Pitching a tent in the rain

kate.80

We are looking at going camping in the next few weeks and I was hoping for some tips to make it easier in the rain - the weather doesn't seem to be getting any better so I want to be prepared.

There will be me, my husband and 4 year old son and we are total camping novices.

Hubby will be having a practice of putting the tent up in the garden so he has a better idea of how everything goes together. How much harder is it to put the tent up while it's raining?

Thanks

Alias_Omega

Practice makes perfect, so definately get the tent up and down a few times in the garden.

The first time you put it up, you might need to assemble the guide ropes etc. It might be wise to purchase a rubber mallet from Wilkinsons etc to insert the pegs.

I once put up a brand new tent, in the wind and it was a right nightmare. None of the guide ropes were tied on, and it made life a misery.

"Fail to Prepare....Prepare to Fail.."

flea72

tbh rain doesnt make pitching a tent harder, your biggest enemy is the wind, and subsequent cold hands that mean you cant do the simplest task.

the only downside to pitching in the rain, is everything gets wet, inside and out - if you think it will be raining when you arrive, then have your tent in the most easiest position to get it out first, without having to move anything out the way. also, if possible have the tent packed, so you only have the outer skin, poles, pegs and ropes together - that way your inner tents wont be exposed to the elements, until you have the waterproof part pitched.

based on the rain we have had of late (and are still expecting) get yourself some storm pegs and also double peg everything with the pegs going in at opposite angles. this gives more grip and hopefully will stop your tent blowing away (worst case scenario)

unfortunately, most tents are a 2-person job, so have stuff to hand that your child can do in the car to keep them occupied while you get on with the job of pitching - theres no point all of you getting wet and having kids under your feet too, makes it 10 times slower/difficult to pitch

also, wear the least clothes you can, or something that will dry quickly or tumble. i have seen men in shorts and crocs pitch tents in the rain before, as wet clothes just slow you down, and the nice shoes and jeans you arrived in, will prob take the whole of the holiday to dry

other than that, do like most other people. sit in your car, staring into space and hope the rain eases just long enough for you to put it up

i would also recommend taking lots of black bin bags with you. because if its raining when you take the tent down, you arent going to want to fold it nicely and put away in its bag. you will want to drop it and dump in the car asap, to sort out at home in the dry

F

Bob_the_Saver

Just don't do it.

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/06/25/light_storm_wideweb__430x283.jpg

wallbash

Poles / frame , colour code to make reassembly easier.
Go to the trouble of putting different sections together with rubber bands, i.e four pieces of frame , in a rubber band , colour coded ...... stay together.

vax2002

Take some pans from home ! And make sure the little one has a torch that works.
Other than that, enjoy the holiday.

fwor

As suggested above, many (most?) modern tents are designed for the outer to be pitched first, so make sure you keep the inner dry in the car until the outer is up and you can then take your time with the inner under shelter.

One other tip that I got recently is to take a thick plastic sheet (building DPM for example) the same size as the inner's groundsheet and put that down first. It stops the groundsheet from getting too muddy underneath and also offers some protection against sharp objects on the ground (discarded/lost tent pegs are often a culprit here) making holes in your groundsheet.

booma_mitch

We seem to pitch in the rain every time we go! I tend to pack the car (roofbox and trailer!) with this in mind. In the car goes the stuff that we need to get the tent up so the footprint, poles, tent and awning together with our toolbox that has all the pegs, mallets, spare guy ropes etc. in it. We always travel in shorts/tshirts/crocs as well. We always have a packed lunch ready for the kids so they can stay in the car eating while we get the tent up. We do this whatever the weather as it is much easier without their "help".

It really is just a case of trying to work as systematically as possible. While hubby is pegging the footprint I am usually laying the poles out in the approximate places we will need them. Then get the tent laid out and up as quickly as possible. Once up, we then open up the front of the awning and bring the trailer in and empty that into the tent. Put everything up and into place. Then onto the roof box which we usually put things that we need last that are easily thrown, like the clothes bag, sleeping bags for the kids, sheets, blankets etc.

Then we get changed into nice dry clothes and reward ourselves with a nice cold glass of wine!

Enjoy

eamon

There is one rule and one rule only.

No alcoholic beverage or other subtances is permitted until your house is fit for habitation!

martinthebandit

eamon wrote: »

There is one rule and one rule only.

No alcoholic beverage or other subtances is permitted until your house is fit for habitation!

Actually, from experience, the rule should be

'The wife and kids should go to the shop and don't come back until I have got this (insert appropriate swear words here) tent up'

Sooler

kate.80 wrote: »

Hubby will be having a practice of putting the tent up in the garden so he has a better idea of how everything goes together. How much harder is it to put the tent up while it's raining?

Get your hosepipe out a sprinkle hubby with a shower as he tries to put the tent up, chuck some buckets of of water over him too in case you have to cope with a deluge or flood.