After the rainfly that came with my tent got a hole in it, I was forced to look for a new one, and I found myself looking for the best rainfly for tent camping.
There are a ton out there, and even an experienced camper such as myself had a hard time sorting through it all to find one I could trust. I had only ever really used the rainflies that came with the tent when I bought it.
So after some research and asking other campers, I found a few products I could truly call the best.
Here are my picks for the best rainflies for tent camping (click to check current price on Amazon):
- Coleman Instant Tent Rainfly, 14 x 10-Feet
- Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp
- Stansport Reinforced Multi-Purpose Tarp
- CCS Chicago Canvas 8 feet x 10 feet Heavy Duty Vinyl Tarp
Read on for more details and direct comparisons of these products.
Don’t know what rainfly is? Learn more from our article, What Is A Rainfly?
Table of Contents
Direct Comparison Of The Best Rainfly For Tent
It can be hard to sort through all the different features one after another, so here’s a quick table comparing the key features of these rainflies.
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4 Benefits Of A Rainfly
Why use a rainfly? Here a few quick benefits of using one.
#1 Protects From Rain
Obviously, the rainfly’s main purpose is to keep the rain off the tent body. A good rainfly is waterproofed and will also push the rain away from the tent body preventing leaks.
#2 Protects From Debris
During wind, it’s possible for debris such as branches to fall on your tent. Because rainflies are usually made of tougher material, it provides another layer of protection for the tent body.
#3 Insulates And Adds Heat
During colder weather, a rainfly gives an extra layer of air between your tent inside and the colder outdoors. This layer can help keep the inside of your tent warm.
Want your tent to be warmer? Check out the best halogen heaters for camping.
#4 Wind Break
Similar to the last benefit, a good rainfly can also serve as a wind break by keeping the wind from affecting the interior and tent body.
Review Of The Best Rainfly For Tent
In this section, we’ll break down the details of each rainfly/tarp and how they perform in action.
Coleman Instant Tent Rainfly, 14 x 10-Feet
This Coleman rainfly is designed to fit certain Coleman instant tents, but it can work well for other large dome and cabin style tents.
The top cover rainfly focuses on protecting the upper part of the tent and redirecting rain away from the body of the tent. This lets you open your windows even in the rain to get better circulation inside.
The tough and waterproof polyester attaches tightly to tents because that’s exactly what it was designed for.
This product fits best on the following:
- 14×10 Instant Tents
- 14X10 8 person tents
However, it fits on other tents as well.
Pros For This Product
- Great waterproofing and durability
- Fits most large tents tightly
- Focus on top cover lets you open windows for circulation
Cons For This Product
- May not handle heavy rains and winds as well
Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp
This tarp/rain fly cover by Sea to Summit is the most expensive on the list, but its versatility and waterproof quality can’t be beat.
The tarp can be used in multiple ways including:
- Rainfly
- Tent footprint
- Tarp shelter for minimalist camping experience
This tarp is ultralight and made of tape seam-sealed waterproof 15 denier Ultra-Sil Nano. If you’re backpacking, you won’t even notice the 10.5 oz weight.
Sea to Summit’s material choice is also very effective at repelling water and rain.
This tarp comes in a rectangular shape with guy lines for easy setup and use as a rainfly or tarp shelter. There are 8 of these tie outs with cord adjusters attached for various heights and secure points.
Pros For This Product
- Extremely durable yet lightweight
- Waterproof resists heavy rain
- 8 guy lines with cord adjusters help it to fit any tent
- Versatile, fits many situations
Cons For This Product
- Price is higher
Stansport Reinforced Multi-Purpose Tarp
You don’t have to buy a specialized rainfly for tents to get a decent cover for your tent. With a little effort and planning, you can use a regular tarp as a rainfly.
This tarp by Stansport is such a product. It’s tough enough to use as a rain cover with a durable rip-stop polyethylene laminated on both sides.
The corners are double reinforced to prevent tearing, and the heavy-duty rust-resistant grommet holes with rope-reinforced edges give it the security most general tarps lack at an affordable price.
Stansport offers this tarp in several different sizes including:
- 8ftx10ft
- 10ftx12ft
- 10ftx16ft
- 10ftx18ft
- 12ftx14ft
- 12ftx20ft
- 14ftx16ft
- 16ftx20ft
- 18ftx24ft
- 20ftx30ft
- 24ftx36ft
Pros For This Product
- Affordable price
- Good construction and waterproofing
- Large variety of sizes
Cons For This Product
- Needs more effort for setup as a rainfly
- Doesn’t come with any guy lines
- Heavier weight
CCS Chicago Canvas 8 feet x 10 feet Heavy Duty Vinyl Tarp
Along the same lines as the last product, this CCS Chicago Canvas tarp wasn’t created as a rainfly, but it does the job well.
Unlike most tarps, this upgraded and more expensive tarp is made from an 18 oz heavy-duty vinyl. This vinyl is strong and waterproofed well, but the material is also much lighter than normal poly tarps.
For maximum durability, CCS made the hems double thick, and the vinyl is abrasion resistant with rip stop design.
Grommets appear every 2 feet on all sides. This makes it simple to find a good grommet to tie down securely.
The seams are all heat sealed to reduce leaking.
You can use this tarp as a rainfly or tent footprint but also on a deck, porch, patio, canopy, or outdoor dining area.
The tarp comes in the following colors:
- Green
- White
- Blue
- Tan
- Black
- Red
- Yellow
Pros For This Product
- Lightweight yet strong vinyl material
- Repels water effectively
- Many grommets make for attaching easy
- Durable design elements
Cons For This Product
- More expensive
- No guy lines
Conclusion
We hope you found this review of the best rainfly for tent camping helpful.
Any of these will work well depending on what you want.
Just be confident in your purchase and make sure you let us know which rainfly you prefer.
Now get out there and enjoy the fresh air!
Really worried about rain? Check out the best tents for heavy rain.