5 mistakes EVERY new camper makes in WET WEATHER ⚡️⛈⚡️

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Camping mistakes If you have sleepless nights in the backcountry camping, backpacking, hiking, then this video will help. It's 5 tips and tricks to make sure you have the best sleep possible while out camping! How to sleep well while camping. How to sleep warm backpacking. How to sleep comfortable while camping in a tent. How to not get wet in spring rain. Wet stormy weather. lightning while at camp. camping dangers. backpacking. rainy bad wet weather. How to set up camp and a tent in the rain. Storms. storming at camp.

[@tommccafferty5591]

There is really no better feeling to be dry inside a tent during a heavy storm. Hearing the rain pound on the fly is wonderful music to the ears.

[@benkim2016]

I agree! I enjoy camping in rain and the sunshine in the next morning is almost heavenly!

[@johnswanson3741]

It's even better under a fly tarp. You can move around in the morning rain and get a small cook campfire going. Hang out and watch your surroundings and not be hemmed in a cramped, confining tent. Haven't wasted time or effort on a tent for 40 some yrs.

[@lizstrailsandtravels4624]

Can I get ground condensation thru the floor ? Had a surprise small amount of water under sleep pad, ground cover looked good, Tyvek under that …. Just wondered where that water came from …. Hi Dan !

[@SinisterTactics380]

I live in pacific beach and I'm going to try this next time I camp thanks for sharing this

[@dd___dc]

@@lizstrailsandtravels4624 proll came from ur hot breath 🤔🤔😭😭

[@donxuop]

I've done most of my backpacking and camping in the rain forest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State where it's not uncommon to get over 12 feet of rain per year. I learned a long time ago (the hard way) that if it was raining or if rain was expected, to always set up a light-weight silnylon tarp over the place I planned on erecting my tent and rain fly. By first setting up a tarp, I can erect my tent and fly without either of them getting rained on. Doing so also allows me to keep all the contents of my pack dry as I unload them as well. In addition to keeping my tent dry, having a tarp over my tent makes the task of taking down the tent and reloading my pack much drier too. I never have to be concerned about putting away a wet tent or having to set up a wet tent the following day. In the 35 years I've been doing this, I've never had to contend with having wet gear.

[@SeamusMacMattain]

I'm right there with you, 35 years and I go to both the Olympic Peninsula as well as out past Randle and into the Cascades.... If you aren't ready for our rains you should own a trailer lol

[@better.better]

yeah but the people who are into ultralight backpacking want to take as little with them as possible, and the tents that he's using are definitely geared towards those type of people. somebody is into that definitely is going to want to avoid taking an extra tarp. however I doubt somebody who's into the ultralight scene is going to lack knowledge in this regard, this is more aimed at beginners. I say that but here he is putting the stakes in at an angle, he also didn't mention making sure not to set up in a location that's about to fill up with water. I had a buddy who was stealth camping and while he was away at work it began to rain, and it turns out that while those tall grasses were great to hide his campsite they were also an indication that where he was camping was an intermittent wetland. Everything he had was ruined because his stealth camp spot turned into a creek while he was away.

[@joelhollingsworth6172]

I agree fully with a light tarp covering the tent in rainy weather, although on trips to the Bogachiel the water can almost seem to rise up from the ground as well. My 8' x 10' Zpacks tarp is 7 ounces -- maybe 10 oz with lines and clips -- worth every bit of the weight if it's really raining. It's a good idea as noted above to find a location that drains rather than fills -- not always easy.

[@SpiritOfTheWest49]

@@joelhollingsworth6172 Absolutely, and not always easy to set up a tarp either! Especially if you're camping on a beach like you might on coastal trails. You need lots of rope and some creative use of driftwood logs in those cases. PNW forests are great for trees, but the alpine can also be lacking good options for tarps unless you can use your hiking poles.

[@ibmtpx24]

I just put a tarp over my tent and secure it with guylines to create a sliding surface or an a frame so the water won't accumulate. My tent is not waterproof so without the tarp/separate rain fly, I would always wake up from wetness..

[@thevigiles]

Don’t just make sure you’re setup is sound. Make sure your backpacking buddies are setup properly too. Otherwise you might find that your 2-person tent suddenly needs to hold 3 people.

[@DanBecker]

😂👍

[@monzarace]

That is a VERY good advice. Most of us may have had this experience some time in the past, where a trip became less of a wonder by having a few friends, pref. married couple, having not prepared themselves, and began arguing when water came into their love nest during the night. Cheers.

[@AC-kk3vo]

😂 , nope, they can sleep wet

[@memathews]

Quite a few nights waking up to noisy neighbors whose tent sprang a leak. I just get up and start a fire so they can dry out, then re-rig my tarp to hold a few more near the fire. Eventually the arguing stops and everyone is friends again by breakfast-and I get to sleep the remainder of the night without hearing the argument.

[@LH_Vagrant]

@@AC-kk3vo Tough love, I like it.

[@amiejo]

After a very wet weekend at cub scout camp with boys, I learned to always leave a dry set of clothes in the car for the ride home. Knowing that you at least have that too look forward to at the end of your trip makes it easier to deal with.

[@monzarace]

Sure, if that's how you do it. I remember a 8 hour long train trip with most things wet, and a lot of hikers in that same situation. Stay warm and dry or get sick.

