How To Have a Good Night's Sleep While Winter Camping
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- Eric Hanson walks you through how to have a good night's sleep while winter camping.
From what you're sleeping on to having a cuddle buddy (did we mention there's a cute dog in this video?!), Eric explains some of his favorite ways to achieve a great sleep while camping in winter.
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Holy smokes! Thanks for all your comments everyone, really appreciate you all being here and checking out my channel!
what kind of tent is that?
Hey! It's the Marmot Thor :)
you use the same technique as the Australian aborigines to get heat: they captured young dingos that kept semi-domestic for a while to use them as heaters during the night: they placed on their body to sleep one or more dingos that gave them heat. And if there were problems of lack of food, they ate on the dingoes. When dingoes became adults they fled from humans and became savages, and when by chance they found the humans with whom they had lived, they greeted them with many gestures of affection but then they went away again, they did not want domestication
Great channel, nice information congratulations, I send you my best regards, and a big hug from the most difficult place in the world to poop, Cotopaxi Ecuador hehehee
P Tore g
Here's a suggestion: Now I'm in my 60s and can't last the night without having to pee, something I've started doing is taking a pee bottle. I use a (sort of) medical style bottle with a screw cap so it won't leak. It also came with an attachment for ladies to use. When I wake up in the night I can relieve myself without having to leave the tent so I don't get as cold and I get back into my bag that much sooner. Yes the bottle takes up room in my rucksack and it adds a few ounces weight but at my age it's a price I'm willing to pay, especially to save getting frozen to the marrow at four in the morning!
Also you don't have to put on shoes to walk in the snow in the middle of the night. But age has nothing to do with it, I've been taking an opaque green pee bottle for years and I tell my fellow campers what the green bottle means so don't touch it and they don't. I was always afraid someone would drink out of it.
Absolutely!! Having a "night jar" helps a lot. Mine is red so I don't get it confused with any of my other bottles.
😉
What attachment do women use? Thx!
Great video, all good points. Some personal comments, which are also linked to my longer size (192cm):
1/ Your mattress looks a bit minimalistic. I use an Exped Downmat 65*200cm (I am 192), so both insulation and size matter. You dont want your arms hanging against the ground either. Its more than 800g, but thats well spent
2/ I usually have problems finding the right insulation, and mostly waking up in the middle of the night sweating and overheating. So I found that using 2 sleeping bags more comfortable, one light winter bag (comfort -8C) of 1.1kg plus a light 3 season bag of 650g. Furthermore, the down jacket can be tuned somewhere. Its a bit less practical (2 zippers and so, it takes a bit time to get in and out but in the end I am more comfortable with it. Its surely a good solution for low budget as well, as a good winter bag is really expensive. This is my personal experience, others might disagree, but you can give it a try before investing 400euros into a winter bag (and more friendly to the ducks or geese as well).
3/ close your rain jacket and pull it over your feet, both the sleeping bag and mattress, to keep it dry from condensation when touching the inner tent (unless you are shorter and dont have that problem, or you have a large enough tent)
4/ the pee bottle is surely a good idea (sorry ladies). Drinking a lot in the evening is important to rehydrate (lots of high energy hot drinks), so the pressure will build up during the night at least once. Drinking less to avoid peeing is not a good idea, most dont drink enough during the day when hiking and sweating, so definitely need to hydrate well in the evening in that case.
5/ A hot water Nalgene bottle in the sleeping bag is so nice. But put it in some insulation, then it works slower which is more comfortable, like a thick sock is good.
6/ red light (setting on some outdoor headlights) for during the night inside your tent. It does not blind you and you can see immediately. Especially useful in winter, there are long nights and if you need to get out of 2 sleeping bags, find something, pee etc, its really a nice little gadget
7/ do some light exercise (but no sweating) before going in your sleeping bag, especially good to avoid cold feet
8/ there is a lot to say about the tent as well: ideally, it should be larger than during summer, a 4season tent, ventilation options are important. Personally, I am a big fan of the Hilleberg winter tents, but they are pricy. They are clearly warmer than a 3season tent, so you save weight on your sleeping bag and its more comfortable and saving weight on your tent. But otherwise, many 3 season tents can do in moderate winter camping, if you dont have huge loads of snow in one night or a blizzard, you will be fine in a normal tent. If you wintercamp for the first time, dont think a winter tent is indispensable for moderate winter camping, avoiding extreme situations.
9/ if you weight your investments in equipment, the one priority is an excellent large enough mattress (see above), sleeping bag and tent can be arranged easier. Opposite to a sleeping bag, you cannot be too well insulated from the ground, so I advise to overinvest on that one. If your sleeping bag is too hot, its not comfortable (opening it up will create cold spots and hot spots, not so great).
