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I am not a camper so excuse my ignorance. Is it possible to stay dry in the rain in your tent. I will not have a really nice tent, but it does have a rainfly and weathertec (it's a coleman). I've already heard about using water resistant spray on the tent. I will also have a water resistant tarp around the bottom of my tent. Will I be all right?
Post by crazykittensmile on Feb 17, 2007 16:48:52 GMT -5
be sure the tarp isn't larger than the tent, that will cause all the water that drops along the edges to make a nice puddle right in the middle of your tent! if it is, just fold it. the spray should help a lot, but i don't think there's a 100% guaranteed way to stay dry.
Just make sure to get a sealant and seal the seams on your tent. Me and my buddy brought the same tents and he didn't seal his (I sealed mine) and his leaked while mine stayed dry. Also make sure to close up the door flaps and all window flaps when you leave the campsite. Sounds silly, but I've been with people who left their little windows unzipped and when we got back to the campsite their tent was flooded
if you -really- want to take no chances and make sure you dont have issues with the rain while sleeping, the best investment i ever made for camping festivals is an air mattress. even if the tent leaks a bit, unless the entire top gets ripped open somehow, being elevated off the ground will practically ensure that you will stay mostly dry while you sleep. plus if you think it might rain for the day while you're gone, throw all your gear on top of the mattress. and i won't even get into the additional comfort benefits, but if you're not gonna get a lot of sleep at the 'roo (and trust me, you won't) why not make the time you are sleeping as comfortable as possible?
Maybe I'll throw myself to the dogs, but my back's not to the wall Maybe I'll lay some bricks for the man, but the days just aren't that long So if I settle back and chill will I see far enough to feel the angel's dream? I thought it was the Story of the World!
Also, an EZ Up type cover over your tent is great for helping keep the rain off AND the sun out in the morning. Also allows you to leave the rain fly off the tent and get better air flow. We actually set our EZ Up so that the side towards the sun rise was lower than the other. Kept rain off, let air in, etc. Also, the comment about an air mattress is right on. ALSO, for comfort, make sure your dry cloths, etc. are in a dry area or the car. It is all fun.
Try not to have a bunch of stuff touching the sides of your tent, either. That causes a tent to leak. Keep everything toward the center, and I find that keeping as little as possible in the tent keeps it drier.
Post by chicagorooer on Feb 18, 2007 0:13:11 GMT -5
if possible keep your clothes in the car. Our neighbors in '04 tent leaked and most peoples did with the storm of the century and all there shit was soaked. Needless to say they were pissed
I think it's all been covered, but just to reiterate...
Scotch-Guard the sh*t out of your tent, use a seam sealer, and keep it closed when you're not there! Really, it can't be said enough. If you're camping by your car, make sure to keep anything that could be damaged by moisture in your vehicle. Other than that, it's pretty much common sense type stuff -- but trust me, I realize that if you don't camp too often, it can be a hassle trying to keep all your bases covered.
To keep your sstuff dry at the campsite, you know, clothes and whatnot, has anyone thought of bringin and extra (empty) cooler to put it in if you are in tent only? I just thought of that.
i usually use rubbermaid containers. they hold more and dont have the thick walls. but im sure a cooler would work too. the xxl ziplocs are nice too. i can fit 2 sleeping bags and 2 pillows into one of those. and they are clear so it speeds the security along.
As stated earlier, be sure to fold any excess from your ground tarp under your tent.
I can't stress this enough. Every year (and anywhere else I go camping) I see tons of people who just lay out their plastic sheet on the ground and throw their tent on top of it. When it rains the water will land on the excess plastic and run right under your tent! making it useless. be sure to fold the extra under and this wont happen .
u can get those huge zip lock bags for your clothes, o yeah and an air matress is a must for car camping, especially at roo where you need the sleep when you decide to sleep
I like the huge ziplock idea, and I thought of the rubbermaid things, you know, like those under-the-bed plastic boxes, but I wonder if those are waterproof?
be sure the tarp isn't larger than the tent, that will cause all the water that drops along the edges to make a nice puddle right in the middle of your tent! if it is, just fold it. the spray should help a lot, but i don't think there's a 100% guaranteed way to stay dry.
The spray helps make sure the seams in the tent are sealed. The tarp makes sure you sleep above the puddles.
I'm an avid camper (and an Eagle Scout to boot), so believe me when I say that there are 100% ways to say dry in a tent. You just have to be meticulous in your setup. Also, sleep so that you stay off the sides. Anything touching the side of the tent in the rain will get soaking wet.
There's also a trick to setting up a tarp or something so that it's OVER your tent. This creates a "dead" airspace between the tarp and your tent, insulating you from the heat. You'll be surprised how much different a cheap tarp can make when you set it up properly.
Setting the tarp up also takes any problems in the majority of your tent out of the equation. Add a groundcloth underneath and you're golden.
If you're really a camping n00b, stop by your local BSA office and get a copy of the Camping merit badge booklet.
Post by lopsopdop510 on Feb 19, 2007 9:19:57 GMT -5
Those Coleman Weathertec tents are great. I wouldn't consider that a "cheap" tent. In 2005 it rained off and on. I was able to open the windows halfway while it rained and no rain even got into the tent. I was very pleased.
Those Coleman Weathertec tents are great. I wouldn't consider that a "cheap" tent. In 2005 it rained off and on. I was able to open the windows halfway while it rained and no rain even got into the tent. I was very pleased.
mine cost $30 includding shipping from coleman.com in their online outlet its a 7x7 3 man tent with a rainfly. I couldn't believe I got it so cheap.
"White collar conservative flashin down the street, pointing that plastic finger at me, they all assume my kind will drop and die, but I'm gonna wave my freak flag high." Jimi Hendrix