[@dah960]

I love that idea. Cozy arm and dry just in case

[@franny5295]

I keep a dry, clean set so that I can spit wash and not smell like butt and onions for the drive home. That was such a miserable drive, I'm not doing that again. I couldn't stand the smell of myself.

[@Camp_Botanist]

A few months ago I made the mistake of pulling the ground tarp out a ways in front of the tent door to make a sort of 'entry mat' to stomp the mud off of our boots before going into the tent (which at the time I thought was a brilliant idea). Fast forward to 2 AM in the morning and water had puddled on the tarp and flowed underneath the tent and you could push your hand on the tent floor and hear/ feel the giant bubble of water like we were on top of a water bed. I was worried that the water would find some small hole in the floor and come inside the tent, so we ended up having to go outside during the worst part of the rainstorm, in the dark, at 2am, and try to pull the tarp out from underneath the tent to let the extra water drain into the (thankfully sandy) soil. The water between the tent and the tarp had made some sort of a vacuum effect and It was an interesting struggle to break the seal between the tarp and the tent in order to pull it out, I was worried we were going to pull the whole g** d*** tent over with it. Never making that mistake again!

[@justjonoutdoors]

The most common thing I see is misreading the lay of the land - ending up in that nice flat spot that is really the bottom of a bowl and waking up in the middle of a miniature lake!

[@alisathomas7144]

Been there. Done that. 🤣

[@AllenWatkins-jt4wg]

I ve had this experience and all I can say is I'm glad I knew the doggy paddle, back stroke, and side stroke, for when I was tried of the mark spitz speed swim method.

[@rivitraven]

Always sleep on a tilt. And I put it down so that I could sleep better with a tilt down to my feet.

[@jessicaturecek9446]

Dead or compromised trees and branches are called Widow Makers for a reason. Stay safe folks, and always check for any trees or large branches that could be felled in a storm or high winds.

[@Ottawa9one9]

Welcome, Emmet! Few more: 1) Not drying out wet tents/gear during hike breaks if it's stopped raining. 2) Wearing your dry clothes instead of putting your wet clothes back on and ending up with no dry clothes.

[@memathews]

Yep, non-cotton wet clothes will dry out fairly quickly while you hike, even under a poncho or umbrella.

[@AC-kk3vo]

Thanks for the tip , I didn't think about that, I carry 1 extra set of clothes and I should definitely keep them dry

[@kaikart123]

Yeah that's why I got dry clothes and wet clothes and I mean camp clothes and walking clothes.

[@JesseFlannery]

100th Like! 🎉

[@kellyjohnson3617]

The only thing that comes to mind, cuz I grew up in WA state which puts camping in the rain to the test, is not having proper shoes and warm dry gloves. Nothing like getting your shoes wet the first day then putting on wet shoes the rest of the time. Or having wet hands that more quickly go numb when the temps drop, and having to set up a tent with numb hands. Also a funny story. My dad decided, before we camped in the rain forests of WA, to make a car top carrier and make it without one screw or nail. Just wood glue. Well after two days of rain on our 7 day trip, the carrier came completely apart and we were miles from a hardware store where he could get supplies to fix it so me and my mom and siblings sat all day in the tent as he drove 2 hrs one way to the nearest hardware store to get tools, screws and nails and hammer and screwdriver. And then back to fix it in the monsoonal rain. He was not a happy camper, literally. My last trip with him before he died, I took him back there cuz I told him we needed a redo. We got a cabin cuz he was too crippled up to sleep in a tent. And you what? No rain. Nothing but blue skies, or that regions version of it. Lol

[@Neylena]

loved reading this story about your dads camping adventures. I hope he really enjoyed the cabin stay with the blue skies!

[@thereindeertherabbitthebat592]

When setting up on any sort of uneven ground, even if the ground is mildly uneven, try to pitch your tent with the entrance facing downhill. I once experienced a brief, unexpected downpour while away from camp on a hike. When I later returned, I found that water had piled up so rapidly at the door, it spilled through the threshold via the closed zipper door, flooding the inside of my tent. Looked like a bathtub of muddy water. Everything inside was completely soaked. The tent held the water extremely well though... 🤔

[@bobbyhale4599]

Agree. And, don't pee Into the wind.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Also, door faces away from the prevailing wind direction.

[@BioDave1955]

You can also trench around the tent to direct water away from the tent. I did that when a downpour was just starting and it saved my tent from a flood.

[@blakew5672]

If I’m expecting heavy, and I mean HEAVY, rain I dig a little trench to divert water. It doesn’t have to be much, but it will make a huge difference. Door placement depends on your tent too. For instance, the Fly Creek shown in the video. Most people sleep with their head at the door end. Having that end downhill would be a bad idea, though it’s personal. Most people wouldn’t enjoy sleeping with their head lower than their body.

[@danielkutcher5704]

That's how the floor became known as a bathtub. 😊

[@karenparle5219]

A couple of years ago my nephew was camping in the redwoods and a large limb fell on him in the middle of the night. Crushed his pelvis and broke several ribs. He is fine now but had to be life flighted out and took 2 years to recover. Be carful out there.

[@TheAdventuringFoodie]

Good video, Dan! Thanks for the reminder about "widow-makers," trees that can come down in the middle of the night. On my trip to the Shawnee National Forest last week, that was on my mind in each place we camped. The last night in particular was very windy. My son and I woke up, packed up, and started to head out. Just down the trail, we found a large pine that had fallen in the middle of the night. A good reminder to keep safety first!

