a long day on a misty trail to be especially rewarding.
In order to stay comfortable while camping in the rain, it is essential to have experience in this type of situation. Having the correct equipment is important, but having the knowledge to properly utilize it is even more crucial to ensure that your camping trip does not get ruined. Below are our top recommendations for camping in unfavorable weather conditions, if they indeed occur.
Know before you go
Before venturing into the outdoors, it is important to always be prepared, and a crucial aspect of being prepared is checking the weather forecast. The more knowledge you have about the conditions you will encounter, the better equipped you will be for your journey. Begin by questioning whether your planned trip is still feasible. While rain should not completely deter you, heavy rain may render certain hikes, such as those involving river crossings, and even certain campsites, inaccessible.
In addition to preparing, take this time to re-waterproof your gear, including your boots. If your boots are in poor condition, consider treating or replacing them to avoid discomfort during your camping trip. Additionally, ensure that your tent has a higher hydrostatic head to prevent waking up in a puddle in the morning.
Choose the Correct Location for your Tent and Campsite
Selecting the appropriate campsite and choosing where to set up your tent are significant steps to guarantee a pleasant camping experience in the rain, as it ensures you remain dry and warm.
When considering an area, prioritize finding high ground that has trees overhead for attaching tarps later. Ensure that you steer clear of low areas that might accumulate run-off and become heavily saturated during heavy rainfall. While you do not need to search for the absolute highest point, it is essential to avoid the lowest one.
Additionally, it will be highly convenient to have access to trees and brush for suspending your tarps.
When setting up camp in a river bed or canyon valley, it is important to consider that valleys are typically the coldest and wettest areas. To ensure staying dry and safe in case of a flash flood, it is recommended to pitch the camp above the high water mark.
Creating A Rain Free Outdoor Space With Tarps and Paracord
Camping tarps have a high level of usefulness for almost any camping trip, particularly in rainy conditions. By using a lightweight tarp, you can easily construct a shelter above you for relaxation and seeking refuge from the rain.
By following a series of steps, you can effortlessly establish a shelter using a tarp, paracord, and a couple of trees. This shelter can serve multiple purposes such as cooking, playing games, resting, or simply spending time with your loved ones.
I always set up a tarp shelter, even when it’s not raining or rain is in the forecast, to create a shaded lounging area and safeguard my kitchen set up just in case something unexpected happens.
Other purposes for your Camping Tarp:
In the event that I have to establish a camp in the rain, I will not only construct a tarp shelter for relaxing, but also position an additional one above the spot where I am assembling my tent. This arrangement enables me to safeguard my tent from getting wet by sheltering it from the rain while I am setting it up.
By placing a tarp underneath your tent, you will create a useful barrier that safeguards the bottom of your tent from potential damage, such as tears, and prevents water present in the ground from seeping into your previously untainted tent, thereby ensuring its dryness.
If I have enough tarps, I like to place one on the ground beneath my tarp shelter, so campers don’t need to walk on the wet or muddy ground and create a mess during a rainstorm.
Prioritise and protect your gear while packing
To ensure the utmost dryness of your essential belongings such as your sleeping bag, extra clothing, food, electronics, and medical or emergency items, even hiking backpacks labeled as waterproof possess limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to pack all of these items in a waterproof bag, or preferably, a combination of multiple waterproof bags, when camping during rainfall.
If you are hiking on a backpacking trail, it is advisable to use lightweight dry bags to pack your hiking pack. By packing in a modular manner, using separate dry bags for different items, it will be easier when you reach the campsite as you only need to take out one dry bag at a time. This way, your other belongings will stay dry inside their respective bags instead of getting wet from rain while your backpack is open.
Drying Out Wet Gear
When the rain unexpectedly occurs, you may find yourself getting wet and your clothes and equipment getting drenched. At this point, it becomes necessary to dry your gear in order to restore its optimal functionality.
The issue lies in the fact that there are numerous variables, making it necessary to use creativity in order to dry your gear.
If you have a tarp and paracord and have successfully set up a tarp shelter, your logical decision would be to hang a drying line and dry your clothes and gear overnight. Having a fire nearby can expedite the drying process of your gear, but be mindful not to go overboard.
What if you don’t have a tarp or a fire? Some alternatives may not be as enjoyable.
Avoid cotton but layer up
When camping in the rain, it is important to have appropriate gear such as a high-quality waterproof jacket, waterproof pants, and waterproof boots. In addition to these outer layers, it is essential to wear the proper base layers. By wearing breathable and quick-drying layers underneath the waterproof clothing, you can effectively regulate your body temperature and allow sweat to evaporate. Synthetic fabrics, fibers, or merino wool are recommended as they are more suitable than cotton. Although cotton is not commonly chosen by outdoor enthusiasts, it becomes dangerous in wet conditions as it does not retain warmth or allow for breathability. Simply put, if cotton becomes wet, it will not dry and will not provide insulation, resulting in cold and discomfort.
In bad weather, it is not advisable to take down insulated gear because down clumps and does not effectively trap heat. Instead, it is recommended to use synthetic and wool materials when it is raining as they still provide warmth even when wet. Synthetic gear can also be dried more easily by hanging it under a tarp until it is slightly damp, allowing the internal heat to remove the remaining moisture. Here’s a top tip: wear a damp t-shirt and get back into your synthetic sleeping bag to aid in drying your clothes for the upcoming day.
