Tips for weather proofing Winter backpacking

Late last fall I did some backpacking in central florida. Along the way I learned some tips for making the best of a sometimes drippy situation.

Wet clothes on a backpacking trip is miserable. It means walking heavy and cold through the wilderness.

When packing your backpack, put your clothes in plastic bags. Your clothes will stay dry during your trip if you keep them in the bags when you are not wearing them. 

When you decide what clothes to bring, consider that you will be in motion during the warmest part of the day and not in motion during the colder nights. So layers are the way to go.

• Wear water proof pants, never cotton. If they get wet they are heavy and make you cold.
• Wear a water proof jacket. Look for something light weight so you can wear it even if it is warmer.
• Layer shirts made of wicking material that draw water away from your skin. Under-armor is my personal favorite.
• Make sure you wear wool socks and bring a boatload. Change them as soon as they are wet.
• Wear light weight and waterproof boots.

Remember that you will be carrying your supplies on your back so don’t over pack.

Some like it wet and lots don’t

If you have ever camped in Florida, then you are well aware that this is a wet affair. Or it can be.

So how do you stay dry despite Florida’s intermittent rain? The most important thing to think about is your tent. Camping can be a harrowing experience if you are not prepared, so take these steps to stay dry.

Your tent should be:

• made in the last twenty years 
• pitched over a tarp (makes clean up easy too)
• sprayed with water repellant or sealer

Before you pitch the tent, look for rocks or sticks that could slice the bottom of the tent. Make sure that your tent is on top of a hill, and make sure the rain cover is properly secured. When it is raining, be sure that nothing is touching the walls of the tent, because this will cause water to seep through.

Some new tents are made with awnings. This gives you shelter for chairs, a table or all your other supplies if it rains. Also you can pull your water-sensitive supplies under the awning before you go to sleep incase it rains in the night. 

So are the tents with the awnings really better than regular tents? It depends on how irritable you are when wet. If you don’t mind getting a little moist then just seal the tent, attach the rain cover, and pitch on top of a hill. But if you want to be able to sit outside rain or shine, then check out the awning variety.