Camping in the rain experience report – Camping in the rain may sound like a challenge at first, but our experience has shown us that it is worth facing the weather and enjoying a really nice vacation with a roof tent despite the weather.
We have summarized our experiences here so that you can learn from them and be well prepared for your next vacation.
So, the next time the rain comes, we’ll be ready to put on our rain jackets, slip into our wellies and embark on a new, exciting journey into nature.
Here you’ll find our experiences with awnings, muddy pitches, heating, cooking, entertaining kids and the aftermath of being a camper back home.
Camping Ratgeber:
Learning through rain: our experiences & tips
It has now happened to us!
Despite careful planning, the rain surprised us and turned the campsite into a muddy landscape.
The planned activities are hardly possible, especially with children.
Although we were disappointed at first, we learned a lot of valuable things and in the end the vacation was wonderful.
So that you are better prepared for the rain, we wanted to share our experiences here.
A quick overview of our experiences – you should definitely pay attention to this when it rains:
- Rainproof clothing
- Weatherproof roof tent & awning
- Cooking & heating options
- Entertainment & activities
- Care
You can find even more tips for campers and families on how to survive the rain here:
Arrived at the campsite: unexpected rain
Our planned camping trip got off to a promising start, but dark clouds soon gathered and turned the sky grey.
Within a very short time, the expected sunshine turned into a gentle drizzle.
But instead of being discouraged by the weather, we decided to make the best of the situation.
With rain jackets, wellies and a strong will, we unfolded our rooftop tent and embarked on an unexpected journey into the world of camping in the rain.
Fairy lights & sleeping bag: how to make your tent cozy!
The sound of the rain on the tent roof became our constant companion as we made ourselves comfortable inside the tent.
We snuggled into our sleeping bags by the dim light of a string of lights and listened to the rhythmic drumming of the raindrops.
We then told stories and talked about life.
Tip: You can find a waterproof string of lights that you can even use with a power bank here:
That’s how beautiful it looks: 
Our advice: Muddy pitch until cooking
Of course, the weather also brought challenges.
Our clothes and equipment remained stubbornly damp and we had to get creative to keep our things dry.
Just hanging the towel outside to dry after a shower was not an option.
But these obstacles helped us to learn new things and appreciate the vacation in a completely different way.
We learned to adapt and find creative solutions.
Our practical tip: Awning in the rain
What we particularly noticed was that a tent extension, like an awning, is super practical when it rains.
You can put wet and dirty shoes directly on a plastic bag.
If you don’t have an awning, your ladder may also get wet due to an unfavorable wind.
In this case, you sometimes have to climb into the tent with your shoes on and place them in a plastic bag at the foot end.
This makes your ladder muddy and you have to clean it every time before folding it up.
You can also hang your wet towel in the awning to dry after showering.
Just be aware that the high humidity means that your towel probably won’t dry straight away and you may need to take one or two spare towels with you so that you have a dry one again.
Of course, this also applies to wet shoes, clothes and your rain jacket.
That’s why an awning is so useful in the rain:
- Storing wet / dirty shoes
- Protecting the ladder from rain, in high winds
- Drying a wet towel
- Drying even for wet clothes, shoes & rain jacket
Would you like to know more about awnings, awnings and the like?
Then take a look here:
From mud to adventure: tips for muddy pitches
The floor of our pitch had rapidly turned into a mud bath after the first day of rain.
These are the tips we came up with after our experience: You now know that if your pitch is muddy, your shoes will get dirty and you’ll get your awning, ladder or even your tent dirty super quickly.
It’s best to take a doormat with you and explain to the children to be careful.
They should also be careful when running around.
Slipping is the number one enemy – especially on muddy pitches.
Getting in and out of the tent therefore requires a little more caution.
In our experience, the roof tent does not necessarily make your car so much heavier that you sink into the soft mud.
However, if you are traveling off-road, you should definitely make sure that your car is suitable for mud and sludge.
It’s best to find out about the ground conditions beforehand and look for experience reports on what your car can do.
You should pay attention to this because the ground can quickly become muddy if it rains a lot:
- Shoes get muddy & awning / ladder / roof tent get dirty quickly
- Take a doormat with you & explain caution to children, even when running around
- Risk of slipping: get in and out of the tent carefully
- Check car for mud: Note soil conditions & experiences of others
When the rain has subsided, mud and puddles can also be a lot of fun: 
Cozy warmth in the roof tent: heating for rainy days
When it rained a lot, we noticed how quickly it suddenly got cold.
