Hiking is among the most popular outdoor activities. Sometimes, however, a hiking trip requires one to camp in the woods. When this happens, one has to be careful because the fun of an overnight camp can be cut short by heavy rains.
To protect yourself from the heavy downpour, you need to pack a tent that can withstand heavy rains. Below are some of the top-quality tents for heavy rain that you are likely to find in the market today. Besides the reviews, we have also shared tips on what to look out for when buying camping tents that you can use in heavy rain.
Coleman Sundome 4-Person Tent
+ Easy to setup
+ Stands strong in high wind speeds
+ Roomy enough for four occupants
+ Large windows give unrestricted viewing space
– The stakes to hold the tent down are too thin
The Coleman Sundome is a lightweight tent weighing only 6.38 pounds and folds easily into a compact size for easy transportation. It is made of Polyester taffeta 75 denier flysheet fabric and features inverted seams to keep water out.
The frames are lightweight, welded, and joined for easy setup. One feature that any camper will love on this tent is the large windows and free airflow design that optimizes visibility and ventilation. The interior fits a queen-sized camping bed and comes with an E-port for electrical power distribution.
The doors and windows open and close by a zipper that can be operated from inside or outside. This tent gives you the ultimate protection from rain and wind speeds up to 35 miles per hour and comes with a one-year limited warranty.
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2
+ Waterproof seams
+ Thick coated waterproof floor
+ Spacious storage on the roof
+ Straightforward setup
– Zippers get caught up sometimes
The Lynx 2 camping tent packs multiple features to help you enjoy your camping trip. The frames are lightweight and made of aluminum for extra strength. The tent comes with easy snap-in attachments that hold up the fabric into a dome shape, allowing you to quickly set up the tent.
The roof has spacious mesh pockets on the interior that you can use to store all your essential gear, while the windows come with dual zippers for easy opening and closing. Ventilation on this tent is enhanced by the half meshed walls that also zip up during the night to keep out the cold.
The 75D 185T polyester fabric used to make this tent keeps out UV light and is joined by waterproof seams along the edges to keep the interior dry. The floor also features a waterproof 2000 millimeter coating that allows you to set up the tent anywhere and enjoy a good night’s sleep in a dry and comfy surface.
Standing Room Family Cabin Tent
+ Vertical walls allow maximum floor space usage
+ High enough for adult occupants to stand
+ Spacious enough to fit the whole family
– The frame is sold separately
This is a uniquely designed camping tent meant to house the whole family. The Standing Room lives up to its name by giving the camper ample space to stand in and walk around. It has a ground clearance of 8.5 feet and has vertical walls.
This means that the height is the same all around the interior, unlike with the dome-shaped tents. The tent is made of waterproof fabric and comes with a ceiling cover that ensures the interior stays dry even during a heavy downpour. The four walls have spacious storage ports and two power outlets, thus allowing you to distribute power just like you would at home.
The doors and windows are operated by zippers that allow you to increase ventilation and view of the exterior during the day and lockout bugs and cold during the night. One thing to note is that this tent does not come with a setup frame, which means you have to incur extra expenses.
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2
+ Very lightweight
+ Steep walls increase the usable space in the interior
+ Has a covered waterproof floor
+ Easy to setup
– Cannot be used in winter
This tent is super light at only 2 pounds and is designed for easy setup on any terrain. The high volume architecture maximizes the interior space by making the walls steep to give you more head clearance space from the ceiling as compared to the typical dome-shaped tent.
The full coverage rain-fly fabric is waterproof and keeps raindrops out while the zippers and seams are covered to ensure no dripping water finds its way into the interior. The floor has a waterproof coating whose thickness is 1200 millimeters to give you ample space to sleep on.
The tent’s entrance has a dry vestibule to help you keep moisture out as you enter or exit the tent. The vertical door increases the interior space and zips up and down with ease while the frames intersect and attach to the Velcro tabs for easy pitching and enhanced stability.
NTK GT Series Dome Family Camping Tent
+ Spacious enough to house an entire family
+ Great covered floor
+ Has two compartments when fully set up
+ The frames fit easily inside the joining hardware
– Can be hard to set up for beginners
– Does not provide enough headroom for tall adults
The NTK dome-shaped camping tent lets you enjoy camping with the whole family in a dry and safe environment. The tent is made using waterproof 190T polyester and is laminated with polyurethane to keep water out while the heat seamed thermoplastic coating protects the occupants from UV rays.
Full setup takes just a few minutes, while the result of a successful setup is a two-compartment camping space. The front compartment is a unique front vestibule with a side door, while the other compartment is the typical sleeping tent.
The frames are made of lightweight fiberglass and interconnect at the edges using double gold chrome plated ferrule hardware for added strength and flexibility. The floor in both compartments is covered with antifungal polyethylene with a silver-coated inner layer.
