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]

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!

 

[puddle jumper]

We are camping newbies, so I would prefer sunshine and mild evenings. I can hear the kids now, whining in my head about being stuck in the tent with nothing to do.

 

[SuperFish]

I lay awake talking to my wife when it rains. I think she often wants to sleep though so I may like it more than her.

 

[FireBuilder]

I don't mind the rain, as long as my tent does not have a hole in it. One night I traded tents with my son (he had a friend along and wanted the bigger tent). It rained and I woke up soaked. Turns out he had dragged his tent up the driveway back at home while he was airing it out and left a nice hole in the bottom.

 

[woodsman]

I don't like it when it rains, it makes mud, you can't really go outside to do something because it's raining and even worse you have no way of drying your clothes, in my opinion rain just ruins the howl experience.

 

[JDSport]

I like good weather when I am camping, but a little rain is nice too. I love to watch or listen to the rain and the smell after a rain is always amazing to me.

 

[Scout]

I agree with SMACK ON THE WEB...dito... It seems to rain at least once every time I camp & that is every chance I get! There have been several times it hasn't. I always go prepared for it though. I always look for tale tale signs of where the rain flows etc before I set up camp. I have been woke up to mild rains pitty pat on the tent to thunder crashing in the mountains & echoing... then deluge. The rain makes the sunshine that much sweeter!! Hate it when my towels get soaked ooops :-D ...We pull out the deck o cards & wait the rain out

 

[twojps]

I don't mind being in a etnt during a storm, but I want it to end during the night and I want to have a calm morning. I have seen a lot of storms in the high country and having a tent set up before the storm is a big part of enjoying the storm. If it goes on for days, then I have to think about evacuation and a warm room somewhere.

 

[IndianaHiker]

I even backpack in the rain.

 

[Hikenhunter]

Backpacking in the rain is just part of the whole outdoor experience.

 

[Grandpa]

Thunderstorms at 11000-12000 feet are no fun. I want my tent up when they hit so I can get in and stay in. It don't always work that way so we go with the flow but those are my druthers.....