Keeping warm camping tips?

Camping it up this weekend, nothing new for August, however we’re predicted a 6/7 degree night on Saturday and the ladies of the family will apparently die if it gets this cold. Don’t really want to pod out in rab sleeping bags! Are sleeping bag liners any good?

Could always camp in a hotel room? Maybe build a sofa fort? 😛

Hot water bottle & star jumps before bed.

Electric hook up and a low powered electric heater

A decent sleeping bag liner will up (or rather, lower) the rating by a few degrees. However, it’s important that you are warm before getting into the sleeping bag as it is your body heat that makes it work. That might involve a wee bit of vigorous exercise before turning in for the night. Star jumps, a wee jog (horizontal if possible) all work.

Take a look at that vw California thread below!

Use those aluminium Sigg water bottles, or similar, as hot water bottles

Yes sleeping bag liners are worth it. If you don’t want to fork out for purpose built ones, stitching an old sheet into the required shape is also a viable option.

Secondly, insulate yourself from the ground. A decent thickness foam sleeping mat is ok, or you can spend more and get an inflatable one.

Failing all else…put on a hat.

Diesel central heating…

Oh wait, you don’t have a campervan, travelodge?

If its car camping we just take a big duvet. Much more flexible for warmth options.

Hot drink before going to bed helps quite a lot. That and decent/plenty of camping mats, or if you’re car camping putting an old duvet down.

Spicy food and red wine.

Ground insulation is the key.

Ground insulation is the key indeed. But sod sleeping bags, get duvets. Three £10 ones from Tesco will sort you out.

Warm before bed (don’t let yourself get cold sitting up reading etc). I also zip right up in full hooded sleeping bag mode and I am not averse to sleeping in some tracky trousers, ski/hiking socks, hat and a fleece if it’s that cold.

My DOE gold practice expedition 20 years ago was the peak district in April with a foot of snow on the ground and sub zero temperatures. Basically swapped anything wet for a dry version then sleeping bags with liner and a foam mat.

Pull the sleeping bag over your head and close the drawstring leaving just a breathing hole. Don’t get the drawstring knotted though!

Thick socks and a hat, they’ll be reet

Cheap fleece blankets work wonders – over and under sleeping bags, and to wear when in the tent.

A cheap ceramic heater?

6/7 deg is not that cold…when your water bottles freeze, that is cold 😉

I’m not a fan of sleeping bag liners, I always find I get all caught up in them and trapped. Only time I’ve had a proper panic attack was all wrapped up in a liner, which was in a sleeping bag, which was in a bivi bag.
I much prefer thermal top and bottoms, even socks and a beanie hat.

Are sleeping bag liners any good?

Excellent IMO (I think mine is silk). Also good for keeping the sleeping bags clean and just putting the liner in the wash now and again.

If it’s cold, I wear thermal leggings and a long sleeve thermal top with socks in bed.

M&S do decent stuff or somewhere like Mountain Warehouse.

And as above a low powered electric heater with a tilt switch if you have electric hook up

What are you using for sleeping bags ?

If your anything like my parents who were not used eto camping they were using sleeping bags suitable for the living room floor – get decent rated bags – and they dont have to be branded with a super brand its 6-7 degrees not life or death,

Can’t believe how soft we’ve got over the years: Did we really manage with a Karrimat and a polyester sleeping bag???
Now it’s down jackets for sitting about of an evening, 70mm thick double fake Thermorest, sheet sleeping bag and down duvet; pillows… 🙁

Camping this weekend too in Galloway with the missus and two kids.

Sod sleeping bags. We’ll just be using air beds and duvets.

I used to sleep on a polythene strip with an army blanket then my sleeping bag . have now graduated to a thermarest . insulation from the ground is key. A wooly hat and pulling the drawstring to trap warm air in is good.

We’re off the ground as I’ve invested in some pretty handy camp beds. We’ve been camping for years but dd gets cold and the wife had the dreaded Reynards so struggles a bit. Anyhow, will def get them all jumping around and get the water bottles on before bed!

Thermals. Many benefits;

1. they dont cold on the late night pee dash
2. they get warmer when they’re sat around
3. most important, the choice is in their hands…. aka… its not your ‘fault’ anymore 😉

Don’t wear shed loads of clothes, it’s better without let the sleeping bag work.

Oh, and drink these…

Socks and hat, I find a decent pillow helps as once you are asleep you tend to stay asleep with a decent pillow 😉

Don’t get wet

Air beds are freezing in cold weather. Thermarests are warm.

In 87 in my first year at poly my land lady’s ch ended up coming through her bedroom ceiling. No heating for 6 weeks. I used to sleep in a tissit 1 season bag with a berghaus isodry jacket, long johns, socks, hat, gloves and there’d still be hoar frost on top of my duvet in the morning.
Couldn’t do it now in my late 40s. Worrying about no heater in the bongo at Paris-Roubaix at the Carrefour next year….

Don’t bother with expensive sleeping bag liners, are there no deer around?

Air beds are freezing in cold weather. Thermarests are warm.

We stick roll mats under the air bed and a fleecy cover on top of it. Stays pretty cosy that way.