The cover keeps out moisture and ensures that the occupants don’t wake up to a puddle even after a heavy downpour.
MSR Hubba Hubba NX
+ Lightweight frames
+ A coated floor that is also waterproof
+ Covered under a three-year limited warranty
+ Folds into a portable size
– Only fits two people
– Sold without a footprint
The Hubba Hubba camper tent is designed to fit two adult-sized campers inside. It optimizes portability by into an 18 by 6 inches’ wide compact package. Moreover, it has an interior area coverage of up to 29 square feet when assembled.
The tent’s total packing weight is only 3.5 pounds, which allows you to pack the tent in your camping backpack with minimal additional weight. When fully erected, it stands at the height of 39 inches, thus giving enough headroom for adult occupants.
The tent is made using Xtreme Shield Waterproof Coating, which keeps the interior dry and withstands strong winds. Floor coating on the interior features waterproof 30D ripstop nylon and is reinforced with polyurethane to ensure that you never have to deal with puddles even when the rain pours.
Teton Sports Mountain Ultra Tent
+ Lightweight and easy to transport
+ Waterproof fabric keeps the interior dry
+ Available in different sizes
+ Spacious storage space on the interior and ceiling
– Does not hold up well against high-speed winds
– The flooring cover wears off quickly
The Teton camping tent provides outstanding performance for campers who enjoy stargazing during the camping session. The top features a 360-degree ventilation system that works by propping up the vent covers to allow airflow and drooping the props on the vents to keep out water when it rains.
The tent has a full mesh top that gives the occupants an unrestricted view of their environs without opening any zippers. Easy setup is enabled by the lightweight frame that snaps easily into place, thus holding the tent fabric into a dome shape with enough space on the interior to house an adult camper.
The tent comes in various sizes enough to house 1, 2, 3, or 4 campers and features mesh pockets on the side walls. Extra space exists on the ceiling with a gear loft mesh suspension ideal for lightweight items that can be hung for easy access.
Marmot Tungsten 2
+ Folds into a portable size
+ Frames are made of durable and light aluminum
+ Has color-coded strips, clips, and poles for easy setup
+ The footprint is included in the packaging
– Only houses two adult campers
– The interior gets too hot on sunny days
This two occupant camping tent makes camping fun by allowing two campers to become roomies while outdoors. The tent fabric’s overall weight and setup hardware adds up to 5.5 pounds while the tent folds into a compact size to allow you to carry the tent to any location you wish to set up camp.
The fully erect Marmot Tent has a D-shaped door designed to allow you to enter the tent without bending too much. The interior has a lamp holder close to the ceiling, which will enable you to illuminate the interior at night. The dome-shaped walls also have lined pockets that are ideal for holding small accessories in an easy to reach location.
Jingle free zippers open and close the door, thus keeping you safe and warm. A covered floor and waterproof covered seams work hand in hand to keep moisture out and the interior dry.
Campla Camping Tent
+ Easy to set up and dismantle
+ Supports USB lighting
+ Waterproof fabric
+ Stands steady even during strong winds
– Space does not accommodate storing lots of camping gear
– Does not trap in heat very well on cold nights
The innovative design featured in the construction of this camping tent makes camping fun and enjoyable. Moreover, you get set up or dismantle your sleeping quarters with ease.
The waterproof Polyester material is used on the tent’s exterior and is wear-resistant to make the tent suitable for housing campers during any of the four seasons. When fully erected, the walls slant and meet at the center to form a dome shape with an interior space wide enough to accommodate two adults.
Ventilation is enhanced by the half meshed doors, prop up triangle windows, and a vent space at the top to improve a free flow of air. You can light up the interior using the LED strips lined on the interior that draw power from a standard USB port, thus reducing the chances of fire outbreaks with the flame-free lighting.
Setting up the Campla tent is easy thanks to the shock-cord aluminum poles, support ropes, and stakes to ground the tent.
Coleman Waterproof Instant Tent
+ Very easy to mount
+ Lightweight enhances portability
+ The covered floor keeps moisture from underground away
+ Seams prevent rainwater from getting to the interior
– Too expensive for most campers
Nothing excites a camper more than getting to the camping destination and setting up their tent in the shortest time possible. With the Coleman Instant Tent, campers can finish tent set up within a minute top and begin to take the much-needed rest upon reaching the camping grounds.
The poles on this tent are pre-attached, so all you have to do is unfold, stretch, and secure the poles in the ground. It comes with a welded flooring that keeps moisture away from your sleeping quarters.
The seams are also covered and waterproofed, which further retains the dryness of the interior. Dismantling is as easy as setup and can be done in a matter of seconds when you finish your camping trip.
