Tent Heating and Body Warming Tricks for Winter Campers
Call me crazy, but I strongly prefer autumn and winter camping to summertime excursions through the wilderness. I adore the brilliantly colored leaves, the lack of mosquitoes and the opportunity to explore nature without sweat rolling down my face. On the downside, those long nights in Northern Michigan can get cold enough to freeze your pee. Plummeting temperatures combined with lack of physical activity can leave me shivering all night if I'm not careful to pack the right gear.
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We love these wearable blankets for men and women
Sherpa lined sweat pants complete our bedtime outfits
This electric blanket won't drain your generator as fast
Use moving blankets or rubber mats to insulate your tent floor
In cold or snowy conditions, a padded moving blanket will help stop frigid ground air from seeping into your living area. If conditions are also wet, slip a heavy duty tarp under the blanket. Be sure that your floor covering is a bit LARGER than your tent floor. Fold the edges upward so that any liquid seeping into the tent from the ground will collect below the tarp. Even the best tents will have a little bit of condensation under the tarp by the end of a rain filled trip. That doesn't mean your tent "leaked." It just means that a bit of "sweating" occurred. Just like a glass of ice water feels wet to the touch, a tent floor can develop condensation when the interior temperature of the container clashes with the exterior temperature.
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Use an eight pound blanket to cover your mattress
We all know that air beds can absorb a chill from the ground and become brutally cold at night. An extra thick blanket will greatly minimize the feeling that you're sleeping on a bed of ice. This luxurious eight-pound blanket is softer than a baby's behind.The high quality plush fabric doesn't fade or develop lint balls. After countless washings, my cherished camp blanket still looks brand new! That's pretty significant because I always run my camp laundry through two wash cycles. I'm a stickler for making sure that any materials I've used in the woods are clean.
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Choose a bed that absorbs body heat and reflects it back to you
Foam beds are known for absorbing the heat from our bodies and reflecting it back to us. Those "hot spots" that annoy summertime sleepers are so very comforting in the fall. The mattress pictured here is six inches thick and folds down into a convenient bag with carry handle.Yes, it takes up more space in my vehicle than typical camping pads, but it's SO MUCH THICKER and SO MUCH WARMER than any other portable mattress on the market, including the top ranking Mondo King. It's also $100 less expensive than the Mondo King! For those occasions when I don't feel like pitching a tent, this twin sized mattress fits in the back of my Dodge Durrango with room on the side to place camp bags and other essentials. Best of all, this mattress will never lose air, require a pump or need a patch.
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Tape emergency blankets to tent ceilings and walls
Homeless people living in tent communities employ this trick because they know that Mylar blankets do an excellent job of reflecting body heat back to us, thus trapping the heat our bodies generate inside the tent. Since heat rises, a Mylar barrier will help stop the heat from floating out of your tent. To battle extremely cold conditions, you may also want to hang a space blanket along the wall near your mattress. To help secure space blankets to tent walls, you can use any number of items, including duct tape, plastic clothespins or plastic potato chip clips. (Avoid metal clips!)
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Look into battery operated heated vests and socks
Try an insulated body suit for hunters
Set up a reflective tube tent inside your regular tent
Here's a great trick for folks who simply don't have room to carry extra blankets and tarps. Hiking enthusiasts often carry lightweight tube tents made of the same reflective material used for emergency blankets. Such tents do an excellent job of reflecting body heat back to us. A survivalist would simply pitch this type of tent directly under the stars. A traditional camper might set up a survival shelter inside a regular tent.
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Try a thermal bivy made of reflective cloth
This metalized cloth sleeping bag is both comfortable and unique because the inner material reflects up to 90% of your body heat back to you, adding additional warmth to sleeping bags.The hard-wearing thermal fabric resists rips and tears.The whole thing packs down into a tiny bag that's easy to slip into a backpack. I was so impressed with my first thermal bivy that I ordered two more of them for our hiking bags.This brilliant invention could actually save your life in a blizzard.
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Be sure your sleeping bag is rated for zero degrees
In younger years, my husband and I went out of our way to purchase heavy down sleeping bags. We even broke our first washing machine after stuffing it with a double wide bag! Thankfully, today's lighter synthetic materials are engineered for heat retention, and they're so much easier to wash.The zero degree bag pictured here can be used alone or zipped together with another bag for the perfect snuggling experience. In fact, it's so warm that you might want to sleep on top of it in the summertime. I carry different types of bags, depending on the season. My most cherished warming item is actually an 8 pound blanket.
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Try a genuine U.S. Army muli-layer sleep system rated for -30°
Think of this as the granddaddy of all outdoor sleep systems because it doubles as a sleeping bag and a waterproof tent. Too bad a new one will cost you around $400. In a tent situation, I'd rather go with a $60 bag rated for zero degrees and combine it with a reflective cloth bivy. For serious winter hiking excursions, I'd go with the military grade system.
