Winter tent camping is a challenging adventure, especially in cold environments. When you set foot in the snow and prepare to enjoy the beauty of nature, good preparation is crucial. To help you handle the cold of winter camping, we have some key tips. These tips will make you safer and more comfortable while camping in winter in a tent.
1. Check the Weather Forecast
In winter tent camping we have to focus on the weather first. If you’re new to winter camping, good weather is your best bet. The less unstable the elements, the more winter camping fun you’ll have. If it’s extremely cold weather, it will turn your camping into a very bad experience. Even your life could be in danger if you go without good preparation.
2. Prepare a Satellite Phone
Make sure you bring your satellite phone. There are many areas in the mountains where the signal cannot reach. In these places, your smartphone will become useless, and having a satellite phone will come in great handy when you are in trouble.
Satellite phones communicate with ground stations via satellite rather than relying on ground communication towers. With the satellite phone, you can ensure that you can stay in touch with the outside world anytime and anywhere.
3. Choose the Right Location
If you intend to randomly choose a position as a camping place, it could bring you risk at any time. It’s easy to get strong winds in winter, especially in the mountains. Strong winds can drop the temperatures rapidly, it could blow out your tent. This is a very dangerous situation. You might even risk freezing to death. So you must seek shelter from the wind, preferably in the woods or behind a hill. These places usually provide you with better shelter when you encounter strong winds.
4. Choose the Right Winter Tent
How can the winter camping without a tent? It needs to take a lot of equipment for camping, so we need to make sure everything is lightweight. I recommend you select a portable traditional camping tent. Such as a three-season tent equipped with windproof and snowproof design.
This tent is lightweight and easy to carry. After a long journey, you will just want to lie down in a warm tent as soon as possible. This tent can be set up quickly. If you are familiar with the whole setup process, you will be able to complete the setup in less than half an hour. It won’t take too much energy out of you.
However, if you don’t want to carry too much gear, you can also have a glamping. The luxury campground equipped with a dome will give you a more unique camping experience. The Dome is fully equipped, it has effective insulation. Even in the bitter winter, you will feel cozy and warm inside the dome. You don’t need to bring extra heating and can spend a warm night inside the dome.
If you get caught in rain or snow, you don’t have to worry, the dome’s PVC cover is completely waterproof. Moreover, the dome’s transparent PVC design allows you to sit in the dome and watch the rainy scenery quietly when you can’t go out. That’s kind of fun, isn’t it?
5. Choose Winter Camping Gear
Winter tent camping requires more gear than camping in summer. And the requirements for gear will be higher. While you’re packing, use this handy checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything important. Here are some notes on how to best use this list:
- Tents and winterization facilities
Winter tent: wind and snow-resistant, double-layer design.
Tent bottom mat: cold insulation, protective sleeping mat.
Windproof enclosure: provides additional windproof protection.
- Sleep system
Winter sleeping bag: suitable for low temperatures, down, or synthetic material.
Sleeping mat: high R-value inflatable sleeping mat + foam sleeping mat combination, cold insulation.
Sleeping bag lining: increased insulation effect.
- Clothing and dress
Layered clothing: moisture-wicking layer, thermal layer (down or wool), wind and waterproof outer layer.
Gloves, hats, scarves: keep warm and protect your head and hands.
Thick socks: wool or synthetic material to keep feet warm.
- Cold proof equipment
Warm baby/hot water bag: keep body temperature in your sleeping bag or clothes.
Portable heater: suitable for tents, pay attention to ventilation.
Heating pad: add an extra heat source.
- Food and water
Thermos: keep hot water or drinks.
High-energy foods: nuts, chocolate, freeze-dried foods.
Portable stove: heating food or drinking water, choose a stove suitable for winter.
- Lighting and power supply
Headlamp/flashlight: for lighting.
Power bank: charge electronic devices.
- Tools and equipment
Snow shovel: clear snow and set up tents.
Windproof lighter: a source of ignition.
Multi-functional tools: for a variety of needs.
- Safety and emergency equipment
First aid kit: basic medical supplies.
Satellite phone: for emergency contact.
- Personal care products
Antifreeze cream and lip balm: protect skin from frostbite.
Wipes: keep it clean.
- Other essentials
Backpack: waterproof and holds all your gear.
Waterproof bag: store clothes, sleeping bags, and other items.
