Share your 'keeping warm' tips please....

[alabasterangel]

4th holiday in our bell, all of which I have been uncomfortably cold at night barr one in June last year. We tend to do 3 nighters. Last August BH in north wales we had no EHU and the temp dropped to 7degrees and I was pretty unhappy. Last weekend in Derbyshire it dropped again to 7/8. In an attempt to make me smile, we changed a few things. We spent ?40 on an EHU cable and another ?15 on a ceramic halogen 1.2kw heater (can't go higher than that, some of the sites we like are only 6amp hookup). We also spent ?80 on new campbeds and ditched the airbeds, and we already have good sleeping bags (or so I thought) so I've also ditched carrying my 13tog feather duvet.

The heater was......'ok'....I think I was envisgaing a cosy warm tent, but all it really did was take the edge off the airchill. It certainly didn't keep me warm. The other downside was it glows, bloody brightly too, so the choice was have it on and sleep with the equivalent of a 20w bulb on in the tent, or switch it off and be colder. I did not sleep well.

We all slept in long sleeved PJ's with vests underneath. DH and I had a fleece over the top and fleece socks, kids had a fleece onesie and two socks each. I also found the sleeping bag incredibly irritating. I sleep in the recovery position and couldn't sleep with my legs anything other than practically straight, which made me wake up constantly feeling like I was constrained.

I do suffer a bit with anaemia which seems to make me a chilly mortal too, so think I need to sort a few things out as we are hoping to do another weekend early Sept.

Advise and guide me please? Should I spend yet more money on electric blankets? our EHU has 3 sockets, would a hook up tolerate a double electric and two singles for the kids? Do electric blankets permeate the underside of a sleeping bag? I don't have SIMs on my campbeds. Do they make a huge amount of heat difference? Should I try a better (wider!) sleeping bag?

The only thing I won't do is a hat....drove me nuts itching me all night!

I've camped late into October. I don't use EHU and don't have a heater. We have a canvas tent. I use an inflatable bed with blankets under as well as over a 4 season sleeping bag. I wear thermals and a onesie over them, a hat and scarf too (or a snood). Top tip is to be warm before bed! so a swift jog to the toilets and a hot chocolate help. You might find some other hints I've forgotten on my blog www.tentsandfestivals.co.uk

I think a lot of heat is lost under you - cold from the ground, so try a blanket or two (or those silver blankets?) under you as well as over. I found camp beds the coldest - so went back to inflatable

Put your PJs on early evening - with your clothes on top, so you don't have to strip off completely before bed. Hot water bottle, double sleeping bag or zip 2 together - shared body heat with partner. Blanket underneath you for insulation.

We don't use EHU in the UK so to keep warm we always go to sites that.allow campfires. I get into thermals early evening and add more layers before I get properly cold. Always have something on your head (a hood if a wooly hat makes you itch).

As others said, a blanket or sleeping bag under you is as important as one over you. I find a duvet better than sleeping bags as you can then share warmth with DP/DH, and DC in our case.

I sleep in the recovery position too so consider getting a pod style sleeping bag. Go outdoors and yellowstone do versions and.They are.wider at.the knee so more roomy. I found mine great when I used it earlier this summer.

Thermostatic fan heaters can be good and you can keep them on all night if necessary. Noisy though but they don't glow.

I used to really feel the cold when camping. What's made a difference is:

• Putting pyjamas on under clothes in the evening so you're not having to completely strip off before bed (& when it's coldest)
• Fleece onesies for small (or big!) people
• Tent carpet
• Self inflating mattresses (we have thickest one from alpkit)
• Duvet wrapped around sleeping bag
• Fleece blanket on top if needed
• Proper pillows with quilted covers

Dog. Cuddle up to a dog. It works for me!

What's the rating of your sleeping bag? Anything less than a decent 2 season isn't worth bothering with.

I have this in red: www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone-Sleepwell-300-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B00AOLKXPC

These look good too: www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-snoozzz-deluxe-sleeping-pod-p321725

Much more confortable than the regular shape - but I would still be tempted to take a duvet or blanket for over the top on the cold night.

