Learned the hard way on the Ozark Trail that my $12 rain fly was not waterproof

Anna Wright · 2026-09-25T03:30:03.384082+00:00

Went camping on the Ozark Trail in Missouri last weekend and got hit with a storm around 2am that I was not ready for. My cheap rain fly from a big box store let water straight through and my sleeping bag was soaked within 20 minutes. I ended up grabbing my emergency poncho and draping it over the tent, which sort of worked but flapped all night in the wind. The next morning I drove 40 minutes to a gear shop in Rolla and dropped $85 on a proper seam-sealed fly, which stung but honestly I should have just done that from the start. Tested it the following night in another downpour and stayed totally dry, so lesson learned about going cheap on the one thing keeping you dry. Anyone else got a rain fly they actually trust after real storm testing?

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Learned the hard way on the Ozark Trail that my $12 rain fly was not waterproof | Camping Gear Reviews - Babble Community