A rainfly is designed to protect your tent. It's the primary barrier to keeping the weather outside, and you comfortable inside. Now that you know what a rainfly is, let me explain a little more about it.
Old-style single wall canvas tents were notorious for leaking if the walls or ceiling were accidentally touched when it rained. Rainflies help to eliminate this because they are suspended above the tent and do not touch it. So it could be raining cats and dogs but the rainfly repels the rain, and keeps you dry.
Even though some rainflies may be water-resistant enough to touch and not cause a leak, I'd still avoid touching them in a storm. But this really shouldn't be an issue as long as the tent doesn't get pushed out several inches to bump into the rainfly. Although I'd probably avoid spirited games of in-tent racquetball on those rainy days.
Large rainflies are also extremely handy for storage. If you've got a lot of gear or like to bring your mountain bike camping having this extra storage can definitely make things easier. This area can also double as a sleep area for your dog if he/she has a tendency to sprawl out while they're sleeping and claim the whole tent for him or herself.
Rainflies come in various sizes. They range from full flies that shield the whole tent, to so-called rainflies that really don't do much of anything because they only cover the top portion of the tent so that any rain that falls on them ends up running down the side of the tent anyway. And if the rainfly isn't shielding your tent what good is it doing really?
The conditions you camp in will determine what size of rainfly you are going to want. If you camp where it rains a lot, the longer the rainfly the better. With a full rainfly more water that splashes off the ground will land on your rainfly too, which means less of it will get your tent wet. The longer rainfly also helps to stop a majority of wind-driven rain.
If you only camp in areas that don't get much rain, then you may want to go for a half-fly. A half-length fly will help to keep the rain off your tent while at the same time providing more ventilation.
If you're concerned about getting a full rainfly because you also want as much ventilation as possible when it's nice outside, then make sure to get a tent that has a fully removable rainfly. This way you can get the best of both worlds. Here are a few other things to consider when you're looking for your next tent...
Bathtub floor- Does the tent you're considering have a bathtub floor that is thicker than the wall material to ensure longevity? Is the floor material treated to make it even more water resistant? Is the floor one piece (not as common), or if not are the seams taped effectively (more common)?
Notice how the tent walls rise several inches above the floor to help keep water out.
Footprints- Some footprints come with the tent and some must be bought separately. The protection they offer is well worth the extra $30 or so invested, even if you have to buy them separately. The alternative is to replace your tent's floor when it wears out, which I'm sure you can imagine isn't going to be cheap or easy. If you go with a factory footprint just make sure to get the one designed to match your tent. If they don't make one, or if you want to save that $30 to get another piece of gear, you can always buy a decently thick piece of tarp and fold or cut it to size to fit. (Continued below.)
Notice that left to right the footprint is completely underneath the tent floor, while the footprint front to back hangs out at least a foot. The reason for this is that when the tent is up the rainfly will cover it, although it will need to be adjusted.
Your footprint should be just slightly smaller than your tent floor. This is so rain won't collect on the way down, otherwise it will pool water underneath your tent which as you already know, isn't good.
Gear Lofts- Gear lofts aren't extremely common but you can get them as an additional accessory for some tents. They can be really handy to get light things up off the floor and out of the way. Gear pockets are also extremely helpful for the same reason. Anything you can do to get things off the floor and out of the way will give you that much more room to move around. (Continued below.)
A picture of one of four small stowage pockets.
Guy Lines- There isn't much to say about guy lines except to make sure they're good quality and that usually isn't too much of an issue. One thing worth mentioning though if you have a habit of tripping over your guy lines a lot in the dark, is to pick up some reflective lines. If they help you avoid one good trip-up they might save you a ripped tie-down or rainfly.
If you look closely you will notice that these particular guy lines are adjustable which makes it easier
to find a location to anchor your tent stakes if the ground is rocky. Of course you can always adjust your guy lines by tying them off short too.
Quality Stitching- A tents stitching can tell you a lot about the quality of a tent. Is it straight and even, or does it wander? If it's single-stitched, does it go straight down the seam? Is the seam double-stitched or does it only have one line of stitches? Does the thread look thick enough to be durable and are high stress areas reinforced with extra material and/or stitching?
Notice how the vent stitching is double-stitched and nice and even.
Taped seams- Are the seams taped or welded to keep out the water? Can you see light through the needle holes where the fabric panels come together that might let water in, or are they tightly sealed? Does the stitching run down the middle of the tape, or does it wander on and off the edges allowing an opening for water to enter? It should be OK if the stitches wander a little, but if they go completely off the tape there's more of a chance they'll leak.
Tent Stakes- What are the tent stakes made of? Are they cheap plastic or flimsy aluminum that will break or bend the first time they hit a rock, or are they stakes that might outlast your tent? (Don't be surprised if your new tent is offered with cheap tent stakes because most are. Just be aware of that and order good stakes if the tent you want doesn't come with them).
Also...
A picture of what typical cheap tent stakes look like after hitting a rock, root, or hard soil. Although they'll still work they have a tendency to bend again and are more difficult to use.
Do the stakes have a loop of cord or something that will make them easy to pull out? Are they compatible with the type of camping you plan on doing? Just a heads-up, snow-stakes and sand-stakes are designed specifically for their relative environments, so you might want to invest in a set if you decide to do a lot of beach or winter camping.
Oh, and make sure not to confuse a 'stake' with a 'steak'. While a steak might be tasty, it won't do much to keep your tent in place. And just in case you happen to be a vegetarian... Tofu doesn't work well either.
