There are times when your camping and you could be enjoying yourself and all of a sudden it begins to rain. You can get caught up in the rain quite easily if you’re not prepared for it but if you are then it won’t bother you, it’s a matter of preparing yourself for any kind of weather conditions while your camping.
So, what are the tips for camping in the rain?
- Choosing the right campsite
- Choose the right tent
- Planning and preparation
- Take a tarp with you
- Cooking in the rain
- Keeping your clothes dry in the rain
- Create outside somewhere to sit
- The right foods for energy
- Layer up with your clothing
- Extra sleeping pad
- Invest in waterproof shoes and gaiters
- Bring ziplock bags
- Don’t hide under a tree
- A simple cooking system
I hope this gives you some good ideas and they do well for you…
1. Choosing The Right Campsite
When your going camping choosing the right campsite would benefit you especially when it does rain. If you decide to go camping in a national park and decide to camp near a river just make sure that you are a fair part away from the river bed only because the last thing that you want to do is to have the river bank burst a little and you get water coming into your tent while you sleep at night, especially when it does rain as you will not know how much rain will fall while your on your camping trip.
When you do pitch your tent make sure that you do not pitch your tent under a tree, most people would think that the tree will shelter you away from the rain alot, but the truth is that the rain will begin to drip through the branches and leaves, it won’t keep you completely dry but it will certainly help but only a little not alot. Plus because the branches will begin to get wet, some branches will break off due to the force of the wind and rain making the branches wetter and prone to snap off even the weight of the leaves getting wet would begin to fall onto your tent.
In the morning when you do wake up, you will be hearing the drips of water on your tent that could potentially fool you into thinking that it still is raining but it actually is not.
2. Choose The Right Tent
When your going camping in the rain, certain tents would be better than others. The reason for this is because most standard tents use a different type of material and usually are not waterproof rated at all. Tents that are not waterproof and usually are single layered tents will seriously soak through when it rains even if it’s a rainstorm especially if water does not bounce off the tent at all.
Another important factor with tents being used in the rain is having a rainfly, this will certainly keep the rain out and help keep the ventilation in the tent so that the air can come through and stop the tent from forming condensation. There are a few different rainfly’s that is quite common to use with your tents, one is for the roof of the tents this rainfly allows alot more light into the tent and gives alot more views. The second would be a full coverage rainfly this covers the whole tent and offers maximum protection from any rain.
Most tents would come with a cover for the front door, so if it does rain the water or raindrops are still kept out and away from the inside of the tent. And finally, you will need to think about the amount of space that you will need, otherwise, when it does rain you will be sitting inside of a tent that could potentially be cramped so you will need to take this into consideration.
3. Planning And Preparation
It’s all about preparing yourself incase it does happen to rain while your out camping. It would be a better idea to plan way in advance as the last thing you would want is to be caught up in the unexpected rain only to find your equipment and clothing to be drained in rainwater which will ruin your camping trip.
You will need to plan way in advance to make sure that the campsite that you do decide to camp at, can handle any kind of heavy rain as most campsites can become overloaded with rainwater which can, in turn, create puddles or become waterlogged. Make sure that you do pack gear that is waterproof.
4. Take A Tarp With You
If you don’t have a tarp I would highly suggest you do invest in one this will be a huge wise investment when it comes to camping and it rains. The reason for this is the tarp acts an extra cover where you can place the tarp over the tent itself acting as an extra roof. The tarp can keep the rain out and keep your equipment and clothes dry.
The beauty about having a tarp with you is the fact that you can always create an area that then becomes either the kitchen or even another room to hang you dry and out of the rain.
5. Cooking In The Rain
You will never be able to predict the type of whether you’re going to have when you go camping, so it would be better to pack for a rainy day just incase. When it comes to cooking especially since you will be outside of your tent you will need to be prepared for that aswell.
If you go camping a bit more prepared for the rain when it comes to cooking your meals it will certainly feel as if your back at home cooking if you have the right equipment. I would recommend what I mentioned just earlier about bringing along a tarp.
With the tarp, you will be able to create a roof to keep you dry and you can place it as high as you see fit, but enough to cook and keep you dry and out of the wet. You could always invest in a screen tent I have been told they are good to cook in during the downpours but it also depends on the number of people that are going camping. They are not too expensive to what I have researched upon and once you have brought them they can last for a number of years.
In order to keep your food dry and out of the rain plastic containers would be ideal to use, this way even if you do have food that needs to be either warmed up or cooked you can keep dry for the time being. I would recommend you bring along with you a camping stove this is because if you decide to have a campfire and it rains you can always move a portable stove to a more dryer place. So if you have set up a place where it is dry and you can cook you can place the stove there.
Make sure that before it does rain you have either the screen tent set up or the tarp set up so that you can place all the cooking utensils and equipment and food in that once dry area. So when it comes to cooking the food you won’t have to run back and forth to the tent.
6. Keeping Your Clothes Dry In The Rain
When your camping out in the rain the hardest part that you will definitely get is trying to keep your clothes dry. If you’re caught in the rain while your either out hiking or if your walking to the campsite or finding somewhere to pitch your tent you can easily get caught up in the downpour.
