Van life is great…. 95% of the time. That other 5% is when it’s pouring rain and it seems like EVERYTHING in the van is wet. However, even when the rain gets gross, you just have to keep moving. Here are our best tips and tricks for making the most of bad weather days.
Ultimately, when the weather is rainy, you just have to force yourself outside sometimes. It does get better, I promise. I say this as a southerner turned Seatteite. I promise, you will get immune to weather. Our pup, Kramer, works as an accountability partner. We know Kramer needs a good workout everyday so even on the rainiest of days, we’re out there at a park or on a trail running, playing fetch, and moving. It’s inevitable the van is going to get wet, but there are a few basic items that we’ve found really help combat this mess and keep it at bay as best we can.
Must Have Van Life Rain Gear
Kramer’s rain jacket
We absolutely love everything by Ruffwear that we’ve tried and this rain jacket is definitely one of our favorite items. Kramer has poodle-like hair so he’s a sponge in the rain. This jacket does a great job keeping him dry in both hot and cold weather because it really isn’t made to keep him that warm. It’s more of a windbreaker and a rain jacket. We highly recommend this item!!
Microfiber Towel
Once Kramer hops back in the van, he immediately wants to shake even before we get the rain jacket off. What to we do? We let him hop in and we instantly throw a towel over him so that when he does shake it stays under the towel. It actually works pretty well! The towel dries quickly and is great for just towel drying his feet and head before we let him off the leash.
Our rain jackets
We both have nice but pretty basic rain jackets. Nothing super high tech or anything, just great everyday rain jackets by great companies. Chris’ jacket is Marmot and Sara’s in Patagonia. You can find the links below.
Chris’ jacket // Sara's jacket
Waterproof rug
For the entryway in front of the slider door is an outdoor rug with a rubber bottom making it waterproof. Technically our floors are waterproof too, but it never hurts to be too careful! The rubber bottom also keeps the water more contained and keeps. 10/10 would recommend a good outdoor rug!
**our exact rug is from Ikea but this one on Amazon is very similar.
Errand/Chore Day
We typically make rainy days our chore days. Laundry, grocery shopping, deep cleaning the van, meal prepping, etc. all typically get done when the weather isn’t so nice. By doing these not so fun things when the weather is gross out saves more time for fun things like getting outside and exploring wherever we are when the weather finally does turn nice!
Workworkworkworkwork
We both own our own businesses which we realize affords us the luxury of making our own schedules (to an extent). We still answer to clients regarding meetings and deadlines, but for the most part we can choose when we get the bulk of our work done. Rainy days are our days to camp out in the van or at coffee shops to crank out as much work as possible.
For example, this week it’s raining Monday-Wednesday so we’re putting in lots of work now to take off as much of Thursday and Friday as we can. No matter if you set your own schedule or work for someone else, a little organizing and checking the weather forecast could make all the difference.
Breweries
Did you know many breweries are dog friendly? It’s true! On rainy nights when we have cabin fever one of our favorite activities is to hit up a local brewery for a little bit. If you find a good one, it could be the perfect chance to talk to a few locals and find out what’s good in the area, too. Be sure to check local laws to see what’s allowed wherever you are and always call ahead to double check with the brewery before you bring fido in with you.
Just Get Out There
If you wait for perfect weather, you're going to miss so so much across the country. Some of the prettiest days we've spent in the mountains it's been bitter cold and wet. Some of the most stunning views that we've witnesses in the desert have been when it was blazing hot. So, get out there and figure out a way to make it work!
We want to hear from you!
We want to hear from you! We’re always looking for new ways to keep ourselves sane in the rain so be sure to drop us a message or a comment and share with us what you do when the weather turns rough.
