Got caught in a downpour last weekend at Big Pine Creek because I trusted my cheap rain fly

I was camped about 3 miles in near the second lake when the sky just opened up around 5 PM. My $50 no-name tent from Amazon held up for maybe 20 minutes before water started seeping through the seams. Had to pack everything wet and hike out in the dark, which was a nightmare. Anyone have a go-to budget tent that actually keeps you dry in a real storm?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan8511mo ago

That second lake area is brutal in a storm too, I got caught in a similar situation up there two summers ago. I swear the wind funnels down off the peaks and just shreds any cheap gear. My advice is to look for a tent with a FULL coverage rainfly that goes all the way to the ground, not those half fly ones that leave the bottom mesh exposed. I picked up a Naturehike Cloud Up 2 for about $120 and it's held up through some nasty Sierra thunderstorms, never had a drop inside.

ninasanchez1mo ago

Right, nothing says "great camping trip" like waking up in a puddle because your tent's rainfly decided it was more of a suggestion than a cover. Honestly at that point you might as well just bring a tarp and some hope, it'd be about as effective. I swear the wind up there just targets anything that isn't bombproof, like it has a personal vendetta against budget backpacking gear. Probably cheaper in the long run to just buy the right fly first instead of playing "will my sleeping bag float" roulette.