TOTW - Camping Discussions - Winter Camping

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Yay!Gurrr

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TOTW - Camping Discussions - Winter Camping

Who camps when its cold ?

Do you do anything special other than stand closer to the fire :D

Sleeping Bag Tech ? (how to stay warm and not get cold/damp ?

Tent ideas ? Types ? styles ? smaller = better ?

Tent Heaters ?

Run small elec. heater ? (camp sites)

How cold is too cold?

Discuss !
 
I usually camp like this :)

Heater, oven, fridge, lights, etc

DSC00012.JPG
 
I love to camp in the winter, but dont get to nearly enough

i guess i would be considered a pretty warm natured person, as i dont really wear that much in the cold. Even on days with highs in the teens and 20s, my camp wear consists of a base layer, flannel shirt, and a windproof jacket. jeans and possibly windproof pants if it is howling, along with mittens and appropriate headwear(yes, mittens)

i am not a fan, nor am i really aware of any types of tent heaters. the number one most important thing for a good nights sleep on the ground in the cold is a good air mattress. most people think this is just for softness, but it is amazing how much warmer you stay being insulated from the ground.

i also prefer down sleeping bags, but im sure plenty of others disagree, but i like it. I use a 20 degree bag, but for the really cold nights i have a fleece liner i put in it, which makes it considerably warmer.

the best thing anyone could have in the woods in winter, is hot instant apple cider with a shot of everclear in it........ none better
 
The key for me in cold weather camping is quality polypropelyne long underwear (top & bottom). Breathes, dries fast, insulates well when wet, light weight, a MUST have for me personally.

aw hit most of the key points IMO for sleeping. Quality ground insulation such as a ThermaRest air mattress, DOWN 0-20 degree bag, fleece liner and polypros can take me to the single digits comfortably. Two years ago at Callalantee it hit 7 degrees Saturday morning on our January ride and I was OK. I have never used a heater and am leery of them at best. Was offered two at Chip's Recovery Ride early this month at Callalantee but declined, polypro and fleece is the way to go. I don't think the tent has a whole lot to do with temp comfort at low temps, I've used everything from a 2lb coffin style to large 6 man tents with little difference in temp comfort.

Polypros, jeans & T and insulated coveralls take care of most any daytime temps for me. Take the coveralls off as it warms, put them back on by the fire at night. Go to bed early and get warm is another key for me, you won't find me sitting around the fire too long in the single digits.

TOTW have anything to do with the possibility of a Jan Harlan trip, Mike?
 
I like to sleep in old tractor trailer sleeper cabs attached to the front of a good trailer. I have seen many builds on this setup so I can only assume its a pretty popular option. Have you thought about converting an old box truck, maybe a U-HAUL?

:flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2:

seriously, I love my tent heater. I bought the cheapo coleman jobby at the local wally world and it has worked excellent for the last 3 yrs. It uses a little under one cylinder all night on high inclluding the preheating of the tent time. I can sleep with no layers and a thin blanket on my air mattress very nicely. It stays around 65-80 in the tent depending how cold it is outside.

I think john hit the nail on the head about clothing. Use many shedable layers for the ultimate in climate control thru the day. You can always overdress and peel away when necessary.
 
INSULATION! LOL!

I use arctic sleeping bags and an air mattress with another arctic bag layed out on the mattress to insulate from the cold mattress temp. Never gotten cold with this.

Read somewhere that it is more important to insulate yourself from the cold ground as it is from the cold air around you.

Also good to have a honey in the bag wth ya! They're warm!!

BUT then...., I dont camp when its 0*! lol!:rolleyes:
 
The only thing to remember about down bags is that they don't work for shit if they should happen to get wet. I've got some polyester/spandex blend underwear.... Cyd's got some silk and some poly/spandex as well. They feel better against the skin... not clammy/sticky like polypropylene can be. Look at REI's house brand, or Capilene stuff from Patagonia, etc. It's not cheap, but the stuff I'm using I've had for years, and it holds up great.

For 'warmer' temps, say lows around freezing, I think that smaller tents stay warmer inside than larger ones do. That has a great deal to do with how much you're in and out of the bag during the night. Once it gets damn cold, you're likely to cinch the bag down tight and not move until daylight. Even still, when you get up in the AM, a small tent will warm up quickly as you're getting out of your bag and changing clothes, etc.

