Camping in 40 degrees...brrr?
November 12, 2022 7:13 PM Subscribe
I'm going to be camping with young kids with temperatures dropping to about 40 degrees F at night (it will be about 60 at the warmest during the day). I've winter camped before on my own in the past at much lower temperatures (sleeping in snow), but it's been a while and it's never been with kids. Tips would be welcome on how to stay comfortable and warm - for everyone!
Most crucially, use coffin-style sleeping bags rated for the expected temperature, with a comfortable margin. Wear minimal clothing while inside, and zip all the way up.
Make sure everyone is equipped with appropriate layers of clothing, with materials that will keep you warm (no cotton). Pay special attention to good socks, hat, gloves, and a long underwear layer.
A Nalgene full of hot water inside the sleeping bag to warm things up can be nice.
posted by lookoutbelow at 7:28 PM on November 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
Make sure everyone is equipped with appropriate layers of clothing, with materials that will keep you warm (no cotton). Pay special attention to good socks, hat, gloves, and a long underwear layer.
A Nalgene full of hot water inside the sleeping bag to warm things up can be nice.
posted by lookoutbelow at 7:28 PM on November 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
We achieve this with a shared "bed" made out of rectangular sleeping pads with appropriate R-values held together with conjoined fabric sleeves I made, and a shared down quilt with a closed footbox on top. Everyone then wears their wool base layers, wool socks and gloves, and a puffy jacket with a hood. It is literally as warm and snug as at home, so clearly we could dial it back quite a ways and still be perfectly safe, but I read about kids being particularly vulnerable to hypothermia (even without a prior water immersion), and wanted to be certain. Plus cozy is very nice in the middle of a forest!
posted by teremala at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by teremala at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
FLUFF YOUR SLEEPING BAGS! It's fun and the kids will enjoy it. You want as much fluffy, puffy, warm loft as possible.
Your tent will typically be about ten degrees warmer than the outside temperature, so limit your comings and goings to keep that warmer air inside.
posted by mochapickle at 7:32 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Your tent will typically be about ten degrees warmer than the outside temperature, so limit your comings and goings to keep that warmer air inside.
posted by mochapickle at 7:32 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
A good hat they like, as well as good insulation below their sleeping bag to reduce heat leakage can really help make them comfy.
posted by nickggully at 7:45 PM on November 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by nickggully at 7:45 PM on November 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Wear minimal clothing while inside, and zip all the way up.
This is important- if you wear all the things and your winter coat inside, you’ll get too hot and your body will start sweating to cool down. You want to stop the cold from getting to you and no further.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 7:58 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
This is important- if you wear all the things and your winter coat inside, you’ll get too hot and your body will start sweating to cool down. You want to stop the cold from getting to you and no further.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 7:58 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
Disclaimer: family camping trips and experience as a Girl Scout troop leader and volunteer with other youth organizations.
Little bodies go from "I'm okay" to hypothermic faster than adult bodies. Children often sleep hard and may not react to dropping body temperatures until they are in trouble. Keep an eye on the kiddos and do not rely on your own adult body responses.
If a person has become too cold and has recovered, their body can easily become too cold again.
If one person has a serious reaction to the cold, the whole group bails out for a warmer location.
Adults are the ones who will suffer quietly until they are in a critical condition. Keep tabs on them, too.
Warm air rises, cold air sinks.
The ground is colder than your body and will leach your warmth. Break contact with the ground with adequate layers below your bedding.
At the same time, air currents under a bunk or cot will steal warmth, but at least your body is above the coldest location.
It is shocking how warm it is outside a platform tent or cabin when going to the outhouse during the pre-dawn hours. Four to six people sleeping together will put off a lot of moisture (breathing, sweating), which translates to a colder enclosure.
Accidents happen. Cold diuresis is a known factor in winter backpacking.
Have toileting supplies nearby and make sure that everyone understands that they will probably need to "water the bushes" during the night. Create a leave-no-trace setup and demonstrate -- in some fashion -- how you expect it to be used.
Consider bringing the extra restroom supplies that any adults and teenagers might need.
Brainstorm how a shy child can alert a sympathetic adult to any unfortunate occurrences. Have extra bedding available.
Change into clean dry clothes from the skin out before getting into the sleeping bag. Base layers absorb sweat throughout the day. They can still be worn the next morning if they are not damp.
