How do you guys keep yourself warm during the night when winter camping?
Some of my friends and myself will build a self-feeding fire outside of our tents, sometimes using the 'log-jenga method', and sometimes using the method where large logs fall down a frame as the logs at the bottom turn to ash.
Whereas other friends I have will have a fire in the evening, but will then rely solely on their clothing and sleeping bag to keep them warm, but still keeping tinder, kindling, and processed logs in their tent if they get too cold and need to build a fire quickly in the night if it gets too cold.
How do you do it? What clothes do you wear in your sleeping bag? What other measures do you take to keep yourself warm during the night and what do you do to prepare in case the night is colder than you're expecting and have to warm yourself up quickly?
I'd be very interested to know.
I suppose it almost goes without saying but having a proper, temperature-appropriate sleeping mat is a must. If I'm really cold, I'll light a single candle in the tent. It's surprisingly effective. Just keep an eye on it. I run warm so, even when it's freezing, the most I'll sleep in is long johns, a baselayer, and a midlayer.
Be careful with the candle method. It can burn a hole through these modern material tents real fast if positioned poorly.
This is fantastic advice. I've seen friends complain that they're freezing and they don't understand why because they have down sleeping bags, fleece coveralls, and all of these thermal underlayers, but then they just have a standard foam mat to sleep on instead of having an appropriate mat.
I've never heard of someone using a candle for warmth. That's actually really interesting.
It's a very effective, convenient method for warming a small space but like
said, you've got to be careful doing it. You could easily burn your tent down. I've heard some people will cover themselves and the candle with a blanket - or similar - creating a kind of teepee inside the tent with your head acting as the pole. That 'inner tent' becomes much warmer, much quicker and the heat is then trapped at the top of the blanket (which is easier for you to monitor) rather than risking burning synthetics in the tent roof. You have to be aware of CO poisoning of course.
I haven't tried this and forgot to post it in above post. A dietz lantern and mylar reflector on the non laying side of the tent, not covering the vents might work too? I'm going to be experimenting this January.
Hurricane lanterns work well too and are generally safer if you keep the flame blue and short. Alternatively, get some self trimming wick and some crisco....
>building a log jenga fire to warm up a tent
Lol and what have you done about the ember holes in your rainfly? Stop larping, youtube bushcraft videos are no substitute for outdoors experience
>Hurricane lanterns work well too and are generally safer if you keep the flame blue and short.
enjoy your CO poisoning
What's up with all these roleplayers making up fake stories on PrepHole recently?
I used them as a kid all the time, no issues.
>anime reaction image
>expects anyone to take him seriously
If youve got a point to make, do you have to be such a shitter about it? homiez like you derail threads faster than anyone else.
I dont have any tricks to stay warm. Thick baseayers as pajamas, down sleeping bag, and a down blanket on top. r4.4 sleeping pad and a foam one under neath.
>CO poisoning
>in a fricking tent with all kinds of air flow
lol
Can happen if you're moronic like the avatargay.
Eat enough food and hydrate. Digestion will increase body temp, water is needed to keep your blood volume up and warm blood circulating. Don't touch metal or nylon bare handed if possible. Ideally don't even stand unprotected. Stand/kneel on a sitting pad or reflectix mat to keep your feet warm when you're not moving.
Just before bed if you have the fuel or a fire heat up some water, put in a sealed stainless or nalgene container, wrap it in something and use it to pre-heat your bag. Do a couple jumping jacks to warm up before getting in the bag. Basically decrease the amount of time spent warming up your own sleeping bag. Emergency wise I have a space blanket in all seasons and usually a handwarmer or two.. I avoid the vapor barriers because they quickly become sweat traps.
If you can double layer sleeping pads, ideally put a closed cell one on top of the air pad. Nylon gets weird below freezing, closed cell rubber is more comfortable against the body. If you feel cold despite the r value being apparently good enough, try even just a 1/8thin neoprene mat.
why not get a zippo hand warmer instead?
catalytic heaters use a platinum embedded material to work. In case you want to replace the original material with an optimum material.
http://www.platinumbrightembers.com/
I went down a rabbits hole trying to understand catalytic heaters one day. There's a guy that mods them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g48g02vRWSA
Did you end up getting one? If so, how well does it work? I've been reluctant to buy because I've seen complaints of fuel leakage and them going out in your pocket due to lack of oxygen.