Smaller/shorter tents will also weather storms better in general, due to having a lower profile and better fly coverage.

x3 or 4 or something on the Thermarest. If you're car camping, go all out and get the thick ones. You'll sleep better year round.
 
I was at the 7 degree ride that John spoke of. Just sleeping bags and blankets, with all my clothes on was NOT enough!
I thought I was going to die. At around 4 in the morning I ended up sleeping in a chair in the mens room, they have a nice gas heater in there. I know it was a nasty place, but it was so cold, I think the germs were dead and the smell was frozen too! The next day I bought an electric blanket and a drop cord. This is the best way to winter camp in a tent at Callalante!

As far as warming tricks go...I have always heard that you could place a stone in the fire for a while and then wrap with a towel and snuggle with it.

Its always nice to have a warm woman with you, at bed time anyway!
 
Haven't slept in a tent that made a difference yet.

I usually sleep on some type of mat,mummy bag,fleece long johns and a facemask. I prefer camping in the cold, its not so loud outside and NO BUGS!
 
I dress in layers also w/polypropelene underwear. I don't sleep on an air mattress in the winter(gases carry away heat faster than solids do). I usually sleep on a cot w/ a 2" dense foam pad on top of the cot. I use a sub-zero swiss army sleeping bag w/a fleece liner and water proof shell. I take my clothes and put them in the sleeping bag with me it adds layers. That usually keeps me warm in the winter w/out a heater. it still sucks when yo have to get up and go pee...
 
20* mummy bag inside of a 0* XL bag = Damn its warm in here.
Also, a good, comfortable beanie cap worn when in the bag helps keep the heat in.
I have a few tents, but I plan to try out the "new" 'burb with an air mattress in the back. I have a 1000 btu catalyst heater to keep in there as well.
We will see how it goes.

As for daytime, layers are important. A good base layer (thermals), jeans, a long sleeve t shirt and a good fleece over shirt. Hat and gloves if needed. Maybe a jacket if it is DAMN cold.
 
For your set up Mike a Buddy Heater will work great. It has a low O2 shut off and also a tip over shut off. Actually doesn't take much to make it shut off at all. I use one in my Van and works great! I do run a 20lb cylinder on it and not the expensive 1lb'ers.
Before when I slept without heat it was a little of all the above. a good mat IMO is better than air mattress and insulates a lot better.
At Evarts behind the Dairy Hut they have electricity, so a electric blanket would work great.
layers is the way to dress, and not mentioned is some airspace between them. everything real tight isn't as warm.
If you can find yourself an Army sleeping bag with all the layers you can use it for all three seasons. I have an older Down one and it's great, I just don't like the constraining effect a Mummy has.
 
The other side benefit to sleeping with your change of clothes in the bag? You don't have to put on a cold shirt and pants in the AM.
 
I wasn't so much asking for me... I posted a question to generate some general discussion..

Yes I will be camping in my box when its done, I have a smaller ceramic heater that will turn it into an oven. I plan to eventually get one of those colemans for when there in no 120v around.

The elec blanket idea should work for most anyone where there is elec... not a bad idea :)

No im not shopping for another hauler, im happy with my current setup (for once).
 
Came a cold snap my last trip. My short haired dog was shivering the first night. The second night I let him put his head up on me. Then the cold front came through the last night and I'm not too proud to say that I was spooning with the hound inside the bag! And he didn't mind at all!!!
Cold camping is miserable. Cold WET camping is down right survival. But can always be made more enjoyable with liquor, warm fire, body heat and good food!
We were always told in Boy Scouts to not sleep with our clothes in the sleeping bag cause it dries them out so much that they will go up in flames if you stand too close to a fire afterwards.
 
6BangBronk said:
Came a cold snap my last trip. My short haired dog was shivering the first night. The second night I let him put his head up on me. Then the cold front came through the last night and I'm not too proud to say that I was spooning with the hound inside the bag! And he didn't mind at all!!!
Cold camping is miserable. Cold WET camping is down right survival. But can always be made more enjoyable with liquor, warm fire, body heat and good food!
We were always told in Boy Scouts to not sleep with our clothes in the sleeping bag cause it dries them out so much that they will go up in flames if you stand too close to a fire afterwards.
Click to expand...