Do some temperature-raising movements (run in place, jumping jacks) before getting into a warm fluffed-up sleeping bag. Avoid sweating.
Next morning, spread open the bedding for a while to let the absorbed moisture dry out before rolling/stuffing back into dry sacks. I substitute larger dry sacks for the ones that come with sleeping bags so that the loft can stay fuller between uses.
The coldest part of the night is right before dawn. Get into the sunshine and out of drafts, have a warm drink and some carbohydrates, and then get moving. The ground will be cold beneath your feet and most sitting areas will be cold and damp.
But in spite of this, it's easier to adjust to moderately cold temperatures at night compared to unbearably hot muggy weather all day. And hopefully the ticks and mosquitoes have disappeared.
So pack extra socks and sweaters and have fun!
posted by TrishaU at 9:37 PM on November 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
Little bodies go from "I'm okay" to hypothermic faster than adult bodies. Children often sleep hard and may not react to dropping body temperatures until they are in trouble. Keep an eye on the kiddos and do not rely on your own adult body responses.
If a person has become too cold and has recovered, their body can easily become too cold again.
If one person has a serious reaction to the cold, the whole group bails out for a warmer location.
Adults are the ones who will suffer quietly until they are in a critical condition. Keep tabs on them, too.
Warm air rises, cold air sinks.
The ground is colder than your body and will leach your warmth. Break contact with the ground with adequate layers below your bedding.
At the same time, air currents under a bunk or cot will steal warmth, but at least your body is above the coldest location.
It is shocking how warm it is outside a platform tent or cabin when going to the outhouse during the pre-dawn hours. Four to six people sleeping together will put off a lot of moisture (breathing, sweating), which translates to a colder enclosure.
Accidents happen. Cold diuresis is a known factor in winter backpacking.
Have toileting supplies nearby and make sure that everyone understands that they will probably need to "water the bushes" during the night. Create a leave-no-trace setup and demonstrate -- in some fashion -- how you expect it to be used.
Consider bringing the extra restroom supplies that any adults and teenagers might need.
Brainstorm how a shy child can alert a sympathetic adult to any unfortunate occurrences. Have extra bedding available.
Change into clean dry clothes from the skin out before getting into the sleeping bag. Base layers absorb sweat throughout the day. They can still be worn the next morning if they are not damp.
Do some temperature-raising movements (run in place, jumping jacks) before getting into a warm fluffed-up sleeping bag. Avoid sweating.
Next morning, spread open the bedding for a while to let the absorbed moisture dry out before rolling/stuffing back into dry sacks. I substitute larger dry sacks for the ones that come with sleeping bags so that the loft can stay fuller between uses.
The coldest part of the night is right before dawn. Get into the sunshine and out of drafts, have a warm drink and some carbohydrates, and then get moving. The ground will be cold beneath your feet and most sitting areas will be cold and damp.
But in spite of this, it's easier to adjust to moderately cold temperatures at night compared to unbearably hot muggy weather all day. And hopefully the ticks and mosquitoes have disappeared.
So pack extra socks and sweaters and have fun!
posted by TrishaU at 9:37 PM on November 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
when we do this we are very reliant on our jetboil and cheap aluminum water bottles from the thrift store. right before bed we boil a ton of water and fill the bottles up making sure they get shut very tightly. they get super hot, too hot to touch, so we bring extra adult size socks and put each bottle in a sock. depending on the night they are good to put inside your sleeping bag either at your middle or your feet. we only use one each but more could be good with kids if you are worried.
your probably know all this if you’ve winter camped but: if you already have sleeping bags they sell fabric liners for them. those can be pricey but buy you more degrees. make sure everyone has cocoonability with their sleeping setup - i usually end up using the full zip and drawstring hood that are on mine when it’s really cold.
posted by crime online at 9:51 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
your probably know all this if you’ve winter camped but: if you already have sleeping bags they sell fabric liners for them. those can be pricey but buy you more degrees. make sure everyone has cocoonability with their sleeping setup - i usually end up using the full zip and drawstring hood that are on mine when it’s really cold.
posted by crime online at 9:51 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
Put hand warmers in your sleeping bag
posted by kerf at 10:16 PM on November 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by kerf at 10:16 PM on November 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Good fluffy sleeping bags rated very comfortably for colder temps than you anticipate and a good thick insulating pad between your sleeping bag and the ground.