Because I can stuff my hands down my crotch or under my armpits and have the same effect for a much longer time.
listen to this anon
a fire and stove is a nice luxury but if you feel like you need it, you're not using appropriate gear.
winter camping comfortably and safely isn't cheap. if you do a lot of winter camping you eventually need to bite the bullet and invest in a high r value insulated winter sleeping pad*, a high quality low temp rating winter bag**, and a proper 900+ fp high end winter down jacket. you're looking at a bit over a thousand bucks to do it right, cheaper if you live in one of the rare regions where synthetic > down. you can buy gear used to save a lot of money.
if this is your pic in OP those are both un-insulated summer sleeping mats. get proper winter sleeping mats with R value over 6. they'll cost a couple hundred bucks each. it will make a massive difference. no wonder you're cold, even if your jacket's fine and your bag's rated correctly.
* you can boost the r value of a 3 season pad by stacking a ccf foam pad on top of it, but its very bulky to pack
** you can boost the comfort rating of a sleeping bag 2*-5*c using liners
Recently I've been bringing more hot drink options and packing extra fuel. Hot nalgene works really well. Extra insulation for around camp, but really one of the big ones was giving up on staying up late if it was very cold and there's no reason to. Too many times I tried to hang out by the fire while being chilly and what I should have done was hop into my bag. That's a lot of extra insulation that I can enjoy while reading a map, repacking bags, etc.
Hot tent.
Stove.
Also good for a cuppa in the evening.
Anime reaction image aside, does the point not stand? I deliberately keep the fire FAR away from my tent bc sparks fricking up my rainfly
The fire one is definitely a larp. Holey hole hole hole. But I definitely used kerosene lanterns and heaters a ton as a kid with no real ill effects. Then again, shit was drafty and canvas, so... now I wanna get a dietz #10 and put it in my current setup with a CO monitor and see what happens. The one we had before got thrown out.
Any particular reason why the Dietz #10 instead of their cold-blast models?
Less fumes. It recycles part of the exhaust gasses directly back into the flame path for a more efficient burn, which is why it isn't as bright as the cold blast lantern: less fuel incandescing. Think of it like an EGR valve. They were designed for use indoors... well, old drafty indoors.
Suck Dietz Nuts.
Or you could use a shelter that isn't made of tissue paper
I actually have to bring my sleeping bag with my sometimes in winter rather than just the fleece liner.
t. Floridaman
The tradeoff is needing a bugnet year-round.
t. fellow florida-gay
The answer is obvious
I have hot choco before bed, I wear fresh baselayers/socks, use a nice exped downmat, and have a feathered friends sleeping bag that's rated to very low temperatures.
Never had any problems so far.
I use one of these in spite of the asbestos.
Minimal layers inside the sleeping bag, proper loft for insulation from the ground, empty bladder when turning in. If it gets "too cold" during the night, man up or go home.
I cuddle up close with my girlfriend 🙂
I wanted to do that 🙁
double up on your sleeping mats: one closed cell foam then an inflatable on top. use a roomy down mummy bag rated for colder than you expect, sleep only in dry baselayers including a toque (not the ones you've worn all day, have a separate set for sleeping in). wear a pair of loose, very high loft thermal socks. drink some hot chocolate and eat some trail mix before bed. fill a naglene or two with hot water and use them to heat up your bag before you get in. use an old gatorade bottle to piss in so you don't have to get up in the night. candle lantern or isobutane lantern that you can hang up so it doesn't get knocked over
>double up on your sleeping mats: one closed cell foam then an inflatable on top
I'd honestly consider this just good advice all around for a good sleep no matter the season, if for nothing else than having a shield against punctures.
>having a shield against punctures.
I do not understand this concern at all. Quality inflatable sleep pads like thermarests are made with a tough fabric exterior. You're not sleeping on a pool floaty bed or something. I have used the same pad for over 15 years without a leak in all sorts of ground conditions, nor have I encountered a single person in my camping circles whose pad was punctured. Leaks are far more likely to occur with the gasket than a puncture, unless you're regularly handling sharp needles around your pad.
I suppose sleeping directly on snow may marginally increase the odds of a sharp rock or stick to be undetected when you're setting up, but I still think it's a non-factor in your outfitting decision. I suspect this fear of punctures I see expressed here is likely poor campers rationalizing their inability to afford quality inflatables.
>I do not understand this concern at all. Quality inflatable sleep pads like thermarests are made with a tough fabric exterior.
i went a long ass time without having it happen then two unrepairable ones in a year. its just luck. its less about how likely it is to happen and more that it sucks dick it ends your trip you may have planned and traveled for right away. its uncommon they fail in outright unrepairable ways but non field repairable ways you need more than tenacious tape for? more than you think.
