Rain Fly Question

[pololy]

I do not understand rain fly's that only cover the top of the tent.

I recently bought a nice, large (car camping) tent made by Swiss Gear from someone on craigslist. If you search "Swiss Gear Valais" on amazon, you'll see it.

I like it a lot but I'm just confused by tents that have, what seems to me, a partial rain fly. I feel like any really good or long rain event, let alone with wind(!) is basically going to put the tent walls to the test as your rain barrier.

I feel like this tent needs another rain fly or some protection from the rain if it's at all in the forecast. What's the deal?

 

[ChadTower]

You can string a tarp up above it for more protection. A lot of folks do that. I usually have an EZ Up that I put over the picnic table. If it's going to be bad I move that to over the tent instead. Really, though, if your tent is waterproof it should be okay the way that one is assuming you zip the windows closed. Renew the waterproofing with spray at the beginning of each season. It should work.

Another thing you might consider that is not as obvious is a tarp under the tent. I don't always do that myself but it not only protects the tent floor from sharp things but also from rainwater on the ground from seeping through any small wear spots.

 

[Lamebeaver]

The rain fly on newer tents is not designed to protect the entire tent from rain, it's designed to allow air circulation so moisture does not accumulate inside the tent.

 

[Cappy]

I dont think of a rain fly as something to stop rain. Down here in bayou country they serve a much more important function they act as a breeze catcher and shade for ya tent, actually lowering the inside temp over 10 degrees. Thats their main use down here in da South. When its threatening to rain we tarp da stuff we don't want to get wet and just keep doin what we doin.

 

[ponderosa]

You're right. Skimpy "umbrella" like rainflys on lower quality tents are not adequate rain protection. (I consider any tent with a skimpy fly to be lower quality. I don't think they are a legitimate "design" decision, but merely a way to cut corners to make a cheaper tent). You'll have to supplement it with tarps, or prepare to be wet. I won't buy a tent that doesn't have a full length rain fly that completely covers all the zippers and seams. Also, the seams on the rainfly should be factory taped, or carefully sealed after you purchase it. McNetts makes a very good seam sealer, and a syringe works really well to apply it.

 

[ghostdog]

You're right. Skimpy "umbrella" like rainflys on lower quality tents are not adequate rain protection. (I consider any tent with a skimpy fly to be lower quality. I don't think they are a legitimate "design" decision, but merely a way to cut corners to make a cheaper tent). You'll have to supplement it with tarps, or prepare to be wet. I won't buy a tent that doesn't have a full length rain fly that completely covers all the zippers and seams. Also, the seams on the rainfly should be factory taped, or carefully sealed after you purchase it. McNetts makes a very good seam sealer, and a syringe works really well to apply it.

That sums it up.

A good large car camping type tent that will withstand harsh wind and rain is the REI Basecamp 6. The rainfly extends all the way to the ground and it has four crossing poles and one more for the huge vestibule. There are several places to fully guy it out too. The stakes are a joke but I never use the supplied stakes with any tent and have a full supply of MSR Groundhog stake that work in any terrain and weather.

 

[Gondor]

Why is then rain fly called a rain fly? I expect my tent to have a full coverage from the rain. I use tarps all the time for this but when I buy a $400 tent I'm not expecting to count the stars in it.

 

[oldsarge]

The rain fly on newer tents is not designed to protect the entire tent from rain, it's designed to allow air circulation so moisture does not accumulate inside the tent.

They need to rename it.."air circulator fly so moisture doesn't accumulate inside the tent thingy".

 

[IndianaHiker]

I would have to agree with Lamebeaver on this one. I don't see the need for a rain fly to reach the ground and kill all circulation. In doing that you are going to create a lot of condensation in the tent. Of course that being said I don't use a tent and just use a tarp. Have been is some pretty good storms and stayed dry. The A Frame set up works great and there us air coming in from all 4 sides. If expecting heavy rains the tarp will set much lower over the hammock.