You will have your clothes or extra clothing packed away in your backpack, and it would be natural that if you were to have a standard backpack where the material that is used to make the backpack would easily get soaked. If you do have any clothes packed away in the backpack naturally they will get soaked aswell.
Now technology has changed everything you can invest in a backpack that is water repellent, by this I mean any water would literally bounce off the material and will not absorb the water into the material at all. There are backpacks being produced with this kind of material and are light aswell so you can carry the bag without having any back problems.
This will also definitely keep your clothes dry and prevent anything that is in your backpack to stay dry at all times no matter how wet and rainy it gets.
7. Create Outside Somewhere To Sit
When your camping outside and you get caught up in the rain it would be a better idea that you pre-plan an area to set up a place where you can sit in case the weather changes and all of a sudden you begin to have a sudden it begins to rain.
The whole idea of camping is to spend time outside amongst nature so a good way of doing this without worrying about getting wet or caught up in the rain is to set up an area where you can still sit outside with a tarp covering you from above with a few logs to sit on or some chairs.
The area will also need to be set up so that you can have an area to cook either with a stove or a small fire so that you can still stay warm and controlled fire at that as well.
You want to make sure that the area you do pick to set up that the area is not close to the river it doesn’t have too much of a ditch in case the ditch gathers up water. And it’s the same size is slightly smaller than the tarp so that when you create your roof underneath the tarp you’re kept dry and any rainwater that does drop on the tarp just goes along the sides of the tarp and does not enter where your sitting.
8. The Right Foods For Energy
When it does rain the temperature can drop and which will lead to being quite cold. Your feet will certainly get cold very quickly as well as layering up on your clothing the other important factor would be food.
The reason for this is because food gives you energy so naturally, your body will burn off the food you eat. Soups can keep you warm when you heat it up or cook it on a stove and you will find internally you will be kept warm. You will need to eat carbs aswell to keep you snuggly and warm and the best thing would be to pre-cook the meals before you go camping so all you would need to do is warm the food up on the stove which would be alot more better.
9. Layer Up On Clothing
Clothing is the most important part if you really want to enjoy going camping in the rain or even if you get caught up in it.
Firstly you will need to make sure that your clothing is kept dry, as wet clothing will not work at all it’s the worse thing that can happen and it’s the last thing that you want. When it rains the temperature does drop I mentioned this earlier and it’s true it also depends on the time of year your camping. But when it does drop it gets cold so you need to layer up.
You can easily buy camping clothing most jumpers or pullovers tend to be quite thick and produced with a higher standard of wool. You can wear clothing where it is designed with a woolen material on the inside and on the outside, the technology used on the jumper or jacket is completely waterproof.
Since technology has advanced vastly over the years you can wear clothing that will protect you from any rain and keep you warm at the same time.
10. Extra Sleeping Pad
During the time you go to sleep and it’s still raining outside can make the tent quite cold. Because you will be sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag the earth can absorb water and can I turn to make the ground feel alot colder.
At night the temperature outside drops and the Earth’s temperature gets colder as well. So it would be ideal to have an extra sleeping pad to place underneath your sleeping bag.
You can invest in a sleeping pad that is thicker and the technology absorbs the cold ground and turns it into heat to keep you warm.
11. Invest In Water Proof Shoes And Gaiters
If your out hiking you obviously won’t be able to head back to the campsite straight away to get dry quickly so while you’re walking around and enjoying the countryside and what nature has to offer, having waterproof shoes would definitely make a difference.
The reason for this is because while it rains if you are not wearing the correct shoes they can get soaked rather quickly which in turn will make your shoes wet and your socks could get wet and damp and eventually make your feet cold which will lead to further Illness such as a cold or more.
You can buy hiking boots to help you walk through the rain and also gaiters. These wrap around your shins and ankles up to your knees and they cover some of your boots or shoes. They are waterproof so when it does rain it simply bounces off the gaiter and prevents your shoes and trousers or pants from getting wet.
12. Bring Ziplock Bags
Ziplock bags can be very handy you can use them to place smaller items into them. Items such as electronic devices from phones to watches keys or any other items.
13. Don’t Hide Under A Tree
The worst place that you can pitch a tent is under a tree especially when it is raining. The reason for this is that as it rains naturally the tree will collect the water and make the branches alot heavier which eventually will snap and break off.
If your tent is pitched under that tree the branch will fall on top of your tent and can rip your tent open that’s the last thing g you want. If there is a thunderstorm the tree is the last place you want to be under. If lightning does strike the tree then you are in trouble as it will collapse on top of your tent.
14. A Simple Cooking System
When it comes to cooking in the rain you want to make it as simple as possible so that you can cook your food without much hassle.
The last thing you want is to be outside soaked and wet while you’re trying to cook your food it’s not nice and long-term it can lead to getting I’ll quickly.
A simple small stove is all you need so even if you’re under a tarp you won’t need to worry about burning down the tarp or homemade kitchen.
Conclusion
If you ever decide to go camping in the rain or you even check the weather forecast before you go you can always follow these tips to help you enjoy the experience a bit more without having to let the rain stop you from camping.