Winter is the best time to go camping. It is a relaxing way to get into nature and gives you easy access to backcountry skiing or snowboarding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. There is a unique feeling to camping in the winter; the cool, crisp air invigorates, while the lack of haze provides an exceptional view.
Due to the extremely cold weather, keeping warm is paramount as it guarantees a successful and memorable camping trip. Keeping warm over the winter can help prevent colds, flu, and more serious health problems such as pneumonia, strokes, heart attack, and depression. In this article, we are going to be looking at ways you can stay warm when camping during
the winter.
Passive Heat Retention
Passive Heat Retention works by trapping the heat around you and keeping it in your tent or sleeping area, as well as extra layers of clothing or other items. Certain materials, such as down feathers, Thermolite insulation, and synthetic fabrics, are better at keeping warm than others. Additionally, a “hot water bottle” system that actively fills a container before lying down can provide additional warmth throughout the night.
Simple physical activities like wearing mittens during the day will also help trap body heat within those garments, enriching your comfort in your tent when bedtime arrives. Although sleeping bags offer some layer of passive heat retention through their insulating qualities, remember that clothing is critical for staying warm.
· Cover the Hot Spots
This is another effective way to ensure you don’t freeze up during winter camping. Most times, the human body loses its temperature from the head, hands, and feet, so covering those vital parts of the body would help to preserve body heat.
Investing in the right kind of cloth would serve as a barrier to reducing your exposure level to this extreme weather. You can keep crucial body parts warm using gloves, winter clothing, jackets, boots, thick socks, and a beanie.
· More People Means More Warmth
Body-to-body warming is an ancient method of keeping warm. This form of warmth has existed for a long time and is still practiced by till today. Even dogs still snuggle together in cold conditions to keep warm.
When winter camping in groups or pairs, exploiting the body heat produced by individuals is a very lucrative way to fight the blistering cold.
If there are enough individuals to radiate enough heat to warm the surrounding air, the process equalizes, and you will stay warm.
The average human temperature is about 98 degrees Fahrenheit (36.67 °C). Man’s best friend, on the other hand, runs a bit warmer, with average temps around 101 degrees. So, snuggling up with your pet or loved one is not a bad way to keep each other warm in the cold winter.
If you are worried about space, it is important to know that plenty of rooftop tents can comfortably fit two people with plenty of extra room to spare. So investing in a rooftop tent is a good idea.
· Insulate Your Tent
You can insulate your tent by adding an extra padding layer, which helps keep the heat inside the tent. Placing a tent footprint underneath your tent before setting it up will provide insulation between you and the cold ground while preventing moisture from saturating your tent floor.
Furthermore, you can use foam sleeping pads to create another insulation layer on the floor of your tent.
Or you can opt for a rooftop tent, as they come with extra padding and a mattress that keeps you from coming in contact with the floor.
Also, a blanket or rug on top of or underneath the pads would add an extra layer of ground insulation when camping in extreme weather conditions.
Active Heating
Unlike passive heating methods requiring no mechanical intervention, active heating systems involve fuel-based devices to keep everyone warm and cozy. For instance, you can bring kerosene heaters, oil heaters, portable propane stoves, or similar devices.
A heater inside a tent made of flammable materials is just a disaster waiting to happen; however, there are heaters specifically designed to help you stay warm in a tent when winter camping. These devices cost less than the conventional heater and are relatively easy to use and maintain.
Although it would be safe to keep flammable items like kerosene and alcohol from these devices and read and follow the instructions on the pack of the heater.
Or, if you do not feel safe using a portable electric heater, you can keep warm using a hot water bottle.
Experts don’t recommend using hot water bottles directly on your body. Instead, they suggest placing your hot water bottle under the covers in your bed to warm it and then removing it before you get in. This is a cheaper way to keep yourself warm inside your tent.
Heated Blankets
Instead of opting for the conventional blanket, you can invest in the electric heated blanket, which is more effective at keeping you warm inside the tent.
There are sizes and heat ratings, and they have options that run off standard 110-volt, 12-volt, or even battery-powered units.
However, it is not recommended to keep electric blankets on all night. Instead, it is helpful to use electric blankets to warm your bed before you get in and turn them off before you fall asleep.
Conclusion
Knowing how to stay warm while camping in cold weather is essential. By following the necessary steps and procedures, camping in the winter will leave you smiling. Your camping experience is only as good as the essential gear and items you bring along, so investing in quality camping gear would guarantee a remarkable camping trip.
We at Rooftoptents.ca understand your needs from head to toe when it comes to camping during cold weather conditions. We offer a range of quality rooftop tents and camping gear suitable for every budget, so if you require quality products before planning your next trip, don’t hesitate to contact us! What is more important, however, is that with our helpful tips plus some trial and error during your trips, you will maximize comfort during winter and rest easy knowing that you’re prepared no matter the weather.
