camping in the cold--hints and tips

[Seagull-russ]

hi all

going up to Northumberland next week and reading the weather guna be abit nippy.. so just after tips and advice people have picked up from their own experiences.

so far I'm thinking. tarp on wet ground.. blanket on air bed..thick blanket over sleeping bags. socks/hats if still cold. hot food /fluids before sleep. we do have a gas heater but ofc needs good vent so cold air will come in quite quick once off.

using campingaz fuel so hoping that will be fine early morning temps.

whats your experiences.?

thanks
russ

 

[Chris]

Roof tent. End of story. Anywhere close to the ground just isn't good. Get up high. Even a camp bed is better than an air bed. Don't pitch in a hollow as that will have cold air sinking into it. Get a 12v electric blanket. Sleep with someone friendly and fat. Don't drink any booze. And did I mention, get a roof tent?

 

[Gary820]

I have a thick blanket I put on the ground inside the tent, camp bed and a decent sleeping bag.
I always put a ground sheet under the tent anyway.
If you can get electric hook up at the campsite, an oil filled electric radiator works very well. Camped in Wales mid winter before, it was bloody cold outside but tent was nice. Even the missus didn't complain about the temperature

 

[Chas]

A few tips I've seen. Plus I think someone else said get a roof tent.

 

[Chris]

Good tips Chas. A handy guide there. I think that a hot water bottle is a brilliant idea and very simple even in the field. I need to buy one and stick it in the truck. Hot water I can do in spades so why not warm up the bed first?

 

[Seagull-russ]

thanks guys, some good tips. would love to have a roof tent alas funds say not yet lol.

 

[AndyCook]

Camping right now on west coast of Scotland, down to freezing outside nearly at night. Snug in our Tentipi with wood burning stove. Sleeping on ex-army camp beds, with thermarest mat on top.


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[uHu]

Nice guide. Coupla things missing:
Woollen unders, top to bottom, plus the woollen socks and hat. That inside a sleeping bag rated for the temperature it will see. Any insulation from the ground is OK. If you don't have a reindeer hide, a foam plastic thingy will be ok. Tent is optional, a tarp and 2 poles is nice. If windy, keep three sides "connected" to the ground.

 

[Seagull-russ]

update--just got home, and we even had some snow to contend with. but thanks all we kept nice and warm. tarps under the tent, on top of tent, luckily as we had such constant rain it started coming through the front flap ( tarp not that big and being a doughnut i didnt pick up the front tent extension i had just brought) and we used blankets over our bags and some nice comfy socks. a diddy camp heater was golden though. think overall the wife was comfy enough though doubt she would like the cold again