Tips for Keeping Warm when Camping

[johnyd]

I don't really feel the cold all that much (t-shirt and shorts down to ~10 degrees) but here's my tips from camping in winter around home and living in the Bathurst area for a while (gets into the negatives).  I'm sure most will have been mentioned but if I don't write all the ones I can think of I'll miss more of them.

Make sure your clothes fit snugly.  The looser they are the more cool air can get around your body and circulate meaning your body heat won't warm it.

Wool, one light snugly fitting woolen jumper will keep you warmer than a big bulky polar fleece jumper.  Also won't melt if you cop some sparks from the fire.  Also saves you some space in packing.  Wool socks, gloves, beanies and scarves are great as well.   Woolen underlays, blankets and doonas for the bed will help keep you warm at night.  Everyone buy wool everything (son of a Merino stud owner).  You can get underlays for chairs as well, I've found a jacket over the back of the chair works fairly well though.

Under clothing, such as singlets and whatever you call them pants things, tights?  Even the normal cotton/poly stuff will be better than nothing, but the thermal gear would be best if you really feel the cold.

Wear your beanie and maybe socks and gloves to bed.  The losing whatever % of heat through your head might be a myth, but the myth came about from trails that showed when in a nice warm sleeping bag with everything else covered you lost the most heat through your head.  So if you are all snug with other gear on, you are losing most of your heat through your head.

Wind cheaters, make sure everyone has some wind proof clothing, a lot of the time the wind is the worst of it and wearing something to stop it is usually easier than trying to set up a wind break if there isn't anything handy.

Big Silver thermal backed tarp over the tent, added benefit of keeping it dry.

I've heard of people putting some hot coals into a thick glass jar and putting it in their bed to warm it, but never tried myself.

[D4D]

We also have an electric blanket, 15 mins and the bed is toasty warm, doesn't use much power on an inverter either.

[austastar]

Hi,
   the Mrs likes one of these:



when we go places like:



cheers

[johnyd]

^^ http://www.webasto.com.au/products-and-markets/truck/ena/html/8237.html

Interesting little dodad.

[BigJules]

Have spent many a happy weekend etc camped in the Vic alps back in my hunting days,, found the best heater was to put the gas light in the tent for about 1/2hr before bed,, nice and warm
cheers Stan

Without wanting to be a naysayer, I'd be a little concerned about carbon dioxide poisoning if left on for too long. A couple of guys were found dead over the weekend, had the gas stove on for heating and never woke up.

[Traveller]

I agree 100% with johnyd89, wool is unbeatable around a cold camp (and no, I have nothing to do with the wool industry, just a fan).

Also watch when sitting out on a clear night as dew has a habit of coming in early and you end up quite damp. Cotton is very cold so jeans and Drizabones are not great.

Hopefully mid April will not be all that bad and you won't need heaps of warm gear.   

[McGirr]

I would use 3 female Swedish backpackers. One for each side 

Mark

[UTE 701]

We hit the Anaconda snow sale and bought some snow boots , that despite what they say aren't waterproof , but they are much better than ugg boats , especially if you spray them with waterproof spray . That way you can get up and walk through the dew grass and not have wet boots or socks .

Other than that , everything that has been said , Beanie and gloves and socks and thermals = good brands .

Put thermal on in the afternoon under jacket and then sleep in it .

And check into a powered site and take a fan heater and electric blankets !

Or even just the heat wheat bags if you are near a camp kitchen with microwave .

[Chippy76]

It's funny how prevalent the myth about loosing heat through your head is, despite being debunked many times, e.g.:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/dec/17/medicalresearch-humanbehaviour 

That's not to say wearing a beanie to keep your head warm isn't a good idea

I know from experience that ALOT of heat can be lost  through the head. eispite the reputable claims of the guardian.

Cheers Chippy

[Wortho]

I would use 3 female Swedish backpackers. One for each side 


Your one short Mate 

[sunshine]

it goes without saying the 3 sweedish sheilas , hand down winner 

here are a few less sexy ideas

1 flannelette sheets ....  toasty
2 small gas  patio heater...... bunnings   about $100   worth every cent 
3 tarp over the canvas
4 turn small heater electric on 10 mins before going to bed
5 head north for winter obviosly

mick

[Wortho]

We use a Coleman Catalytic heater to heat the CT and it works really well. They give off far less dangerous fumes than other gas heaters but we make sure we have adequate ventilation and would never sleep with it on or with any other type of portable gas heater for that matter. They use a small 465 gm gas bottle or you can buy a hose from Coleman that attaches to the usual 2, 4.5 or 9KG barbi bottle.
We also bought a MAC coupler so we can also refill the 465gm bottles from our 9KG bottle on the camper.

 

[Heiny]

Hey HEM we got hold of some of the old woolen blankets (e.g. Onkaparinga) one ontop of the matress and one over yourself with your normal bedding. Also when it's realy cold we use cheap Big W lekky blankets

Other than that keep the Bundy intake regular

  bubba

[loshde]

The silk ones increase the thermal rating of your sleeping bag and can be hand washed in a bucket. when drying, lay it flat on a towel then roll them up together and then wring the towel.Next just hang the silk up out of the sun to get your lifeterm for your money.

 
Mike

I agree about the silk sleeping bag liners.  We trekked Alaska with temps as low as -5 -6, and the silk liners made such a huge difference.  My initial choice was to buy the cotton ones, but being quite aware that they would have been torture to get in to in such a cold place as they take a lot longer to warm up.  The silk ones were perfect and also as Mike said they were so easy to wash.  Well worth every cent.

[Jenko67]

Thermals all round, good sleeping bag and a good cuddle from the dogs......

[Dennis_G]

Thermarest would b one of the best self inflating matteress I've used, good quality sleeping bag (single or double) BUT if u use a double s/bag make sure it fits in the swag (IF using one) To measure a swag correctly they must b one bum wide x two high.
Less is better to wear than lots when going to bed on cold nights.

[bullfrog]

Juz keep yer pants on Hem 

[sablesoft]

We use a Coleman Catalytic heater to heat the CT and it works really well. They give off far less dangerous fumes than other gas heaters but we make sure we have adequate ventilation and would never sleep with it on.

X2

[MarkGU]

Juz keep yer pants on Hem 

*must not shut eyes*

[chrisroche]

flanno sheets are a must...
put a rock in the fire for a very short time and then under your camp chair

[xcvator]

Dunno but I think a couple of double-breasted bed thrashers     and a bottle of single malt is pretty hard to beat 

[ralphedward]

A tip I learned from Speewa,  Drink heavily - notice nothing!

[GGV8Cruza]

Dont forget the doona  (thanks Rich for bringing up a spare that weekend)

GG

[HEM19X]

Thanks for the replys Guys & Gals.

I would use 3 female Swedish backpackers. One for each side 


Your one short Mate 

Not sure if I could even swing one, let alone 3 or 4!!

A tip I learned from Speewa,  Drink heavily - notice nothing!

Have already started stocking up on the Bundy, Bourbon , Beanies & Balaclava's.... Hey there's a suggestion for a trip name!

GG, no use sending Mrs Hem to bed 1st, she's the one with cold feet.

Hem

[whatsa]

Saw this simple candle warmer ... May just keep the chill off

http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2008/11/06/candle-room-heater/