{"id":31185,"date":"2026-04-07T10:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.everest.com\/everestdigest\/?p=31185"},"modified":"2026-04-06T14:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T19:08:21","slug":"tent-waterproof-ratings-explained-what-hydrostatic-head-actually-means","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everest.com\/everestdigest\/tent-waterproof-ratings-explained-what-hydrostatic-head-actually-means\/","title":{"rendered":"Tent Waterproof Ratings Explained: What “Hydrostatic Head” Actually Means"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve ever looked at a tent spec sheet and seen something like 3,000mm waterproof rating, there’s a good chance you just nodded and moved on.<\/span><\/p>\n

It sounds technical. Maybe even reassuring. But unless you already know what those numbers mean, they don’t actually tell you much about whether you’ll stay dry-or wake up at 3 a.m. wondering why your sleeping bag feels damp.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those numbers refer to something called a hydrostatic head, and while the concept is simple, the way it gets used (and misunderstood) is where things get interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n