The idea of camping in the rain may appear absurd but it is one that is full of fun. Indeed, the rainy seasons and times do give you some rare exciting opportunities that are never found elsewhere. If you plan to camp in the rain, it is important that you equip yourself with the necessary know-how.
Here now we draft this article to address that. In our discussions that follow, we shall:
- Look into the twin issues of the tips to adhere to while camping in the rain
- Some of the activities you may engage in fruitfully at such times
20+ Tips for Camping in The Rain
1. Choose only relevant camping materials
Rainy seasons are no ordinary. You can never rely on a normal tent and other camping gear. Instead, you have to pick and work with specially designed materials for the job.
The materials, needless to say, have to stand against rain and wind to prevent the infiltration of external moisture in the tent interiors.
2. Reinforce the waterproof trait of the materials
It is not enough to just acquire waterproof camping materials. You have to reinforce this trait to empower your tents and camping gears to prevent the inflow of water. This you do by adding an extra layer of the coating and reinforcing the seams powerfully.
3. Carry along the drying items and materials
Inasmuch as you will make every effort to stay dry and comfortable, you will inevitably get wet. That means you have to carry along the drying items and materials.
These include the towel, spare clothes, and additional layering for your clothes just to keep off as much moisture out as possible.
4. Incorporate the activities to do
Camping is not just about detaching yourself from your ordinary homes and retreating to a faraway location. You must also engage in certain activities while at that faraway location.
This demands that you carry along with the items and tools you will need when at the camping venue. The next section speaks more about them.
5. Take great care while at the campsite
When it rains, the camping venues are often too wet and slippery to take on just like that. You hence have to take great care while at such venues.
Particularly, you have to be mindful of the wet terrains as they are ordinarily slippery and prone to all manner of fall-offs and other associated accidents.
6. Lay a tarp on the floor of your tent
As part and parcel of reinforcing the waterproof trait of your tent, you should also consider laying a tarp at the base or the floor of your tent.
The role of this tarp is to prevent the underground moisture from seeping into the floor of the tent and dampening the interior occupants and items.
7. Pitch the tent on higher grounds
For your own safety, we ask you to pitch the tents on the higher grounds. Areas of higher elevation are generally better drained and less likely to endure flooding. They are thus easier to cope in, in the unlikely event of a flood or too much precipitation.
8. Pack foods along with you
Cooking in the rain, though possible, is really challenging. You want to minimize it as much as possible. You can only do that if you pack ready-made foods and carry them with you.
Also related to this is the need to emphasize the hot flasks that are able to maintain the warmth of the foods for longer.
9. Carry only waterproof bags
You will definitely have to ferry other essentials as you camp. To do this, you will enclose them in bags. The bags and any other piece of carrying material you work with have to be waterproof.
This of course is to prevent the gears from getting wet and sustaining some irreversible damages as you move along.
10. Put on the right attire
The kinds of attire you put on also matter. Rainy seasons and times are ordinarily very wet and hostile for normal clothing. Thus, you have to put on only strong and waterproof clothing.
Such kinds of wear deter the infiltration of the external moisture and preserve your body from the wetness that comes along.
11. Develop and uphold a positive attitude
It is not uncommon for people to break down emotionally when camping out. This is understandable as such times and seasons are dull and chilly.
If you hope to enjoy the whole of your time while out in the open, you should cultivate a positive attitude and uphold it throughout your camping season.
12. Cover the entrance to your tents
You will definitely want some dry space right at the front of your tent. In order to create this space, you want to cover the entrance to your tents.
Covering the entrance keeps off all the rain from the tent. Further to that, it gives you a space to place your shoes and other clothing prior to entering the tents.
13. Place a rug at the entry
Other than covering the entrance to your tents, you should also carry along and place a rug at the entry. This rug is the one that you shall step on to remove the dirt and other debris from your shoes.
It serves hence to cleanse your feet to enable you to maintain the interior of the tents clean.
14. Insist on propane camping stoves
Of all the cooking appliances we have, the propane camping stove is the most suitable for the job. It is hotter and able to withstand the harsh colds and winds better.
Then again it is portable enough to use while on the go. Need we add that this stove is also easier to ignite and fuel all along?
15. Set up windbreak and fence to keep the fire going
Keeping the fire going in the rain is never that easy. You have to put in place measures that are designed to prevent the same from dying out.
Setting up a windbreak and fencing the fire are two sure ways of achieving this end. They safeguard the fire from the wind and the light rains.
16. Air out your tent
Even after it has stopped raining, it is good to keep your tent out in the open for some time before storing it. Airing out your tent will enable it to drain out excess moisture and dry completely.
Also, it shall prevent the likelihood of the tent rotting when stored indoors for a longer time.
17. Pack along with some pair firewood
Even though the primary recommended source of fuel for your camping cooking needs is propane gas, you should also arm yourself with some dry firewood.
You just never know when you will need them. These pieces of firewood will provide the fire you need in case the common sources fail to deliver.