 

[ponderosa]

The tarp setup works because your sleeping area is well covered, and you pitch it oriented to withstand wind and sideways blowing rain. Uncovered seams on a tent are a different matter. The water WILL run down the walls of the tent, and the uncovered seams and zippers WILL leak water into your shelter.

 

[DMan]

I agree about using tarps under and over the tent just in case of rain. I'd be reluctant to use an EZ Up because I'm sure along with a storm would come lots of wind and goodbye EZ Up - voice of experience speaking here.

 

[pastywhite]

The rain fly in a modern backpacking tent only covers the mesh. The tents themselves are often waterproof so you don't need a full double wall tent. The rain fly offers a way for the tent to breath using the mesh panels. Tents that are mostly mesh (REI Quarterdome) will have a full fly since the actual tent is 90% mesh. Tents that only have partial mesh coverage will have a partial fly.

For car camping tents, you will probably need to seam seal to get water resistance. The same principal applies (cover the mesh) but without seam sealing, they will probably leak. You need to seal the fly too though, not just the tent. Most car camping tents have a fly that covers the mesh panels and provide some type of covering for windows and occasionally some coverage for the door. A tarp is fine for extra coverage on these type of tents. Don't just lay the tarp over the tent though, string it up. If you just lay it over you are creating an oven - most uncomfortable.

 

[IndianaHiker]

I see that to an extent. However I still think that it would work the same in a tent if the seams are seal properly and the tent is of good design (shape). I still am not sold that the rain fly has to go from ground to top. I have used a large Coleman tent with no problems that had the smaller rain fly. However I did seal all the seams before it was used.

 

[dinosaur]

I love the pictures IndianHiker posted. The first one looks like you could use your hammock as a hang glider.

I too use a tarp that attaches over the end posts of my two man tent. It stretches out away from the tent on both sides and is set about six inches above the ground. This gives me all the cross ventilation needed and if it's going to rain I store my gear under the added space created from the fly. It also helps to have waterproof packs.

 

[ChadTower]

Most car camping tents nowadays are seam sealed as are the rainfly. They are pretty damn good against rain. They don't stand up to quite as much rain, for as many uses, as an expensive backpacking tent. But you aren't paying as much, are you? I have a 3 season 6 person Kelty that we paid maybe $80 for on sale at Target. We have used it several times a year over 4 years now, in the White Mtns and right on the ocean, and it still stands up to rain quite well. I do spray it down with waterproofer at the start of each season. The floor is starting to wear a little bit because I don't always put a tarp under it. All in all, for a value model tent, it has been remarkable.

You can get an EZ Up to stay stable in almost all conditions. We huddled out the downpour remnants of Hurricane Hugo a couple years ago in that Kelty tent with the EZ Up over it. 7 hours of windy *downpour* and we were mostly dry inside. We did have humidity dampness but there was so much water around that was unavoidable. Every now and then a gust of wind would get under it and what that actually did was throw off the pooled water on the canvas. That pool would then splash on the bottom couple inches of the tent or on the ground next to the tent. After hours of that we got a little water inside the edges of the tent. I had the EZ Up staked down with a stake on each foot plus extra bungee cords from the frame to the ground in the middle of each side. We never had a concern that it was going to fly away.

 

[dashboardc33]

Although you could always set up an extra tarp to stop the rain and the wind, I don't know why you would want to. You would just have to do extra work and why would you want to pay so much for a tent that doesn't give you everything you want. I agree and think it is silly that the rain fly doesn't come lower to the ground. I think a rainfly should either come close to the ground, or not even be on at all.

 

[pastywhite]

I think a rainfly should either come close to the ground, or not even be on at all.

This would just cause condensation problems. You want the tent to breath as much as possible so you want the smallest fly possible. For a car camping tent the current/most common design of a small fly over the mesh and windows works well. The tent itself is often waterproof (with some sealer) so you don't need/want a fly there. Just cover the "open" spaces.