It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent - Dave Barry
Packing a tent, and everything that you’ll need for a weekend away in the wilderness is one of life’s little pleasures.
The chance to get away from the rat race and spend time with your nearest and dearest in nature, gazing up at the stars as night falls shouldn’t just be an idle fantasy or a daydream that helps to get you through the days you spend stuck behind your desk or gazing endlessly at the production line. All that you really need to make those dreams come true, is the right tent.
But it isn’t just the birds, bees, and trees that you need to think about when you’re choosing the right tent to head out into the hills with.
You’ll also have to consider and take into account the unpredictable nature of the weather, and the black clouds and storms that can appear out of nowhere and make the heavens open and drown forests and mountains alike with a month worth of rain in a single evening.
After all, you wouldn't be the first camper to have had their long-deserved getaway ruined by an unexpected deluge. Just thinking about the possibility that it might happen is enough to make you put your dreams on hold and the brakes on looking for the right tent.
But with my help, you won’t have to worry about the rain and you can make your dreams of camping out under the stars a reality. I’ve been where you are now and I know how important it is to find the right tent to protect you from the elements.
That’s why I spent weeks searching for the best tents for heavy rain so that even if the heavens do open while you’re in the great outdoors, you’ll always be warm, safe, and dry and able to make the most of your well-deserved, and thoroughly earned vacation.
It’s time to indulge your fantasy and ensure you stay dry with the best rain and water-proof tents that any, and every, camper can put their faith in…
OUR TOP PICK
Getting away for the weekend doesn’t mean that you have to hit the trails and hike every available forest path.
Sometimes, you just want to spend time with your family and friends, hang out at a campground, and enjoy a barbecue and the peace and quiet that you’ll find somewhere far from home and your usual stomping ground. And that’s where Wenzel comes in.
With the Klondike, it doesn’t matter how big your family is, or how many of your friends decide to pack their bags and accompany you, it has more than enough room for you and all of your nearest and dearest.
Offering ninety-eight square feet of living room and standing at six and a half feet tall, the Klondike has two separate interior spaces, so you’ll have all of the privacy that you need and its own purpose-built “camping porch”, so it’ll feel like your home away from home, no matter how near or far you roam.
Made from the tough polyurethane fabric that Wenzel refers to as weather armor, the Klondike was built to keep you and your family comfortable, warm, safe, and dry.
No matter how hard the rain comes down, or how much of it falls on the Klondike, not a single drop will make it through to spoil you, your friends, and your families much needed vacation time.
Pros
- Armored Against The Weather - The Klondike is made from double-stitched polyurethane that’ll hold firm against any amount of rainfall. There’s a reason Wenzel calls it Weather Armor because no amount of rain gets through its defenses.
- All That Space - With six and a half feet of head clearance and ninety-eight square feet of living space, the Klondike will comfortably house, and shelter up to eight people.
- Separate Porch And Sleeping Space - Privacy is important, and when you need to get some while you’re out in the wild, the separate sleeping quarters and porch provide all the solitude that you or anyone else in your party could ever want or need.
Cons
- Zipped Up Tight - In order to keep everyone and everything sharing the Klondike with you safe from the elements, you’ll need to make sure that all of the zips are fastened, or the rain might just get in.
EDITORS CHOICE
If you’re torn between hiring a cabin or taking one with you on your outdoor adventures, then it makes a lot of sense to take your “cabin” with you.
And thanks to Standing Room Tents (who are possibly one of the most aptly named brands in the world), that’s exactly what you can do with this incredibly spacious, family size tent.
Math was never my strong point, but this ten-foot by ten-foot tent stands eight and a half feet tall, which means that it’ll have all of the room that you and your family will ever need to enjoy a weekend or a week away.
Standing Room says that it’ll comfortably accommodate four campers, but I think that they’re understating the amount of available space in this tent.
If your family is slightly larger and you have a couple of smaller children with you, the Cabin has all the room that you’ll ever need.
And as it’s made from one hundred and fifty denier polyester, it’ll keep your family safe from the elements and the weather, and rain will never, ever stop play.
Easy to set up, the Cabin also has four large interior pouches to keep all of your most vital possessions safe and out of harm’s way and also has four doors for easy access and entry.
Pros
- Space Will Never Be An Issue - At ten foot square and eight and a half feet high, the Cabin tent has more than enough room for even the most demanding family.
- Fully Waterproof - As it’s engineered from tough, durable one hundred and fifty denier polyester, it’ll hold up to even the fiercest storms and keep whoever is inside it safe from whatever is happening outside it.
