While we can hope that a good forecast holds or we luck out and enjoy blue sunny skies on our next backpacking trip, inevitably a trip will fall during a stretch of rainy weather – and we all know that good forecasts don’t always work out quite as planned. Rainy weather adds a new set of challenges a hiker must prepare for, and when chilly weather is added to the equation you have some of the most challenging weather conditions a backpacker will face. But whether it’s afternoon mountain showers or a multi-day early fall cold front that greets us, with the proper attitude, approach, and the right set of gear a rainy day – or even a string of them – can be dealt with on the trail without a cloud hanging over the trip.

Comfortably backpacking in the rain and keeping your gear dry relies on a complete system of gear and a combination of strategies on the trail.

Rain Gear on the Trail

More important than staying dry, it’s important to stay warm – but to some extent staying dry and warm go hand in hand. Rain gear is the first part of the equation. Various options exist from ponchos than offer great ventilation all on their own and no matter the breathability level of the fabric, but the standard rain jacket and pants combo is the most popular option. Some hikers will also utilize an ultralight umbrella to assist both in the sun and in the rain.

You can spend just about as little or as much as you want on rain gear – either way, you’ll want to go with some sort of waterproof breathable fabric. For more on the different types of layering technologies used in rain gear, check out our Jargon piece in Issue 31. No matter how high tech, if it’s waterproof breathability is always limited, and I’ve found that some type of direct venting is always a desirable feature in any rain jacket. This can be found in the form of underarm pit zips or vents, and while a pullover jacket will save weight, a full zip rain jacket allows for a huge front vent to open and close during off and on rain showers.

Vents aren’t common on rain pants, but lower body sweat is not as much of a concern as with your upper body. Underneath your rain jacket and pants a light wool or synthetic layer will wick sweat away and reduce any clammy feeling. You want something that will also dry quickly here. These clothing items can be from your normal clothing rotation – find our full 3-season backpacking clothing guide here. Any rain jacket should have a good hood with a visor to keep the rain out of your face: combining rain jacket hoods with a baseball style hat underneath helps in this regard even more.

One thing to keep in mind is that unless you’re headed to the rainforest during monsoon season, your rain gear will frequently be stowed away in your pack and not even in use. Thus it’s a great idea to keep your selection light in weight. In the lightweight range of waterproof breathable rainwear we often have two choices: either cheap and light but no so durable, or light and sufficiently durable but not so easy on the wallet. Obviously, it’s your call and either approach works on the trail. Easier on the budget, the Frogg Toggs lineup is a great option to check out, and on the higher end of the scale, many great options can be found such as the Outdoor Research Helium lineup as well as the Zpacks Vertice line, etc., and for a mid range the Marmot Precip range remains popular.

Hands are one area that can often be overlooked and they’ll quickly become chilled on cool rainy days. An ultralight pair of rain mitts is very welcome in such weather. Unfortunately, mainstream options are limited when it comes to ultralight rain mitts and many options seem to come and go from the market. One currently available option can be found in the Black Diamond UL Overmitts.

From late spring to early fall feet can often just get wet and this can often be easier than trying to keep feet dry through rain, stream crossings, and puddles. Lightweight, non-waterproof mesh trail running shoes dry reasonably fast once the sun comes back out, and just make sure you have a pair of dry socks in your pack for camp and the sleeping bag. Merino wool socks like Darn Tough's Light Hiker socks help with wet shoes: merino wool remains comfortable when wet, feels warmer, and is less abrasive than many synthetic options – this all means warmer toes and fewer blisters.

In colder conditions using a vbl setup or using a waterproof breathable mid height boot and gaiters are other options...I find that my feet will stay warm however on the move when backpacking on most days and even in cool conditions, as long you keep moving to generate heat and the precipitation remains in liquid form and not snow and ice. Whatever rain gear you take, keep it in an outside pocket of your pack for easy access during the day.

Keeping Your Gear Dry on Rainy Days

Most backpacks are only water resistant at best or will leak through the seams and as the fabric wears. Thus, additional waterproofing is required for packed gear. A waterproof pack liner is one popular approach, as are waterproof stuff sacks. My preference has always been the pack liner approach. As it also inflates my sleeping pad, I use an Exped Schnozzel currently, and a simple trash compactor bag is a great budget option, simply twist the top to seal it up. Other large pack liner size dry bags are another option. One great thing about the pack liner approach is that your need-to-stay-dry clothing items and sleeping bag will conform to the space in your pack making for a more comfortable carry. The other option is to use dry bags like the Sea to Summit eVent dry bags. As long as the solution is waterproof – testing at home suggested as not all dry bags are created equal – you are good to go.

