Camping in winter can be extremely enjoyable if you are adequately prepared for it. A sunny, but cold day is one thing, but a raging blizzard is quite another.
Still a great number of people like the added excitement of taking on nature as her worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) and they like being out in the wilderness when the weather is anything but mild. If you do decide to go winter camping, here are a couple of suggestions that can make those long, cold nights more bearable (if not downright enjoyable).
Two pieces of equipment you absolutely need are a sleeping pad and a sleeping bag that is rated for at least for the most extreme temperature you expect to encounter. The pad is listed first because regardless of which sleeping bag you have, you will not be warm if your sleeping bag is next to the ground. Without a pad, the cold will come up from the ground through your sleeping bag and you will get cold – trust me.
A sleeping bag keeps you warm by keeping an insulated space between you and the outside, but if you are lying right on the ground, that insulated space is compressed and the cold comes right up from the bottom. When it comes to winter camping, your sleeping pad should be your number one concern!
Sleeping Pad
Once you start looking, you will find many different types to choose from. Some are inflatable and some are not. Personally, I would stick with the non-inflatables; luckily, there are several types to choose from. Probably the best for winter camping is one made out of closed-cell material. These can be rolled up so they don’t take up much room and weigh less than a pound.
A sleeping pad should be one of the items on your checklist regardless of the season, because not only do they do a great job of insulating you from the ground, they also have a variety of uses around the campsite, such as a pad for sitting.
Sleeping Bag
The sleeping bag you buy for winter camping will be driven in part by how much you have to spend and the nightly low temperature. As a general rule of thumb, buy the best one you can afford that will do the job.
Bags for Cold Nights
When shopping for a winter sleeping bag, look for these features:
- Zipper draft tubes.
- Shoulder collars.
- Hoods that cup the head and insulate without being claustrophobic.
- A temperature rating of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below (on the side of warmth by going colder if necessary).
- Down-filled, with a 550 fill rating or above. It is best for weight-to-warmth ratio and for longevity. The fill rating indicates the ratio of downy feather to quill. The lower the fill number, the more quill and less feathers. The higher the number, the less quill and more feathers.
How Big Should a Winter Bag Be?
One question frequently asked is “How big should a winter bag be?” Answer: Buy it long!
Most experienced winter campers agree against buying a regular-sized bag and instead go for a bag offering at least an extra 8 to 10 inches of space at the foot and a couple of extra inches in width after you are settled comfortably inside.
Those extra inches provide more warmth and the wider cut both in length and width gives you room to wear more clothing without constricting you. Opt for a bag rated to at least 0 degrees Fahrenheit unless you are mountain climbing; then look for a bag with a rating of minus 15 to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you need more insulation yet, consider putting a fleece blanket over the outside of your sleeping bag. These are light in weight, but offer a lot of insulation properties.
Do wear the hat that comes with your winter bag. Otherwise, you will lose a lot of heat out through your head.
Other Sleeping Considerations
A lot of people (especially those new to winter camping) don’t know how what to wear before they get into their sleeping bag.
It is important that you put on all dry clothes before retiring. Whether you know it or not, you sweat in the winter and if your clothes are wet, you will get cold even after in the sleeping bag. Keep a separate change of clothing for sleeping and allow it to dry out during the day so it’s completely dry for the next night of camping.
Avoid cotton whenever possible as it soaks up water! Instead, use a polyester or polyester blend material or if you want a natural material, go with silk. Sleeping in a long-sleeved top and bottom underwear is the best.
It is going to happen sometime – you have to go to the bathroom during the middle of the night. Ugh! But the reality is get out of your sleeping bag and go! It will actually warm you up. Just get up and do it. In the end, you’ll be more comfortable.
The Benefits of Winter Camping
One of the major benefits of camping in this season is the beautiful scenery. Cold sunny days with an abundant amount of snow on the ground make for some great photography, so take a camera with you.
Another benefit of camping in winter is there is less wildlife (at least the kind that could hurt you) out and about. As usual, remain vigilant and cautious, but things like bears and poisonous snakes hibernate during the colder months.
Lastly, a major benefit of camping in the winter is the lack of people looking for campsites, making it extremely easy to book a site and not have to worry that one will be available. If you don’t make reservations, just be sure the campground you are going to is open in the winter as many are seasonal.
Just like any camping, winter camping requires a certain amount of preparation. Below are three tips to make your winter camping experience more enjoyable:
Bring lots of water to stay hydrated.
