While camping is a popular outdoor activity, it also involves staying outside for some days, away from the warmth of your home. Without the proper requirements, it can be difficult to stay warm while camping, especially when the temperature is quite low.
Best Ways To Stay Warm While Camping
When preparing for camping, it is wise to consider the season and its consequences. Spring and summer are relatively warm, compared to winter. Hence, extra preparations will need to be made while camping in winter.
Wearing The Seasonal Right Clothes
When camping, it is important to have the proper type of clothes. Nighttime temperatures are lower than daytime temperatures in spring, and hence, warmer clothing is needed at nighttime.
Spring
For spring camping, nighttime clothing should be long-sleeved. Woollen clothes would do nicely. Sweatpants are also important — they help keep your legs warm at night. If these clothes aren’t enough to ward off the cold, then use thick blankets.
If all these clothes are too much, and you feel uncomfortable or hot in them, then the temperature isn’t that low. Reduce the number of clothes you have on till you feel comfortable, but always have a blanket close by, in case the temperature drops.
During the day, it might be tempting to wear short clothes that don’t cover your body, but this exposes your skin to cold, and other dangers. Remember, you’re camping. Anything could touch or irritate your exposed skin, like poison oaks.
Wear lightweight tops with long sleeves. The long sleeves protect your skin from cold and other dangers, and because it’s lightweight, it won’t feel hot or stuffy.
Winter
When camping in winter, it is best to dress in three layers; the base, middle, and outer layer. The base layer should be fitted, but not too tight. This layer absorbs moisture from the skin and prevents it from evaporating. Woollen clothing is a good choice for this layer.
The middle layer should consist of thick clothing, thicker than the base layer. This layer is the insulating layer; it does the major work in keeping the body warm. This layer shouldn’t be as close-fitted as the base layer. Clothes made from cotton would do nicely for this layer.
The outer layer helps keep you warm and dry. Hence, this layer should be waterproof. This layer keeps you dry under snow or rain. For this layer, coats and jackets would do nicely.
Dressing in layers is also applicable to the legs. Leggings would do well for the base layer. Jeans aren’t always a good choice, as they get heavy when wet. If you decide to wear jeans, ensure you wear waterproofs over them, especially when it’s raining or snowing.
Unlike in spring, socks are very important while camping in winter. They’ll help keep your feet warm. You can wear more than one sock, but ensure that the inner sock is made up of a material that can absorb moisture easily; a material that would do nicely for the base layer.
It is also important that you cover your head, especially when the temperature is extremely low. A nice woollen that would be a great pick for a headgear.
Keeping your Tent Warm
To stay warm while camping, it is important that your tent stays warm. Generally, the smaller a tent, the warmer it is. This is because the smaller a tent, the less space that needs to be heated. Hence, a smaller tent is relatively warmer than a large tent.
Also, try setting up your tent near a natural windbreak, like behind trees. If you are camping in winter, or in the rainy season, waterproof your tent. This will prevent rain from seeping in.
Do not set your tent in a valley.
Cold air sinks and hot air rises, so setting a tent in a valley, won’t help keep it warm. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should set your tent on very high ground, like a mountaintop.
The cold wind up there would be unbearable. Rather, look for a place that’s not below ground level, and is not too high up; a place that’s moderately elevated.
If you’re going to use a large tent, then don’t camp solo. Rather, camp with other people. The heat that your bodies generate will help keep the tent warm.
Try filling your tent with camping gear. The empty space in your tent houses cold air. Placing your camping gear in that space displaces some cold air, making the tent relatively warm.
It is also important to insulate the floor of your tent. A mat, rug, or thick blankets can be used. Generally, any thick warm cloth can be used, as long as it keeps the floor of the tent warm.
Tent heaters are also a great option for keeping your tent warm. Unlike campfires, heaters can be placed in tents, without having to worry about a fire outbreak. Also, tent heaters don’t need much attention. It would be quite risky to leave a fire burning close to a tent, unattended.
Using The Right Camping Gear.
You’ll need the right camping gear to spend the night in a tent. Sleeping bags are a necessity in tents. It is advisable to use thick warm sleeping bags, especially when camping in cold weather. But sometimes, sleeping bags might not be enough. When the temperature drops too low, even sleeping bags might not be able to provide adequate warmth.
Hence, it is best to have sleeping pads underneath sleeping bags. Sleeping pads help insulate against the cold.
To keep warm in sleeping bags, you could make use of hot water bottles or heating packs.
Place them in your sleeping bags, and they’ll keep you warm through the night.
Eating the Right Foods.
When preparing for camping, always ensure you pack foods rich in protein, fat, and calories. Foods rich in calories help the body burn fat, which provides the body with warmth. Drink lots of water. This helps keep the body functioning properly, and hence, maintains the body’s steady heat production.
