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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Can you help me stay warm camping?

34 replies

LillyBugg · 02/09/2019 08:00

I have some quite serious anxiety issues which flare up at night. I've had CBT to help and the biggest hurdle for me is camping. We have a weekend booked in three weeks time. One of my biggest problems is I really feel the cold, and the cold morning this morning has set me off on a worry. How can I stay warm while camping? The anxiety triggers cold flushes which don't help but I think if I can try and stay warm, particularly before bed and then in the early hours, then I've got a better chance at staying calm. Any tips please?

OP posts:
BiddyPop · 02/09/2019 15:53

My advice would echo a lot of others.

I put a foil-backed picnic rug on the floor of my tent, and either a good thick SIM lying on a 2nd blanket on top, or put my SIM on a campbed. Good 4 season sleeping bag. Extra rug to put over me initially, or when I wake up chilled.

Always wear a wolly hat in bed, I usually have a hoodie of some sort as my outermost layer and can put that hood up too.

I also keep a pair of thick fluffy hiking socks in my sleeping bag - they get dried out every morning, but they are not put on my feet until I am getting into the bag for sleep. (I put them around my hot water bottle in the bag while I go to the wash block for the last minute visit to warm them up).

I always bring a hot water bottle and fill that from the burco as I am closing up the marquee (on Cub camp) or my own small kettle/previously filled flask if on family camp. (Cubs never see it, and the other Leaders just laugh and write it off as me "being the girl" - but also know that I'm the one most likely to be woken during the night, being the "mammy" figure!!).

In the early evening, so around dinner time (depending whether that is early or later), before it starts to get chilled, I change. I put on a thermal base layer top and bottoms (merino), and my winter lined hiking trousers, and at least 2 layers on top (a long sleeved top and a hoodie). Tuck the layers into each other so there is no air getting straight to your skin. If a cool night, I will put the wolly hat on while outside. And I will make sure I am wearing socks at that stage (I may have been in flipflops earlier so sockless - but socks in the evening are NOT my sleeping socks).

When going to bed, if I change anything, it is only the outer layer and not the thermals. Change top and put night layer on. Only when top is again covered will I take off bottom layer (trousers) and change that - opposite way around is fine, but its about keeping as much warm air next to your skin so the least amount of time it can escape, the better. Have everything that you are putting on ready beside you before taking off the discarding items. I will often sleep in my hiking trousers, or else I put on a pair of comfy PJs - and often with between 2 and 4 layers on top, depending on outside temps and conditions and how long I have been sitting outside. (And possibly on the likelihood of having to get up in the night, so whether leaving harder wearing things on is better - hammering in pegs at 4am, or dealing with a puking 9 year old, is better in winter trousers than flappy PJs).

Good luck.

LillyBugg · 02/09/2019 20:07

Thank you everyone for your help.

As a beaver scout leader myself this is rather Blush but hopefully one day I will crack it and I can enjoy it!

OP posts:
MrsNotNice · 02/09/2019 20:12

Take hot water bottle with you, and fill it with heated water form the campfire/stove. Place it inside your sleeping bag before bedtime and hug it at night.

Put foil on the flooring to reflect the heat of the tent and not transmit the cold of the flooring.

Obviously inflatable mattress or yoga Matt to insulate.

Azura2019 · 02/09/2019 20:14

I take our winter duvet in addition to sleeping bags, it makes a huge difference.

ReasonedCamper · 02/09/2019 20:20

You need to sleep on foam insulation.
This can be a SIM or a good foam roll up mat. Decathlon do quite a thick one with a layer of foil, you lie in the foil side and it reflects your body heat back to you.

You can put your foam mat on the floor, a camp bed or a blow-up, the foam insulating layer is the important thing.

Do you use a tent carpet? Foam tiles, the playmat sort, can insulate your sleeping pod too.

Agree: base layers on under your clothes and then wear them to bed. Good quality sleeping bag, duvet and / or fleece blanket on top.

Keep the tent ventilated. Vents open and air circulating. Condensation dripping on you will not help you keep warm.

A buff is good, as a PP said.

Grasspigeons · 02/09/2019 20:20

Get a foam roll up ground mat and put it under whatever bed you go for (in my opinion the self inflating ones with memory foam in are best) and have a soft fluffy bed jumper with a hood

Thelittleblackdog · 02/09/2019 20:36

I just bought a new sleeping bag a couple of weekends ago for a festival as I always feel the cold and dread it. Got a 4 season one rated down to -25 degrees for £45 from Millets and its amazing! Wish I'd done it years ago!

RezCowgirl · 04/09/2019 22:13

I echo most of what has already been said but a quick way to warm up is to go to the toilet. 2 ways this works is your body doesn't have to regulate extra water temp and keeping the body moving/blood circulation will warm you up pretty quickly. I always go for a quick midnight walk before getting into bed when camping.

Mysterian · 07/09/2019 22:24

Warmer sleeping bag.

And keep your head out your bag at night. If you breathe into your sleeping bag you're putting moisture into it, which makes it wet inside, and water conducts heat away from your body quicker.

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