How to Thrive While Camping in the Wet

If you’re an avid camper, you’re not afraid of a little rain. In fact, if you’re from anywhere near Victoria BC, where Total Prepare is based, you have experienced for yourself why so many people call the West Coast the “wet coast.” It’s really no joke!

Just as this nickname exists for a reason, so too do camping supplies that will get you through the wettest weather!

When a disaster strikes and you find yourself displaced, you won’t get to choose the weather, just as you won’t get to choose the date of the disaster. So it may very well be a rainy, dreary occasion. To prepare you for this, we’ve come up with a list of solid tips that will help you brave the rain and come out the other end warmer, drier, and more well-fed than you would have expected.

Although some of these tips may seem a bit basic, they’re lifesavers and ultimately should go on your emergency checklist as soon as possible!

Pack appropriate outerwear for the rain. Think layers!
Find shelter from the wind and rain as soon as possible. If you can find a valley or a good spot next to a bluff, you can block a lot of the wind. Trees are also brilliant at sheltering you from the rain.
Remember to pack food items that do not need to be cooked to be eaten. This could include energy bars such as our SOS food bars, or others that can be consumed wherever and whenever you need, right away.
You might also consider bringing Waterproof Matches with you. A reliable source of fire is both a survival necessity and a creature comfort. Emergency waterproof matches are a strategic addition to your emergency kit, camping supplies or hiking pack, and they weigh next to nothing.
Make sure your electronics are in a dry, watertight place.
Bring plastic bags! They pack light and are reusable again and again. You can use them to cover your backpack, store your firewood, or protect smaller items like digital memory cards, matches, licenses, cell phones and other important papers.
Bring newspaper. Along with being good reading material if you’re stuck somewhere, a bit of dry newspaper can really help get a fire going. You can also use it to soak up extra moisture from your shoes, overnight.
Place a ground tarp inside your tent, for an even better water barrier.
As soon as possible, air out your wet stuff!

If you follow these tips and get yourself gear that’s created with rain in mind, your preparedness will no doubt pay off. And when you inevitably get caught in the rain, you’ll be so glad that you didn’t just hope for the best!

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io