When camping, it can be really difficult to keep yourself dry and keep your items dry if it rains. Fortunately, there are several ways that you can keep yourself and your items dry while you camp in inclement weather. A rainfly can be used to cover up your tent to keep it dry when it rains. If you choose not to use a rainfly while camping, you risk all of your items getting wet.
What is a Rainfly on a Tent?
A rainfly on a tent is a part of a multi-layered tent that keeps your tent covered during the rain. This fabric is water-resistant so that all the items in your tent will stay dry and safe when it rains. Many people worry about the rain when they are out camping. If you get wet, it can be hard to get dry. You also want to protect your stuff. Here are some of the benefits of using a rainfly:
- Most tents already come with a rainfly, so you will not have to spend extra money on one.
- All the items in your tent will stay dry if you use a rainfly during a storm.
- The installation can keep you warm from icy weather
- Using a rainfly overnight will help keep your item safe from moisture from the morning dew.
There are a few tent companies that sell tents without a rainfly provided. However, it will help if you double-check before buying to ensure that your tent comes with a rainfly. Otherwise, you could find yourself trapped in the rain without a way to keep your items safe.
Do I Have to Use a Rainfly?
Using a random flight appends on the weather. For example, using a rainfly during dry and hot weather would not be ideal because it would restrict your tent ventilation. It is best to use a rain fly during cold or rainy weather. This keeps your items safe and keep your tent well insulated. However, you could choose to go without the rainfly altogether if you do not feel like you need it.
Using a rainfly is a personal choice; you do not have to use one. The following are alternative ways that you can choose to keep the items in your tent dry.
- Use a ground tarp under your tent to protect yourself from ground moisture and the cold floor.
- Hang a tarp from the trees above your tent and other camping items to keep them safe from the rain.
- If you want to keep yourself warm during cold weather, you can use thermal sleeping bags and your campfire without needing a rainfly.
- Store the items inside of your tent in waterproof bags to keep them dry
- Use waterproof clothing so you do not have to worry about your items getting wet while camping.
The scenarios above might appeal more to you if you are camping somewhere that stays hot even while it rains. A rainfly can keep your tent warm while protecting you from the rain. This is usually a good thing, but sometimes it will make you too hot and uncomfortable to sleep.
Want to stay warm on your next camping trip? Check out our article on the safety of tent heaters.
Does a Rainfly Keep the Tent Warmer?
You can use a rainfly in freezing weather to keep your tent insulated. Without a rainfly, your tent will receive a lot of airflow. This is great if you are camping during the summer but terrible if you are camping during chilly weather. Using a rain fly can be an excellent way to cut down airflow to keep yourself warm and cozy at night.
Minimizing wind chill is a wonderful way to keep yourself warm during chilly nights. Using a rain fly overnight also prevents you from dealing with morning dew when you wake up. And it provides you with even more warmth. Even during the summertime, it is common for the air to get chilly overnight; using a rainfly is a terrific way to combat that issue.
Is a Rainfly Waterproof?
Your rainfly comes waterproof, but that waterproof seal can wear down over time. There is also a chance water can get in your tent if you do not properly keep your rainfly on your tent. How to make sure your rainfly is waterproof:
- Touch up the waterproof seal frequently to ensure that water does not get in while you are camping. The waterproof seal that you use on your tent will wear down eventually.
- Ensure that the lines are tight when applying your rainfly to your tent. If your rainfly attaches to loose on your tent, then it is likely that rain can still get in and get your items wet.
- Add waterproof sealing to both sides of your rain fly to ensure that water stays out while you are camping.
- Ensure that your rainfly covers and tiger top of your tent. Some tents design the rainfly to still allow airflow even with the rainfly applied, but this can also cause water to get inside your tent.
There are many situations where you can still get water in your tent, even when using a rainfly. However, following the methods above can help ensure that you keep water out and keep all of your items as dry as possible when it rains.
How does a Rainfly Work?
A rain fly on your tent works by going over the mesh portion of your tent to keep water out. Your rainfly is waterproof or water-resistant and designed to keep water out. Campers place the rain fly over the mesh portion of their tent, and the waterproof barrier keeps all of the items inside the tent safe from rain and snow.