[@lancebrown9567]

For the water proof liner for your bag, try contractor bags. They're a couple mils thick and wont puncture as easy as a regular trash bag. Just food for thought everybody.

[@Cubestone]

I don't suppose most ultralight folks will do this, but it's certainly appealing to weekenders. Carry an extra 16 oz. and bring a light tarp. Fly the tarp over the tent and you'll have an area where you can cook out of the rain, stand up and stretch, or just hang out without claustrophobia. A side wind can still get you wet, but your tent and camp will generally be dryer and more comfortable.

[@dougdixonhull]

Great video Dan. A mistake I made when starting out was not leaving enough air flow and getting wet with condensation

[@alainaarrhodge5900]

OMG!! Where was this video last year when my wife and I were camping in Deception Pass and it rained for 2 days solid while we were camping?! Our tent went well past it's water resistance level, we had a tarp that we'd used under the tent, but it went well beyond the tent footprint (I didn't know any better then), and worst of all, even our rainfly was dripping. We almost packed it in and got a hotel after we awoke with soaked sleeping bags and pads, but after a quick trip to THD for some tarps, we solved our problem. I also learned that I'm really good at starting fires in the rain with firesteel. What a weekend! Welcome Emmett!

[@catfishcorals790]

As a brand new backpacker/camper, I've found your videos super informative and entertaining. I'm now much better equipped to spend time in the woods

[@joshlong2512]

Bought a 2 person tent for me and the wife (GF at the time). I'm a large guy that took up most of the tent myself. Rain came in due to fabric touching the sides and the ground cover was too large and channeled water under us. We woke up in the middle of the night to a lake in our tent and all or our clothing was unprotected and soaked. Spent the rest of the night in her little VW and the whole next day at the laundromat. I broke almost every rule you brought up in this video and then some! Still better than not camping though.

[@jesseo715]

I'll disagree on one aspect of the ground cloth: I've found it's actually best to use one that is *bigger* than the footprint of your tent. That way, the excess can be rolled up underneath the tent footprint. It still won't stick out, and the roll creates a dam to keep all ground water out of the space under the tent floor. I do plenty of canoe camping in the wilderness, and always use a mid-gauge plastic ground cloth under my tents, cut to size with several extra inches all around. Before the fly goes on, I walk around the tent and roll the excess underneath.

[@GODAIM-ANDY]

Good thinking

[@jamesclayton9177]

Yea I found that curious. I was always taught to have one around the same size or bigger. Smaller means part of your tent simply isnt protected. As long as the tarp avoids any upwards angles, the run off never goes under my tent.

[@theonly5001]

For our bike trips we own tents which can be set up as one. The outer shell, the inner tent and the "ground sheet" or "footprint" by simply just putting in the "sticks" of the tent. And the "ground sheet" is like 2 inches smaller than the ground area of the outer shell. Which helps tremendously with water coming from out of the ground. It doesn't help with large amounts of surface water though. That is more of a thing of positioning the tent properly. Forgive my lack of proper vocabulary. I could tell you what they are in German, but i don't know the english counterpart for the terms.

[@memathews]

Yep. I create a bathtub effect by placing rocks and branches under the ground tarp edges, works very well to keep the water out and I rarely roll outside the hard edges.

[@ricker76er]

I’ve always done the same. It’s what dad taught me, but I’ve never seen any KZbinr say anything other than use a ground sheet smaller than the tent’s footprint.

[@danvondrasek]

I've been camping since the early 2000s, and have never owned a tent over 150 bucks. My biggest was a 6 person that I used for festivals, bought for 125 bucks on clearance, Coleman brand. Survived an entire winter set up in my back yard covered in snow. Never once leaked, and actually got super warm inside with all the snow packed around it. My biggest problem in the last 20 years has been keeping cool in the mornings actually. I always have enough to keep warm at night, but by morning it's always an oven inside.

[@Lee-70ish]

Lots of good advice. Choosing the HH rating is quite variable imo . After 50 plus years of camping I’ve learned teepees with a 2000 Hydrostatic Head are great at keeping out rain as they have a very steep fall But dome tents etc need imo at least 3000 but preferably 4000 and up HH as the tops are way flatter to the weather . One old army trick if you get cold wet feet and can’t dry them , boots off put your feet into ordinary plastic bags (shopping bags work well ) then put your boots back on. I guarantee within minutes your feet will be toasty warm

[@23rdstreet23]

Thank you for the tips! Hey Emmett! I have a 2 yr old grandson named Emmett whom I absolutely adore! So with a name like Emmett you will do just fine at whatever it is you choose in life! So happy to have you on here editing videos for Dan! Thank you!

[@ZORK19991]

Hey ive been camping for about 4 years now and in Europe where the Rain takes up about 70% of the year and these are tips you couldnt find that easy on here 4 years ago. So thanks for the New campers out there, these are good tips.

[@247lovestodance]

I'm fairly new to camping, but did a lot of reading/watching videos to avoid many beginner mistakes. Thank you! However, never thought of this happening; severe rain/storm with rain coming in sideways up under the vents, which I didn't close. Lesson learned.

[@davidgates1122]

For car campers, I have seen tent campers set up their tents in an area surrounded by trees on all sides. Then they tie a sloped tarp between the trees over top of the tents. Bingo . . . no water in the tents. Pretty darn cheap and easy to replace the tarp when it wears out after a few seasons.

