**If you are in a hurry I recommend the Weanas Professional Backpacking Tent as the best waterproof tent on the market for its high waterproof index rating and great versatility**
There are few times in my life I have felt more vulnerable than being in a terrible thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere. With only your shelter to rely on, your choice of camping tent becomes incredibly important with how the rest of your trip goes. Knowing how to read a waterproof index or what a good rainfly looks like will help keep you dry during those rainy outdoor trips. Learn which outdoor choice will protect you from wet weather in the best waterproof tent on the market reviews.
What Makes A Great Waterproof Tent
Waterproof Index
There is a professional waterproof test that most tents worth their salt will have conducted in order to see how good their product stands up to water. This is called the waterproof index and is a great at-a-glance number to look out for when shopping around.
It’s important to know that there are different waterproof index ratings for tent floors, wall fabric, and rainfly fabric. Most tents wont distinguish the differences but will only list one number. More than likely that number will be for the rainfly but if you have questions reach out to the manufacturer.
Rainfly
There’s several features that can make a rainfly unique and worth putting in some extra consideration when purchasing a waterproof tent. Some rainflys will only have partial coverage over the ceiling of the tent but will include extensions over the windows or doors. Others will fully cover the entire tent.
It’s important with rainflys that provide full coverage you make sure there is proper ventilation. Some will have hooded vents over the mesh areas of the tent so that you can keep the windows fully open without worrying about leakage through the mesh. Some of the best rainflys will include small vestibules or even awnings for extra protection in wet weather.
Ventilation
When it rains you want to make sure to keep any water from getting inside your tent but a lot of people don’t consider what that means for air circulation. When you cover all openings to protect from rain you are enclosing yourself in a hot box.
Luckily most tents are designed to create some airflow while still being protected. Good waterproof tents on the market will include small hooded vents over the mesh areas so that you can keep windows or doors open while still being protected. Some options will come with floor vents to help circulate the airflow.
Best Overall: Weanas Professional Backpacking Tent
If you’re looking for a high quality waterproof tent that is also very versatile you will want to take a long look at the Weanas Professional Backpacking Tent. The rainfly provides full coverage all over the tent and has a waterproof index of 4000mm. The floor of the tent also has a waterproof index of 5000mm. The rainfly includes two small vestibules in the front and back which you can use to store your gear. The front side can actually be used as an awning if you attach a couple of treking poles to the corners and hoist up.
Underneath the rainfly you have lots of ventilation to keep you cool on muggy, rainy days. Two of the walls are pretty much all mesh protection and there are two large doors so that when they are all open you can feel as if you’re directly outside. The door is a D-shape design but its on its side which is different compared to most camping tents who have their D-shaped doors right side up. This makes it so that you have to open the door from the top and it’s not as easy to enter. Overall, you are going to get a ton of use out of the Weanas and it will hold up for several seasons. It’s also only about 6lbs so its a great choice for campers who need something easily portable and well-built for rainy weather.
Best Luxury: Ayamaya Pop Up Tents with Vestibule
The Ayamaya Pop Up is a fantastic rain proof tent that is going to be the easiest to set up and provide lots of interior space. The 4000mm waterproof index matches the highest rating on this list and the rainfly provides complete coverage over the entire tent. That includes a fairly good sized vestibule that can also be fully covered. The fact you can fit up to four people already and there’s extra space for your gear is well thought out for campers needing to keep everything dry.
The rainfly is integrated and the double layer Ayamaya is held together with a series of hooks. Along with the two large front doors, rear hooded vents, and four windows you’ll have some great air circulation to keep you cool and lower condensation. Because the widows don’t have protection when open you need to keep them closed when it’s raining. The same is true with the mesh vestibule so this option won’t be ideal during summer storms because the heat can get trapped. But otherwise, it’s an extremely convenient and portable option that is one of the best waterproof camping tents for rain on the market.
Best Budget: Coleman Sundome Tent
Coleman is one of the best brands on the market for getting high quality and reliable tents and the Sundome model is no different. A large D-shaped door makes it easy to get in and out and the top half has mesh protection so you can unzip it while inside for a front door view. You also have no-see-um mesh on the top half of two of the side walls as well. Combine that with another window on the back wall and a giant floor vent and you have great air circulation to keep cool while its raining.
The welded bathtub style floors and inverted seams protect you from rain leaking inside the tent through the stitching. Even if it’s raining you can still open up both windows because the rainfly overextends so that all water never hits the mesh screen. Set up is more traditional so it will take you about 10 minutes once you get the hang of everything. Campers who want a rainproof tent that they can rely on for several seasons are going to enjoy the Coleman Sundome.
BFULL Instant Pop Up Camping Tent
One of the easiest waterproof tents to set up on the market, the BFULL Instant Camping Tent will have you protected from the rain within 15 seconds. The automatic hydraulic system makes it as simple as raising the middle frame piece and snapping a couple of bars into place. The included rainfly has a waterproof index of 3000mm and is built for you to be able to use it separately from the tent as a canopy.
There are fully taped seams along the BFULL which help protect from leakage along the stitching. The two decent sized mesh doors and windows will help increase airflow while you have the rainfly on so it doesn’t get too muggy and start collecting condensation. The quality of materials could be better but that’s exactly why its one of the more affordable waterproof tents. The BFULL is a great option for a couple looking to have a quick set up that doesn’t take a lot of time that they can use for a number of occasions.