10/ Food: if you are hiking all day and then camping, you are for days 24h/24 in the cold. After a few days, its a great experience, BUT you burn an incredible amount of calories, can be more than 3x what an average person uses, so probably more than you will eat. So eating enough fat (healthy fat preferably) is a good idea but avoid indigestion during the night, because that will keep you out of your sleep and use too much energy. So eating enough during the day (many many times) is the best option I think. I like to take a bottle of oil (not olive as it solidifies) and put it in almost anything from breakfast to dinner, but not excessively of course. Avoid extremes in eating, because you might get trouble with digesting all that food.
11/ save your energy for the night: dont think you can do the same amount of hiking in the winter compared to the summer. Stop early well before its dark, you still have alot of work setting up camp, cooking and eating. It all demands energy. The night demands energy. So if you are exhausted during the day, its not going to be a pretty night! Really take it easy the first day, then see how it goes the night and you can do more the next day. I find that one of the most important things. Also, avoid sweating excessively during the day, you dont want your clothes to get too wet, the only way to dry them is often wearing them... So go easy if you want to go far ! Also, if you get exhausted, you will get trouble with digesting all that food.
Quilt.
@@Mrrossj01 Rubbish fad that is now slowly being fazed out.
Here is a great secret I learned in the Army. Take an Army wool blanket, wrap yourself in the blanket as you get into your sleeping bag. Remember wool will keep you warm even when it's wet! BTW I was stationed in Colorado. This idea worked real well and always kept me warm.
I always keep a small fleece throw blanket with my sleep system, wrap up in that, and then get in my 20° F mummy bag. That, with a reflective pad under me, (and a moving blanket on top if necessary, for really cold nights) and im toasty all night, even in below freezing temps : )
heck yea, a good wool blanket or wool sweatshirt could save you!
@@DarkMetaOFFICIAL I don't understand the reflective part. Reflecting what? It's dark outside and your in a tent.
@@Jeff-jg7jh under my sleep system to reflect heat back to my body
cool comment, thanks friend;
Went winter camping for the first time this December. It was significantly colder than the forecasts predicted. All I will say is that it's not gay if it's for survival purposes.
it's 2020 nobody cares if you boinked your buddy.
Yeah don't worry man, appendages are the first to freeze. Stick that freezie up your friends bum for survival purposes.
Or, just be gay in the first place and miss all the dilemma lmao
😂😂😂😂
No mud on my turtle or in my bag
Really appreciate the useful winter tips. Can't go wrong with a good pup!
Been having bad experiences with cheep gear, I’m a single dad and can’t afford good stuff but my 5 yr old daughter Adelynn and I LOVE winter camping! We spend our extra money on hand warmers to get through the night! I will start stuffing her bag tho thanks for that tip ! I also don’t get up to pee but I will now you make a great point!
This is 💓 warming
Hi.
Not even having watched the entire video. I will share some experience I have had with my young ones camping in Norway.
Junior bags never really get rated for anything below 0°c. So just get a decent "normal camping bag" for her and put it inside a summer bag for adults.
Layer 2 regular closed cell matts (10-20$ range) and you will be good for down to negative 15°c at least.
For her. flip the left over from the adult bag over her feet and pull your soft shell jacket as a mini bivvy over the foot end.
Sew a fleece bag liner from a cheap fleece blanket. Works a charm. plenty of recipes here on how to do it.
Also. for Children. allways have her wear a wool Base Layer. thick socks, mittens and a balaclava.
This should take care of pretty much any cold issues.
set your tent up right and you are good to go in most winter conditions.
kikoff88 thanks
Hand warmer, hot water bottles, mylar emergency blankets, lots of cheap options if you plan ahead.
Tip for using the mylar blankets, avoid having them as the outer layer. They collect a lot of condensation and make your sleeping bag wet. Ideally a light blanket, then the mylar, then the sleeping bag.
SOL Escape is a breathable reflective bivvy that does the same thing, but better. It's lest than $40 Canadian in most places.
Ken Oakleaf Thanks for the tips I appreciate it I actually just got my first under Quilt it’s An Outdoor Vitals 0 dagree long/wide version and I like it, it’s warm, fits good and I’m slowly starting to be pointed in the right direction of cheap options and good quality cheap gear I appreciate all the advice I am enjoying this so much and so is my daughter I don’t know the name of her under quilt we got it off of eBay but it’s kept her warm it’s a 3/4 quilt supposedly 15 dagree but she’s 5 so it swallows her which is perfect! Cheers! 🍻
Excellent information mi amigo !!!
What I'm going to add now is my own humble opinion , personal experience and things I feel passionate about !!!
