Camping in the rain

[trader]

No severe weather mind you, just a good steady rain. Am I the only one who enjoys this? I think it adds to the whole experience.

[southerngal]

I hate camping in the rain! Everything gets so nasty and muddy and the tent gets all nasty. Nope if I know it's going to rain we reschedule.

[failghe]

I love to hear the rain falling through the trees. And after the rain stops, to hear the birds start singing. Peaceful. However it is no fun if it rains all day, but does make some great memories. Rain has not stopped me from camping yet.

[frank6160]

If it's going to be a wash out for the whole planned trip I may cancel. Otherwise I deal with it. It's all in being prepared. I too dislike the mess it can cause but only get to camp at certain times so I must go when I have the chance.

[northernbushape]

I'm on the BC coast - it rains a lot. I neither like it nor dislike it. It's just a fact of life here, so we adapt and camp anyway. I have a 10'x10' shelter and a full compliment of tarps.

I actually do prefer spring and fall camping though as it's cooler, the bush is more lush, and usually in the summer here they impose a campfire ban and sometimes even a back country travel ban due to the high number of forest fires. With spring and fall here, also comes the rains, so it's a trade-off.

I just finished a week's camping and was wishing it had rained more as we are under a full campfire ban in almost the entire province.

[peanut]

I'd prefer it not to rain but if it does it's alright. I don't like being in a muddy spot though. That really is awful and not something I ever care to do after being in the mud a few times in the past.

[SmackontheWeb]

Originally Posted by southerngal

I hate camping in the rain! Everything gets so nasty and muddy and the tent gets all nasty. Nope if I know it's going to rain we reschedule.

A good backpacking tent should keep that from happening. "Bathtub" floor construction, sealed seams and such are some of the things you need to look for in a true backcounty tent. Did you have a ground-cover or "footprint" under the tent? Also, is your clothing/gear water resistant/repellent?

To me, not camping out in the rain is kinda like eating half of your favorite ice-cream cone and throwing the other half away...

Seriously though, if you are properly prepared, I promise you would learn to enjoy camping in the rain.

[BigBear]

No, I don't like camping in the rain. Part of why we like camping is the being outside and enjoying all the outdoor activities. If I'm going to hide from the weather, I might as well stay home.

[Noah]

One of our camping trips this summer it rained all night. It was amazing and I loved hearing it fall on the trees and then on the tent. It was relaxing and nice and amazingly enough my baby slept through it. The wife however, was up all night and couldn't sleep.

[oldmangunner]

I really do not mind camping in the rain. As long as it is a warm rain and not a cold rain I like it. I do try to prepare in advance for the rain and mud and then everything is fine. I love the rainy nights!