Clostnature Lightweight Backpacking Tent
+ Easy to set up and dismantle
+ Comes with a free carrier bag
+ Vents allow sufficient airflow
+ Available in many sizes
– Not ideal for camping in winter
The Clostnature backpacking tent is available in sizes that suit solo campers and group and family campers. The solo hiker is ultra-light and folds into a size that fits easily inside a backpack for easy transportation to and from the hiking location.
Two aluminum poles are needed to erect the tent, and the entry is a D-shaped door that easily zips up and down for closure and opening. 210T Polyester fabric with PU 5000 coating on the exterior keeps moisture and rainwater out of the interior.
The walls have meshed pockets for storage, and the ventilation system is designed to optimize airflow in and out of the tent.
MoKo Waterproof Family Camping Tent
+ Folds into a portable size
+ Lightweight for easy transportation
+ Tent insert can be used independently
+ Waterproof seams protect the interior from raindrops
– The flysheet allows cold on windy nights
– Tall people have to bend too much when entering or exiting the door
This is a three occupant camping tent that allows a small family to enjoy outdoor camping together. You can erect the roomy tent with minimal effort by linking the fiberglass poles, which experienced campers do within minutes.
The erected tent has a mesh roof that optimizes ventilation with enough airflow to keep the interior cool even in sunny weather. The MOKO tent comes with a small insert tent that can be used independently or with the provided flysheet during a storm.
You also receive a free carrier bag for easy transportation and mounting hardware to help you set up the tent.
How to choose the best tent for heavy rains?
Heavy rain should not deter you from enjoying your camping trip. This is because you can still enjoy camping if you buy a high-quality camping tent for rainy weather. Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a camping tent.
Read more: Best Affordable 4-Season Tents
Check the weather
Choose a tent that supports camping in the weather commonly found in the locality you want to camp. For instance, if you camp on the highlands where there is snow coverage throughout the year, a four-season camping tent will serve you well because it locks in heat. If you hike in the summer, choose a well ventilated camping tent to keep the interior cool during the day.
Construction Materials
The materials used to construct the tent significantly affect the overall weight and functionality of a tent. Choose between the pocket-friendly fiberglass frames, midrange aluminum frames, and high-end carbon fiber frames.
Aluminum frames are durable and give you value for money, while fiberglass glass frames are cheaper. The fiberglass frames are also heavier and barely last as long as the aluminum frames. On the other hand, carbon fiber frames are super light but have a short lifespan despite being expensive.
Read more: Best Tent Stakes for Camping
Do I Need a Rain-Fly
Prioritize buying a tent that comes with a rainfly over one that does not. This helps you to shield the interior from getting soaked in case it rains. An ideal rain fly should hang over the tent without actually touching it to protect you against rain and, at the same time, allow free airflow.
Tent Design
The tent design determines how easy it is to set up and dismantle the tent at the end of your camping trip. Tent designs include dome-shaped tents with limited headroom, rectangular tents with wide interior space, triangle-shaped tents, steep walls, and tunnel-shaped tents that need proper staking to retain position and shape.
Tent Walls
How the walls of the tent stand determine the headspace available and the available space inside the tent. Vertical walls on rectangular tents maximize space usage and allow tall individuals to stand inside the tent.
However, the vertical walls make the tent prone to being blown over by wind because they compromise aerodynamics. On the other hand, sloped walls limit headspace and allow tall occupants to assume a standing posture only when they are at the tent’s center.
Dome-shaped walls are the go-between solution because they give occupants enough headroom and are smoothly shaped to allow strong winds to pass through without blowing the tent over.
Tent Ventilation
Choosing a well-ventilated camping tent is important if you want to spend the day inside the tent on sunny days. The enclosed interior can get stuffy when there is restricted airflow in and out of the tent.
If you want a large tent that houses more than one person, ventilation becomes extremely important to allow fresh air to circulate in the tent. Some tents, which have meshed vents for air circulation, work significant to enable you to keep air flowing inside the tent without allowing insects and bugs to fly in.
Tent Footprints and seams
Footprints are great for waterproofing the interior space in your tent. Some tents are sold together with compatible footprints while others come without the footprint, forcing you to buy it as a separate accessory.
The tent protects rainwater from getting inside while the footprint blocks water from seeping inside the interior from underneath. For the best protection from rainwater droplets, ensure that the seams where two fabric pieces on the exterior meet do not leave any gaps.
If the doors open and close by zippers, ensure that the fabric covers the zipper lines to keep any water from getting inside.
What’s Your Budget
Camping tents are available in many sizes and are priced differently depending on the features of each tent. High-end tents optimize portability and durability. They also come with extra features to allow you to enjoy the time you spend camping outdoors.
Such features include LED lights powered via the standard USB port on a power bank and power outlets to help you power small electrical devices. Lower priced tents have fewer features but offer basic protection from harsh outdoor conditions.