Going backpacking only when there is a wonderful weather can mean you will never go. It’s much better to assume there will be rainy days in your future and prepare accordingly. Especially, that hiking and camping when it rains can be really rewarding and magical.

When we talk about camping in the rain, one of the most important safety concern is hypothermia and the dangers of flash floods. Keeping some things dry is absolutely crucial not just for our comfort but survival. We have to make sure that after a rainy and cold day hiking we can change into dry clothes and go to sleep in a dry sleeping bag, in a dry tent.

So what can we do to make it happen?

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1. Prepare well before you hit the trails

You have to learn your tent. Trying to figure out how to pitch your new tent while it’s raining is no fan and a recipe for disaster. Make sure you pitch it at least once in your backyard or a local park to see what goes where and how you can pitch it fast. If you use double walled tents (which are majority of them), see if it’s possible to attach the inner tent to the outer to speed up the set up time and protect the inner from rain drops.