Are Tents Waterproof? (30 Tents Rain-Tested)

A waterproof tent, by my benchmark, stays completely dry through at least a few hours of non-stop heavy rain. That comes from testing over 30 tents in the rain; yours may be set differently.

Part 1 of 9

Fabrics

Tent fabric is polyester or nylon. So far, 95% of what I’ve tested is polyester. Neither is naturally waterproof, so both get coated with a durable water repellent layer on the outside. Canvas is the exception: it’s waterproof enough on its own that it may not be coated at all.

Action to takeLook the fabric up on the manufacturer’s own website.

Part 2 of 9

Coatings

Action to takeSet the tent up and spray water over it. Droplets that bead up and roll off the rainfly mean the coating is there and working.

• PolyurethaneGoes on polyester tents. The less resistant of the two: UV breaks it down, so prolonged direct sun means reapplying more often.
• SiliconeGoes on nylon tents. The more rugged one, with a longer life and much better UV resistance.

Part 3 of 9

Ratings

What the coating really does is raise the hydrostatic head rating. The fabric is held against a column of water, the pressure rises until it leaks, and the pressure at that point is the rating. A 500mm fabric holds a 500mm column and leaks at 550 or 600mm.

1,000mmthe line between waterproof and merely water-resistant

Most waterproof tents land between 1,000mm and 2,000mm; the full range on the market runs to 10,000mm. Higher isn’t automatically better, though. A thicker coating is a heavier tent, which matters to a backpacker. And a huge rating on a tent with unsealed seams still leaks, just through the seams instead of the fabric.

Action to takeSome manufacturers list the rating on the sales page. If yours doesn’t, that alone doesn’t mean the tent isn’t waterproof. Plenty of good tents never publish a figure.

Part 4 of 9

Floors

Tent floors carry the weight of everyone inside, so they take more pressure and leak more readily, which is why they’re usually rated higher than the rest of the tent. My Wawona 6 is 1,200mm on the rainfly and body, and 1,500mm on the floor.

Action to takeFloor ratings are listed separately on the brand’s site. Look both up. And whatever yours says, run a groundsheet or a folded tarp underneath. It’s the floor’s only protection from sharp rocks.

Part 5 of 9

Seams

Every seam punches small holes through the fabric. Manufacturers deal with that three ways, and only one of them has worked reliably for me.

• Seam tapingTape heat-melted over the seam, usually on the inside. What most genuinely waterproof tents use. Seams under the rainfly often go untaped.
• Inverted seamsColeman and Core. The fabric is folded in and sewn, so the holes face inward, but there’s a crevice on the outside for water to seep into, and it isn’t taped, so it leaks.
• Welded seamsHeat and pressure instead of stitching, mostly on bathtub floor corners. No holes in theory. Every tent I’ve tested with them still leaked.

Action to takeYou should be able to see seam taping, a line of plastic-looking tape over the seam. Go inside and look.

Worth knowingThe higher-end brands I’ve tested, The North Face and REI Co-op, skip inverted and welded seams entirely and tape everything.

Part 6 of 9

Everything else worth a look

• Storm flapsA lip of fabric over the zipper track. Most tents have them, and they stop water getting into the zip holes.
• Toggles and tie-downsA real source of frustration. These need taping or sealing too, or they drip into the tent.
• Bathtub floorHelps against back-splashing, but you don’t need one if the seam taping is thorough.

My ruleSet your zippers high on the tent rather than low, and covered by the rainfly wherever you can.

Part 7 of 9

How much heavy rain a waterproof tent takes

Brand	HH rating	Heavy rain test
Ozark Trail	None	0 minutes
Coleman	450mm	30-60 minutes
Core Equipment	600mm	30-60 minutes
The North Face	1,200mm	2-3 days

The tents in my best rainproof tents round-up all managed between 1 and 3 days. My Ozark Trail, Coleman and Core tents come in under an hour: water-resistant, not waterproof, exactly as the 1,000mm line predicts.

Part 8 of 9

Does it last?

No. My tents stay waterproof for 6 months to 3 years, and the two things that decide it are the brand and how hard you use the tent. More use and more direct sun, faster the coating goes.

My Ozark Trail Instant Cabin 6 lost its seam taping in under a year in storage. The North Face has gone past a year with no loss. And not every new tent arrives waterproof either. Core, Coleman and especially Ozark Trail don’t.

My adviceIf yours is due, you can fix it yourself with a waterproofing spray and a seam sealant. The full routine, the kit I use and how often to do it are in how long tents stay waterproof.

Part 9 of 9

The two I would buy

The North Face Wawona 6

Mine took a whopping 3 days of rain before water started seeping through the back wall, and even then it didn’t drip inside, the wall was just slightly damp. It also has a humongous vestibule for wet gear, and hydrostatic head ratings of 1,200mm to 1,500mm. Check the price on Amazon.

Teton Mountain Ultra 1-4

The less expensive option. I have the 1 and 2-person models and prefer the 2P for its two vestibules. No published hydrostatic head rating that I could find, but it held out a whole night of rain, so waterproof enough for me. Check the price on the 2-person.

Quick questions

FAQ

Are all tents waterproof?

No. Higher-end brands like The North Face and REI tend to be; Coleman, Core Equipment and Ozark Trail are water-resistant and last under an hour in heavy rain.

How can I tell if my tent is waterproof?

Hose it down and watch for beading, look up the hydrostatic head rating against the 1,000mm line, and check inside that the seams are taped.

How long can a waterproof tent stay out in heavy rain?

My best ones managed 1 to 3 days. My budget tents lasted under an hour. My own benchmark is a few hours of non-stop heavy rain.

Keep going

Where to next

Every rating, rain timing and photo here is from tents I bought myself and tested in my own yard.