6. Wear Warm Clothes
If you underestimate the temperature outside in winter, you will pay the price. The temperature outside in winter can reach zero, especially at night, it may appear tens of degrees below zero. In this cold, just wearing a few more clothes will not do much to keep warm. You’ll need to use layering:
Inner layer: Choose a material that drains moisture, such as wool or synthetic fibers. The purpose of the inner layer is to remove sweat from the surface of the skin, keeping it dry and preventing the loss of body heat caused by moisture.
Middle layer: Choose a material with insulation function, such as a fleece jacket, down jacket or sweater. The role of the middle layer is to provide warmth and trap heat in the body.
Outer layer: Choose windproof and waterproof coats. The outer layer of clothing can resist the influence of external environments such as cold wind and snow, and keep the interior warm.
7. Prepare a Thermos
A sip of hot water in the freezing air will restore your body temperature quickly when you are in winter tent camping. In addition, you need to replenish water to maintain the normal functioning of your body after prolonged outdoor activities. Get a Thermos, it has a great insulation effect. Its seal design ensures that your hot water won’t freeze for hours on cold winter days.
8. Keep Your Phone/Batteries Warm
Most mobile phones work best at temperatures between 0 and 35 degrees. If the temperature drops below 0 degrees, the phone’s battery performance will drop significantly. That means your phone could shut down at any time if it’s exposed to extremely low temperatures when winter tent camping, or even freezing. I suggest you keep your cell phone and battery in the inner layer of your clothes or your sleeping bag. It can be kept running at a warm temperature.
9. Put More Insulation
The cold ground will not allow you to get a good rest during the winter tent camping, if you add some insulation at the bottom of the tent will be more effective. Anti-loss blankets, heat insulation mats, sleeping mats, etc., these devices can effectively reduce the heat loss inside the tent.
R-value is an important index to measure the insulation effect of sleeping pads, and the higher the R-value, the stronger the insulation performance. You can choose an R-value above 6, this kind of sleeping mat insulation effect is more suitable for winter tent camping. And it had better be moisture-proof.
This can effectively isolate the moisture of the floor and ensure that the insulation performance is not affected. Only by creating a warm and comfortable rest area, you can relax your tense muscles and start the next more enjoyable experience.
10. Portable Heating Equipment
Portable heating equipment might be one of the biggest pieces of luggage in your winter tent camping trip, but it can bring you maximum comfort. To reduce the weight of your luggage, you can choose some lighter-weight heating equipment. It is worth mentioning that if you are camping in a frigid area, small heaters may not be of much use.
Pay attention to safety when using heating equipment with carbon in the tent, and ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in the tent. Ventilation will make your tent cold, but that’s what you have to do. Otherwise, if there is not enough ventilation to cause a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, the consequences will be more serious.
11. Put Food in the Bear Box
Bear Box is a good place to store food. Your delicious food may attract wild animals like bears. It sounds fun, but in fact, it is very dangerous. The cold winter is a shortage of food resources for wild animals. So make sure keep your food in boxes to prevent the smell of food from attracting bears and causing the bears to become a threat to people.
12. Put Boots in the Tent
You won’t be able to walk outdoors in the cold winter without a pair of warm boots. If you leave your boots outside, the moisture in them will cause them to freeze. Once the boot freezes, its material will freeze hard. This will greatly reduce the thermal performance, the next day you will have a pair of cold hard boots.
Not only will you not be able to walk with hard boots, but your feet may even get frostbite from them. Then make sure you put him in the tent when you take off your boots. This will ensure that it will be warm when you put it on again.
13. Eat and Drink Plenty of Dood
Cold weather lowers your body temperature, which means your energy will used up faster in winter camping. You need to eat more hot drinks and high-calorie foods. Such as nuts, chocolate, energy bars, etc., although these foods are small in size, they can help you recover quickly in the critical moment.
For hot drinks, you can choose hot coffee or hot chocolate, and of course, you can have a bowl of hot soup if you can. Hot soup with salt, water, and broth will also be rich in protein, which will help you quickly increase your physical warmth.
Final Thoughts on Winter Tent Camping
Winter tent camping is a challenging but fun adventure. To ensure safety and comfort during camping, it is important to prepare well in advance. If you are looking for a more comfortable camping experience, the dome provided by
Glitzcamp is ideal for winter camping, offering ideal insulation and wind resistance. If you have any questions or need more information about winter camping tents, please feel free to contact us.
