Have you ever tried to set up your tent in the rain?  It’s not fun, especially when you are backpacking.  After the first (and last!) time I got the inside of my tent soaked trying to set it up in the rain, I was determined to find an easy, lightweight solution.  It was simple once I thought about it, and I’d like to share my solution with you.

Note: This will work with any tent that clips onto the pole assembly and has a separate rain fly that covers the tent.  Sorry, tents with poles threading through sleeves will require another solution. 

At home before you go backpacking:

You will need:
A length of lightweight line (whatever you use to hang food will suffice)
A hole punch (paper punch, leather punch, hammer & nail - whatever works)
A lighter and a pencil

1. Set up your tent.  Take a length of line and tie a knot in the string.  Slip the knot over one of the tent poles and continue to each corner yielding a string in the same shape as the bottom of your tent. 

Here’s how to set it up on the trail:

3. Put up the rain fly by slipping the pole terminals into the holes you made in the fly straps.
4. Stake out the vestibule(s) as required to allow you to get under the rain fly to set up the tent.

5. Crawl under the  rain fly, lay out your ground cloth and tent.  Carefully remove each back corner fly strap and replace with the tent corner (grommet or other tent pole holder).

6. Hook the tent to the poles as you work your way to the front.  Get inside the tent to attach the two front corners.

7. Attach the remaining hooks and you are finished, with (hopefully) a dry tent interior to bring your slightly wet gear into.

Lori Burris, Tropical Trekkers Chapter