Follow the steps below to apply your tent’s rainfly securely to ensure you keep water out during a storm. Neglecting to follow these steps could make it so that rain can still get in your tent even when applying a rain fly.
- Set up your tent as the instructions say. Make sure it is set up properly and securely so it does not collapse on you.
- Take note of the mesh portion at the top of your tent because that is where you need to cover it to keep the rain out.
- Place your rainfly on top of your tent and adjust it to cover up the mesh.
- Put the stakes of the strings that lead to your rainfly into the ground.
- Ensure that the strings are taught leading to your rainfly so that it does not move much with the wind and rain.
- After the strings are tight, adjust the rainfly as necessary to ensure it has a firm grasp over the mesh area on your tent.
Having taught strings that lead to the rainfly is going to be the key factor in keeping your rainfly in place during the rain. When it storms, the wind will often blow away a rainfly that is not secured properly onto a tent. This scenario is the main reason campers find water and their tent even when using a rainfly.
Can I use a Tarp as a Rainfly?
A tarp makes an excellent replacement if you do not have a rainfly available. A rainfly’s main goal is to keep water out of your tent, which people use tarps to do all the time. Follow the steps below to set up a tarp over your tent to keep the rain out during a storm.
- Put your tent in an area surrounded by trees or set up poles around your tent for the tarp to attach to.
- If you use polls, ensure that the polls are taller than your tent or adjustable so they can become taller than your tent.
- Set up your tent as you normally would.
- Use a rope to tie your tarp to your trees or poles above your tent.
- Tighten the rope knots as much as possible so that your tarp does not blow away during the storm.
Is a Tarp Better Than a Rainfly?
You do not want to place a tarp directly on top of your tent because your tent may not be able to accommodate the weight of a tarp. That is why you must use poles taller than your tent or tie your tarp to trees to keep it in place. The following are the benefits of using a tarp as a rainfly instead of a standard rainfly.
- Your tarp will not lose its waterproof qualities because it is made of a different material than a rainfly. It would be best to touch the waterproof sealant frequently with the rain fly. Tarps require much less maintenance.
- Tarps are functional in several situations and can come in handy during many camping scenarios. On the other hand, rainflys only benefit you when it comes to keeping water out of your tent.
- Using a terp instead of a rainfly will cover a larger portion of your campsite. This method is a terrific way to keep the rain away from all of your items while camping.
- If you use a tarp instead of a rain fly, you will still allow airflow to get inside your tent. This method is an excellent way to avoid getting wet while still enjoying the benefits of getting a refreshing airflow during hot nights.
- You can even use your tarp as a tent in a worst-case scenario if something goes wrong with your tenant. Camping can be unpredictable, so keeping a tarp on hand is an excellent way to stay prepared in any situation
Tarps are multifunctional and extremely handy while camping. If you want, you can use a tarp to keep the rain out of your tent, picnic area, or entire campsite. You can even use your tarp to keep your car safe from snow and other extreme weather conditions while camping.
What is a Tent Rainfly Made of?
Most tent rainflys use polyester as the primary fabric and apply a waterproof sealant to the rainfly to keep them extra hydrophobic. Polyester is already a fairly hydrophobic material; however, it is not entirely waterproof, which is why an additional coating is applied to rainflys to keep the rain out of your tent. Many tents also use nylon as their primary fabric.
The fabric your tent manufacturer uses for the rainfly depends on how expensive and large your tent is. Polyester rainflys are common for smaller, cheaper tents, and nylon is the popular choice for larger, more expensive tents. It is especially crucial to apply additional waterproof coating to polyester rainflys to keep water out of your tent.
Eventually, the coating the manufacturer puts on the rain fly will fade away, so you should touch it frequently. It would also be ideal for keeping an additional waterproof sealant on hand while camping, just in case you notice your rainfly letting water in during your camping trip. This is especially handy for people who camp in their tents frequently.
Conclusion
Using a rain fly while camping is a fantastic way to keep the heat in your tent and keep rain and other water out of your tent. Rainflys are handy any time of year, and you should keep one on you at all times just in case it rains or snows. However, using a rainfly during hot weather can trap the heat in your tent and make it unbearable to sleep in. Rainflys are not ideal for every weather scenario, and you should be mindful of the weather when applying them to your tent.