Double sleeping bag and cuddle up with dp and dogs! I also found wrapping a fleece blanket around myself inside sleeping bag works

Thank you. We do all change before dusk, a tip I got on here! I forgot hot water bottles. I need to get more. Maybe a hooded fleece would be better. Refuse to share with DH he has and loves his mummy bag - he's a huge rugby player and in his mummy bag he looks like the hungry caterpillar post-eating! I might take the kingsize duvet though and wrap it both under and over the sleeping bag, and get a pod bag too or a much warmer bag (no idea of tog but it was supposed to be 2 season).

So 7 degrees in a tent is 'normal' then? Maybe we should go to France next summer instead

frozen that second one looks just perfect!

France should be warmer OP but you may need to head south. We had very pleasant night time temperatures in July near Biscarosse in the south west. You need shade though or your boiled out of your tent at 7am

For cold feet, try heat holder socks, they are brilliant and keep my toes toasty! xx

I think a bell tent might be colder than a normal tent with pods because there is much more cold air circulating and presumably to all have a bit more space. I would see if you can get an army sleeping bag from army surplus stores. Mine is brilliant, zips up right over my head.

Self inflating mats warmer than air mattresses and camp beds .

Blankets underneath you are important .

I always open out two sleeping bags and have one under me ( on top of a blanket ) and one on top .Plus 2 or 3 wool blankets .

Plus heavy duty tracky bottoms ,long sleeved top plus thin fleece hoody with hood up . Plus fleecy socks .

Oh and I like a couple of mini pillows ( those ones filled with polystyrene beads are good ) to stuff against my back ,under the covers . I have one each side as I thrash about a lot at night .

I think you aren't using enough at night to keep warm .

The trouble I find with sleeping bags is that if they're roomy enough to wriggle around in ,they leave lots of gaps between you and the bag . Gaps = cold .

Snug sleeping bags keep you warm but are too claustrophobic for me .

I can recommend the snozzz pods.

I am a 'cold' person but DH isn't. It works for both of us.

Another thing I have found is good is to use an inflatable ready bed (sleeping bag included), with mattress protector and sheet over the included bag and then my quilt over me. We vac-pack all squishy stuff and bedding to save room in the car. The only time I have ever been cold in a ten was when I used the ready bed with the included sleeping back as intended! Luckily I was at home in the garden!

Also anything clothing or blankets made of micro-fleece also seems to help more than chunky fleece.

Sorry my hardened DD scout who camps in the rain in February in Scotland says you are a wimp.

I never camp as I don't do cold and wet. I am also a wimp.

I use a junior-size sleeping bag because I'm 5' & can just about squeeze myself into it. I used to get cold before when I had a bigger one but now I can curl up & stay warm. It's great! Other than that I have a blanket on the floor, then an air bed, then another blanket, then me complete with hoody, socks & PJs tucked in in my sleeping bag & another blanket on top. We were camping for the first week of August this year. The first night was horribly cold & I ended up trying to hide my face too just to keep my nose warm but the rest of me was just about comfortable. By the end of the week, however, I was pushing the top blanket off because I was too warm - that basically never happens!

DH slept on a folded up sleeping bag & inside another & claimed he was cosy & the DC threw off their blankets, wriggled out of their ready beds & were frequently found curled up next to the suitcase on the cold plastic floor. They still slept through most of the nights. Obviously they take after their father!

sim on top of bed - bliss

dog - perfect.

a cocoon sleeping bag with "hood""

We either zip our down bags together and bought a three season and a four season so we can use the four on the top if it is cold.

If I am using my mummy bag I use a silk liner and use a thermarest ridge rest solar (x2 ). The ridge rest is a recent change for me. I found an ancient one of DH's in our camping gear and tried it under a SIM, I never find SIMS comfortable alone, even 10cm ones.

I took one of those Grand Canyon SIMS a few of us on here bought to Scotland recently for DD and it failed on day one so I bought another ridge rest. I think this is the way forward for me, ridge rest x 2, one with the solar backing.

Nookie???

On a more practical note.... I always have blankets under me as well as on top. We take a huge pile of ikea fleecy throws with us. 3 quid each I think. For that price we have loads of them and use them for everything!

Nookie with a DH the build of a rugby player on a camp bed is slightly asking for injury!

You're all right, I'm oviously not 'using enough' - sleeping bag on top of camp bed sounds very little compared to you lot. I'll get some sims, a pod bag for me, and use my old bag under me as insulation. I'll also get some better socks and add hot water bottles to the permanent camping list.

I'll give it another go in a couple of weeks and report back!