[@backpacker3421]

An important consideration for DCF tents when backpacking (less important for car camping): DCF does not absorb any water either. Not only will it keep water off of you and your gear, but it will not gain any weight from absorbed moisture. Shake it off before you pack it away, and you won't be carrying water weight in your tent fabric. Even the best silnylon will pick up a surprising amount of weight from moisture in the fabric.

[@FlufLord]

As a kid, I thought the whole point was to wake up freezing cold with water flooding my tent after getting no sleep. Apparently it “builds character”, which to be fair it did help toughen me up, but BOY did I have a wake up call later in life

[@mysterylovescompany2657]

I used to think I was "not a camping person" for the same reason. Lost so many good years before I learned that most campers - who aren't dying of testosterone poisoning, at least - will give you total permission to bring whatever the Hell you _personally_ need to have a comfortable sleep, stay warm, & otherwise have an enjoyable time on-site (as long as you can schlep it).

[@NathanPK]

Hi Emmett! Once when hammock camping, I had the foresight to set up a peak line above the hammock with a tarp bundled at the end. In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a cool breeze. I had only a minute to reach up and pull the tarp over the line before the skies opened up. Glad I was prepared before bedding down rather than having to dig the tarp and run the line in the middle of the storm.

[@neemancallender9092]

Good video The liner bag gets taken out of the backpack and into the tent The wet backpack stays out of the tent in the vestibule

[@danielgerrick5153]

Thanks for your videos, I just started backpacking this year , and I've learned a ton watching them.

[@davidson_oldbull_sectionhiker]

You can never review the basics often enough. This experience didn't ruin my trip but created anxiety, very simplify I never set my tent up in the rain before going out on a hike. Welcome Emmet. Thanks Dan

[@aaronhouse6567]

I'm a little late to the thread, but one thing that was made very clear to me in a hail storm my 2nd or 3rd night out on the A.T. in 2017 was that the tent orientation matters. I have a ZPacks Duplex. The vestibules are constructed as two overlapping flaps on each side held out by guy lines. If that overlap is open in the direction of the wind, at some point you will not have a tent. You will have loose cloth as the wind rips into that gap, pulls out your tent stakes from the (now) soaked earth and the entire structure becomes unstable. Learning to rotate that 180 degrees so the opening is away from the prevailing wind direction significantly improved the many rainy nights that followed on that trip and in the years since.

[@mrjj5099]

I figured you would mention the importance of keeping body and items from touching the inside of the tent. This happens so often.

[@terryt2910]

Very good review of the basics for rainy camping, plus some stuff about new fabrics and waterproofness. I learned from experience that camping in that nice comfy looking low spot means you'll be below sea-level if it rains hard. Bottoms of hills are often get-wet spots, too

[@jpexoticpets146]

I've never used a liner or garbage bag, but I did put items in ziplock bags. I never thought of covering my whole pack with a garbage bag and they did not have fancy raincoats for backpacks back in 1997... at least that I know of. I thought guy lines had to be taught/tight. I've learned so much! Thank you.

[@phillipp1399]

Don’t forget to use the Velcro to attach your fly to the poles. Not only does it help with alignment and general stability, you’re wasting your time with guylines if the fly isn’t velcroed to the poles. Notice those pole attachment Velcro strips are always aligned with guyline attachment points? 🤔

[@dekaaizer2550]

This, you have a big risk of damaging your tent if you don't connect those.

[@joseesparza4133]

I’m really liking these, thanks Dan. Went camping with some friends, didn’t think it was going to rain then it started to. My friend’s tent sucked I offered trash bags for their sleeping bags, one of them didn’t want them. The next morning 2 of the 3 of us woke of dry in our Hefty trash bag bivies. The other dripped dried his sleeping bag which took a couple hours.

[@monzarace]

on certain trips, I brought a few small plastic bags I could stick over the socks into my boots. Then I got better boots, but still bring the bags just in case, and can use for other stuff as well. It makes sense if you have say 5 says walk back. I take care of my boots as well - one lesson learned.

[@Benitojacova]

My last camping trip was a real bummer. I think my tent was just too old and the seals had worn, I woke up the 2nd night soaked. And I had no proper clothing either I was hiking in jeans and cotton Hoosier. That's why I'm super excited to get back into it strong with the right gear. I bought an MSR Elixir 1. Can't wait to try it.

[@joeburns9478]

Excellent points, the one about putting slack in was new to me but won’t be forgotten.

[@ericmullins6794]

Thanks Dan and Emmett , been awhile since I made these mistakes but a very good refresher . Getting wet in your tent can really make for a bad experience. You did forget to mention not to touch your tent when raining because you can cause it to leak .

[@razzbazle1582]

Yo Emmit!!

[@SpiritOfTheWest49]

And making sure the tent is set up correctly so the fly isn't touching the tent anywhere!

[@keet700]

The kitchen-sized garbage bag as a liner is a good idea, just make sure it is unscented. To avoid attracting unwanted visitors.

[@cybertweak]

Another fantastic and meaningful video! Welcome aboard Emmett! What a great learning opportunity that you and we'all are learning from Dan!

[@tinabryant3051]

Camper w a new very large tent iIN SPRING in NC. We put 2 tarps under to cover the areas, and I didn’t know about keep your tarps to the edges of tent, and for 2 days we took on water. Luckily my hiker, camper, backcountry camping son figured out the problem!! Hello to the cameraman! Thx for all the tips. A 61 yr old Southern lady who loves the outdoors and never too old to learn new tricks!!Love the vids, keep em coming!