Old-style single wall canvas tents were notorious for leaking if the walls or ceiling were accidentally touched when it rained. Rainflies help to eliminate this because they are suspended above the tent and do not touch it. So it could be raining cats and dogs but the rainfly repels the rain, and keeps you dry.
Even though some rainflies may be water-resistant enough to touch and not cause a leak, I'd still avoid touching them in a storm. But this really shouldn't be an issue as long as the tent doesn't get pushed out several inches to bump into the rainfly. Although I'd probably avoid spirited games of in-tent racquetball on those rainy days.
Large rainflies are also extremely handy for storage. If you've got a lot of gear or like to bring your mountain bike camping having this extra storage can definitely make things easier. This area can also double as a sleep area for your dog if he/she has a tendency to sprawl out while they're sleeping and claim the whole tent for him or herself.
Rainflies come in various sizes. They range from full flies that shield the whole tent, to so-called rainflies that really don't do much of anything because they only cover the top portion of the tent so that any rain that falls on them ends up running down the side of the tent anyway. And if the rainfly isn't shielding your tent what good is it doing really?
The conditions you camp in will determine what size of rainfly you are going to want. If you camp where it rains a lot, the longer the rainfly the better. With a full rainfly more water that splashes off the ground will land on your rainfly too, which means less of it will get your tent wet. The longer rainfly also helps to stop a majority of wind-driven rain.
If you only camp in areas that don't get much rain, then you may want to go for a half-fly. A half-length fly will help to keep the rain off your tent while at the same time providing more ventilation.
If you're concerned about getting a full rainfly because you also want as much ventilation as possible when it's nice outside, then make sure to get a tent that has a fully removable rainfly. This way you can get the best of both worlds. Here are a few other things to consider when you're looking for your next tent...
Bathtub floor- Does the tent you're considering have a bathtub floor that is thicker than the wall material to ensure longevity? Is the floor material treated to make it even more water resistant? Is the floor one piece (not as common), or if not are the seams taped effectively (more common)?
Notice how the tent walls rise several inches above the floor to help keep water out.
Footprints- Some footprints come with the tent and some must be bought separately. The protection they offer is well worth the extra $30 or so invested, even if you have to buy them separately. The alternative is to replace your tent's floor when it wears out, which I'm sure you can imagine isn't going to be cheap or easy. If you go with a factory footprint just make sure to get the one designed to match your tent. If they don't make one, or if you want to save that $30 to get another piece of gear, you can always buy a decently thick piece of tarp and fold or cut it to size to fit. (Continued below.)
Notice that left to right the footprint is completely underneath the tent floor, while the footprint front to back hangs out at least a foot. The reason for this is that when the tent is up the rainfly will cover it, although it will need to be adjusted.
Your footprint should be just slightly smaller than your tent floor. This is so rain won't collect on the way down, otherwise it will pool water underneath your tent which as you already know, isn't good.
Gear Lofts- Gear lofts aren't extremely common but you can get them as an additional accessory for some tents. They can be really handy to get light things up off the floor and out of the way. Gear pockets are also extremely helpful for the same reason. Anything you can do to get things off the floor and out of the way will give you that much more room to move around. (Continued below.)
A picture of one of four small stowage pockets.
Guy Lines- There isn't much to say about guy lines except to make sure they're good quality and that usually isn't too much of an issue. One thing worth mentioning though if you have a habit of tripping over your guy lines a lot in the dark, is to pick up some reflective lines. If they help you avoid one good trip-up they might save you a ripped tie-down or rainfly.
If you look closely you will notice that these particular guy lines are adjustable which makes it easier
to find a location to anchor your tent stakes if the ground is rocky. Of course you can always adjust your guy lines by tying them off short too.
Quality Stitching- A tents stitching can tell you a lot about the quality of a tent. Is it straight and even, or does it wander? If it's single-stitched, does it go straight down the seam? Is the seam double-stitched or does it only have one line of stitches? Does the thread look thick enough to be durable and are high stress areas reinforced with extra material and/or stitching?
Notice how the vent stitching is double-stitched and nice and even.
Taped seams- Are the seams taped or welded to keep out the water? Can you see light through the needle holes where the fabric panels come together that might let water in, or are they tightly sealed? Does the stitching run down the middle of the tape, or does it wander on and off the edges allowing an opening for water to enter? It should be OK if the stitches wander a little, but if they go completely off the tape there's more of a chance they'll leak.
Tent Stakes- What are the tent stakes made of? Are they cheap plastic or flimsy aluminum that will break or bend the first time they hit a rock, or are they stakes that might outlast your tent? (Don't be surprised if your new tent is offered with cheap tent stakes because most are. Just be aware of that and order good stakes if the tent you want doesn't come with them).
Also...
A picture of what typical cheap tent stakes look like after hitting a rock, root, or hard soil. Although they'll still work they have a tendency to bend again and are more difficult to use.
Do the stakes have a loop of cord or something that will make them easy to pull out? Are they compatible with the type of camping you plan on doing? Just a heads-up, snow-stakes and sand-stakes are designed specifically for their relative environments, so you might want to invest in a set if you decide to do a lot of beach or winter camping.
Oh, and make sure not to confuse a 'stake' with a 'steak'. While a steak might be tasty, it won't do much to keep your tent in place. And just in case you happen to be a vegetarian... Tofu doesn't work well either.
No comments:
Post a Comment