One of the most important features of a tent is its weatherproofing. A tent is not just a place to sleep; it is your refuge from the elements. The way a tent is weatherproofed is by a bathtub floor and a rainfly. The rainfly protects from water from above and the bathtub floor prevents water from seeping in from the ground.
A rainfly is a tent that goes over your existing tent structure. It is waterproof and serves to channel rainfall away from the interior of the tent. It should fit snuggly, cover the entire wall of the tent if necessary, and not allow the rainwater to collect in the folds of the tent. They prevent your last minute camping trip from turning into a wet nightmare.
Rainflies come in a variety of size. Small rainflies do not only go on small 2 man tents. A full length rainfly is obviously bigger than just a small rainfly. The cheaper tents tend to come with the small rainfly. This will protect you from most straight down rainfall, but you are out of luck if the way is wind driven and coming from the side. In this case, you need a full length rainfly.
Now that we have the top of the tent taken care of, it is time to focus on the bottom. Most tents are protected by a water proof bathtub floor. The material is more rugged and thicker than the rest of the tent (it is waterproof after all). This generally extends a half to a whole foot up the side of the tent to protect form water running over the edge.
Bathtub floors are attached to the tent one of two ways. They are either welded or sealed or they are stitched. If they are stitched you need to buy some sealant or tape and cover the pin holes.
Buy quality and you should stay high and dry. The cheaper the tent the less weatherproof it generally is.
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