Fortunately, you can quickly heat up a roof tent again.
There are electric heaters, such as the Ecomat 2000, or gas heaters.
Regardless of which heater you choose, safety and adequate ventilation are important.
You should always follow all safety instructions to avoid the risk of fire in the roof tent during rainy periods.
This is important when heating in a roof tent:
- Electric heaters or gas heaters can be used
- Safety & ventilation is crucial
- Observe safety instructions against fire hazard
You can find more helpful tips on how to warm up your roof tent quickly, even if you don’t have electricity, here:
Cooking dry despite the rain: How to save the food!
We have found that in heavy rain, cooking and barbecuing in front of the tent is unfortunately not an option.
That’s why an awning becomes a lifesaver, as a dry option for creative meals with a small, portable kitchen.
However, you should make sure that your awning is ventilated to avoid unwanted odours and minimize the risk of fire.
If you don’t want to miss out on the full experience of cooking on an open fire in the great outdoors, then it’s best to look for a covered campfire site.
This allows you to enjoy the warmth and fun of cooking over a fire.
Some campsites offer these.
These are your options for cooking, even if it’s pouring with rain outside your rooftop tent:
- Awning as a lifesaver, dry zone for meals, with portable kitchen
- Ventilation is important to avoid odours and minimize the risk of fire
- Covered campfire area for an authentic cooking experience
- Warmth and fun while cooking a fire in nature
- Some campsites offer covered campfire areas
You can learn everything else you need to know about cooking as a camper here:
Tip!
Do you just want to be able to fold out the kitchen quickly and use it straight away?
Then take a look at this practical kitchen system:
To prevent this from happening to you, an awning or awning makes perfect sense! 
Rain, boredom & children: indoor & outdoor activities
We have noticed that sitting in a tent all the time can quickly become boring.
Especially with children, it can be much more relaxing if you keep yourselves occupied.
You can take either card or board games with you.
We have also had good experiences with getting creative, playing mind games or doing handicrafts.
And you can still venture outside with the right equipment.
You can read more about this here.
All activities – regardless of the weather – can be found here: Vacation activities.
Playtime in the tent: from card games to reflection
It therefore makes sense to pack your favorite card games.
You can also take board games with you, depending on the size of your tent, and games that don’t require a board or cards are best.
Games like “I see what you don’t see” or “I’m packing my suitcase” encourage creativity and get you thinking.
These are not only fun on the car journey, but also when you don’t have much space in the tent.
You can read more here: Game ideas for the car journey.
- Game selection depending on tent size
- Card games & board games recommended
- Creative brain games for less space
An overview of the best camping games, even in the rain, can be found here:
Rainy weather creativity: crafting fun for children in a tent
When camping in the rain with children, you can also organize a craft session together.
Use the time in the tent or awning to design creative projects.
For example, you can collect natural materials and use them to make collages or small works of art.
These also make great vacation souvenirs and can be hung over the fridge.
Rainy weather expedition: tips for safe hiking
If you are really well prepared, you can of course still venture out into nature.
With a rain jacket, rain trousers and wellies, we have found that even a short hike in the rain can be a lot of fun.
Of course, you should watch out for thunderstorms, the risk of slipping or a landslide and possible hypothermia.
Then everyone will come back safely from the hike.
Out into nature even in the rain?
You should pay attention to this:
- Rain jacket, rain pants & rubber boots for protection
- Beware of thunderstorms, danger of slipping and landslides
- Caution due to possible hypothermia
- Return safely through prudent planning
Rain or shine, you can find our hiking tips here:
Back home: fond memories & drying the roof tent
After returning from our camping vacation, we were definitely proud that we had mastered the vacation so well.
We proved that even a bit of rain doesn’t bother us as real campers.
That’s why we’re glad we didn’t fold up the roof tent again straight away and drive off, because we had a really nice vacation, despite the initial horror of the weather.
Nevertheless, not everything was done yet.
Roof tent aftercare: Drying in the garage
It was particularly important for us to put the roof tent in the garage after our vacation.
Unfortunately, we had to fold it up wet because of the rain.
To prevent it from getting moldy, we unfolded it again at home in the garage and let it dry there so that it was ready for the next vacation.
You should also make sure that you only store your roof tent until your next vacation when it is thoroughly dry.
Back home again?
Let the roof tent dry!
From preparation to care: more tips for rainproof camping
Need more tips?
No problem, you’ll find them here!
From preparation to an overview of the correct care to ensure that your roof tent and co. remain in good condition even in bad weather.