>I suspect this fear of punctures I see expressed here is likely poor campers rationalizing their inability to afford quality inflatables.
if you have it happen once you'll get it.
i'm the weirdo that sleeps on a shikibuton and tatami at home though. i sleep on the floor when i stay at hotels. i'll admit i'm a sicko. i used to like inflatables a lot before i jacked my spine up.
>on top
btw any of those ccf pads with the silver coating on them its more thermally efficient to put the ccf on top of the inflatable. so if you don't need the protection or have a cold night switch it the other way and its a bit warmer.
Down booties
piss yourself, the warm piss will warm your body
PCU Level 1 and 5 all day
>How do you guys keep yourself warm during the night when winter camping?
it works but 4 hours a bottle on low so plan ahead
Are "mids" just a meme or are they really durable and versatile in the harshest conditions? I'm just about to throw down some cash on small one.
seriously though
if that's a picture of your tent in OP, those sleeping pads aren't suitable for winter, that's why you're cold.
you can set em up anywhere and they handle storm winds better than most designs
Are 4 season tents even really necessary in clear conditions in cold weather (20 F or lower)?
not really - 4 season tent will be marginally warmer, protect you from the wind better, and stand up to snow loading better but otherwise it's just a tent. as long as you are picking your weather windows and are below treeline a 3 season tent will at least get you out there and if you do enjoy cold sleeping you'll end up with a 4 season to expand your camping range. i did a few years with my 3 season on overnight trips while building up gear and experience before getting a 4 season.
for sure. im def at the "gaining experience" stage of winter backcountry camping so im only planning a 1-2 night trip
just go car camping at state parks and such then, somewhere you actually have to reserve and pay for a site. this means the roads in are almost always plowed, if something goes wrong help is relatively close, and you can bring way more equipment than you need while figuring things out.
always use two sleeping pads (r value total of 6+) and bring two sleeping bags to start out (two 20f bags layered together gets you down to -20f easily). 1-2 nights won't matter but you'll also have to figure out how to deal with moisture freezing in your sleeping bag insulation, that's a long term problem tho.
you'll quickly learn wind matters a lot once it's below freezing so figure out how to set up your tent in a sheltered position. otherwise it's just tons of learning little things what glove combination keeps your hands warm or how to entertain yourself for 16 hours of darkness. worst case you can get in your car and drive home at 2am when it's not working out.
get out there and have fun
probably smart tbh. i have a frickhueg surplus sleeping bag that supposedly has a comfort rating of -20 and also is probably like 15 pounds and the size a child fully packed. def have the two sleeping pads. would also give me a chance try out these snowshoes that have a grommet ripped out of the decking without, yknow, stranding myself miles away in deep snow.
thanks for all the advice man! have a great christmas, winter solstice, etc.
also it might feel like a goober move but if "car camping" isn't up to your standards you can still pack all your gear and go full expedition mode by doing a lap around the park. hike "in", set up camp, melt snow, sleep, pack up in the morning, hike "out". maybe not the winter solitude you imagined but in winter nobody is around anyways and your car is right there if something goes wrong. not trying to discourage you just be aware if something goes wrong in the winter it can become an emergency a lot quicker than the same kind of thing in the summer. start slow and you'll have a great time.
My approach is pretty simple, I take appropriate gear for the conditions. Your walmart special tent and sleeping bag are not going to perform in real cold. I've been down to about -30 windchill in my western mountaineering cypress in underwear a teeshirt and socks and it was fine. if you're planning to stay weeks you take a tent stove.
>keeps you warm
>Color helps camouflage you
>Break up your silhouette
>Keeps you cozy with out constricting movement
>Stylish as frick
Take the cloak pill Anon. You can even make them in camo!
Forgot the pick like a fool 🙁
>recommends a cloak as an alternative to a down jacket
>so young and in-experienced with the outdoors that he doesn't know that down jackets are mostly for sleeping in
>my fricking sides rofl
haha fricking zoomer
>down jackets
>for sleeping in
Maybe if you get caught out with no legitimate sleep system like an incompetent child
anon... have you ever gone backpacking below like 20*F before? its standard to sleep in a down jacket.
>with no legitimate sleep system
sleeping bag EN ratings and comfort ratings are tested wearing heavy sleeping thermals. you're expected to wear them when pushing bag limits. you didn't know this?