For any items that cannot get wet – from electronics to paper maps, double zip Ziploc bags in the appropriate size are a great and cost efficient way to waterproof your gear from rain (not suited for underwater use). For critical items, I do like to only use this as part of a multi-prong approach however. For example, I will keep my camera in a Ziploc on rainy days, but this is also stored in a waterproof chest pack with a water-resistant zipper (ZPacks Multi-Pack). This double layer approach ensures things stay dry. For a double layer approach when the waterproof pack isn’t an option, small roll top dry bags like the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil dry bags are a good choice for phones, cameras, etc. – for more on this sub topic, see our full article on how to keep your backpacking gear dry.

Once you get to camp on a rainy day, it's important to keep your sleeping gear dry and maintain the warmth you generated while hiking.

In Camp

Once in camp, your body can get chilled quickly as your activity level drops. It’s much easier to stay warm than warm back up, so setting up a shelter and getting into dry clothing and your down or synthetic jacket before the hiking heat wears off is a top priority. Once changed into dry socks, putting your feet into soaking wet cold shoes is not a preferred experience – some ultralight camp shoes – plastic bags over your dry socks – will keep your socks dry and your feet warm for basic tasks around camp even in those wet shoes.

During and after rain condensation can be an issue inside a tent at night, so select a shelter that has good ventilation and plenty of space for you to sleep – on top of a potentially thick inflatable sleeping pad if you use one – without your sleeping bag contacting the walls of your shelter. While nearly any bag can deal with a night of condensation and still keep you warm, if this is a multi-day rain event where the bag doesn’t have time to dry out loft can begin to become affected – turning that 20 degree bag into a 40 degree bag quickly. For the tent itself I also keep a packable towel on hand in the tent for condensation during the night and to wipe the tent down before packing up in the morning – this also saves weight.

If the sun does happen to come out, it can offer an opportunity to take a break and dry some gear.

Down vs. Synthetics

For camp and when it comes to insulating jackets and your sleeping bag or quilt, down or synthetics can both work. Synthetics will deal with the additional moisture better than down as well as dry faster, and may be a good choice if you frequently backpack in areas of high precipitation. However, even untreated down can work very well and either way all attempts should be made to keep your insulation dry no matter which fill you choose. I find that even in multi-day rain events, down jackets stay quite dry as they’re constantly being dried out by your body heat.

Down bags seem to accumulate more moisture over time and especially in cramped shelters with condensation. Many backpackers will go one or the other – for example down for a bag and synthetic for their jacket or vice-versa; if your gear does get wet take advantage of any break in the clouds you get during the day to dry things out trailside. For more in-depth coverage of these considerations, see our guide on down vs. synthetic backpacking gear.

While rain might not be the backpacking weather we'd choose if we had a choice, with the proper gear and strategy and when embraced, it can offer a unique perspective.

Stay Fueled

Lastly, it’s important to stay well-fueled on rainy days – these are the days you definitely want to reach for that favorite dinner you’ve been saving in the bottom of your food bag and the times you’ll want to reach for that extra snack during the hiking day. Not only will this help you stay warm, but it will lift your spirits as well and definitely help with the mental aspect and challenges of hiking on rainy days…after all, once the gear and technique is all set, the rest comes down to how you approach it above the shoulders.

Backpacking in the Rain: Final Thoughts

Keeping a glass half full mentality when hiking in the rain goes a long way toward successful hiking days and honestly, some of the most memorable hikes and best scenery I’ve ever seen has come when the clouds finally break after a soggy day to reveal a sunset to remember – and just like a week of backpacking makes that burger and fries taste that much better when you leave the trail, a rainy day seems to have the same effect for those great moments in the wilderness. Like Steinbeck said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness”. Rainy day backpacking and hiking is similar in that regard – and luckily waiting out a rainy day doesn’t require the same type of patience as does an entire season.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 38 of TrailGroove Magazine. Read the original article here for additional photos.