the.com/rain fly
The tent's raincoat — cheap insurance against a night you'll never forget.
means A waterproof cover that stretches over a tent to keep rain and dew off the breathable fabric below.
from A straightforward compound: 'rain' plus 'fly,' using 'fly' in its old tent-making sense of a loose piece of canvas forming a roof or awning — the same sense behind 'flysheet' and 'fly tent.' That tent-flap meaning of 'fly' dates back to 19th-century canvas tents and military marquees, well before nylon backpacking gear existed; 'rain fly' simply specialized the word for the detachable weatherproof layer campers add on top.
- actual job
- blocks rain and condensation, not warmth
- skip it
- dew turns your tent ceiling into drizzle
- bonus use
- doubles as emergency tarp or sunshade
- fit matters
- too small invites leaks at the seams