Laying in a hammock underneath the stars after a long day camping is one of my favorite things Nature has to offer. Unfortunately, a small shower can really put a damper on this... ((pun intended)) All hammock campers need a rain fly to protect against this fact of life.
Some of the best rain fly's on the market today are produced by ENO. In fact, they are so popular ENO came out with an entire line to confuse their customers.. I mean to satisfy customers.
If you're like me you could tell the ProFly, DryFly, and FastFly all have different shapes, but were at a loss other than that. Good news, we wrote an entire post to breakdown the pros and cons of each fly to help you find the perfect on for you!
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| Product | |||
| Awards | Best for the Money | Best Coverage | Best Portability |
| Price | from $53.00 |
from Price not available |
from Price not available |
| Overall Score | |||
| What We Like | Can do it all well | Large coverage area with no added weight | Lightweight and quick setup |
| What We Don't | Coverage area could be a bit larger compared to the weight | 8 attachment points requires more gear and setup time | Won't keep you dry in moderate/severe winds |
| Bottom Line | Best bang for your buck for varied weather situations | Guaranteed dry night in all weather conditions but at a cost of longer setup | Lighweight plus large coverage makes a great addition to any trip |
| Coverage | |||
| Wind Rating | |||
| Portability | |||
| Value | |||
| Material | 70D Ripstop Nylon with 1000mm PU Coating | 70D Ripstop Nylon with 1000mm PU Coating | 30D Silicone Impregnated Nylon with 1000mm PU Coating |
| Attachment Points | 6 | 8 | 4 |
| Unpacked Dimensions | 10 ft 6 in x 6 ft 4 in / 320 cm x 193 cm | 10 ft 6 in x 9 ft 3 in / 320 cm x 282 cm | 11 ft 9 in x 11 ft 9 in / 358 cm x 358 cm |
| Total Area | 9576 in² / 61781 cm² | 13986 in² / 90232 cm² | 19881 in² / 128264 cm² |
| Packed Dimensions | 4.5 in x 9 in / 11 cm x 23 cm | 10 in x 4 in / 25 cm x 10 cm | 10 in x 4 in / 25 cm x 10 cm |
| Shape | Rectangle | Octagon | Square |
| Product Weight | 22 oz | 22 oz | 14 oz |
| Warranty | 2 Years | 2 Years | 2 Years |
1
ENO ProFly
Review
Our Score
from $53.00
Jack of All Trades: The ProFly has 6 attachments points which we found to be the sweet spot between the amount of setup time and wind resistance. The attachments points are placed so that the ProFly will maintain it's tent like shape through moderate storms. Each additional point adds more setup time and additional gear to be brought along. More or fewer points is trade off in coverage during storms and setup time.
Affordable: The ProFly comes in as the cheapest of the DryFly and FastFly making it the best bang for your buck. Combining affordability and a wide variety of uses means this rain fly is great for just about any hammock sleeper.
Weight: The ProFly is fabric is made from ripstop nylon coated, which is becoming an outdated material for rain flys. Silicone has become the go-to material for the ultralight community because it provides equal water protection at about half the weight. Compared to the larger FastFly, the Profly, is 8 ounces heavier simply due to nylon vs silicone construction. It doesn't seem like much of an impact, but ounces add up if not properly accounted for.
Waterproofing: ENO applies 1000mm PU coating to all of its rain tarps. This hydrophobic coating is used to waterproof the rain fly by forcing rain bead up and roll off the side. Tarps without this coating will become saturated with water and eventually drip through the tarp. We have found this coating rubs off after 3-4 outings. As a result, its best to treat with a waterproof spray.
Key Specifications:
- Dimensions: 21"L x 7"W x 16"H
- Material: Rust-Resistant Steel Construction
- Weight Capacity: 75 lb./34 kg.
- Product Weight: 9 lb.
2
Review
ENO DryFly
Our Score
from Price not available
High Wind Rating: The DryFly is named as such because it provides loads of rain coverage for both you and your gear. The DryFly improves upon the ProFly by adding two additional attachments for added wind resistance. Most people will never encounter a storm strong enough to blow this tarp over!