[@demeloalex]

Great tips! Specially the one about falling trees! One big mistake I've done was to set up my tent over an leafcutter ant nest! They didn't get in but they took over the whole place! That was a hell!

[@angelaterry3172]

Hello Emmitt!!! I have chosen to place my tent in lowish area where water collected so I was in a small puddle of water when I woke up. Didn’t realize till I deflated my air mattress and it was wet. Hmmm. Good thing the sun came out later on that afternoon and dried my wet stuff.

[@talmageshipman2427]

had a idea enter my mind after watching this video. Now I have not tried this but see what you think. Since the ground cloth is part of you tent why not attach it to the bottom of the tent using a continuous seam of sillicon sealant all around the perimeter. Also why not carry a cellulose sponge to soak up the condensation before it puddles.inside your tent or to deal with puddles that have already formed. Seems to me a couple of ounces could save you alot of trouble.

[@vytautasbeliauskas8129]

Yes ground sheet is needed for the tent. I was liorning from my mistake, then I was not using ground sheet, and the root of the tree tore at the bottom of my tent. Now every time I'm going for camping, using ground sheet to protect my tent.

[@youngboyharless9769]

Good video man. One tip i'd add is if you have a big enough trash bag and or frog togs you can rig it over the outside of your bag. Not only water proofing the inside gear but keeping the whole pack dry as well. I did this and it worked great. Simply cut some holes around the straps where your shoulders/arms are going to be lol also hopefully you are waterproofed.. a quality breathable rain jacket is worth its weight in gold.

[@amyjones-lonestarhoosier2029]

Such great advice Dan!!! I would say I was nit a new camper but always great reminders!! Can’t wait to get out on the trail again soon!!

[@mctaguer]

Dan, you mentioned in another mistakes video about not setting up site in too low-lying of an area--primarily because of cold air. I'll give another reason--water collection during periods of heavy rain. Yes, I've seen people set up a tent in such a place and the next morning the entire tent was sitting in 4 inches of standing water.

[@BrianHSC]

My worst mistake was bringing air sleeping pad. Trying to patch wet sleeping pad in the middle of the night didn't work and eventually got no sleep. From that point on, I bring sleeping pad that has both foam and air. Little bulkier and heavier but worth it.

[@teelamorissette5615]

I'm happy that everyone wants to go hiking again, and this didn't scare them off.

[@teganlewis2284]

Hi Emmet! And my tent mistake was spraying 2 layers of waterproofing spray on my tent thinking I would be good from the rain. But I made the mistake of putting a tarp that was too large under my tent therefore allowing the water to pool on the sides of the tent and soaking through. Woke up in a puddle at 1am…

[@lawrencetalbot55]

Hi guys, special hello to Emmet. We learned these things the hard way, 8 day camping (first time in 30 years, mind you) in the Oklahoma forest, in October. It rained for 6 days and only cleared up for the final 2 days. What an experience!!

[@Outsideville]

I forgot my footprint one time but put my dogs nylon blanket under the tent. I had a huge storm that night. Stay perfectly dry. Thanks Chico for loaning your blanket for the night. (Chico was not with me that night.)

[@justinsane11]

I’d recommend a ground cloth that’s actually BIGGER than your tents floor blueprint. Reason being is so you can fold down to the proper dimensions as you see fit down to the literal inch. You can’t make a cloth bigger, but you can definitely make it smaller. Also, if it’s big enough to fold completely in half then you have that much more insulation from the ground.

[@mikaelhgn1]

Question if I’m paying $8-900 for a tent why don’t the manufacturers include a stronger floor for these instances

[@claudevanbeethoven2944]

Marketing. If I can sell you a lighter weight tent than the other guy, you’re more likely to buy my tent. Many of these tents are geared toward ultralight backpacking which, for some reason doesn’t take into account that you still need a tarp and fly. A lot of ultralighters will save on money by getting Tyvek for their tarps and cutting to size, so most people just accept that they’ll need to protect the floor of their tent. But yes, to answer your question, I’d rather carry a couple extra ounces for reassurance that my tent floor is stronger and slightly heavier and will be safe. This is from someone who would count grams backpacking through the Grand Canyon for 8 days, then bring all the latest electronics just because I could. It’s passion and preference, where none of it really makes logically sense. @@mikaelhgn1

[@07kenbird]

Hi Emmitt, welcome aboard. Thank you for the lookup at trees tip for North America. It is one of the first things Australian campers are taught. To the point that we do not camp under trees. Our eucalypts are notorious for dropping limbs. Often you can not tell a branch that is about to break. It is probably why hammock camping has not really taken off here. Hiking down the Appalachian Trail how many hikers just parked under a large old tree. We saw quite a few people set up hammocks only to have small branches drop on them when they got into it. Thank you for explaining the under tent mat thing properly. Never really got the hang of that and woke up too many rainy nights because we were using the blue fibreglass(?) tarps, from auto stores & Walmarts, to protect the floor of our Pupa Hubba tent & it was hanging out and as you said directing water right under the tent.

