Camping is an activity that most people reserve for the seasons that don’t require snow boots, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people for whom winter camping is a favorite pastime. While snow, ice, and freezing temperatures don’t exactly seem conducive to sheltering in the outdoors, with proper preparation cold weather campers can enjoy relatively the same level of comfort as they do throughout the other seasons. Here are a few tips from us here at SunnyScope for comfortable winter camping.
Live in Layers
The first and foremost tip for comfortable winter camping is to live in layers. That means you dress and sleep in the appropriate layers for your activities and weather conditions. We’ve talked a lot about dressing in layers for ultimate comfort in cold weather, and once you put it into practice, you’ll never dress any other way in winter again! Layers are equally important for bedding: a pad, air mattress, or cot between you and the tent floor, an appropriately temperature-rated sleeping bag, and a liner or blanket over top for added warmth. Be sure you don’t go to bed with the day’s socks on, as any retained moisture will freeze your feet at night.
It’s also important to learn to remove layers as you are moving around and your body warms up. On those beautiful days hiking through the snow while the sun shines bright overhead, you will warm up quickly and start sweating. Wearing breathable layers can help prevent moisture from building up, but if you shed layers as your body warms and replace them as it cools, you should be able to maintain a dry, comfortable warmth throughout the day that will take you into the night.
Pack Instant Hand Warmers
It goes without saying that you will be donning gloves, beanies, scarves, and balaclavas for your winter camping trip, but an instant hand warmer or two is going to change your game significantly in the frigid outdoors. Zippo makes a nice hand warmer that runs off lighter fluid, just like a lighter, and provides up to 10-12 hours of constant heat. Slip one between your glove and hand, in your mid layer or pants pocket, or next to your toes when you turn in for the night and never feel the bite of freezing temperatures again. You can even go with disposable hand warmers that will do the same trick for less money, but of course we encourage the reusable option for maximum eco-friendliness.
Quick-Cooking Stove
Being able to get a hot drink and meal together quickly in the dead of winter is going to be an immensely valuable asset on your winter camping trip. Fortunately, they’re not hard to find, and not hard on the wallet either. We particularly love the PowerPot, which not only can be used over any heat source — from an open flame to a hot spring — but also produces 5 watts of electricity and delivers it through a specialized USB cord so you can keep your gadgets charged and at your service. But because there are so many compact, efficient camp stoves to choose from, we strongly advise you check out a wide selection before making your purchase to make sure it will perform in winter conditions.