Even though you don’t realize it, you are losing water; dehydration is possible in winter just as it is in the summer. Make it a habit to occasionally drink water even if you are not thirsty.
Bring enough clothes (and of the right type).
To stay warm, dry and to avoid frostbite, dress in layers. If you start getting overheated, take off a layer or two. Be sure to wear gloves and a stocking cap to protect your hands and head from frostbite. Make sure your ears are covered as the tips are one of the first things to freeze.
Maintain a good balanced diet and proper nutrition.
Meals and snacks should consist of complex carbohydrates (as well as good fats and protein) as they help you stay warm. In the winter, your body burns more calories to stay warm, plus is you are snowshoeing or cross country skiing, you are burning significantly more calories – around 550 calories per hour for an average person. Of course more if you are carrying a backpack.
Family Tent Camping Checklist
Below is a fairly comprehensive tent camping checklist. You can pick and choose which items you think you need based on:
Where you are going camping.
The weather forecast.
Availability of some items at your campground.
Camp Cooking
- Portable Grill and Cook Stove.
- Charcoal or Stove Fuel.
- Griddle.
- Skillet.
- Pot Holders.
- Cookware.
- Cooking Utensils.
- Skewers.
- Knife for Food Prep.
- Plates, Cups, Bowls and Eating Utensils.
- Can Opener.
- Tables and Chairs.
- Coolers with Plenty of Ice or Ice Substitutes.
- Plenty of Food.
- Paper Towels, Napkins and Toilet Paper.
- Trash Bags.
- Foil for Lining Cookware and Wrapping Food.
- Beverage Jugs or Water Carriers filled with Drinking Water.
- Squirt Water Bottle (for when the grill flares up).
Sleeping and Comfort
- Air Bed, Cot or Camp Pad.
- Sleeping Bags.
- Pillows.
- Tent Fans and Tent Light.
Camping Gear
- Tent, Fly Poles, Stakes and Rope.
- Tent Repair Kit.
- Extra Tent Stakes.
- Lantern with Extra Fuel or Extra Batteries.
- Fuel Funnel (if using a liquid fuel lantern or stove).
- Lantern Carry Case.
- Lantern Stand.
- Extra Lantern Mantles.
- Waterproof Matches.
- Compass, Maps and Portable GPS.
- Flashlights or Headlamps with Extra Batteries.
- Ground Cover or Tarp.
- Multipurpose Knife or Multi Tool.
- Camp Saw.
- Bungee Cords, 550 Parachute Cord.
- Camping Tool Kit: Hand Axe, Rubber Tent-Peg Mallet and Tent Stake Puller.
- Whisk Broom and Dust Pan.
- Fire Starting Kit: Butane Lighter, Cotton Balls, Fire Starter and Waterproof Matches.
- Firewood for Camp Fires (if the campground allows. Many places do not anymore due to the ash tree burrower.)
Personal Care
- First Aid Kit.
- Camp Towels.
- Biodegradable Soap.
- Citronella Candles and Insect Repellent.
- Layered Clothing.
- Rain Gear.
- Toiletries.
Eating/Food Prep
- Coffee.
- Coffee Pot.
- All-in-One Portable Sink.
- Plastic Zipper Bags.
- Pot Scrubbers and Rags.
- Salt and Pepper, and other various spices as needed.
- Plastic Wrap.
- Tin foil.
Personal
- Digital Camera with Extra Batteries.
- Clothesline.
- Cards and Games.
- Flare, Signaling Mirror and Survival Whistle.
- Pad of Paper, Pencil or Pen (for journaling).
- Radio with Weather Band.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
Enjoy Family Tent Camping!
In this article, we have went over some of the general information you need to start out family tent camping in winter. While other forms of family camping do exist, such as travel trailers, 5th wheel trailers and motorhomes, nothing quite measures up to camping out under the stars.
If you follow the guidelines in this article, you’ll get more out of your family tent camping experiences.
All of this information will help you have fun as a family and if something does go wrong, make a note of it so it doesn’t happen the next time. And yes, every time you go camping as a family, you will learn something new, regardless of how many books you read prior to going camping. But that is part of the fun for you – learning new things that you can apply to your next family camping trip.
As the price of fuel, hotel rooms and meals continue to rise, so does the popularity of family tent camping. Camping staycations – going to one campground and staying there for the duration of your family vacation – is one of the fastest growing segments of family camping.
If you have never camped out in a tent with your family, what better time than your next vacation. Have fun and enjoy the experiences of family tent camping in winter.