Type 2 Fun
After a clear first day, last year’s WCT hike dissolved into drizzle overnight. At first it felt like no big deal. Our tents had held up well, apart from a build-up of condensation on the inside, and the rain stopped just long enough for us to make breakfast and pack up. We had decent rain gear, and our peaked caps kept the rain off our faces so we hardly noticed it as we hiked. That night, we set up camp in the rain, then huddled under a driftwood shelter to cook dinner. (Yes, someone, in their obsession with dropping ounces, made a last minute decision not to bring the tarp. But let’s not linger on that…). It still wasn’t too bad though, and we leaned into the misty west-coastness of it all. But waking up for a second time in the rain, things began to lose their gloss. There was a lot of condensation inside the tents, everything was getting damp, and by the end of a second day hiking in the rain we were just plain done with the weather. Luckily we hit the Crab Shack at this point and had a cabin booked where we could dry everything out and regroup. The next morning, we spied a little sliver of blue in the sky as we set out, which morphed into a beautiful few sunny days that took us right to the end of the trail.
Having discovered that 48 hours of hiking in the rain is kinda my limit, I need to get better at this. The WCT could throw much worse at us this summer … and the Crab Shack may not materialize just when we need it!
Become a Vent Master
REI has advice on How to Go Backpacking in the Rain. It’s a good overview, but didn’t really give me any new insights apart from becoming a “vent master” to prevent condensation. This is worth looking into. And what do you know, REI also has an article on How to Prevent Condensation in the Tent. This has some solid advice for maximizing ventilation, including pitching your tent so the door faces a gentle breeze, keeping all windows and vents open whenever possible, and only deploying rainfly doors if it’s actually raining.
Be Pedantic!
I related to this fellow nerd’s focused approach to keeping dry. There is nothing particularly groundbreaking here, but the mindfulness he brings to keeping himself and his gear dry is impressive. And I’m glad I don’t camp in Tasmania.
Embrace the Suck
At this point, I’ve looked through multiple videos and articles and haven’t really found much to improve our wet weather camping game. We already pitch our tents properly, waterproof all our gear, wear wicking materials, keep dry clothes for sleeping in, etc. I’m beginning to realize that bringing the right mindset is perhaps the most important element of camping in the rain. I think there are two sides to this:
- Taking a step back in the uncomfortable moment and remembering where you are and why you’re here; and
- Type 2 fun! Think of the sense of achievement you’re going to have, and the tales you’ll have to tell, once you get through this…
This fellow embraces this attitude:
