5 Gear Tips for Enjoying Camping Even During the Rainy Season
Do you think you can't go camping in June? It's true that there is a lot of rain. However, camping during the rainy season has its own unique benefits: fewer crowds, beautiful greenery, and cooler temperatures. With the right gear, a rainy camping trip can actually be a comfortable and special experience. This time, I will introduce 5 gear tips to make rainy season camping comfortable.
1. Set up a tarp first to secure a "roof"
The golden rule of rainy camping is to "set up the tarp before the tent." If the tarp becomes a roof, you can set up and cook without getting wet, even in the rain. A size of 3x3 meters or larger is ideal, and poly-cotton tarps are recommended for their good balance of water resistance and breathability. Since many brands exhibit new tarps at camping festivals in June, it is also the perfect time to choose one.
2. Prevent "moisture from the ground" with a ground sheet
What is unpleasant about rainy camping is that the inside of the tent gets damp. The cause is often moisture from the ground seeping through the bottom of the tent. This can be improved simply by laying a tent footprint (dedicated sheet) or a blue tarp folded slightly smaller than the tent size underneath the tent. The problem of "why is the inside of the tent wet in the morning?" can often be solved this way.
3. Maintain your gear with water-repellent spray
The water repellency of tents, tarps, and rainwear decreases with repeated use. Just by spraying them with water-repellent spray the day before camping, the way they repel rainwater will change completely. Nikwax or Montbell water-repellent sprays can be purchased for 1,000 to 2,000 yen, and the effect lasts for several camping trips. The preparation of "preparing for rain" is itself part of the fun of camping.
4. Soup and stew are the best menu for rainy days
On rainy days, the temperature drops, and warm food tastes especially delicious. Pot-based menus like cream stew, tomato soup, and pork miso soup are easy to make under a tarp and will warm your body. It is safe to bring ingredients in Ziploc bags in case they get wet. I feel that the real pleasure of rainy season camping is not "eating out because it's raining," but "cooking because it's raining."
Actually, after I moved to the countryside, I experienced rainy season camping at a nearby campsite. At first, I was worried about the rain, but while I was simmering stew under the tarp and listening to the sound of the rain, my previous idea that "only sunny camping is an option" completely changed. The sound of the quiet rain, which you cannot hear in urban areas, became the best background music.
5. Tips for Packing Up and Drying Wet Gear
The hardest part of camping during the rainy season is packing up. The key is to "never put wet gear into bags." Shake off as much water as possible from the tent at the campsite, and spread it out to dry immediately after returning home. If you can dry it within a day or two, you can almost entirely prevent mold and odors. Having a foldable drying rack on hand will make drying your tent much smoother.
Summary
The key to camping in the rainy season is "how to enjoy the rain." By preparing these five things—a tarp, a ground sheet, water-repellent spray, warm menu items, and drying care—you can have a comfortable and memorable camping trip even on rainy days. June, when it is not crowded, is the best camping season to enjoy your own private views and tranquility.
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