I did a backpacking trip once where we woke up every morning with ice on our sleeping bags. What kept us warm was good sleeping pads under our bags, sleeping in good wool socks, and the fact that before bed we made this high-fat, high-sugar calorie bomb concoction. Literally just mixed up a slurry of butter, sugar and cocoa over the fire and ate it warm then went to bed. After a long day of walking and schlepping our packs it tasted like manna from heaven.
posted by potrzebie at 11:18 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
I did a backpacking trip once where we woke up every morning with ice on our sleeping bags. What kept us warm was good sleeping pads under our bags, sleeping in good wool socks, and the fact that before bed we made this high-fat, high-sugar calorie bomb concoction. Literally just mixed up a slurry of butter, sugar and cocoa over the fire and ate it warm then went to bed. After a long day of walking and schlepping our packs it tasted like manna from heaven.
posted by potrzebie at 11:18 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
Good sleeping bags are important, but just as important is the insulation layer keeping you off the ground. Don't cut corners on pads or whatever is keeping you from direct heat loss to whatever surface you're sleeping on.
posted by Nerd of the North at 11:20 PM on November 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by Nerd of the North at 11:20 PM on November 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
Strongly recommend making hot water bottles by filling a 1L nalgene with just off boil water and slipping it in a sock. This gets me through the night for camping in chilly temps!
posted by soleiluna at 11:26 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by soleiluna at 11:26 PM on November 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
We went tent camping with our 2.5 year old in fall in Wisconsin, with lows at night in the mid-30s. He wore a merino wool base layer and wool socks, with fleece footie pajamas over it. The hat I brought didn't stay on him at all as he slept. He and I slept in two zipped together mummy bags, rated for 0 and 20, on top of thermarest pads. He stayed comfortable all night and slept well. He falls asleep early, so instead of putting him to sleep by himself in the tent while the adults sit outside around the campfire, he fell asleep on me in the hammock with a fleece blanket over us and I transferred him to the sleeping bag with me when I was ready to go to bed myself. The nalgene with hot water idea would have been good, my feet were a little cold until the sleeping bag warmed up.
posted by abeja bicicleta at 4:03 AM on November 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by abeja bicicleta at 4:03 AM on November 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
Little ones sometimes don’t notice when their feet get cold. Do occasional checks. Change their socks and feel their toes with your hands as you do it.
posted by thenormshow at 6:16 AM on November 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by thenormshow at 6:16 AM on November 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
I just came out of my first two-week trip sleeping in a tent in night temperatures ranging anywhere between 29 and 50 degrees F. I followed the advice above and got a decent sleeping bag and added in one of those thermal liners that give you an additional 15 degrees warmth and I was sufficiently insulated from the ground. So once I was into my bag, I was warm, even on the coldest nights.
However, getting OUT of the bag and into the wrong fabric clothes, was SO unpleasant. Next time I would be sure to have a wool base layer or other fabric that didn't hold the cold to slip into in the morning.
posted by nanook at 7:07 AM on November 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
However, getting OUT of the bag and into the wrong fabric clothes, was SO unpleasant. Next time I would be sure to have a wool base layer or other fabric that didn't hold the cold to slip into in the morning.
posted by nanook at 7:07 AM on November 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Eat something before going to sleep. Your body uses up a lot of power to keep itself warm. A protein or granola bar before retiring will give your body the fuel it needs.
posted by SPrintF at 7:22 AM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by SPrintF at 7:22 AM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
An insulated foil mat like this to put underneath your camping mattress can make a big difference to warmth - it keeps the cold of the earth out and reflects your own warmth back up at you.
posted by penguin pie at 10:54 AM on November 13, 2022
posted by penguin pie at 10:54 AM on November 13, 2022
2nding to check their feet and toes even if they say "I'm not cold." I know this because that's how I got frostbit at age 8. All the other suggestions are terrific. Also, on one winter camping weekend I went on, we actually put straw on the bottom of the tent and then covered it with a blanket and slept in our bags on top of that. It worked well.
posted by Miko at 11:53 AM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 11:53 AM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have a trick I've used a lot that I know camping purists tend not to like, but the things that makes me most miserable when camping is being cold and/or wet.
