Camping by yourself or with friends is a great outdoor activity you can do almost any time of the year. From setting up your own tent to preparing breakfast at dawn, camping can be incredibly satisfying and a lot of fun, but nasty weather can ruin your trip if you’re not prepared. Rain will put a damper on your experience unless you pack the right gear. With a few precautions, you can stay dry and warm no matter how hard it starts pouring. Here are a few tips on how to stay warm and dry while camping in the rain.
Pack the Right Clothes
If you’re camping and expecting rain, it means cotton clothes are a no-go. Cotton gets wet easily and won’t dry out for a long time. Try wearing clothes with synthetic material like nylon or polypro.
Layering clothes that you can breathe in is another great way to stay warm and dry. If it’s raining while you’re in your tent, take off your layers as you get warmer to avoid getting sweaty. You’ll want to be warm inside your tent without getting too wet from sweat.
Practice Setting Up Your Tent
Your tent will keep you as warm as possible when it’s raining. If you don’t already know how to quickly set up your tent, try practicing these steps before you head out:
- Pull out your poles and lay out stakes on the ground where you’ll pound them in
- Make your footprint and lay out your tent body. When you’re ready, clip the body to its frame and drape over your rainfly
- Stake your footprint and tent facing windward
- Finish staking down your tent and ropes
Practice these steps while it’s nice out before camping. You can also watch videos of others setting up their tents to prepare. A well-insulated tent and sturdy rainfly will shield you from even the heaviest raindrops.
Plan for Cold Temperatures
A good rule of thumb when camping is to plan for temperatures around 10 degrees lower than you expect. Planning for lower temperatures means you can avoid packing extra gear. Temperatures usually drop a couple of degrees for every 1,000 feet you go up. Keep this in mind especially when you’re expecting rain.
Use a Sleep System
Having a sleep system when camping is sort of like how you’ll layer your clothing. You’ll want to protect yourself from the ground, especially if it’s wet right underneath your sleeping bag. Ideally, bring:
- A thick plastic vapor barrier as a protective layer
- An insulating layer like a mylar blanket or Reflectix Insulation to bounce heat back at you, and
- Some closed-cell foam to keep cold, damp air from getting under you
If you’re still cold while trying to sleep when it’s raining, add a liner to your sleeping bag or wear more breathable layers of insulating clothes. A good sleeping system will keep you warm and the elements at bay.
