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Tips for Camping in the Rain
Tips for Camping in the Rain
gearweare.net
You and your family have picked a weekend to go camping, and you can never be sure of the weather. If you are a family or a couple that likes to use family tents when they camp, then you have to be prepared if it rains. The ground can get wet, and so can your camping gear, so make sure your tent is waterproof, so when you load your supplies inside, everything stays dry. This is one of the ways how to get ready for camping in the rain.
Also, make sure you are using cute warm sleeping bags and try to make sure that they don’t get wet if it is raining when you reach your camping destination. If you camp in the summer, you can buy a canopy tent to keep your food dry and keep your supplies that you eat in coolers or your vehicle until the rain stops. There is always a chance that it will rain, but you don’t have to let rain upset your camping trip. Here are some tips for camping in the rain.
Table of Contents
Location
Pick a campsite with barely any elevation and make sure you are not near water. Waking up wet during a rainstorm isn’t cool at all. Make sure your tent faces the east because that’s where the sun rises in the morning. This will help you rustle out of your sleeping bags quicker if it’s still drizzling. Don’t pitch your tent near a tree, because once the rain stops, you are always going to have water dripping from the leaves and branches. Also, if it’s windy, branches could fall and hurt you or your loved ones.
Lights
Bring along some of those LED lights and put them around your campsite. Light some candles and use mason jars to keep the water out. Bring a camp lantern and plenty of batteries, make sure they are lithium because these work better in cold, wet weather. If you plan on camping in the dark, attach some reflectors along the way, onto the trees so you can find your way back to the campsite.
Build a Living Room Outside
After you are pooped out and ready to settle down for the night, you don’t all have to run to your tents. Build an outdoor living room area. Use a big tarp or two and attach them with a sturdy string. Put a tarp on the ground as well to keep everyone dry; even if it’s not raining, the soil still might be moist at night. Put up your lawn chairs, make sure your lights are on, have some hot or cold beverages ready, snacks, and some food, and bring out the music. You can always bring along some cards or board games, or tell camping stories around the fire in your makeshift living room. It sounds like fun.
Food
Everyone is going to be hungry after a good walk, and if you are wet and cold, make sure you have plenty of good food to energize you again. Hot cocoa is always a good warm drink when people are cold and wet, have some chili ready to cook and eat. If you have a great campfire going, now is the time to try a pizza or some lasagna recipes with a dutch oven. People have to eat more food when they are out in the cold and exercising to stay warm, so the body demands more calories. Eating carbs are good for that during camping. Remember to eat your vegetables and prepare everything before you leave home, so it’s easier for you. This way, you don’t get cold by dicing, chopping, and peeling when it’s already wet and chilled out. You can’t predict Mother Nature!
Layers
If you are expecting rain on your camping trip, don’t forget to bring the rain gear and lots of layers to protect you. Layers help control your body temperature. This works by cooling you down with moisture and warming you up with the heat. Stick to polyester or wool, with middle layers underneath a waterproof coat. Don’t wear cotton because it soaks up water, and you will never dry out. This will also make your body temperature go down quickly by wearing wet cotton. Bring along an extra set of base layers and woolen socks. Keep these items in a dry bag so you can hang it out to dry back at the campsite. This is when you are going to change and get something warm to drink.
The Color Orange
If you are camping during hunting season, make sure you wear orange or red. There are too many accidents every year due to people being mistaken for a bird, a deer, or any animal during hunting season. Leave the brown tones at home when camping and get a bright orange coat!
String a Clothesline
If your clothes are wet, you might feel like dealing with it later because you want to get dry and warm. Don’t jump into your sleeping bag, take your clothes, and have a clothesline on your list so you can string it up when you set up camp. This way, you can change clothes and let them air out and dry, so they don’t smell musty the next day. You can hang up the clothesline under a tarp or in the lobby of your tent. Once you get the wet clothes taken care of, your trip will be much more enjoyable.
The Bivy Bag
If you feel that the ground is too wet and cold, bring along a bivy bag to stay warm and dry. This is a layer of insulation that protects the sleeping bag from any moisture, and this bivy pack also helps you keep more heat for yourself! Also, try doubling up on some sleeping pads to keep everyone warmer. Once you are all snuggled in, try and keep your face out of the sleeping bag. When campers cover their faces, this can cause moisture and the insulation gets wet, and this affects your sleeping bag. Try and pick a synthetic one because these keep you insulated when your bag gets wet.
Keep Your Clothes Preheated
If you don’t want to put on cold clothing, you can preheat them to your body temp at 98.6 degrees. How cool is that for campers? Take the outfit you plan on wearing for the following day, and put them into a bag that is breathable and put the small pack in your sleeping bag, so your clothes are nice and warm. The clothes will be next to your body so they will be warm in the morning. This is something else to look forward to when you get up on a cold morning because you know your clothes are going to be toasty warm!
Hand Warmers for Camping in the Rain
Some people have lousy circulation when it’s cold and wet out. Women have more problems with cold hands and feet. It’s a great idea to bring out the hand warmers. Put some in your gloves, and your boots and cooking will seem like a breeze when you are outdoors. Your feet will be nice and warm as you start on your morning walk after breakfast.
Stop the Water Bottle from Freezing
Many campers have woken up in the morning to find their water bottles have frozen. Try turning your water bottle upside down because water starts freezing at the top first. If the temperature falls below freezing during the night time hours, the bottom will freeze first. And when you turn it right side up, you can still grab a few drinks in the morning as your water thaws out.
Pack Your Rain Pants or Gaiters
You might want to think about getting a pair of pants for the rain or some neck gaiters if you plan on camping regularly. The evenings can soak the leaves! There is always dew in the morning. This can get you wet very quickly. The dew and wet leaves can even get your pants all wet right through to the skin. It might be worth the few extra bucks for rain pants and gaiters to make your camping morning warmer and dryer! Happy camping!