It's going to sound stupid, and I don't care.
I win cuz I stay warm and dry, lol.
It's totally normal for me to use a tarp under the tent, even in good weather. But for cool or wet weather, I choose a much bigger tarp, enough to wrap under and AROUND the tent. I want it to completely envelop the tent, with at least a foot on each side underneath, and able to hang clear down and past that from the top. Same for the front of the tent. If stakes or circumstances make it necessary, two separate tarps will work - but the more burrito-in-a-blanket you can get that tent to be, the better.
When you wrap the tent like this, you no longer have to worry about touching the sides, or how good your waterproofing is. You have a place outside the tent, if you've done it right, that's still under cover to take off wet shoes or clothes. And the layers trap in body heat.
It can be tough to keep kids bundled up once they're in the tent, and they generally don't want to stay in the sleeping bag as soon as it's dark. Make sure you have something on hand for entertainment, too, even if it's just extra batteries for shadow puppet storytelling.
posted by stormyteal at 12:31 PM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
It's going to sound stupid, and I don't care.
I win cuz I stay warm and dry, lol.
It's totally normal for me to use a tarp under the tent, even in good weather. But for cool or wet weather, I choose a much bigger tarp, enough to wrap under and AROUND the tent. I want it to completely envelop the tent, with at least a foot on each side underneath, and able to hang clear down and past that from the top. Same for the front of the tent. If stakes or circumstances make it necessary, two separate tarps will work - but the more burrito-in-a-blanket you can get that tent to be, the better.
When you wrap the tent like this, you no longer have to worry about touching the sides, or how good your waterproofing is. You have a place outside the tent, if you've done it right, that's still under cover to take off wet shoes or clothes. And the layers trap in body heat.
It can be tough to keep kids bundled up once they're in the tent, and they generally don't want to stay in the sleeping bag as soon as it's dark. Make sure you have something on hand for entertainment, too, even if it's just extra batteries for shadow puppet storytelling.
posted by stormyteal at 12:31 PM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cots instead of air mattresses. Air mattresses circulate cold air under you and it's awful.
There are emergency tarps - shiny heat reflective on one side, bright orange on the other. For my tent, I layer these on the outside of the tent, over the mesh parts, before I put on my rain fly, which helps keep heat in (shiny side in, of course). You can also layer these under your mattress on your cot.
I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater to take the chill out of the tent, turning it on to warm the tent before going to sleep (and turning it off before actually falling asleep), and turning it on in the morning while getting going.
My sleeping bag isn't a mummy style, I cannot sleep that way. But it is zero degree rated, a Teton Grand Celcius, and it kept me toasty warm in the upper 30's.
Of course, if you have electric, you could bring a little heater for the tent, or even a heated blanket!
Have fun!
posted by annieb at 5:04 PM on November 13, 2022
There are emergency tarps - shiny heat reflective on one side, bright orange on the other. For my tent, I layer these on the outside of the tent, over the mesh parts, before I put on my rain fly, which helps keep heat in (shiny side in, of course). You can also layer these under your mattress on your cot.
I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater to take the chill out of the tent, turning it on to warm the tent before going to sleep (and turning it off before actually falling asleep), and turning it on in the morning while getting going.
My sleeping bag isn't a mummy style, I cannot sleep that way. But it is zero degree rated, a Teton Grand Celcius, and it kept me toasty warm in the upper 30's.
Of course, if you have electric, you could bring a little heater for the tent, or even a heated blanket!
Have fun!
posted by annieb at 5:04 PM on November 13, 2022
If I'm camping in the cold, I'd definitely echo the "wear as little as is comfy in your sleeping bag" but add to it the tip o discovered when I was tree planting as a kid: keep your clothes, or at least a first layer, in your sleeping bag. Much more pleasant to put them on warm in the morning.
posted by rhooke at 4:23 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rhooke at 4:23 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've camped with my kids when the nighttime temp went below freezing a couple of times. Some things that worked in our favour:
We were using a small 3-person backpacking tent. A smaller tent means it is easier for us to warm it up. Mind you you still need to leave some openings in your fly to limit condensation.
We were car camping and used a thick air mattress, like the kind you'd use at home to make a spare bed, instead of a regular camping pad.