Number one bring a good non spill sealable wide mouth lightweight pee bottle into your tent. A empty tolenti jar works well. But I use a yellow colored nalgene bottle. I know that that bottle is not going to break, cracked or leak and I can keep it inside the bag with me. because the urine is warm and adds warmth to the bag !! Plus in order to pee guys do not have to climb completely out to pee. The talenti jar is wide enough mouth that girls can use it too without worrying about aiming and it will sit upright it will sit at the bottom of the bag and help keep your feet warm !! As this gentleman stated the sleeping pad is probably one of the top number one things for keeping warm. However anything that you blow up with air that air takes on the ambient temperature and therefore it's going to suck the heat out of your body !!!!! Look for a good quality extra-long,wide !! sleeping pad that has insulation, of some sort, inside of it. Not only will it keep you warmer but it takes less breath to blow it up which means you're hot breath is not going to turn into cold air and that means your bag seems to be a little bit lower in the middle of the night than when it did when you first crawled in. I use a Klymit that claims a 6.5 r value and is 27 in wide !!! It's not crinkly and noisy like laying on a bag of chips. Also Google " reflectix".
You can get it at all your big box home centers.... but you can also order widths as wide as 48 in. Put that under your mat.... reflectix has about a 1.5 to 1.7 r value. this is going to do you a lot of good when trying to separate yourself from the ground !!!
On my one man tent I have a piece wide enough that I put it under the tent just like a ground sheet,, what a world of difference that makes !! plus it's a little gentler on your knees when you're moving around in the tent.😊👍🏽❤️. This next piece of advice may or may not work for you.... myself and a few other TH-camrs find it to be a very comfortable setup. BUT, we use two sleeping bags one is definitely a summer bag mine happens to be synthetic material the other is a minus 20 down bag, it is incredibly light ... Both are made by Enlightened equipment ( IMHO, they make outstanding sleeping bags/quilts " ) with the synthetic bag on the outside..... and my down bag on the inside if I do get moisture from the tent or my toe box is rubbing up against the end of the insert and touches the outer shell and should get wet it is of no effect unlike down which will absorb and Rob you of heat when it gets wet. Keep your down bags dry !!!! put them in a plastic bag inside your backpack do whatever it takes but it must be dry... number one priority !!
And last but not least eat a Hardy meal just before bedtime it helps you to sleep but you're probably already tired and going to fall asleep anyway but it helps generate energy and heat during the night your body's going to be burning fuel to maintain its core temperature !!!! Some of you may get cold feet so bring a pair of socks that you find comfortable that you've tried at home or wherever but you know that you're comfortable in ... do not get your feet too warm it can be as miserable as too cold. If they sweat they create moisture !!
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it !!☺️😊... to all of you out there peace and goodwill and keep on rocking The Free world 👍🏽😀😀 !!!
Not only do you get to get a good night's sleep after taking a leak, you get to look at the sky for a few minutes. At two in the morning it's awesome and you will be glad you got up. I really liked this vid.
The key is; stop drinking a t ten. Take a good leak at ten/20, and then not have to get up at 2 a.m. But then you miss that great night time view. Just don't walk off the cliff in the dark.
Man, I was winter camping last weekend, and I definitely sealed myself in. Woke up VERY wet xD
Man I'm dumb.
Awesome vid.
Live and learn, Kaleb!
Awesome that you're getting out there :)
Best lesson learned is a hard lesson learnt.
One thing I think you missed which is important for sleeping while camping, is a good pillow. Personally I use a Therm-a-rest pillow case and place my down jacket in there along with some other spare clothing. I find this works better for me as it doesn't move or bounce around or have that artificial feeling your head gets from those blow-up variety. Also a good sleeping bag liner can increase comfort levels and of course warmth.
There’s no such thing as bad weather. Only bad gear.
or being in the wrong location :D
are u from Sweden?
Or poor planning
TwanZilla come to Middle East at summer 🥵😭
Mohammad Al adawi i have hahaha
Nice video! There's so much bad information on TH-cam. I even saw a guy talking about warming the tent with candles...
I like to put my cloth at the bottom of the bag if they are dry so they are not cold in the morning. Eat well before going to bed so your body has fuel to heat you and don't drink alcohol, it will make your body heating system less effective.
An inner layer is a good idea to keep the sleeping bag clean and add a few degrees. Dry loose wool cloth, socks, gloves and headgear is a plus. Don't compress the top of your bag, it would reduce it's efficiency.
Great advice, Eric! It's my favorite time of the year to camp...in the snow. I like to take my 32 ounce Pathfinder bottle, fill it with hot water, wrap the bottle in a wool sock (double layer by pushing the bottle into the sock's toe box, twist the upper part of the sock and bring it back down over the bottle) and place it into the toe box of my sleeping bag...or...I put on fresh Darn Tough socks and I place small hand warmers in a handkerchief and wrap it around each ankle just above the instep securing the knot over the warmer. I take a larger warmer, a rechargeable Ocoopa, and "cuddle" it as I don't have an outdoor dog and my wife loves her warm bed at home. Amazon sells an accordion-like urinal that goes inside my sleeping bag and I use it without ever having to leave my warm bag. Just be careful that you don't have an accident :) by not properly securing the cap. I also do this while hammock camping. Also, just before I get into my bag I'll consume a snack that activates my inner furnace.