Coverage: The DryFly 10 ft length and 9 ft span make it feel like a tent more than a rain tarp. The tarp's width and shape allow the rain fly to come down further than the hammock on either side. This will keep you totally dry when strong winds make it rain sideways. This statement cannot be said for the other fly's in this review.
Setup Time: The DryFly takes the longest of all the rain fly's to setup and teardown. The 8 attachments require you to bring additional stakes and ropes if you want to use them. Most people won't encounter many storms that require the full use of the DryFly so it might be more than you need.
Key Specifications:
- Dimensions: 21"L x 7"W x 16"H
- Material: Rust-Resistant Steel Construction
- Weight Capacity: 75 lb./34 kg.
- Product Weight: 9 lb.
3
Review
ENO FastFly
Our Score
from Price not available
Mobility: The FastFly only weighs 14 oz. making it the perfect accessory for any trip, Only 2 stakes are needed to set up the fly so even from a size perspective this tarp takes up little room. Bundle it with your hammock and be ready for a storm any time.
Low Wind Rating: The FastFly's paper airplane shape will leave one end of the hammock much more exposed than the other. Rain accompanied with wind stronger than a breeze will be able to fall on the exposed end of the rain fly. If you expect rain to persist for longer than a few hours, you may find yourself wanting a fly with more coverage.
Key Specifications:
- Dimensions: 21"L x 7"W x 16"H
- Material: Rust-Resistant Steel Construction
- Weight Capacity: 75 lb./34 kg.
- Product Weight: 9 lb.
Key Features We Considered
Coverage
Coverage is the ability of the rain fly to keep you dry in all weather conditions. The shape, size, and # of attachments all combine to determine how dry you will be in a storm.
While any shape could provide complete coverage given it is large enough, the best rain fly's will be only large enough to keep you dry and nothing else.All excess fabric is waste and additional weight you have to lug around.
The three ProFly, DryFly, and FastFly offer different degrees of coverage based on these factors. The FastFly covers medium rain with no wind. The ProFly covers heavy rain and medium wind. The DryFly will handle strong winds and heavy rains.
Wind Rating
The attachment points serve to maintain the shape of fly. A rain fly is not very different from a parachute and a strong gust will flip it like an umbrella. More attachments points equals better wind resistance and ultimately coverage.
Portability
In all camping scenarios, you are battling against the size and weight of your gear. Minimizing a rain fly is key because you will need to bring it on every trip, but it won't always be necessary.
All three reviews rain fly's have a high degree of portability thanks to their stuff sack. The FastFly requires the fewest accessories and is the lightest making it the most mobile. The ProFly and DryFly are close to double the weight of the FastFly and require more accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not use DIY options like a tarp and rope?
Many people will scoff at spending any money on a rain fly, claiming a rope and tarp do the job just fine. They are completely correct that it will work, but they might not be aware of the advantageous of manufacturered rain tarp.
First, ENO's fly's are much easier to setup and teardown. You need no special knowledge of knots or extreme skills in tarp folding.
Secondly, the ENO's pack down significantly smaller and are lighter. The traditional rainfly is a beast to put away and is often significantly heavier.
As you could expect spending a little extra on a product designed to be a rain fly will provide you with fewer headaches and greater accommodation.
ProFly vs ProFly SIL
The difference comes down to the material of the rain fly itself. SIL versions are still nylon but with integrated silicone. The silicone replaces some of the nylon making the fly lighter, more UV resistant, and better overall for rain tarps.
The catch is the cost. The manufacturing process to integrate the silicone weave into nylon is slow and tedious. This means ENO has to charge more for the product. As silicone integration further penetrates the market, these costs should come down in the future.
How to Setup the ProFly, DryFly, or FastFly
Setting up these rain fly's was designed to be easy. You will be able to do it without instructions after the first time. Rather than me go on about how to setup each individual fly, here's a list of a few Youtube instructions videos.