Getting soaked while camping isn't necessarily fun. Especially, when it's cold and you don't have a good way to dry everything out. We have a number of ways to stay dry while camping and hiking. And some pointers on how to warm up and stay warm while hiking in the rain.
Tarps
We have a Kelty Noah's tarp that's several years old. Unfortunately, on our way out to Utah in 2022 we realized that we left the tarp at home. We didn't want to be without one, so stopped at REI and picked up an REI Trailbreak tarp (middle picture: our tarp set up in Devil's Garden Campground). Both of these work great for rain and shade. It's so nice having two. One to cover the picnic table, and one to cover the stove and space by it to cook. Now we don't leave home without both tarps. They are one of the first things that get set up at our campsite. It's not fun to set them up in a rush if it starts to rain. It has been extremally helpful to have both when camping with another family.
Poles
We had used a combination of trees and the top of van to put of the tarp. In Rocky Mountain National Park that wasn't quite possible, so the tarp ended up really low to the table (first picture: our tarp very low to the table in Moraine Campground, Rocky Mountain National Park). After that, we purchased two REI 8 feet adjustable poles. These have helped us comfortably stay dry while sitting at the picnic table or standing under the tarp it to cook.
Raincoats
The kids have a combination of Target and REI raincoats. They all to work well. I do like the elastic at the wrist on the REI raincoat, the Target raincoat doesn't have that. My husband has an Eddie Bauer very light raincoat that works well, but isn't warm at all. I have a Eddie Bauer trench raincoat that I love. I really like how long it is. I still have my very light compactable one for backpacking that I had purchased in high school. Since it's smaller, I sometimes throw that one in my daypack if it looks like it might rain, but hasn't started raining. It's also perfect size to throw in my bike pack. If it's already raining, I prefer my Eddie Bauer one since it's longer.
Marcus and I also have warm full rain set with a jacket and pants. We got them from Gander Mountain (which isn't around anymore). They have been great for cold wet mornings in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and for cold, wet fall camping. They are warm and keep us dry, but they are bulky. We only bring them if we know it's going to be wet and cold. I like that I don't get so steamy while wearing the coat. If we are camping and it's forecasted to be cold, but dry, I'll still pack it as my outer layer.
The first picture is of us with our Eddie Bauer raincoats at Jay Cooke, MN State Park. The second picture is us at Willow River, WI State Park. I'm wearing my warmer raincoat from Gander Mountain.
Staying warm and warming up after getting wet.
Sometimes with all of the prep, we still get wet. When we camped at Jay Cooke State Park, we got rained on a lot! When we started out on our hike, it was sprinkling. It began to rain hard while we were on the trail. Everyone was so wet, even though we had our raincoats on!
Thankfully, the River Inn Interpretive Center had a large warm fire going. We were in the building for several hours drying everything out. V even napped on me. Some of the adults went back to camp to grab our lunch and we ate and played games while everything dried out. It was so nice to be able to dry out for a while and warm up. Since we tent camp, we don't have any where to dry our raincoats until it stops raining and the sun comes out.
We know buildings like we had at Jay Cooke aren't always on option. If there isn't a building to warm up in afterwards, we are less likely to go out hiking in the cold rain.
On P's first backpacking trip, it rained pretty hard on our first full day. I knew it was going to be a wet weekend, so I made sure to pack dry cloths and wool blankets in the car. It was so nice to be dry for the drive home. The clothes we had hiked out in were soaked, even with our raincoats on.
The other thing I did, was make sure that we were drinking warm liquids to help keep us warm.
I also always suggest taking off layers under your raincoat if you get warm, but putting back on your raincoat if it's still raining. Once your core is cold, it is harder to warm up.
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