Hey, I am a Boy Scout and I live in East Tennessee and we rarely have snow, but I love to camp in my tent with the troop
1) Take a wide mouth bottle like a Gatorade container into the bag with you to pee in. That way, you won't have to get out of the bag. If you're cold at the time, keep the bottle in the bag with you and recycle the heat.
2) Make sure that your feet and legs are warm before you get into the bag, if they are cold it takes a long long time for them to heat up, no matter how heavy your bag is.
3)Use your fire to get your feet hot before bed or take a bottle of hot water into the bag to warm up the foot area.
4) Drink a hot sweet drink like hot chocolate before bed to rev up your core temp and give you calories to run your body furnace.
5) If your pad is not good enough, use natural materials like DRY leaves, pine needles or spruce bows under it.
6) Bury hot rocks under your sleeping area. They will keep you warm for 3-4 hours but you will not feel the heat for about an hour after you bury them and lie down.
7) Tape emergency space blankets inside your tent or tarp to reflect back body heat. Pitch your tarp about 6 inches above you to maximize your shelter.
Jas Holden hi. u seem experienced. what r your thoughts on sleeping w a beanie? i know that a lot of heat escapes the body via top of the head, but wearing a beanie creates moisture/sweat which can be dangerous in freezing temps, no?
i think i would sleep with no beanie on and instead wrap my neck with a scarf or neck warmer...to prevent sore throat
@@joapps8135 ALL the time once it gets to near freezing. That and a buff or a large bandana wrapped around your neck. The collars on sleeping bags aren't nearly as efficient or as comfortable as a neck buff and you can wiggle around to your heart's content.
Actually, your hints are a lot more useful than the video. :) A pee bottle is far more useful and practical than running outside in the cold. If not using the pee bottle for its residual heat you can still use a hot water bottle wrapped in a sock to help keep you warm too. I don't use 3/4 length sleeping pads in the winter but a foam pad coupled with an air mattress above can be quite comfortable.
Roarmeister2 maybe my head is not used to it, but i tried sleeping with a beanie on last night...woke up with damp hair ...which means high risk of hypothermia 😳
@@joapps8135 Hmm, never heard of that before. Perhaps the beanie got twisted and you ended up exhaling into it? Or perhaps there was condensation on the tent and you rubbed your head against it? Interesting.
For overnight potty time, I like to use a cheapy knock off wide mouth Nalgene as a urinal in my sleeping bag. The wide mouth makes it super easy to hangle the dangle in there, and the 32oz makes it twice as much as id need, leaving plenty of room on top, making it easy to close back up. Works like a Champ!
Just don't reach for the wrong bottle when ya get thirsty. ;)
Agreed!! Dogs make the best cuddles buddies. I shared many nights with my golden while winter camping.
Your own personal heater!
Space blankets (metalized Mylar thermal reflective), one under the pad and one draped over the top of your ~15 deg bag.
Years ago a fellow scout leader recommended use a Mylar foil survival blanket as a ground cloth. It is sure light and reflects your body hear up into your sleeping gear. It worked like a champ. Noticeable harmed sleep on cold ground.
You are pretty humorous. Thanks for turning a not so pleasant situation into a navigable one.
Very good vid! I always take the hotwater filled Nalgene (stuffed into a sock) to bed with me. The doggy for warmth is a good idea also. Some nights are so cold however they require 3 dogs to keep you warm. Then you will experience the famous "Three Dog Night".........
I have never tried that. I see this all the time but to me it's kind of up there with sleeping on buried hot rocks. I guess it's an aversion to having a leaking bottle of water in my sleeping bag. So you make sure it doesn't leak(100% sure). I drink water all night long, but I don't sleep with it.
rex woodcutter OOF! 😀
ya man Joy to the world
This is a great video! I never even noticed the draft collar on my deep cold bag before! Nor did I know how to use the face cinch. I like the way you say "sap your energy" since that's accurate to what is happening.
When you first sat up, I thought you were going to sing… “let’s build a snowman” from Cannibal the Musical lol.
Thanks for spreading the love as it will be a very cold winter.
i sleep outside year round ~ Ontario canada. took many years of trying and this year i been outside since march 09. last year.. if doing long term.. its key to make a great foundation and proper wind sheltering.. Great vid to get started,.. in time we use all natural enviroment found materials. LOL i had issues while back where i wake up with frost all around the edge of my blanket,. Love the comment re making a NEST . thats exactly what i have done using straw sticks burdock milkweed fluff and cattails.. logs leaves.. and man made blankets... its a work in progress and this Vid Just inspired me to keep going..
My mom use to send me on boy scout "outings" when I got in trouble at school. One time out of the many I was taken to mt ranier where we dug in the snow to sleep for two nights......I had concrete rubber roots and wool socks lol I was so mad at her. Geat video, very informative, thank you. Beautiful beasty u have there
I mean you should have been mad at yourself for yourself in that situation
@@xorgelopez4740 how so lol Let me clarify, when i say trouble i mean i stood up for myself and whooped a bully tht was picking on my friend The school just told her i beat someone up When she heard it from me an my buddy she apologized
At any rate it was a learning experience Single mom she tried Shit tht was 25 yrs ago Now im happily married with a beautiful smart child and wonderful wife i took from it i didnt use it as a crutch It’s humorous now, later in life But ya i was mad for along time at myself thinking i was the reason my dad left He cleared tht up with my mom and we moved on Be grateful for wht u have and wht u dont have
My kids used to fold their sleeping bag surplus length underneath them,,,extra padding and smaller airspace,
also a thin foam mat (or even half = torso length) under the self-inflating or airpad works a treat, and is great for kneeling on at other times in camp. A beany hat, neck buff and loose, fleecy socks add warmth too !
In winter i use a bag liner also...
These are great ideas! I definitely like folding the sleeping bag under if it's too long. Brilliant!
Great video as always! Just a few comment that I learned as a para ranger in sweden with many many nights in the very north of Sweden.
First I would say many good tips!
Second, pee before you go to bed and if you wake up needing to pee, go.. just as you said. But not only for the discomfort of having a need to go but that fluid in your body will make you cold and that is in the center of your body, pee and you will quickly feel your body getting warmer again.
Thierd, i know it is tempting to have a lot of clothes on in the sleeping bag, but the sleeping bag isn’t warm in itself. Ut is your body creating the heat. If yiu have clothes that is made to be very insulating then the heat will not end up in your sleeping bag and it will be cold, a cold material against a warm will use energy (just as you said about the feet touching the ground) and it will make you colder. So ubderwear or just inner layer on and that will be enough if you have the right sleeping bag. Spent a few night outside in -40 celsius and it feels strange to undress but it is worth it.
Thanks for a great video :)
Para Ranger in Sweden? I'm gonna need to see some more credentials than that! haha, yeah I think you're qualified. You and I are on the same page here, hopefully I communicated it as well as you!
@@BackpackingTV I am sure we are! Looking at all your videos. Really great videos👍🏼
The pee advice is spot on. Just get it done and you will sleep quite well once you have lost the chill.
Get a Pee bottle ...(Gatorade)... so you don't need to get out of the warm sleeping bag...
It takes some practice and I have had some bad experiences but its well worth it,
Also, I believe they make a devise for woman so they pee in a bottle
Dog says "He's not stuffing me back into the bottom of that sleeping bag one more time!'
Dress inside the bag, fill the foot box with clothing for the morning. Warm , dry sleeping socks are a great comfort. Water isnt such a problem , below freezing, however I feel the foot box should be resting on a pack rain cover or trash bag as all tents can be made to leak. Make the effort to pitch so that the head is slightly upslope and any water will flow down to the end of your tent. I also added a sponge to my tent bag this year. It happens. Dry in the backcountry is critical.
This is the first time I've seen this guy before and MAN! he is really easy to listen to and very on point! I had to pass this onto a friend.
I actually hammock camp in the winter and there is a whole additional set of requirements (In addition to what was mentioned here) when going deep winter. Multi-day backpacking trips is a passion of mine.
Keep up the good work!
Last year was my first winter camping in the back yard, I figured to be safe then sorry out in the bush. Anyways one thing i learn from talking to people was to use some reflective bubble wrap and put that between your mat ( make it a foot longer then your mat ) and the floor of tent and or a emergent blanket also
Interesting idea! Thanks for sharing!
Back in 3 the day there was a rock band called 'Three Dog Night ' .
As I recall, ' three dog night is an Inuit term for a very cold night, so you will need three dogs around you to sleep with to keep you warm.
It's my first time seeing it
and I've picked up some good info .
One thing I use however is a bottle to pee in if you're a guy.
Th bottle of urine will be body temperature and is another heat source.
You haven't left the tent
saving heat and energy plus time.
Looking forward to more.
Thankyou jay UK
Get a pee bottle! That's the greatest investment ever
Its sealed, it provides warmth as well so your body doesn't have to work so hard
Fuck yes.
I recommend the Hydroflask 1L collapsible bottle. Nice wide mouth so you don't have to worry about misses and when not in use it is easy to store in your pack's outside mesh. I use an orange bottle so I'm "color coded". :)~
Agree. If it's minus 10, I'm not leaving my tent. I just piss in my spare 500ml Nalgene which I always bring.
Love being a woman... not!!
Amazing video dude! I've lived outdoors most of my adult life 28 years and I now live on the road full time. We don't get the bonkers weather that you get but now and then we do and what you said in that video is priceless. Decent bed and a cuddle buddy of the four legged type and you found heaven.
awesome tip about the draft collar, I had no idea. Thanks!
Love that you have your pup with.. I hike with my boy Mako
Great tip about packing the empty space in your sleeping bag!
how do you protect your tent bottom from your pet's feet from putting holes in it? I loved this video it was fun to watch. I am also a pet owner .
What a cutie! Went camping with my Siberian pup in the Sierras at 7000 ft and he just wanted to sleep outside the tent.
I always use the foot box of my sleeping bag to store my clothes in. That way there nice and warm in the morning. Side note, some people sleep warm, so not all of this info is relevant to all people.
Dig out all the snow beneath your vestibule. It makes it easier to get dressed in the morning and since cold air goes down it give cooler air a place to escape to.
Totally! Great tip. Thanks!
Me and a cohort spent a night snuggled up under a lot of leaves. It went down to 39 degrees and we both had a enjoyable night.
What did it smell like?
Having extra space in the footbox is actually better than having none or negative (feet pressing against the footbox wall decreasing its thickness). Within a free footbox here is very little free circulating air between two layers of uncompressed sleeping bag. Throwing in a warm jacket might increase the insulation. But something heavy or big in the footbox that would compress the sleeping bag layers - would actually decrease the insulation.
This video will come in handy in January 2022 as I plan on sleeping out in my tent under -10 C with my dog.
Heck yeah! Let me know how it goes!
I always get me around 5 to 8 dogs from the local dog pound before going into the wilderness... they keep me warm all night long. I own also a sheep ... but that‘s a different story
Good advice. One thing I also like to do is consider how much clothing I will wear inside the sleeping bag. Just like the condensation from your mouth if you sweat it will be miserable as well. I find a light layer is more than sufficient with a decent sleeping bag down to freezing temps. Have you ever just peed into a bottle inside your sleeping bad and then used that as a heat source much like the nalgene bottle. Kill two birds with one stone and don't have to get out of sleeping bag or tent, just don't drink it in the middle of the night!! Awesome to see the outdoor videos. I remember playing little league baseball with you in Scottsdale over 20 years ago. Keep up the good work.
I never tighten the face/hood cords of a sleeping bag, no matter how severe the winter ❄️ weather. A good quality down bag will make you heat up quick, so being able to slide down the zip and allow some freedom of movement and cooling down is paramount for a long, restful sleep. I prefer to also sleep naked in the sleeping bag and will only very rarely wear a base layer inside the bag. I use a fairly long bag, so there is a big pocket of air at base of bag, but like to have the extra room at my feet so they are not restricted and have plenty of free movement. My bare feet never get cold inside a winter sleeping bag regardless how low the temperature 🌡️ plummets.
living and growing up in Northern British Columbia meant extreme cold winters in the interior as well as lots of snow on the higher peaks. Such a peak (or Peaks - in my case...) where that of the Seven Sister Mountain range. You would leave at the base of the mountain (Parking lot) and hike for about 3 hours on a old cow trail. Suddenly as you rounded the corner you are confronted with a four - six foot wall of snow. Welcome to the "winter" part of the hike. Like climbing up onto a patio, you eventually make your way up further onto the frozen glacier - like snow pack. From that moment you find the temperature start to change (drop) and you become vulnerable to extreme weather changes. Five hours prior you would be in shorts and a T-shirt.. Suddenly you're scrambling for your winter parka and wool pants and heavy winter boots. The wind picks up, the day draws to an end - it's May 25th but suddenly you feel like your back in a January Snow storm. No possible way is it that you can seek a heat source like that of a fire or a stove. You are barely able to set up your tent and lay out your sleeping bag when suddenly the snow becomes unbearable as does the freezing temperatures. You quickly climb into your bag and zip up as fast as possible in hopes to keep from loosing body heat when all you hear is the howling wind and snow beating on your tent. Your fingers are barely movable. Oh the fun of winter camping!
Great tips. I supplement my collar with a shemagh to act as an air dam. Having a good head cover like a thin balaclava, lessening skin exposure makes a big difference too. Finally , I am a very big fan of pee bottles in the tent. Make sure it right sized though. Nothing like realizing that bottle maybe a bit short while you are straddling your $600 900 fill made in the USA. sleeping pouch to wake you up. I use a 1000mL old LPE lab Nalgene. Tough, seals tight and half the grams of its Lexan offspring. Plus it readily feels different in the black of night.
Yeah id be worried id piss all over my sleeping bag.. if I were a dude. Lol
Show me a video that includes a dog and I'll watch it every time. Thanks for posting.
When you winter camp, you don't want to go to bed too hydrated, in fact you hydrate in the morning greatly and then dehydrate some during the day. Of course, you pee before bed and also helps a great deal to do moderate physical activity to get yourself warmed up before you crawl in. I've slept out in temps very close to -40 before, high the next day of -18F. Sleeping was no problem, eating is a bit of an issue at those temps, you have to eat super fast before things freeze. Also, if you have to take your mittens off for something, your hands go numb in about 10 seconds, which complicates things. It gets kind of dangerous at those temps because if you make a mistake, you could die. No bugs though! I always kept that though in mind.