- Four By Four - With four spacious pouches inside (and access room for two power cords) and four doors, the Cabin was, and is designed to ensure that you’ll be able to fully relax and enjoy all the time that you spend in it.
Cons
- Marquee - It might have been designed to resemble a Cabin, but truthfully it looks more like a wedding marquee, So if style and looking good are important to you and your family, maybe you’ll be better off looking elsewhere for your shelter.
- Size Is An Issue - All that space and simplicity comes with a premium, which in this case is the weight of the Cabin. It’s heavy and bulky and isn’t exactly the easiest of tents to carry around.
BEST VALUE
When you want to throw caution to the wind and ensure that you and your family will be safe, secure and out of the harm’s way of the weather, the only tent that you’ll ever need to look at is the technologically laden Core.
That tent was made to do it all and that’s exactly what it does. If it could, it would sit up and beg and ask to play fetch at every single opportunity.
Let’s talk about that technology that’s been designed to keep you, your family, and your friends dry. Core uses a system that they call H2O block which uses a combination of cleverly engineered seams and polyester to ensure that no water at all can get in the tent.
And, to let all of the moisture in the air inside the tent out, so you won’t be plagued by condensation, the Core has ground intake vents that draw the cool air in and a mesh roof to let the warm air out.
Able to sleep up to nine people, this seven-foot-high tent also has interior dividers which will provide the privacy that all of the occupants, regardless of who they are, will have all the privacy that they want and need while safe and warm, and protected from the elements in the trusted embrace of Core’s nine-person waterproof tent.
Pros
- It’s All About The Technology - Core uses a clever combination of technology, namely their H2O Block and the vents and mesh, to ensure that the inside of their tent isn’t bothered by any form of moisture, and keeps you bone dry.
- Simple Set-Up - It literally takes sixty seconds to set up and another sixty seconds to take down. Simple, warm, and safe. What more could you want, or ask from a tent?
- All The Space You Need - At seven feet high, able to sleep nine people, and with room dividers installed, the Core is the only tent that you or your family will ever want or need.
Cons
- Size Is A Problem - It’s big, bulky, and isn’t easy to carry. You won’t be venturing too far into the wilderness with the Core unless you’re traveling by truck
RUNNER UP
Made to keep you and your family safe and secure from the elements, come rain or shine, the Cherokee is constructed from one hundred and ninety thread count polyester and polyurethane so it doesn’t just keep the rain out, it also protects you from the UV rays that the sun pumps out.
A tent for all seasons, the Cherokee sleeps up to nine people, so whether you’re heading out for a family vacation or a getaway with your buddies, it’ll keep you safe and sheltered no matter what kind of weather you end up facing.
Easy to set up, the Cherokee uses NTJ’s patented Nano-Flex poles, so it’ll stand firm against howling gales, and anything, within reason that Mother Nature hurls at it.
A double wide zipper fastened door grants easy access to the Cherokee, and the interior room divider can be used to guarantee the privacy and all of the quiet you time that you’ll need, whenever you’ll need it.
Pros
- Size And Space – With an impressive ten foot by twelve foot base and a seven foot high center, the Cherokee is more than large enough to accommodate nine of your friends or family, no matter how big they are.
- Built For Wind, Rain And Shine – Its dome design and Nano-Flex tubing make sure that the Cherokee will stand its ground even when it’s faced with raging winds and the polyester and polyurethane combination that’s made form keeps you safe from all of the rain and UV rays that might decide to throw a wrench in the works of your weekend getaway.
- Lightweight And Simple – Easy to set up and surprisingly light, it’s an ideal tent to throw in the back of your truck and hit the hills with.
Cons
- No Frills – It just does exactly what it says it will. It’s a no-frills tent that provides you with shelter and keeps you safe from the elements and the weather. And that’s all it is, and ever will.
RUNNER UP
Working hard and playing hard is exactly the same for Kelty, as all of their work and play happens in the same place, outside.
That’s why their one-man tent was made to stand up to the elements, and the No-See-Um sixty-eight denier polyester walls and floor provide eighteen hundred millimeters of rain and waterproofing, which in camping newbie speak is all of the protection that you'll never need when the rain clouds roll in.
Kelty has even designed their tent with a quick pitch system, so wherever you need or want to lay your head for the evening, you can set your tent up in next to no time.
It’s even got overhead storage compartments and with six and a half square feet of interior room, you’ll have all the room that you need to enjoy as much peace and solitude as you want to.
Pros
- Ready To Go – Fully waterproofed and easy to set up (as soon as you’ve set it up once, you’ll never need to read the instructions again) this tent will keep you safe, warm, and dry even when the heavens open and all the rain in creation falls from the sky.
- Storage And Security – Incredibly spacious for a single person, it also has all sorts of clever internal storage, which means that there’s a place for everything and you can put everything in its place.
Cons
- Heavier Than It Looks – It might have been engineered to be simple to set-up and protect you from the rain, wind, and the sun, but all of the inbuilt ingenuity and inventiveness can’t save this tent from being incredibly heavy and cumbersome to carry.
RUNNER UP
Ayamaya believes in keeping things as simple as they can possibly be and that includes their tents. They want the time that you spend away from the home and in the wild, to be as much fun as it can possibly be and as simple and straightforward as it can possibly be.
And when they say that it’s a pop-up tent, they mean it, as all you need to do to set it up, is open the bag, let it unfold itself, and seconds later, you’ll have enough shelter and sleeping room for five people and all of their hiking and camping gear.
The unique double layer design of the tent, and outer and inner layers that are connected by a patented hook system, help to prevent the build-up of condensation inside the tent and provide up to three thousand millimeters of waterproof protection.
That means that you’ll be able to relax inside the Ayamaya safe and content in the knowledge that you have all the room that you need, and that it will keep you warm, safe, and dry.
And with four windows, and double vented, easy access doors built-in, all you’ll ever have to do to enjoy everything that this tent has to offer, is open a bag and free it and fold it and put it away again when it’s time for you to move on.
Pros
- Double Layered – It's fully sealed and the double layered design means that it provides up to three thousand millimeters of waterproofing. In other words, no water is going to get in, and it’ll let all the condensation out.
- If The Wind Sets In – Its design was aerodynamically created to provide maximum protection against the wind as well as the rain. Whatever the weather, you’ll be safe in Ayamaya’s hands.
- Pop-Up – When Ayamaya says that this tent pops up, they mean it. Just take it out of the bag that it comes in and it’ll set itself up in a second while you watch. How much easier could setting a tent up be?
Cons
- It’s A Weight Thing – Simplicity and size come at a price. And in the case of the Ayamaya, that price is its weight. It's incredibly heavy and isn’t exactly the most portable or easiest of tents to carry around the wilderness or while you’re backpacking.
RUNNER UP
The simple truth of camping is that no-one really likes venturing out alone, and we all enjoy a little company when we head out into the wild.
I know I do, and I’m sure you do too. That’s why I enjoy spending time with one of my buddies or my partner, whichever of them wants to come camping with me, in my Clostnature two person tent when I hit the trails.
It’s easy and quick to set up, and the two hundred and ten polyester and polyurethane combination that’s been heat sealed makes it completely water and weatherproof.
I’m a big guy, which makes it difficult to find a tent that’s large enough for me to fully stretch out and relax in, but the Clostanature is nearly seven and a half feet long, so there’s more than enough room for me to stretch my legs and get a good night's sleep, even when the wind is howling and it feels like the sky is about to fall on my head.
It ticks all of the tent boxes that I, and you’ll need it to. It’s warm, safe, secure and it’ll keep you dry no matter what.
Pros
- Fully Weather Proofed - The polyester and polyurethane combination that the Clostanature is made from, along with the heat-sealed seams that are part of its design means that there’s no way that any water is ever going to get inside this tent. It’ll keep you dry even if you want to go camping in the middle of the most rain laden season ever recorded.
- Lightweight - When it’s collapsed and packed away, it weighs just five and a half pounds, which makes it easy to carry and doesn’t limit your choice of destinations. It follows and adheres to, a simple motto. Have tent, will travel.
- Limited Lifetime Warranty – If your tent fails at any point, due to design or manufacturing problems, then Clostanature will either replace it or refund you.
Cons
- Just Wide Enough. Maybe... - It’s a little narrow, so you’re going to be sleeping close to whoever it is that’s sharing your tent with you. If you’re one of those people who like the security and comfort of your own personal space, Clostanature might be a little close for your liking.
RUNNER UP
So. I’ve told you about the best two, four, eight and ten people tent options, and I’ve pointed you in the right direction of the best single person option, but what we haven’t talked about at all, if the best three person tent to hit the trails in all sorts of weather with. And that three person option is the Moko.
Most tents are designed to be used for two or three seasons, but the Moko is an all year round, four season tent. The floor of the tent has a five thousand millimeter waterproof rating, while the rest of the tent is rated at around two and half thousand millimeters.
The vents that are part and parcel of its design also ensure that no moisture can collect inside the tent, while the window at the rear of the tent allows you to keep an eye on the weather, so you’ll always know when it’s safe to break camp and head out to your next campground.
It’s also devastatingly easy to set up and the large vestibule at the front means that you'll always have somewhere warm, dry, and safe to store your gear so that you can make the most of all of the room inside the tent.