Oh, I get it now. You've never actually gone out in the cold. Probably best if you don't; you're likely to die.
While pairing jackets with quilts and bags as part of sleep system is relatively common for 3 season, it is generally part of a weight to performance ratio. Like bringing a slightly underated quilt and a hooded jacket to have both an insulated jacket and a hood on the quilt. That isn't really what the rating system is using though. When you discuss cold camping, you're insulated jacket could be several oz of down alone; not only would there be a huge variation in warmth because jackets aren't standardized like bags but that would pose a serious issue in sleeping bag sizing with the loft. Plus if you were relying consistently on a jacket for the temps it would be more efficient to bring a lower rated bag.
I have seen both failures and I guess non-failures. I will say a 3oz evazote pad is a useful bit of kit and also cheap puncture insurance. Waterproof and doesn't slide around either.
god this board is fricking moronic
op's problem is he's using summer sleeping pads not that he needs to look like frodo gaygins out in the woods
I feel like both of those are his problem he'd be warmer and safe with proper winter kit AND a nice wool cloak
a cloak isn't proper winter kit you poorgay. buy a down jacket.
Humanity lived thousands of years without down jackets you don't have to spend $100+ on a fancy jacket just to go outside unless your climbing everest or mushing huskies up the Yukon homosexual
humanity also wore wore and silk base garments for thousands of years and put a lot of conscious thought into min/maxing their survival based on what resources were available to them. larp homosexual.
what kind of a moron would go out of their way to use inferior gear, let alone recommend it to other people?
i wish this wasn't online so i could just show the size difference between a rolled up wool cloak and a packed up down jacket to show how downs syndrome you are.
>Ma supervisor gear
Whatever man spend all your money at bass pro shop like a corpo b***h. I'm going to go outside with a nice warm cloak over my shoulders, very cozy
Pic related. It's you
give me 1 good reason to sleep in a cloak instead of a down jacket that doesn't have anything to do with gay shit like fashion.
nah i'd rather buy my gear hand made by local small businesses that mostly employ white people. i get my down jackets from feathered friends.
Is 100 poly clothing good for winter camping?
>frugal
yes. just fine and sometimes preferrable. regardless of budget.
merino/muskox/yak/bison/alpaca/etc handle being wet better and tends to make better sleep wear. merino gear sort of disintegrates after a few years even if you hand wash and air dry, at least the lighter weight stuff.
poly dries way better and tends to make better active wear. poly stinks, breeds bacteria, and must be washed on long trips. poly (&other synthetics) are the most durable in terms of outright strength but especially long term wear.
which one is better in the winter depends on where ya are in the world during the winter. most places i would prefer natural materials. somewhere where its more cold rain all the time and less arid snow, like the pacific northwest, i prefer synthetics. both are fine in any climate.
when buying your poly gear le online, keep in mind polyester exists in many forms, from thick fleece to silky thin mesh. make sure you get the right weight of textile. in the winter i like the fluffier type poly.
TY
>frugal
if you need an active mid-layer, polartec 100 fleece is cheap as shit $10-30 for a jacket and the best stuff on the market in winter weather (alpha direct and airmesh is the best the rest of the year imo, both pricy, polartec is just fine)
for le camp jackets and sleepwear, ain't nothing beating down, kind of hard to be frugal other than just getting heavier lower fill power stuff. decathlon and aliexpress are the way to go.
anything i didn't mention, normal ass polyester is 100% a okay with.
I strip naked and run around howling
i hope you don't think down jackets are for hiking in unless you're in super low temps....
you know nobody packs down jackets in 3.5 season weather as active wear, only for sleep, taking breaks, and at camp... right?
hiked before? 😐
>poor
part of the appeal but pretty much every ccf lover you see on the trail has a neoair fricklite for the winter at home too. r values don't get too high on reasonably sized foam pads because they're foam.
for a decent metric on that here's sleeping pads ranked by popularity on the pct survey. average person doing it spends $1500 on gear they don't already own before the trip, and $8000 total about $50 a day. some people just like them.
If you actually backpack inna woods and aren't car camping: fill up nalgene bottle with water, pour contents into stove pot, use pocket stove to boil water, pour back into nalgene bottle. I use it at the foot of my mummy bags and it'll stay warm for 4-6hr in the 10F temp. range. And when it's no longer "warming" you can drink the body temp water, which is going to keep you warmer than sipping on something ice cold at night.
this boomer trick is as old as time, and its also let me sleep many a nights in the winter without my balls retreating into my abdomen.