18. Change the clothing before retiring to bed
It is important to change your clothing before retiring to bed to prevent you from sustaining hypothermia. This is a condition that is characterized by extremely low body temperature and numbness.
As you do so, be sure also to put on dry and extremely warm clothing to maintain your body temperature.
19. Do not forget the hand-warmers
The warmth of your hands is just as important as that of your other parts of the body. It is important to keep your hands warm all the time hence. This is a feat you achieve by putting on a pair of hand gloves and other hand-warming clothing.
20. Equip yourself with a Bivy Sack
Even though the sleeping bag may be great and awesome for your sleep, it is sometimes never enough. You should equip yourself with a bivy sack for reinforcing your protection.
The bivy sack is warmer, stronger, and more protected from external weather elements. It thus guarantees better protection from the external elements.
21. Make do with a seam sealer
A waterproof tent will be a good shelter for rainy days, while sometimes you need to pay more effort to ensure a dry interior.
You need to care for the seams as they may act as conduits for the transmission of the external water into the tents. To achieve this feat, use a seam sealer to shield the areas and block out all the external moisture.
22. Remember the gumboots and other waterproof footwear
Just like your hands are important, so do your feet too! You should remember to bring along the gumboots and other waterproof footwear.
These are intended to shield your feet from all the moisture, cold, and dampness that most likely arise when it is too cold or damp.
23. Stay away from cotton clothing
Cotton clothing is ordinarily great and awesome. Nonetheless, they are not the best you may put on in damp and cold weather. That is given the highly absorbent nature of the cotton materials. When they get wet, they are often too heavy and strenuous to walk around in easily.
24. Line the interior of your tent
In addition to working the seams, you should also line the interiors of your tents. Use a tarp to do this job. Tuck it underneath the fabric to prevent the infiltration of the external moisture and also trap as much heat as possible.
The material you use has to be flame retardant to spare you from fire outbreaks.
25. Keep tabs on the weather forecasts
Lastly, you have to keep tabs on the weather forecasts. These are dished out by the meteorological departments and mainly serve to warn people of the impending harsh weather patterns.
It is not enough for you to listen to the weather patterns only. Prepare appropriately for any eventuality that may come by.
Activities You Can Do When Camping In The Rain
In this segment, we look into the major activities you can do when camping out in the rain:
1. Board games/cards/travel games
Board games are great because they are played indoors rather than outdoors. They thus spare you from the need to get out in the cold rain and play.
Some of the board games you may think of are chess, poker, draughts, and travel games. Apart from indoor characters, they are also full of fun.
2. Crazy commercials
Crazy commercials are designed to mimic the sales and purchases of goods and services. They hence entail the mock purchasing of items as the same would happen in a typical market area. The beauty of the game is that it may happen indoors and at the convenience of the players.
3. Create a silly story
Storytelling is a great way of passing time and bonding with the other campers. Think of anything exciting which may captivate and intrigue the feelings and the emotions of those who would hear them. Then, go ahead and narrate the story in a way that is soothing and lulling.
4. Obstacle course
Put up an obstacle course using the materials that you carried with you to the campsite. Create a team and have the team run around the obstacle course to compete through to the finishing line. Needless to say, the first team to cross the finishing line carries the day.
5. Tic Tac Toe
This is a game that is played using sticks, rocks, and small twigs. It is a knockout tournament in that the team that loses gets eliminated.
The game, proper, comprises a board that is derived from the larger sticks and the use of the smaller twigs and rocks as the Xs and the Os respectively.
6. Making music
Apart from storytelling, camping can also be a time for making music. The music here may be manually produced by the use of the guitars of the violins or may be recited orally from a pre-existing music track.
Smoother, cooler, and lulling music like the blues and the rhythms are strongly recommended at such times.
7. Build a campfire
Perhaps there is no better time to build a campfire than when it is cold and rainy. The campfire has a way of heating up the campsite and providing sufficient illumination at night.
You have to set the fire strong and out in the open to ensure maximum heat and prevent burning the tents.
8. Swimming in the rain
Do you have the guts? If you do, you may also try out swimming out in the rain. Insist on shallow water bodies and far away from the running rivers.
Shallower bodies are safer and less likely to sink you. Running rivers will definitely sweep you away due to the strong waves of the rivers.
9. Canoeing or Kayaking
Yet again, if you have the guts or do not fear the external poor weather, you may think of canoeing or kayaking when it is cold. If you must do this, we urge you to stay away from the running rivers as they are dangerous and likely to capsize you.
10. Fishing
Some species of fish are only available when it is rainy. Probably this is the best time to catch them. Take great care though not to go too far into the water body since it may be dangerous at such times. Also, get out of the water if the rains intensify, for your own safety.
Conclusion
As you may see, there are lots of things you can do even when it is raining. You should never falter or despair if you must go out camping in the rain. The sum total activities and tips we have listed and explained above are really rewarding to try out at such times.