So what are rainflies I hear you asking? They are basically another piece of material that goes over the tent body that provides a layer of protection for you from the outside weather. As such it is a given that a rainfly must be water resistant. When placed over your tent, rain that falls onto this cover should simply run off and not collect in the folds of the material. Also the rainfly should prevent leakages through the walls of the tent.

Rainflies exist in various sizes ranging from small length which just covers the top section of the tent to full length types which covers the entire tent. Your choice here would depend on the weather you’re expecting in the destination you’re doing your camping. For example, if there is going to be fair amounts of raining and wind, then a longer rainfly is more preferred. With a full-length rainfly, you get full coverage so your tent can avoid getting wet from rain falling and rain coming from all other sides (i.e. wind-driven). Additionally, you get certain level of protection from water bouncing back up from the ground.

Another feature that proves important in protecting you from the elements in a bathtub floor. It is basically the floor of the tent that is designed to be water resistant. A good tent usually should have a bathtub floor that is made from a material that is thicker than the wall material (to ensure they last long and more resistant to water) and sit above the ground by at least 6 inches.

You can find tents that either have bathtub floors which come as a separate piece on their own or stitched together the rest of the tent. If the bathtub floor is stitched to the walls, the seams should be taped or welded off effectively. You can generally tell from the fact that if light can pass through the needle holes at the joins, then this increases the likelihood of water leaking in.

Sleeping outdoors doesn’t have to be a wet experience. Do the sensible thing and keep in mind the weather protection that your next 4 man tent purchase will give you. Frankly, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than the best 4 man tent you can get.