We opened our sleeping bags up and used one on the bottom and two on top. This way we could share our body heat better and also the top of the sleeping bag does most of the warming anyway so we got more top with the same amount of sleeping bags.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:10 PM on November 14, 2022
We were using a small 3-person backpacking tent. A smaller tent means it is easier for us to warm it up. Mind you you still need to leave some openings in your fly to limit condensation.
We were car camping and used a thick air mattress, like the kind you'd use at home to make a spare bed, instead of a regular camping pad.
We opened our sleeping bags up and used one on the bottom and two on top. This way we could share our body heat better and also the top of the sleeping bag does most of the warming anyway so we got more top with the same amount of sleeping bags.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:10 PM on November 14, 2022
Staying warm in cold weather relies on three things -- your personal shelter (clothes and footwear), the group shelter (tent, cabin or vehicle which also keeps gear and firewood dry) and your warmth creating strategies (fire-building skills, plus the tips mentioned above).
Be wary about any fire in or near your shelter.
Do not underestimate the danger of sparks from a fire near a nylon tent.
Mr Buddy heaters and other propane/butane heaters will work, but they can result in fires and will give off carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is the "silent killer" -- you can't see it, smell it, taste it, touch it or hear it. You lie down and never wake up.
In an RV or vehicle, invest in a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher.
I would avoid using a flame-producing device inside a tent.
Most sleeping bags are made from synthetic fabric and many have synthetic fill. Heat-producing methods can destroy them.
Hot water bottles and hand warmers are fine in a sleeping bag. Be careful that children and pets are not burned by cuddling close and sleeping deeply next to a too-hot object.
I would not heat rocks as natural warmers. They can explode if moisture is trapped inside them. Hot sand is better, scooped into old wool socks (synthetics melt).
Instructions are online for DIY hand warmers, but I prefer the reusable ones from the pharmacy that heat up in a microwave.
The heat of two bodies is the safest method of retaining warmth and keeping tabs on the other person.
posted by TrishaU at 4:02 AM on November 15, 2022
Be wary about any fire in or near your shelter.
Do not underestimate the danger of sparks from a fire near a nylon tent.
Mr Buddy heaters and other propane/butane heaters will work, but they can result in fires and will give off carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is the "silent killer" -- you can't see it, smell it, taste it, touch it or hear it. You lie down and never wake up.
In an RV or vehicle, invest in a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher.
I would avoid using a flame-producing device inside a tent.
Most sleeping bags are made from synthetic fabric and many have synthetic fill. Heat-producing methods can destroy them.
Hot water bottles and hand warmers are fine in a sleeping bag. Be careful that children and pets are not burned by cuddling close and sleeping deeply next to a too-hot object.
I would not heat rocks as natural warmers. They can explode if moisture is trapped inside them. Hot sand is better, scooped into old wool socks (synthetics melt).
Instructions are online for DIY hand warmers, but I prefer the reusable ones from the pharmacy that heat up in a microwave.
The heat of two bodies is the safest method of retaining warmth and keeping tabs on the other person.
posted by TrishaU at 4:02 AM on November 15, 2022
Here are some tips from the Girl Scouts, including a link to a sample packing list.
I add 20 degrees to a sleeping bag's rating. If it says it's for 20 degrees, I say it's for 40 degrees.
Bring extra fleece or wool blankets for everyone. If the kids you're bringing aren't your own, presume their parents are going to send them without enough warm gear. When my Girl Scouts were younger and not packing their own stuff yet, I would toss extra sleeping bags, camping blankets, and hats into my car and they would all get used by Scouts whose parents didn't seem to really understand the concept of "sleeping outside, no, really, outside, there are no walls, we will be outside."
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:30 PM on November 16, 2022
I add 20 degrees to a sleeping bag's rating. If it says it's for 20 degrees, I say it's for 40 degrees.
Bring extra fleece or wool blankets for everyone. If the kids you're bringing aren't your own, presume their parents are going to send them without enough warm gear. When my Girl Scouts were younger and not packing their own stuff yet, I would toss extra sleeping bags, camping blankets, and hats into my car and they would all get used by Scouts whose parents didn't seem to really understand the concept of "sleeping outside, no, really, outside, there are no walls, we will be outside."
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:30 PM on November 16, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
Good luck and tell us how it goes!!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:18 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]