[@fx_matze]

After a few misjudgements on our adventure me and my hiking buddy arrived way too late at the bottom of the mountain after dark. We were both exhausted so we picked the first relatively flat area we could find. There were big rocks and patches of grass. Everything was wet because it rained most of the day but it wasn't too bad and we didn't want to look for a better place in the dark. We ate a well deserved meal and went to bed. When we woke up the next morning it was already raining. It stopped for a quick moment and we made breakfast. My friend packed up his tent and we layed out some stuff to dry in the sun that came out. As we were finishing breakfast it started to rain again. We sat in my tent that was big enough for two people and we waited for the rain to stop so we could start our way back. Heavier rain and wind set in and we decided to not go back over the mountain unless the weather cleared up. We waited and I took a look outside. The front vestibule where we kept our shoes and backpacks was already soaking wet. I opened the back vestibule and realised half of the tent was in a 5 cm deep puddle. My tent was barely high enough to keep the water out, but to our surprise the inside of the tent was still dry. We had to wait for a few hours until the clouds passed and the sky cleared up. When we got out of the tent we realised we set up our tents at the bottom of an incline where water likely collects and therefore huge puddles were all around us. Although it was getting late we had to pack up and continue down the trail because we couldn't go back or stay another night. Remember when we layed out our stuff to dry? My buddy forgto to bring his rain jacket and towel in, both were soaking wet. I was relatively dry but everything else was wet. After a few hours we found a hut and decided to stay another night before we went to the nearest city and got a taxi back to our car. It was a fun journey. The tent I used was an Exped Orion-ii-extreme. It's a heavyweight but I totally trust it in the rain after that experience. Although I would make some wiser camp choices next time it might rain. 😉☔

[@sharilynn3024]

This is the BEST VIDEO I have found regarding camping in wet weather! Thanks Dave! And Hi Emmett!!!

[@russellmerriman4905]

Hi Emmet! My biggest mistake wasn’t tent related, but making sure that if you are hiking to hole in the wall off Rialto Beach. Do not bring a stretcher with all your gear on it so that way you have a full sized cooler, 3 cases of beer, and several bags of ice. We get to the site we want to camp at it pours rain, thankfully we had a tarp for our gear to be under. Also on the Washington coast be wary of rocks filled with water. If you start a fire and they are there they will blow up and shoot shrapnel at you.

[@noahkleinschmidt]

Two things missing from this video are having a tarp inside the tent, and one over the tent. It probably wouldn’t work for ultralight camping / hiking, but it’s essential otherwise

[@hawong5379]

Thx, Great teachings for inexperienced campers like us.

[@alletecinc1]

I love how you include your new camera guy in the vid. Love what you do, keep up the great work and awesome content.

[@joycelove5454]

I learned about not letting the ground cloth stick out from under the tent the hard way. A friend & I were on a Bike Virginia trip many years ago & set up the tent. I knew rain was coming & thought, "Wonder if it matters if the ground cloth is sticking out from under the tent?" I looked around & saw a whole lot of other tents with the ground cloth sticking out, so I decided it must be okay. We went off to dinner & came back after the rains... to a tent with big old puddles up under it! I've never made that mistake again!

[@James-ke5sx]

My first backpacking trip went from Canada through United States down to the bottom of Mexico. I had zero camping experience but when I bought my equipment I just used my common sense, bought some good stuff and everything went 100% smoothly no problems. Luckily the tent that I bought was made here in Canada and it won a design award it was a winter tent that you could put up in less than 2 minutes in a Canadian blizzard with strong winds no problem

[@CindyClough]

Hi Emmett! Dan, thanks for mentioning the proper ground cloth set up. I see a number of tenters leave that cloth sticking out from the edges of their tents.

[@tudorverde]

I've put my tent on a flood way once and when it started raining, my tent became a fishing net: flood water was getting through the entrance and flowing out through the air net... Always camp on a higher spot and try to see how the flood water might come down from the mountain slopes.

[@lakorai2]

Silpoly is also superior in the rain vs silnylon. It is the reason why Dan Durston uses it on the X-Mid.

[@grimgranite]

Nice camera work and editing Emmett! I look forward to seeing you more on the channel. ⛺️👍🏻

[@emmetthendrickson2696]

Thank you so much! I'm really happy to be here!

[@ArtraLife]

this is great advice thanks so much! much needed for this weekend

[@wesrobmat]

I have a Bergens of Norway Fjell 3 funnel tent that does not have a footprint. The 70D nylon floor has held up very well against torrential weather but has on one occasion let water in over night when it came down all night! We will still dry and the vestibule kept all our gear dry!

[@pathwayoutdoors3492]

On a pretty windy weekend, I found a beautiful little low spot between to ridges to camp out of the wind. Will it rained that night and I woke up to standing water all around me. So be aware of those nice low flat spots if rain is in the forecast!

[@Tali-Khammael]

Hello Emmitt!! Thanks for doin a great job. And keep ur stuff and u dry at all times it'll make ur life sooo much more pleasant and safe!!! Be well be safe and enjoy enjoy enjoy!!😀😀

[@beckz4952]

Thank you so much Dan, you've shared a lot of knowledge, great vibes from you as well, much love from Canada 😊

[@MrSpoonage]

These videos are brilliant, thank you. I have had some personal issues, so started wild camping to clear my mind in the summer. Have been around England and Wales and my wife lets me go on my own also mostly so its just me. Everytime i wake up in the morning though, the ceiling of my sleeping area is always saturated wet with condensation which isnt nice when folding it all back up. Happy camping guyd ❤

[@mercedesaponte6201]

HI, Emmitt from CO!! So many hacks and details to learn about backpacking and changing technology. I love my Duplex!!

