Please give me your tips for keeping really warm at night

[fatsatsuma]

We've camped every summer for years but I'm now really starting to feel the cold [old gimmer emoticon]

as is DD3 who is 2. We camped last night and she was freezing in the morning. I was freezing all night

I do everything I can to preserve body warmth - changing into pj's etc early evening, wearning loads of warm clothes, hot water bottle in bed, wear a hat and socks in bed etc. Last night I was wearing 4 layers.

I think the problem may be my attachment to my lovely (13 tog) duvet. I'm really not a sleeping bag person. But maybe I just need to buy a decent sleeping bag?

We sleep on airbeds. Has anyone found an alternative that's warmer?

All tips gratefully received - I still haven't warmed up from last night

We want to camp in October this year but I'm really not sure I can face the cold nights.

[StanHouseMuir]

Self inflating matts and a 3 season sleeping bag. Job done.

[Bacofoil]

My only advice would be 'don't go camping' but wearing tights at night will keep you and your dd v warm. Also a woolly hat in bed.

[veteran of radiator-less bedroom brrrrrrr]

[fruitful]

Air beds not good. Self-inflating mat with rugs underneath, or cheapo camping mats under.

Thermal base layer clothes under the pjs

Several duvets, if you can't face a sleeping bag. At least one under, and a couple on top.

And get really warm before you go to bed. I have a heater.

[fatsatsuma]

Thanks everyone.

Am really interested in the fact that airbeds are getting the thumbs down. Can someone tell me about these self-inflating mats (are we talking fat airics here?), and how they can be as comfortable as airbeds, as well as warmer?

[Ineed2]

You nee more layers underneath you than on top to stay warm , most of the cold comes from the ground. I do use an airbed at the moment [am saving for a decent self inflating mat] but I put a quilted matress cover under the sheet, That really helps, oh and a hat.

[bigTillyMint]

Well, We sleep on an airbed, in a 2 or 3 season double sleeping bag. If it's cold we throw another single sleeping bag on top. We just wear PJ's, (if anything!) but DH is a mega-hot-water bottle.

[plonker]

We use airbeds but we also put one of these cheap sleeping mats over the airbed.

We get changed in to pj's early and put our outer clothes over the top. The children put a pair of leggings and long-sleeved t-shirt underneath their pj's, and I put a pair of joggers on over mine.

The children have mummy shaped 3 season sleeping bags and I have a a square 3/4 season sleeping bag which is toasty warm.

I'm not brave enough to camp in October though ...I camped in April and hated every minute of it, brrrr ....

[thatsnotmymonkey]

fat airics all the way, bests night sleep ever!

[Batteryhuman]

Another vote for a decent quality self inflating mattress, not an airbed (too much cold air and no insulation) and a decent sleeping bag. In spring or autumn an old wool blanket goes over the top but invariably gets pushed off. I just wear short pjs and am warm as toast.

[greenlotus]

Yep
Selfinflating mat, or "karrimat" on top of your airbed to insulate it.
3 or ideally four season good quality sleeping bag with hood
Sleep wearing thermals and socks
In extreme situations, hot waterbottle, hat and extra blanket.

Being confined in a mummy sleeping bag is not as bad as being cold.

[kitbit]

I too "sleep cold".
Just got back from 2 week camping trip in variety of temperatures, and found that the following helped:

Don't sleep with your head near the outside wall where the air vents are. We have a bedroom pod in the tent and there's a cooler wall of air there and I shivered for hours before realising and swivelling round.

Wear a hat, if your head is cold you'll be cold all over.

Don't get into your bed cold. A friend who is an intensive care nurse told me that good insulation will only maintain the temperature that's already there, in other words if you get in cold, your cosy bag and blankets will keep you cold and won't warm you up. Hot drink and hot water bottle are good!

We have airbeds but I put 2 double sleeping bags on them, overlapping in the middle. (I hate mummy style bags, like to sprawl a bit.) I wrap myself in a superthink fleecy blanket then wrap in the double sleeping bag. dh does the same, and ds sleeps between us in his own blanket and with 2 overlaps on top.

I sleep in a thick fluffy tracksuit and fleece jumper.

If all else fails insulate from the inside and drink shed loads of wine.

[kateecass]

Couple of weeks ago in the cold, wind and rain we did the following.

