So you’re camping, and it’s started to rain. Where do you pitch your tent? How do you stay dry? Brace yourself for some basic info that may save your bacon!

Location, Location, Location

Don’t camp near a river, it’s a river for a reason, water runs to it, so you’ll get wet. The river may also rise unexpectedly at night and catch you out.
For the same reason, avoid exposed rock faces. Yes, they may have an Instagram vista to wake up to, but if you stumble out in the dark, you may find yourself taking the shortcut down to the bottom of the track.
Look up and look out! Before pitching up, be aware of any dead or dying trees lurking around your campsite. Trees are called ‘widow makers’ for a reason. Also, an ill-placed pinecone could damage your cozy tent.
Back to the wind. Having your door face the wind will mean water blowing in every time you enter and exit the tent.
Beware the soft spot. Oh it looks nice, but that flat area will most probably become a puddle in the rain. Choose a very slight, gentle slope on an area on higher ground.

A Tent for the conditions

Make sure your fly has sufficient overlap so that rain won’t splash up into the tent.
Make sure the tent is waterproof and seam-sealed.
Dome tents are shaped with wind in mind and are incredibly weather-resistant. They’re also lightweight, so get the right size; that way, you won’t carry more weight than you need to.

Tarps are your friend

If you missed the dry spell and you have to pitch – even if it’s persisting down. Rig a tarp up to trees, your car or anything you can so you can keep your work area dry. You could also use our Kereru Tent Flies
Use a tarp under the tent, too. Fold under the sides of the tarp or groundsheet so water running down the tent won’t pool on the tarp and flow between the tarp and tent floor.
If your door area is covered, you can extend the tarp out to create a ‘mudroom’, where you can deposit your wet hiking boots and jacket before entering the snug tent.

Tighten the guys. If your fly and inner touch, water will seep through, so make sure both are nice and tight. You should be able to bounce a coin off your fly. For this reason, it’s best not to pitch a tent in sand.
‘Ditching’ around your tent. This isn’t common anymore, as ground sheets have lips that keep water out, even if it’s in a puddle. In extreme cases though, you can still dig a ‘ditch’, ‘trench” or small moat around your tent area for the water to go into, make sure it diverts the water away from the tent. It’s not great for the environment, though, and you may need a foldable camp shovel
Ventilate. It may seem weird, but if you close up your tent completely, all the moisture you breathe out and take in on your clothes will evaporate and condense on the inside of your tent, making it damp. For this reason, you need to have your ventilation ports open.

The pack up

If you have to pack up and head home in the rain, make sure you put the tent out to dry as soon as possible. If the tent is still damp, mildew will develop that will compromise the tent’s next outing, not to mention the smell.
Above all, be prepared before you go. Check The Met Service, to make sure you’re not heading into anything unexpected. You can invest in a Spot Satellite Tracking Device, so even if your mobile won’t work, you can be found in case of emergency.

Above all, enjoy the adventure! We live in a somewhat unpredictable country, but it has to be one of the most beautiful in the world!