[@coachjonwood2918]

While I was in the USMC, We were cowboy camping on the beach in Ca. It was amazing until a light coastal mist at 0300 revealed we were camped in a dry stream bed. Good times. We humped those wet (cotton?) sleeping bags home. Heaviest pack I ever carried.

[@texasslingleadsomtingwong8751]

Lol. I turned my copper spur 2 into a boat one night. Did not realize during late night rain was collecting in my camping area from neighboring elevations. It was about an inch or two of water , but it kept it out . Surprised me. We still ended up soaked , taking camp down . It seemed to rain worse the faster we worked , lol.

[@feanythmayosh5525]

I don't backpack. I ride on road and off road with my motorbikes, but I do combine it with camping. Already learned a lot of your videos. Makes me look forward to this season of adventures.

[@martyfox9099]

Something I've always done with my tents is put a coat of scotch gard on the outside that has really helped with water proofing it

[@eas2252]

Tarps can also be tucked under the tent. It doesn't actually have to be smaller. Just roll any extra material out of sight under the tent.

[@jcwoods2311]

Welcome Emmitt(sp?)!!! Great shooting! While the Hydrostatic Head rating is an important tool for comparison, viewer opinion polling on aesthetics of the different rain flys will give us a more well rounded view. I suggest a stationary camera and a Live "Wet Rainfly Contest" between Dan and Emmitt. Viewer polling to be tabulated during said contest. Points for visual appeal, degree of soak through, adherence to skin, style, flexibility, etc. The cold wet conditions will also help show the "pokeability" resistance of the different fabrics. Of course no sponsors will be needed, a tip board would generate more than enough to support the production costs. "Skin to Win" button, $10 a click....🤣

[@emmetthendrickson2696]

Thank you!

[@coreyswann8735]

I made the mistake of using an oversized ground cover on a wet memorial day weekend once...wish you made this video 15 years ago Dan!

[@christinesmith8721]

Welcome Emmitt, I never take enough warm dry garments like socks, underwear and jumpers, especially socks...If you get wet feet it's so hard to get warm after that. 🥶 And I forget under grounding cover before setting up tent, I can see that under cover would make a huge difference for a warm dry tent In the rain 👍 and also how it protects the bottom of your tent...and also something I learnt on my last camping 🏕 trip with my grand children was buying bigger tent pegs, the pegs that came with my new tent was so small they kept pulling out, it spoilt our camping trip, especially as the ground where we set up was hard 😔 And remember to make sure the tent was erected far enough away from solid ground making room for the tent ropes and pegs to fix firmly into the ground, that was another issue we had faced....Thank you for a great video 👍

[@skytower309]

Another note for the guy ropes: some rain flys have straps that attach to the support poles. Those are important when it's windy.

[@staciecarrel4492]

We have a 4 season double walled tent where the mesh portions of the inner tent have waterproof panels zippered over them, allowing you to set it up in the rain without risking the inside getting wet. You’re supposed to open up most/all of those panels once the rainfly is on to prevent condensation. We forgot to do that part, on a very rainy night, effectively turning our double-walled tent into an unvented single-walled tent. It was a very damp night inside the tent even after we woke up at 5 am to condensation water droplets everywhere and opened up some of the panels.

[@mashadarii]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the water inside the tent mostly comes from you, right? So you could still have the same problem with the same set up but with no rain, yeah?

[@staciecarrel4492]

@@mashadarii there is such a thing as condensation, and that is an issue and why it’s good to have mesh panels on the tent’s body. The condensation collects on the inside of the rain fly and drips down the sides of that to the ground, instead of in a single-walled tent collecting on the inner walls of the tent and dripping down the sides onto the floor where you are sleeping. That is where 2-walled tents are better than single-walled tents. BUT that’s not the water I was talking about. I was talking about actual rain getting into your tent while setting it up. The way 2-walled tents are set up is you lay the ground cloth down, then lay out the mesh tent body with the waterproof bottom, then wrangle the tent poles into place to make the body hold it’s shape. Then once it’s all set up you throw the waterproof rain fly over it and secure it to the tent. The whole time you are working on the main tent body it is open to the elements until you get the rainfly on, which can be anywhere from a few minutes to 10 or 15 minutes, maybe more depending on how complex the tent’s set ip is and how proficient you are with it. In some rainstorms i’ve been in it only takes a couple of minutes to get soaked so completely there’s not a single stitch of dry clothing on me. With all that water falling onto the mesh tent body and collecting on the tent’s floor you could have a nice pond inside your tent by the time you get the rainfly on. This is where the 4-season that I have (maybe most 4-seasons) are great. They have unzippable waterproof nylon panels that cover the mesh parts AND a rain fly. So when packing the tent you make sure the nylon panels are all zipped up, and later (when setting up the tent) those nylon panels keep the rain from getting in the tent during set up, then you put the rainfly on, and then you open up all the mesh panels so you get the anti-condensation benefits of a typical 2-walled tent.

[@powskier]

I know one you didn't mention: Where you setup your tent is super important. Don't setup too close to a river in the spring. Rivers usually peak at night. Don't setup in a basin. Make sure you have good drainage.

[@zachredline]

Shoutout to fello wisconsinite. Also never hurts to include a small tarp, if nothing else, you can use it for canopy for cooking/eating or just an awning in front of the tent. And gallon size ziplock bags with the slide thing, are my favorite way to waterproof electronics and clothes, plus you can make them more compact.