One thing you didn't mention was overheating by wearing too many clothes to bed. Many years ago, I did a winter course with the National Outdoor Leadership School. It snowed non-stop for a week then cleared up. Epic 17-days in the Wind River Range. We slept only in our polypro and nothing more to avoid sweating and then getting cold. (The lowest temps were around 5 degrees.) We were also told to take a bit of trail food to bed and to eat a bit in the middle of the night if we got cold to generate some heat. We slept under tent flies, in snow caves, and in various snow shelters. It was a hassle to take a pee in the middle of the night but as you point out, not doing so guarantees no sleep. Bam!
Sound advice. I usually laugh at the advice I see on most videos for winter camping. Everything you said, I do in MN. Only diff, I put the foam on top of the air chamber pad these days. I would switch on and off but in the end, I always felt like the edges of the chamber pad would keep sapping the warmth out. Foam has very little transfer from inch to inch so I find it tends to stay warm wherever your body is resting against it.
A terrific dog there.
If your feet are sticking out beyond the end of the mattress then you need to buy a longer mattress. If the end of your sleeping bag has extra space then you use that space to store your boots, some food, a tightly sealed water bottle and anything else that needs to be warm when you get up in the morning. If the end of your sleeping bag has no extra space then you need to buy a longer sleeping bag.
Stay dry and insulate yourself from the cold with layers. Use Down and new synthetics or Wool if you have the money and cardboard/newspaper and a poly-tarp if ya don't. Lots of layers.
Thanks for the informative video.... I'll have to remember to stuff extra clothes into the end of my bag. Have you seen the Zippo rechargeable hand warmers? I'm going to purchase one and use it in my footbox. I'll put it in a sock as they can get quite warm, even hot!!
Rechargeable handwarmers sound great!
Spent three pretty rough nights in a row (the last one at -12ºC) in the North of Sweden in February with a very thin sleeping bag because I believed the advertising crap and thought that a thermal inner sheet with EXTREME on its name would add a ton of ºC. I had lots of good, highly caloric food, good boots, and an sleeping mat with an R value of 8 (it even has down inside!), plus a foam one underneath just in case. Many lessons extracted:
1.- Never trust advertising :-)
2.- Never rely too much on a single piece of gear. It is the combination of gear that saves the day if in trouble.
3.- Better bring a bit too warm gear than being too tight on the specs.
4.- The poor man's goes to the shop twice. Buy good stuff in the first place.
5.- But first and foremost: Don't mess with the sleeping bag choice in winter :-)
Very good tips, Eric. Thank you for your video!
Some great insights there, thanks so much for sharing them and for being here!
I use a closed cell foam pad on the ground and then my mattress when I am on any glacier, I also throw a nalgene full of hot water in the foot of my sleeping bag.
How hot ?...how long does it retain heat ? Are there any downsides once the water cools ?
I use my Reactor to melt snow and boil water. When I am done with dinner I melt and boil a nalgene and throw it in the foot of my sleeping bag. I also have longs in my sleeping bags for the extra shoulder girth. My gloves and whatever else I want to dry out, or keep warm goes in with it. even by morning, It doesn't get cold, it stays the same temp as what is in your sleeping bag. And the big plus.. You have water ready to boil for your breakfast, or to drink. No need to melt snow for water first thing in the morning.
Good tips, thanks Eric! New subscriber from Northern Alberta.
500 squats will do the trick...never skip leg day. And a CHuck Norris T-shirt...to scare the cold away.
2004 called, they want thier joke back.
All really good tips for anyone camping in cold weather! Great video dude!
Here's a question: How do you keep your dog warm? Mine has a foam pad to sleep on and when it gets cold he wears a lightweight fleece vest that covers most of his body. But the last time we went out it got down into the 30s overnight--he got cold so I ended up covering him with my puffy. Maybe he just needs a down dog coat? It's hard to find things to bring for your dog that are packable.
After 2.5 months cycle camping in northern Sweden, just me and my dog this is what i do.... She has 3 cheap foam roll mats under her ( one long thin one lines the space next to my bed and then i have cut up a thicker one to make 2 shorter one), my emergency jumper loosely tied around her neck and over her back, a lightweight dog coat on top, with an extra long bit which I sewed to flop down over her bum. I feed her dried food with warm water and a lump of butter before bed (3 or 4 small feeds a day) I also chuck my long coat over her at night..... She soon mastered putting her nose under where the jumper's knot! I build a bit of a barrier around the side of her with my cycle bags. As soon as we stop she digs a crash pit in the snow and i chuck her out and line it with one of her roll mats and put her coat on, she climbs back in to her chosen warm spot. This stops her getting cold when we stop and she is tired. I also taught her to "shake" by putting a small lump of snow on her head so she does not bring snow in the tent!!!! Regular temperatures of around -30C (-22F) and she was fine! She is half husky but a real sofa lover!!
