How to Stay Warm When Winter Camping

Camping lovers probably don’t mind camping throughout the year even when the temperatures are low. Experienced campers, in fact, love the idea of camping in cold weather since this time of the year is great for enjoying the morning serenity and breathtaking landscapes. Just imagine the beauty of drinking your morning coffee while savouring the untouched snow-covered and sunny landscapes. Just priceless.

But to be honest, camping in winter has its own cons and the main one is the cold. So, in order to avoid being cold, catching a cold or even worse – hypothermia, you should have all the needed things that’ll keep you warm and comfortable.

Use Sleeping Mats

Why do you need a camping mat exactly? Well, laying directly on the ground is certainly not a pleasant feeling, which is why having a camping sleeping mat is paramount for keeping you warm during camping in winter and preventing your body from losing its heat. A warm and comfy camping mat can insulate you from the cold ground and snow, and two pads instead of one can certainly add more insulation and warmth than sleeping on one.

The warmth/insulation of these pads is measured in R-value which is a measurement of the material’s thermal resistance. Generally speaking, the higher the R-value the better, and sleeping on two mats seems to be the perfect way to stay warm when camping in winter.

An important thing to know about these great insulators is that they come in several types and with different methods of inflation. Generally, you can choose from the self-inflating mats and the ones that require a pump to be inflated, and speaking from a point of convenience, it seems that the self-inflating models are more convenient and easy to use.

Whatever type you choose to buy, keep in mind that it’s better to inflate and deflate the mat inside the tent in order to limit its exposure to punctures. In case you’re planning to leave both mats set up in the tent for a longer period of time, deflating them a bit would be needed since heat can make your mats expand and damage their internal structure.

These mats are designed to be placed under your sleeping bag which will result in having a more comfortable and soft sleeping area. Once done camping, you should carefully deflate your mats, clean them (with warm water and mild detergent) and dry them completely before storing them. This is essential for avoiding mould and mildew.

Sleep in a Sleeping Bag

Instead of sleeping on the tent floor, placing a sleeping bag over mats will help you stay much warmer and more comfortable at night. And if the temperatures are quite low, you can layer the bag with a featherweight quilt. Even though light in weight, these quilts provide extra warmth that can make all the difference in the world.

These bags come in a range of sizes, shapes, materials and temperature ratings where the rectangular ones offer more room while the mummy ones offer the greatest warmth. The most important thing to know before buying a sleeping bag is that each and every one of them comes with a specific temperature rating. This rating can help you understand in which conditions the chosen sleeping bag will perform best. Once you understand that, you can proceed to choose the right sleeping bag for the season.

Add Hot Water Bottle to the BagF

Whether it’s extremely cold outside or you are one of those persons who’s always cold, you can always increase your warmth by adding a water bottle inside the bag. When using a hot bottle to warm up, it’s recommended to place it at your core region because that way it can heat up the blood that travels throughout your body and it can make you warm and cosy faster.

Wear Dry Clothes

The need to wear dry clothes when sleeping is fundamental for staying warm when camping in winter. So, once you’re done with setting up the tent, hiking or whatever you’re doing, and you’re ready to settle for the night, remove all wet or sweaty clothes. Wearing dry clothes is essential for feeling comfortable and staying warm at night which is why you should always wear extra clothes with you, at least base layers in order to change when wet or dirty.

Dress in Layers

When camping in winter, it’s of vital importance for you to keep your body temperature and heat at the needed levels. While layering is an ideal way to keep your body warm at night, during the day and when working, you might need to take off a layer or two in order to prevent excessive perspiration.

But once you’re done, it’s recommended to add a layer more on you so your body could maintain the needed body temperature. As the night gets cold, adding more layers might be needed. Generally speaking, you should wear a base layer, mid-layer, puffy and shell jacket since this can help you easily regulate your body temperature.