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Everyone loves to go camping in summer when it’s warm and once in a while they decide to brave it in winter. Do you think you’d be able to last the entire weekend without running into problems?
If you want to survive a winter camping trip you have to do things a little differently. Let’s discuss a few tricks to help keep you safe in case you’re thinking about heading out in winter when it’s freezing.
1. Don’t Hide Your Head Away
Don’t try to squeeze as much of your head as possible into your sleeping bag when it’s cold. I know it seems like a good thing to do. Most people would assume it’s warmer when your face isn’t embracing the cold air.
Think about all the moisture you’ll be breathing out during the night. It’s going to accumulate inside your sleeping bag. Even if you get a great one from an outfitting adventure specialist you’ll be damp and less insulated.
2. Using A Sleeping Bag Liner
In summer, you don’t need to think about much when you go camping. Good bottom insulation is more important than anything else. A basic sleeping bag or top quilt is going to let you sleep comfortably throughout the night.
During winter you’ll need a sleeping bag with a lower temperature rating, but you should use a bag liner too. Thermal sleeping bag liners can raise your body temp over 10 degrees and it’s easy to tuck them away in your backpack.
3. Go To The Toilet At Night
Hiding away in protective tents and shelters seems like the right thing to do even if you need the toilet at night. I know you’ll need to step outside your warm sleeping bag, but you shouldn’t hold anything in while you sleep.
Even though it’s going to be cold stepping outside, it’s a worse idea to ignore nature. Your body is going to waste a lot of energy keeping your bladder warm. All the food and drink you cook on camping stoves needs to come out.
4. Leave Clothes In The Corner
When you jump into your sleeping bag at night don’t wear all your clothes. In an ideal world, you’d have a few layers of clothes in the corner of your tent. It’s a blessing when you wake up on a cold winter morning.
If you get out of a sleeping bag with all your clothes on you’ll have nothing to put on. More specifically, you won’t have anything to warm you up. If you slip into a few layers of clothing you’ll have a more enjoyable breakfast.
5. Sleeping In A Smaller Tent
How big is the tent you sleep in at the moment? It’s okay for two people to sleep in a huge tent in summer because you’ll be warm. I know it’s nice when you’re living in a spacious shelter, but it’s something to avoid in winter.
It’s much easier to trap warmth inside a smaller tent and you’ll be more comfortable during the night. You should try to find good air mattresses for sale too. Plus a sleeping bag liner inside your bags adds a few degrees of warmth.
Multiple Little Tricks Go A Long Way
Nothing we’ve talked about today will make a huge difference, but all these little tricks add up. When you implement enough of them winter camping becomes a breeze.