@@debbylyons357 right on! :) There's no way I will ever be camping in temperatures like that lol. But I like the tips, genius about the snow on the head to induce shaking!
actually, i enjoy pouring one liter of water into my bag before bed. 😂 keeps things interesting
I just pee in my sleeping bag. Takes care of a bunch of issues all at one time.
@@rong1924 Man me too. Everyone told me I'm weird...
Made me smile
Great video, and great advice................ I'm sixty years old and always wanting to pee. For me I'm not leaving the tent in bad mountain conditions in Scotland. I get out of my bag, and use a wide neck 1L bottle............ in morning I clean it out (by the way it is used only for peeing, lol, just in case you thought overwise))
Haha I wasn’t too concerned. That’s a great technique for those who can aim!
Nice job
Your video was full of fantastic tips. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Obvious now I know. Thank you I’m subscribing. Atb from the UK.
Very cool and spot on. You have great screen presence too! I particularly like the tip about the foot nest. The hot nalgene is da bomb. Also making sure to have eat and drank hot high energy food before sleeping and going to bed warm (by doing a few exercises before getting in the bag.)
Thank you so much!!
I put my day clothes and stuff them at the base of my sleeping bag. I like putting on warm clothes in the winter.
Only wear base layers - and any down you have too - other clothing makes a barrier between you and the insulation. Use a closed cell mat as well as an inflatable. Peeing is great because your body works hard to keep the pee warm/at body temperature - it's better out than in! Top vid.
There was one major tip you did not mention. Take DRY clothes to sleep in set of thermals are good. Through the day you WILL sweat that sweat will be against your skin at night and chill you down. Same for your socks. A dry pair of bamboo socks are 100 times better than clammy sweaty thick socks. The clothes can be packed into your sleeping bag and weigh next to nothing. If your doing multiple nights get changed out of them in the morning back into your day clothes... 10 minutes of cold as you change morning and evening are worth it...
Excellent point, Jamie! Spare thermals are key. Thanks for weighing in!
I'm here because I'm not that experienced but one thing I've been doing is putting my feel in a garbage bag in my sleeping bag and it has been a game changer for me. My feet tend to be the last thing to get warm and the bag makes them the first. Moisture could be an issue but it hasn't been for me so far.
Awesome tips and I am definitely going to use this season !
I have a cut-down sleeping mat for my "cuddle buddy" so that he doesn't have to sleep on the ground. Because he's a short hair dog, I also have an insulated vest for him to wear in colder weather. Figured that out after our first cold weather trip where it went to -15C and he didn't have a good night.
Yeah, keeping a dog warm is really important! Otherwise it can get really dangerous.
The problem I continue to have is that all the cold weather bags seem to have tiny foot boxes. I like wide ones. I do not like to sleep as a mummy.
In addition, I like a wide and long mattress. I move around, rolling over and spreading my legs when I sleep. I think I will have to make my own sleep system.
Lana I have the same issue and I got a big Agnes sleeping bag that is very comfortable and wide enough that I can move around and be comfortable while sleeping but it’s still a mummy bag that keeps me warm enough
Really good video always been nervous about going winter camping because I get cold very easy so I have not been yet but this video has convinced me to give it a try 👍
I like that you did actually laugh at yourself for that introduction sit up
What do you mean?! I take this VERY seriously....
Hello my outdoors friend, thank you for sharing the helpful tips. I really appreciate them. All the best to you. Stay healthy out there. 🤗
Some great advice.
Thanks
Great practical advice! Just getting into cold weather camping in the Midwest (southern IL and MO).
You're awesome buddy! Great video, fun to watch, great valuable info. Great stuff! You just saved me lots of mistakes on my first camping nights in the Netherlands.
So many great tips straight to the point! Thanks! Subscribed!
Best video I've found on this subject. Nice job!
Some good ideas. It also easier to stay warm when you're sponsored by Marmot, 😂😂😂
Aw... your dog is adorable!
Alas, she is not mine but Pixie is very cute.
When my kid didn’t fill the bag I just stuffed the excess in a bag and cinched it down to compress the extra bag material to keep him warm!
I've been looking for a good SB. Like Marmot Lithium or North Face Inferno. Something high end but not too expensive.
Try the USGI MSS.
you are soooooo informative, Eric... best wishes !
Great tips
Invaluable Information brother!
Thanks for lots of nuggets tips thank you.
Really appreciate the tips, great video. Thank you!
I ended up making a foot box out of reflective in order to keep my feet warm. Best investment ever!!!!
This was so useful thank you for your knowledge
Do you also use an emergency blanket or a bivouac bag? To keep you warm