Winter camping?

[stephenjubb]

IF you are putting up a wet tent - wear gloves. In even temperatures less than 10 degrees in winter, wet hands quickly become unusable. Not much good if you want to get your tent up quickly!

 

[randynewmanscat]

I wouldn't use a sleeping bag, I would get a quilt. Sleeping bags weigh more than quilts, while sleeping bags do have a back side it doesn't mean much in regards to insulation because you are compressing filling by laying on top of it making the fill on the bottom completely useless for insulation, instead your mat is your insulation.

.
I have used a single bed quilt and found it versatile but the cotton casing sucks humidity in and does not quickly give it up. More importantly in very cold weather any gap no matter how small is a line of cold into your space. Pulled in neck and shoulder drawcords I find intrusive but on some nights they make a huge difference and are invaluable. The casing materials are superior on sleeping bags and even 20 minutes of airing in a dry place gets a Pertex case or lined sleeping bag fairly fresh after shaking out a few times. In the winter I use a down sleeping bag with a full length zip, it is a quilt if needs be.
I have slept comfortably with only a silk liner between my skin and a sleeping bag of 1.6kg in air temperature of -24C. For the cheapo's amongst us and that includes me, there are Aliexpress shops selling down sleeping bags that are well loved by the climbing community at prices that would buy less than half a Mountain Equipment or RAB equivalent. The pricier one I would have every time for the high quality work and fittings but if it does the job it gets my vote.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You'll have a long dark night. So either bring along a radio, podcast, audio book, book of some sort.

You can get a safety cage for putting a candle in, and hanging in tent. Provides light and heat.

Consider some charcoal and an oven foil tray. You can cook and keep warm at the same time.

If you have a heat source consider a tarp and groundsheet so you're not cooped up in the tent too early.

Consider which way your tent or bivvy face. A winter sunrise on frosty ground is a delight.

Beware if hollows or low ground, chance of just being sodden or getting flooded.

If you wander deep into woods away from the road before dark. Make you you mark the direction back out to the road.

Caves can be good if you have a fire.

Bird / wetland centre hides are rarely locked and make a good place to sleep in winter. Make sure you don't use the one nearest the car park. Other nocturnal may be happening in the nearest one.

Don't forget there are bothys in Wales, Lakes, Scotland.

Bus shelters on quiet roads work well in winter. Again have a heat source.

Be organised, easy to lose things or kick them into the undergrowth in the dark before you settle.

 

[andrew_s]

Bear in mind that a fair number of people have died of carbon monoxide poisoning through trying to keep the tent warm.

 

[mikey951r]

take a small transistor type radio. It’s a long 16+ hours of darkness this time of year

 

[Vantage]

I camped next to a fellow cyclist who brought a radio with him.
Felt like ramming the bloody thing up his backside by the 2nd day. 😠

 

[uphillstruggler]

My transistor has an ear phone jack, but there’s no keeping my singing to myself