And it’s just as straightforward to take down and pack away as it is to set up, and as it’s light too, it’s an ideal addition to any serious adventurers camping arsenal.
Pros
- All Year Round – It's a four season tent that you can use day in and day out all year round. It’ll withstand and protect you from any and all weather that might otherwise spoil your day.
- Fully Waterproofed – With a combination floor rating of five thousand millimeters and the rest of the tent being rated at two and a half thousand it won't allow any water into the tent that you don’t want inside it.
- That Vestibule – I can’t get over the vestibule, it completely sold me on this tent, it’s such a neat idea that I can’t believe that no one else has ever used it. It seems crazy I know, but it really is the little things that matter.
Cons
- Weight Matters – Admittedly, it is a little heavy and cumbersome but if you really want to explore the wilderness with it, you’ll be able to. My old drill sergeant used to tell me that pain is just weakness leaving the body, but I figure that was just his way of saying that if you want it badly enough, you can get it. And if you want this tent badly enough, you’ll be able to carry it no problem at all.
Best Tent for Heavy Rain Buying Guide
Which Is The Best Rainproof Tent For Me?
That, unfortunately, is a question that only you can answer, as you’re the only person who knows how many people are going to be sleeping in your tent and what your budget is.
So, decide what your budget is, and knowing how many people are going to be sleeping in your tent, take another, closer look at my list.
You’ll be surprised by how quickly your perfect tent jumps out at you. And who knows, when you’re set up and ready to go camping, maybe we’ll bump into each other somewhere along the trail.
FAQ's
What Is The Best Tent For Rain?
That’s a good question, and it depends entirely on the size of that tent that you want, and need. Personally, I only need a two person tent, and the one that I use and would always use is the Clostanature two person tent.
It’s rated at five thousand millimeters of waterproofing which means that it'll be able to withstand a monsoon if America ever had to face one, but as it doesn’t, I know I’ll always be safe and dry inside it.
If you want and need a bigger tent, all of the family sized tents on my list are ideal for spending some time outside even if it is raining.
The best way to know which tent is the best to protect you against the rain, is by checking the waterproof rating, which is always measured in millimeters. The higher the rating, the better the tent is.
Do All Tents Leak In Heavy Rain?
The simple and uncomfortable truth of the matter is, that all tents can and often do leak during heavy rain.
While most tents with a high waterproof rating won’t leak, if the rain is persistent enough, water can pass between the micro-fibers of the material that a tent is made from.
And the older a tent gets and the more it’s used, the weaker it becomes. The seams are one of the areas that begin to fail first and often start to leak before the rest of a tent does.
Honestly, the only way that I’ve found to guarantee that it won’t happen, and won’t be an issue that you can’t live with, is by replacing your tent every five years or so.
Is 3000mm Waterproofing Good For A Tent?
Actually, it is. But it doesn’t matter what kind of rating your tent has, if the rain that it’s been set up to last for long enough, even a five thousand millimeter waterproofed (or if you want to use its technical term, hydrostatic head measurement) tent will begin to leak.
It won’t leak much, but it will begin to leak if enough rain falls and it gets wet enough. Nature is incredibly tenacious and always finds a way.
Can Tents Withstand Rain?
All tents can withstand rain and they all have a waterproof, or hydrostatic head rating. The higher the figure is, the more rain they can withstand and the drier they’ll be.
Always check the rating, which is measured in thousands of millimeters, before deciding to buy a tent. The bigger that number is, the better that tent will be.
Why Do Tents Get Wet Inside?
The simple answer? Condensation. The temperature variable between the inside and the outside of the tent causes the air inside a tent to condense and line the inside fabric of the tent.
This water can then begin to drip inside a tent, which can make you think that your tent is leaking when it isn’t. One of the biggest causes of condensation in a tent though is you.
Every time you exhale while you’re breathing, your breath contains moisture and when you’re locked inside a tent, that moisture has to go somewhere.
It condenses, clings to the inside of the tent, and if you’re in the tent for long enough, will begin to drip, and make you think that your tent is leaking.
Most modern tents use a combination of vents in the floor and the doors and mesh roofs to allow cool air to pass into the tent and warm air to flow out, which greatly reduces the amount of condensation that collects inside a tent.
Should You Put A Tarp Under Your Tent?
Absolutely.
Tarps can help to protect the floor of your tent from being damaged, or punctured by the area that you set it up in and increase the longevity and effective and usable lifespan of your tent.
They can also help to increase the waterproof or hydrostatic head value of your tent by providing an additional layer of protection against rain and groundwater.