HIKERGARDEN Tent-8-Person-Camping-Tent
For campers who have a larger party the HIKERGARDEN will keep you dry and provide privacy for everyone in the group. You could fit three queen size air mattresses inside and it comes with a room divider so that you can split each side into two rooms. The included rainfly covers the entire top of the tent and extends over the windows and door for extra protection against the rain.
The 4 mesh windows, very large mesh ceiling, and large D-shaped door all provide good ventilation while the rainfly is on but there was an opportunity to add additional windows on the back wall for extra air circulation. The HIKERGARDEN comes with 1000mm waterproof index so it will do well in light rain but there are better options if you are headed into a real storm. The zipper can get stuck in the door as your unzipping it and set up isn’t as clear as the suggested 5 min label says. But if you’re looking for a spacious waterproof tent that will provide some extra privacy in the outdoors the HIKERGARDEN hits all your checkboxes.
MOON LENCE Camping Tent
The MOON LENCE is a great waterproof tent you can rely on to get the job done on light, rainy days in the outdoors. The rainfly has a waterproof index of 1000mm and extends over the front door and back window so you don’t have to worry about water dripping on your windows. This allows you to open the two mesh windows to increase air circulation even while its raining. With the floor vent and mesh wall sides you should have no problem catching a breeze with the rainfly on.
The MOON LENCE comes with nine iron pegs and four guy ropes that you can use around the structure to keep it tied down if the winds pick up. There’s also a mesh pocket you can store small valuables inside and a hanging hook at the top of the ceiling for a fan or lantern. There aren’t many people who have purchased this waterproof tent and had bad things to say about it. It’s durable, lightweight, and perfect for a smaller group looking for protection from bad weather.
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent
As the saying goes, good things come in small sizes and nowhere is that more relevant than the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx Tent. Made for one person, the ALPS is built to handle weather of any kind. And as the title suggest, this waterproof tent was made for campers who are heading up to high elevations where they might encounter any kind of weather. The UV resistant rainfly has a 75 denier rating while the floor of the tent has a 2000mm waterproof index. All seems are also sealed for leak protection so there should be no issues if its wet outside.
The rainfly fully covers the entire tent but the ALPS has half mesh walls on both sides and a mesh window on the door so you get great ventilation for the size. The front of the rainfly even opens as a small vestibule to keep your gear covered from the rain. The obvious downside to the ALPS is the size, as it only has enough room for one. But you won’t have any regrets bringing this waterproof camping tent with you on your next rainy adventure.
OT QOMOTOP Tent
The spacious and well ventilated OT QOMOTOP will not only keep you dry in rainy weather but it will also keep you comfortable. It has a small rainfly compared to others on this list but the 68 denier polyester fabric helps shed water without leaking. And the PU taping for the rainfly and inner tent seams as well as the PE tube floor really make a difference when it’s wet outside. But you will want to take into consideration the 600mm waterproof index rating which is one of the lowest in these reviews.
There’s 4 windows providing a 360 degree view and a mesh ceiling that can help circulate the air along with the small floor vent. The unique construction allows you to get the entire tent set up within 60 seconds. The one difference I’d make with the OT QOMOTOP is making the rainfly even bigger. Or at least extending past the windows because as it currently is you can’t open any of the windows when it’s raining which will affect air circulation and condensation inside your tent. This camping tent is going to be best if you have some light rain in the forecast for your outdoor trip but I wouldn’t take this if you have large storms headed your way.
MOON LENCE Pop Up Tent Family Camping Tent
There’s a reason there are several MOON LENCE waterproof tents on this list. They know what it takes to build a tent that’s going to last in the outdoors and shed away any water that tries to ruin your trip. With the Pop Up Family model you can get everything set up within about 60 seconds and can fit up to 4 people inside. The included rainfly has a respectable waterproof index of 2000mm and you can also use the 10 alloy pegs and four guy ropes to help secure it down if the rainy weather comes with high winds.
The two large, mesh doors make it easy to get in and out but they also open up half way to help ventilate the MOON LENCE when you have the rainfly on. And you have added protection over your windows due to the overhanging rainfly so that no water drops get inside the mesh. Just for some added circulation you get two floor vents on either side that you can still use when covered. This is the type of waterproof tent that you can take with you whether you have one or 4 people with you and you can rely on it to keep you dry in any weather.
MOON LENCE Camping Tent 1 and 2 Person Backpacking Tent
The MOON LENCE Backpacking Tent is a perfect waterproof camping choice for 1-2 people who need a durable and portable option. The 2000mm waterproof index and double layer fabric material will keep you dry in the outdoors when the rains come. The rainfly covers the tent fully and the front includes a small vestibule to store extra gear or get some extra protection when entering. The backside has a large section you can roll up to get a good view from the back mesh window. You could even prop this part of the rainfly up with two trekking poles to provide an awning.
There’s a couple of small ventilation holes near the top of the rainfly that use the mesh ceiling to circulate the air but the MOON LENCE Backpacking tent could use another floor vent or window to keep it from getting too hot. This is one of the few waterproof camping tents on the list that isn’t an instant set up and it can take up to 10 minutes for one person to get everything ready. But once you get used to the process you’ll end up taking the Backpacking Tent with you on any outdoor trip.
Summary
My top choice for best waterproof tent on the market is the Weanas Professional Backpacking Tent because of its high waterproof index and versatility. The 4000mm matches the highest rating you will find for a waterproof index on this list. The rainfly fully covers the entire tent and includes a small vestibule and awning. You’ll be able to use it for almost any weather and keep it for seasons to come.