Your Boy Scout leader lied to you..... :)

I used to camp in Michigan in Boy Scouts and remember several campouts where we had to shovel out a foot or more of fresh snow to get to the ground to pitch our tents. I tell you, we found very quickly that if you didn't sleep with your clothes in the sleeping bag with you that if your mom washed your clothes with fabric softener, the fabric would get ice crystals on them in the morning. This was often times below 0 camping. In that environment, those of us with steel toed hiking boots would even sleep with our boots in the bag with us so that the metal in the toes wouldn't be ice cold when we put our feet in them.

I gave away my mummy bag when I moved down here. It was rated to 40 below zero and would keep you nice and toasty. I had to get used to sleeping with the bag closed up around my face. It would leave about a 3" opening at the top so you could breathe. I get claustiphobic now if I have something that tight around my face now.
 
6BangBronk said:
Then the cold front came through the last night and I'm not too proud to say that I was spooning with the hound inside the bag! And he didn't mind at all!!!
Cold camping is miserable.
We were always told in Boy Scouts to not sleep with our clothes in the sleeping bag cause it dries them out so much that they will go up in flames if you stand too close to a fire afterwards.
Click to expand...
I have been there. Dogs are good little heaters.
As for the Boy Scout leader, me thinks he had other motives...:rolleyes::lol:
I have always said, to get your bag warm, a naked body will warm it up quicker. Preferably a curvy, soft, non-penis having naked body...:flipoff2:
 
Rule #1 for cold weather camping... learned in the CUB SCOUTS! :flipoff2:

Change your fawkin socks BEFORE you go to bed. Regardless of how long you've worn them, they are sweaty, your feet will get cold, and the rest will follow.

Sleeping with your clothes on? Musta been a Catholic Scoutmaster? :lol: Rule #2 is NOT to wear so many clothes to bed that you sweat... see rule #1.

Heaters in tents? Even the Girl Scouts know that's a BAD idea! :shaking:

CYJK has the drill down... listen & live!

uglyjeepoffroad said:
Preferably a curvy, soft, non-penis having naked body...
Click to expand...

That was a bit too much info on your personal anatomy bro! :lol:
 
I camp in anything above 32 in a tent by myself... and anything above 20 in a tent with the BF. I do not have a heater, but I do have a nice sleeping bag (below 0 type) somethig to put over my head, and my gear bag in the sleeping bag with me (it only takes once for me to learn) I also bring many blankets... some for the ground or air matress, other to go over the sleeping bag, or in it.
 
i bought my sleeping bag from army navy surplus. its good for 20 degrees. cost $50.00 . they also have one for below 0. its more like $100.00. it works pretty good and i feel it was inexpensive. its made very rugged and has a place around the top that wraps around your head so the only thing exposed is your face.
 
badog said:
I dress in layers also w/polypropelene underwear. I don't sleep on an air mattress in the winter(gases carry away heat faster than solids do). I usually sleep on a cot w/ a 2" dense foam pad on top of the cot.
Click to expand...


Not true, All the "solid" mattresses do is trap air in them by one method or another...that's what foam is. Either way, if you've ever slept on the bare ground in the winter you'll realize that an air mattress is worth it's weight in gold due to the heat you lose to the ground. (by air mattress I mean thermarest, not queen size :flipoff2:)
Don't wear cotton anything.
Drink only what you need and piss as often as possible before going to bed--your body has to heat all of that extra liquid inside too--plus getting up to piss in the snow sucks.
If this is real winter camping, bring earplugs. It doesn't matter how nice your tent is, wind will ruin your night.
Don't wear cotton anything.
As has been said, dress in layers.
Down bags are great if you do a good job to keep them dry, if you suck at that...stay with synthetic fill.
Be very careful using any gas/fuel powered device in a tent, asphyxiation and 3rd degree burns are a real possibility.
Put your cold wet clothes under your air mattress/sleeping mat rather than in the bag with you. They'll still get dry but you won't get cold and wet.
Keep your water inside your jacket, otherwise it will be an ice cube instead.
There are plenty more, but you really didn't specify what kind of winter camping you were planning on doing. Do you mean winter mountaineering or sleeping in a sleeper cab at crawfords? :flipoff2:
 
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