Staying warm at night - how do you?

[Lovesdogsandcats]

Have only camped in the summer hols before, so, in August. Was warm enough in just pj's and sleeping bag.

Last week went camping. Weather gorgeous, really hot in the day - at night in the sleeping bag I was freezing. So I put on pj's, a fleece, a sweatshirt, got in sleeping bag and put 2 more open sleeping bags over me, and was not as cold as the night before but not that warm either.

What can I do to make sure I am ok next time. the kids were cold too.

put blankets on the floor underneath you, to insulate and all sleep in together for extra warmth

Spirits.

The alcoholic ones obviously.

You will be warmer the less you wear. i learnt that on a survival camp in Luxembourg in October. I was warmer in my underwear than in 4 layers, and that was sleeping in a bivvy bag + sleeping bag + thermarest, not even a tent

As long as you have a groundsheet and a thermal mat/blow up bed you should be fine. Oh and a fleecy hat might help warmth escaping from your head

DH and I have a fantastic double sleeping bag. We cosy up inside that on an airbed, it's perfect! I'd link to it but I can't remember what it was. Think it cost around £60 but I might be wrong...

Good sleeping bag - also an extra sleeping bag liner makes a real difference.

check into a hotel with 13 tog duvets and room service.

Douvet on top of whatever mat/airbed you use. Then sleep on top of that, and inside a sleeping bag. Oh, and make sure you wear socks.
Toasty.

God we camped last weekend in Devon and were boiling.

We do have Outwell Camper Lux sleeping bags though-I had to unzip mine I was so hot. All we had were sleeping bags-highly recommend them,all 5 of us were warm as toast.

Sleep in a bed in a house.

But watches with interest - camped ONCE and, even drunk, was cold.

Get changed into your night clothes while you're still relatively warm. I usually wear tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt, with a jumper over and a fleece over that. Then not changing into cold clothes at the end of the night.

I don't have a fancy sleeping bag, it is a double so I have DH to warm me up.

I do however have one of these which I have just bought and which is TOTALLY wonderful!!!!!

Anyway, I digress... also take hot water bottles and fill them with hot water from toilets/ washing up area or boil water if you have to.

Also second the alcohol factor. You must never ever forget your beer coat when camping.
Big thick fluffy socks too

Thanks for all these tips, am taking note for next time!Did think bout hot water bottles before we went and thought 'nah, won't be THAT cold'..I eat my words...

Thick socks. A must if you get up in the night anyway

Definitely make sure you are warm before you get into bed - hot water bottles are great too.

We have a double sleeping bag on a double airbed (cheapo one!) and sometimes an extra single opened-out sleeping bag on top. Luckily I have DH who is extremely hot in bed

Hot water bottles!

One sleeping bag inside the other - fabulous!
You'll never look back

..and it can be fffffffffreezing in the summer - we've seen frost on the grass in August in Devon!

I think my sleeping bags must be shit, I was inside one with 3 more open, on top.

Whats a really warm sleeping bag, or should I take duvets? A high-tog duvet will be cheaper than a decent sleeping bag?

Yy, agree dont' let yourself get cold and have to warm up. Take duvets. Good mattresses or put a blanket underneath the mattress. Have your baby/toddler in bed with you! Thick socks. A hat too! We don't have sleeping bags at all - just duvets and the children have ready beds with duvets on top.

We camped last week and it was cold at night but we were toasty warm under our 13 tog duvet lying on our fat-airics. A winning combination!

The secrets are IME

Insulate from cold ground and air - either a self inflating mat or if using an airbed (full of freezing air), put a duvet, thick blanket or rollmat on top of it.

Have a 3 season sleeping bag - women sleep colder than men so our 2 season is their 3 season. Need not cost a fortune but something like this might do.

Be warm and keep warm - the sleeping bag can't make you any warmer, just insulate you, so have hot drink/hot water bottle, get changed at last possible minute, wear hat & socks, cuddle up to hot person . If you go for duvets rather than sleeping bag, you get draughts so need more tog-gage to compensate.

I am the worlds coldest sleeper but with this some thermals, pjs, thermal socks, a hat and a blanket over my sleeping mat I am warm at -2C

Kitten, do you ever get too hot in summer in that? Maybe not relevant to camping in the UK .

Leggings under your jogging bottoms. On a really cold holiday you may never take them off

When it is hot I undo it and use it more like a blanket. It does have a double zip thing so that you can have it less tight and a bit cooler.
tbh I am rarely too hot but if you are a creature with a more normal circulation you could go for the autumn version.

Thanks
I am thinking of getting an Ajungilak ladies sleeping bag and deliberating between autumn & winter versions.

IIRC my old one was 3-4 season when I bought it 15 years ago but either it's lost its insulating properties or I'm getting old and feeble - I feel the cold now and didn't used to.