Found out my 'waterproof' tent wasn't actually rated for much rain

I was reading the tiny print on the stuff sack for my old two-person tent. It said 'water resistant coating, 800mm hydrostatic head.' I looked that up and a site for backpackers said that's barely okay for a light drizzle, not a real storm. I bought this tent five years ago for a trip to the Smokies and just assumed it was fully waterproof. Has anyone else been caught out by the actual numbers on their rain fly?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannahs451mo ago

Yeah, that "hydrostatic head" number is a total trap. I read a gear review that said anything under 1500mm is basically a tarp with a zipper.

gavina731mo ago

Hold up, that gear review sounds a bit extreme. Most casual tents are rated around 1000-1500mm and they keep you dry in a normal rainstorm. The real problem is when the fabric gets old or the coating wears off. Calling it a tarp with a zipper is just trying to scare people into buying more expensive stuff.

black.pat1mo ago

My buddy got a tent with a similar rating. He woke up in a puddle after a night of steady rain, not even a crazy storm.