[@dcchiasson5991]

Bring your sense of humour and fun. We spent a week camping in the rain one year - our son was about 7 at the time. By the second day, there was us and one other family. We had set up a tarp obverse the tent and picnic table, so had some dry space. But we especially had so much fun playing soccer in the rain. We had the entire campground to run around in, as well as the national park of course!

[@mysterylovescompany2657]

If you're well prepared to stay 1. Dry 2. Warm 3. Well-fed 4. Entertained* & 5. Well-rested (in descending order of importance), then you're equipped to wring fun & good memories rather than misery out of even the most adverse conditions. Sounds like your family are old pros.👍 *To the neophytes out there; when hiking, extra powerbanks for your phone are vital for this reason, & if you're not going UL, then a small paperback is rarely not a worthwhile investment (cards can also be good, if 1 of your mob has a tent big enough to play in). And when car-camping, you can go to town with tablets, boardgames, handset games; really anything. My personal favourite is to take a tiny projector (about the size of a smallish Good News Bible) which can play movies off any Bluetooth-capable device onto the tent wall for the whole crew to enjoy.😄

[@dcchiasson5991]

@@mysterylovescompany2657 We always purposefully went to campsites with no electric hookups, and brought no electronics. For me, that would defeat the purpose of going to the forest. Much preferred making our own fun, and carried a few handy portable games - Yatzhee, Story Cubes great in any language!), Basecamp Cards, etc. And hiking, of course. It’s amazing what you see when you’re attentive and have a gentle drizzle of rain covering any noise you’re making.

[@mysterylovescompany2657]

@@dcchiasson5991 I don't do campgrounds myself, as by the time you're running an electric cord, I agree, you're kind of missing out on the point of the experience. But I've never seen any harm in having some judiciously chosen electronics on hand for staving off tent-fever when need be. After all, both phones & tablets travel lighter than board games & most books of any decent thickness. And the phone you should have anyway, to be able to contact help if something goes pear-shaped, so it's not much of an extra effort. But different strokes, & all that. 🙂

[@mahirajsinhrathod1523]

Thank you for the simple trash bag in the backpack trick to keep things from getting wet. I was about to spend couple benjamins on a waterproof camping bag but i guess my good old swiss bag will do the job now💯

[@Oldsparkey]

You covered it pretty good. The top four mistakes I see all the time are. 1. The person did not seam seal the tent or have the manufacture do it. 2. The ground cloth sticks out all the way around the tent. I have even seen one person use the ground cloth INSIDE his tent , Yep , INSIDE. Plus he swears up and down that's the way it's meant to be used. LOL 3. Setting the tent up in a depression or actually in a water run off ditch with rain in the forecast. 4. Having the tent under a widow maker and not bother to check the trees for danger. I hammock camp 90% of the time so all I worry about are widow makers.

[@christinemeleg4535]

Always check to see if your camping equipment is water proof before you go camping. I always set up my tent, ground tarp underneath, then take a garden hose and spray nozzle and at the highest volume of water pressure soak the tent for at least thirty minutes. Better to fix leaks at home or replace the tent then wish you had! My late best friend and I spent a few night in Arizona during a monsoon storm that wasn't predicted. We stayed dry and slept well with rain beating down on the tent. My tent was figured to be a four man tent, better when car camping, more room less contact with tent walls, less soggy camping!!

[@ambilaevus7607]

I never experienced camping until I became a scout leader. My scout master (technically my kids scout master but I my heart he was mine too) told me to always have a heavy tarp at least 10ft folded in the pack. In the event of tent failure, need for a large rain cover or someone forgetting to bring a vapor barrier that tarp was a God send. He also taught me the trash bag trick. In the event of trash bag failure, I also have contents in 1gal ziploc type bags.

[@gumbi8989]

From the 3 big Agnes ultralight tents I just looked at. Fly creek, tiger wall, & copper spur; all 3 have the 1200mm grade. All 3 are totally different prices, but the same mm grade.

[@monzarace]

I am very grateful for my old Fjällräven Akka shape r/s2. 2,4 kilo for two persons, but can take a weather beating and I just cut down on other items. Works well in snow too.

[@hremaddox]

Hi, Emmet! I weathered a tropical storm in an Ozark Trail tent with 4 kids in tow. Fun times.

[@mrspleasants8529]

HI Emit...learning from mistakes is the best way to learn.

[@TRSwanVideos]

Years ago my fellow campers left their fly and windows open during the day while we were away on an excursion. Needless to say it rained. We had a lot of unhappy wet campers. I was on high ground and dry. I slept well!

[@ThanatosWings]

Omg, i once put my sleeping bag and lower half into a garbage bag thinking it woudl keep me dryer during a rain storm but i sweated through the whole bottom of the bag and was soaking wet from comdensation inside the garbage bag. My down sleeping bag stayed wet for days till i got to a town and put it in a dryer.

[@mysterylovescompany2657]

Yeah, the ol' garbage bag bivvy only works if you keep it reeeal loose, & take breaks if you're getting steamy. It's imperfect but, like most flawed solutions, it does have its place.

[@john_kelley]

Setting up in a valley....all the water drained down to my camp. There was a river running under me. 😳

[@kenm4678]

Someting missed on the guy lines. Often they have a backing on the inside that is a Velcro wrap. This is wraped around the frame poles to dull directly on the frame adding a lot of stability.