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Bring a portable propane heater
This top rated propane tent heater is widely regarded as the safest on the market because it shuts off automatically if the unit tips over in your tent. In addition, this heater will shut off when the pilot light goes out or if low oxygen levels are detected. The idea of sleeping with a propane heater makes me nervous, but I'm more than happy to warm up my tent before I retire for the night. If your tent ceiling is lined with a space blanket, it will greatly help to retain the heat you generate before bedtime.
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15.) Slip a large heating pad inside your sleeping bag
16. Can you bring your regular electric blanket?
While electric blankets vary by size and brand, the average single electric blanket requires about 60 watts, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, with the average double electric blanket rated at 100 watts.That means the indoor generator pictured above is more than adequate to run your favorite electric blanket, but do check the wattage of your blanket and experiment before leaving on your trip.
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Try a super insulated cocoon within your tent
Set up your tent within a large ice fishing shelter
Believe it or not, many ice fishermen sleep on top of frozen lakes within portable ice shelters. On the up side, ice tents feature the most advanced insulation and wind breaking technology available in portable shelters, and they pop into place with ease. On the downside, lack of ventilation can be a problem. When using a propane heater within an ice shelter, be sure to purchase a carbon monoxide detector, and don't sleep with the heater on. Bring a cot to elevate your sleeping body from the ground. Even the best camp pads will sleep cold when placed directly upon the ice, and tarps won't help much.
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Warm up in the car just before bed
In younger years, I went to bed feeling cold and depended upon my blankets to slowly warm me up. That's not the quickest way to get to sleep, especially if the brutal cold has seeped into your bones. Just before bed, fire up your car and sit in the heat for five or ten minutes. Your body will be toasty warm when you climb into your sleeping bag, and that heat will continue to circulate within the bag all night.
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Invest in a quilted coverall snowsuit
HOT TIP: This Carhartt classic can be found at many local stores. If you stumble upon one, rip it from the rack and run to the checkout immediately. If you wait until November or December, they'll be sold out for the holidays. I promise you this suit is pure warming magic. Even in zero degree weather, you'll end up sweating. If you dropped me in the middle of an arctic blizzard and told me I could bring only one item, I would bring my husband's snow suit! With this suit on your side, no cold weather task is impossible to tackle. Wear this suit while hiking, ice fishing, shoveling snow, chopping wood, sledding, snowmobiling and more. Friends from Texas and Florida have often asked me how I can stand living in such a cold climate. "It's easy," I tell them. "You buy a real man's snow suit."
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Try quilt lined biberalls
Choose hooded flannel shirts lined with fleece
Enjoy a fuzzy fleece pullover!
Moisture wicking thermal underwear can be your best friend
Don't forget the moisture wicking thermal undershirt!
An extreme ski mask can save your life in the winter
A soft winter face mask is more practical for fall
Hand Warmers
Bring several pairs of cheap backup gloves!
Extra warm thermal socks are a must
Toe warmers can prevent frostbite
Leg warmers are quick and convenient
When the evening transitions from cool to brutal, it's not always convenient to strip down to nothing, apply thermal underwear and get dressed again. Leg warmers are a super convenient way to add extra warmth quickly. It's hard to find leg warmers that extend above the knee, but these beauties are long and stretchy enough to cover the thighs.
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Great Warming Foods
Bear Creek soup tastes like you made it from scratch!
Bear Creek soup mixes are great on their own, but they're even better when you add your own special ingredients. Here are some of my favorite concoctions:
Clam Chowder: I've been known to add salmon, shrimp and real cream. Minestrone: I like to add stewed tomatoes and beef chunks, sometimes fresh and sometimes freeze dried. Chicken Tortilla: I normally add chicken, stewed tomatoes. Serve with crushed tortilla chips instead of crackers. Beef Stew: Great with fresh beef chunks or freeze dried beef chunks, depending on whether or not you have access to a cooler. Cheddar Potato: Great with freshly diced ham or canned ham chunks. Creamy Wild Rice: Great with fresh or foil packed chicken. |
There's nothing better than a cast iron dutch oven with legs
I love this five gallon collapsible water container
High protein oatmeal provides dense nutrition
Creamy chicken soup packets are great for warm ups and recipes
Lipton Cup of Soup is the perfect solution to those late night moments when it's not practical to start a rolling fire and make soup from scratch. I've been known to make a cup of soup with a tiny pot heated over a cooking candle. I've used this stuff to make creamy rice dishes, broccoli dishes and quick sauces for chicken or salmon.
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One step coffee is a great backup item!
When I'm not in the mood to brew fresh coffee, I really appreciate having a product that combines coffee, cream and vanilla flavoring in one easy scoop. This product has saved me when I run out of coffee or real liquid cream. It's a great emergency backup solution for those moments when fresh brewing isn't possible or practical.
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Insulated steel mugs keep drinks warm much longer
Tent Cooling TricksDon't let soaring temperatures ruin your vacation! Employ these 12 tricks to stay cool.
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10 Genius Mosquito Control TricksDon't let mosquitoes torture you on vacation! These nifty tips will keep them at bay.
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Ultimate Camping ChecklistDon't get caught without crucial items that will keep you safe and comfortable away from home. Consult our list to be sure you don't forget anything!
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