A rainy roof tent weekend

By the Overlanding.info team · Updated 21 October 2026 · Sources checked 21 October 2026

The short answer

Rain on a roof tent trip is mostly about where things go. Keep waterproofs where you can reach them without unpacking, keep wet clothes and footwear out of the tent, and close the tent the way its maker says if it's still wet. Before you leave home, plan when and where you'll open it to dry.

This is the trip routine. For why tents get damp inside, and for longer-term storage, see condensation, drying and storage. If it's your first trip, your first roof tent weekend covers the rest of the planning.

Before you go: check the forecast

The Met Office says to always keep up to date with the latest forecast. With an amber warning it says to think about changing your plans, and with a red warning to take action now. Met Office: weather warnings.

Wind matters as much as rain. The Camping and Caravanning Club says roof tents are built for the UK's varying weather, but you'll always be more exposed in one, so you may need to strike camp if very strong winds are forecast. Camping and Caravanning Club: roof tents buyers guide. Check the forecast again the evening before you pack up.

Packing waterproofs where you can reach them

On a wet arrival, the first things you need are the ones that usually end up at the bottom of the boot. Pack these last, near the boot opening or in the cabin:

• waterproof jackets and trousers for everyone;
• footwear you don't mind getting muddy;
• a head torch, in case it's dark and wet when you set up;
• a towel or cloth for wiping hands, the ladder and the car door seals;
• the tent manual or notes on its opening order, and anything you need to undo the cover.

Put the jacket on before you get out, then open the tent following the manual and get the bedding in quickly. Keep the first evening's food simple so you're not cooking for long in the rain. However wet it is, don't cook in the tent or a closed awning to stay dry: nidirect warns that carbon monoxide can build up to levels that can kill very quickly in enclosed spaces, including awnings, and says never to take a gas stove, light or heater, or a lit or smouldering barbecue, into a tent. nidirect: carbon monoxide when camping.

Separating wet footwear and bedding

The aim is to keep the tent and bedding dry and everything wet somewhere else. Thule says moisture inside a tent is likely to be condensation and advises keeping windows or vents open and avoiding wet clothes inside. Thule: rooftop tent safety and maintenance (PDF). TentBox says wet clothes or towels inside raise the moisture levels, and suggests bagging damp clothes and leaving them outside the tent, such as in the car or under an awning. TentBox: managing condensation.

A simple split:

• Wet zone (car or awning): a large bag or box for wet jackets and waterproofs, a separate bag for muddy footwear, and a mat or tray in the footwell.
• Dry zone (tent): bedding, sleep clothes and a change of clothes for the morning, in a dry bag if the tent opens over it.
• At the ladder: take boots off before you climb in and leave them in the bag, not on the rungs.

Keep a towel in the tent just for wiping off rain at the door, and air the tent with the vents open as the weather allows. Our overlanding kit list includes dry bags and storage.

Following the tent's wet-storage instructions

Packing up in the rain is normal; what matters is what you do next. Read your manual's advice on closing a wet tent before the trip, because makers differ.

• TentBox says it's better to let the tent dry completely before packing it away, but the weather won't always allow this. If you pack it wet, it says to bash as much water off the fabric as you can before closing, then reopen it to air within 24 hours to prevent mould and mildew. TentBox FAQs.
• Thule says to always dry the tent thoroughly before closing it, or mould and mildew may grow, and to lift the mattress to check the underside is dry.

On the last morning:

1. Get dressed and pack bags inside the tent, then take wet layers straight to the wet bag.
2. Take out bedding the manual says can't stay in a closed, wet tent. TentBox says some models, such as its Classic, can keep bedding inside when closed, but a wet tent is a reason to check.
3. Shake or wipe off as much water as you can, then close the tent exactly as the manual describes, with covers and straps secured. Thule says the tent must be completely closed and straps secured before driving.
4. Note the time you closed it, so you know when your maker's window to reopen it runs out.

Making a drying plan before you travel

Decide before the trip where and when you'll open the tent once you're home. TentBox suggests opening it on a driveway, in a garage or in an enclosed car park, and says that if it'll be closed for longer than 24 hours, it's very important that it's thoroughly dry first.

Things to settle in advance:

• Where. Do you have room to open the tent fully at home, out of the way of others? If not, where nearby could you go?
• When. If you get home late on Sunday, can you open it on Monday, within your maker's time limit?
• What else needs drying. Waterproofs, footwear, towels and anything that was in the wet bag. Empty the bags as soon as you're home.
• The underside of the mattress. Thule says to check it's dry before you close the tent again.

Once everything is dry, note what got wet and why, and change your packing for next time. The condensation, drying and storage guide covers drying in more detail.

Build a wet-weather kit list

Add your waterproofs, wet bags and drying kit to your packing list so they come every time. Build your kit list and keep a wet-weather section in it.

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