Get an exclusive 5% off your next Hoseasons holiday - Use the code NTMCD at checkout
Related topics: International holidays, UK holidays & day trips, skiing holidays.
Camping
How do we stay warm at night when camping?
Fillyjonk · 09/04/2009 19:31
Aside from the obvious (staying at home, sharing a sleeping bag and not camping), what are your thoughts on best ways to stay warm while camping?
We have airbeds with blankets beneath, sleeping bags and a duvet or two. And we are always cold at night! Always. and I am just fed up with it
And I cannot not camp as we home educate and camping is just a fact of HEing life.
OK thoughts please, I need to get this one sorted. My kids are quite small still and shiver easily and very pathetically.
TsarChasm · 09/04/2009 19:42
I am a bit of a wussy camper and feel cold really easily.
I don't get on with sleeping bags at all. I get twisted up in them and they are never warm enough for me.
We take our duvets now. Probably not in the spirit of camping, but I cant stand being cold at night.
shonaspurtle · 09/04/2009 19:42
Not experienced this, but I wonder would one of those space blanket silvery things under the airbed make a difference? It seems to be the cold from the ground that's causing the problem rather than cold air iyswim.
Or the duvet under you rather than on top?
spicemonster · 09/04/2009 19:46
shona - space blankets make the most godawful noise if you so much as move a finger on them so wouldn't work but you have the right idea. fillyjonk - have you tried a picnic blanket (ie one that is plastic backed) rather than a blanket?
And what kind of airbed do you have? I have found the proper big ones keep you much warmer. But like 2madboys says, trick is to not get cold in the first place - wrap up really warm and sit in the tent with the door shut once the evening starts to get chilly
IwishIwasmorechocolatey · 09/04/2009 19:47
Our ds's wear their usual nightwear then have an all in one fleecy suit on top. Then in a sleeping bag with a blanket on top.
I wear winter pj's with thick socks (tuck my pj's into them and a fleecy jumper. I sleep in a sleeping bad (5 season!!!)
LotsofLovelyShoes · 09/04/2009 19:53
i found that camp beds helped then I was completely off the ground.
Other tricks include wearing a wooly/fleece hat and wearing tights. I have shivered with cold in August and since doing the hat thing have started to strip off in night as too warm.
Another friend who camps swears by taking old newspapers for the bottom layer in the tent and then old sleeping bags on top with air bed on top of that. Personally prefer the camp beds as they don't go down in the night and you can store loads underneath them.
clam · 09/04/2009 19:58
Definitely insulate underneath!
I got so cold on the first night last year, that I spread the newspaper out underneath my bedding roll in the end. The next night, I borrowed extra blankets etc... for underneath from one of the hardier members of the party who didn't need them.
Next year's solution is not to go.
Smithagain · 09/04/2009 21:08
Are the airbeds the problem?
I haven't camped for years, but I don't EVER remember being cold at night when I camped as a child or teenager.
We didn't use airbeds. As far as I recall, we had a couple of really decent, ancient wool blankets, plus a foam camping mattress underneath us. Decent three season sleeping bag, warm pyjamas and an extra blanket on top.
Am interested to know whether our technique was right, or my memory is faulty. We're resuming camping this summer and I won't buy any airbeds if we don't need them!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.