We had this self-inflating mattress, Dunelm fleece mattress cover, sheet and 13.5 tog king size goose down duvet (from our bed and squashed in the bag from our cheap old double duvet!) toppped off with a wool blanket. I then wore leggings and PJs. I was toasty..had to take off the PJ bottoms.

Kids had airbed the fleece sheet, a sheet then a 3 season sprayway sleeping bag and wore PJs with fleecy PJs on top. They boiled!! DS ended up in short PJs and the sleeping bag open on top! He does sleep hot though!!

[fatsatsuma]

Thanks for all these replies. It does sound like I need to persuade DH that I need some nice new kit

I have to say that last night I did everything I could to get warm before going to bed, and wore a hat plus loads of layers, but as soon as I got into bed I was freezing. My nose was particularly cold! And my feet, which hurt when they get cold.

[Surprise]

Airbeds are fine because you're insulated from the cold ground. I use airbed, fleece blanket on top of it and a duvet. Or sleeping bag and duvet if it's really cold. Socks, hat, fleecy track suit bottoms, sweatshirt with vest underneath. Also, having a sewn-in groundsheet really helps to keep the tent warm. Do you have that?

[fatsatsuma]

I was wearing everything you've described, and our tent has a SIG, but I don't put anything on top of the airbed except a sheet. It does sound like they need that extra insulation.

[hellymelly]

We are camping tomorrow,my dds are 3 and 5 so i hope they won't get too cold...Too late for me to buy the heater,but mt tent,a bell tent,has an inner tent too,will that help keep us warm? I bought airbeds so should I put a duvet on top of the airbed under the sheet?

[nannyl]

ok..

im the coldest person in the world i think... (in the winter in my well insulated centrally heated house I go to bed in wonter PJs and a fleece jumper AND ski socks, and keep a scarf and gloves under my pillow)

i sleep on a duvet under a 15 tog duvet and fleece blanket and never too hot

anyway i think i have found the answer to camping warmth. *it (just about) worked last easter, when we woke up to frozen cars and frost on the outside of the tent

from the grass to the sky i have:
Footprint ground sheet
tent (SIG) ground sheet
a picnic rug with foil backing for extra warmth
a foam roll mat (for extra insulation)
my double air bed
a fleece throw on top
then the bed sheet
the me in my vango galaxy sleeping bag. (I too hate sleeping bags and being "confined" but this is designed for fat larger so being 5ft 3, size 10, i can curl up in it in feotal postion and not get caught up. It has a snuggly brushed cotton lining.
I wear fleece PJs, tucked into a pair of socks with ski socks on top, and a base layer top with hooded fleece top (hat on head) on
Then a duvet
Then a fleece blanket
(then the tent roof and air)

It sounds like a lot but IMO anything is worth being comfortable and actually sleeping well at night!

[fatsatsuma]

Thanks nannyl - lots of helpful tips. I like the sound of your sleeping bag too. Well done for braving frozen cars and frost

[nikki1978]

I went camping for the first time last month and was very warm at night I had this on the bottom www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3405712/c_1/1|category_root|Sports+and+leisure|14419152/c_2/3|14419152|Camping|14419397/c_3/4|cat_14419397|Camp+beds%2C+airbeds+and+camping+mats|14419400.htm, then this airbed which is seriously comfy www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3402526/c_1/1|category_root|Sports+and+leisure|14419152/c_2/3|14419152|Camping|14419397/c_3/4|cat_14419397|Camp+beds%2C+airbeds+and+camping+mats|14419400.htm, then a single fitted sheet on the airbed then a double duvet which I folded in half and laid on one half and had the other half on top of me. I was toasty and it was pretty cold at night.

[flaime]

Buy a motor home with central heating they are totally fab - ok I'm running away now before I get thrown out

[hellymelly]

Well we did go camping,and we were warm enough- inner tent in the bell tent so double groundsheet too,blanket under the airbed,and then...... reindeer hides on top!!.v.cosy,except that I started to feel really sick,thought I might be getting a bug,we drove home at 11 p.m. (only 10 minutes away) and then I was fine-I think it was the very strong pvc fumes from the new airbeds- oh dear,do they offgas and get less fumey? in the little space it was very strong. Any advice would be great as we want to go back on Friday,weather permiting!

[littlebrownmouse]

Am I the only person who never camps without a hot water bottle?

[hellymelly]

I love hotties,I will take mine next time we go.

[fatsatsuma]

No, that's another thing I always have. But even they go cold in the night