Are you planning to start the camping season early or extend it into the autumn? Prepare for cold nights. Even in summer, it can cool down considerably after sundown. But with a few simple measures, you can avoid a chilly night.
We’ve experienced the coldest night of our life in a tent – on the top of volcano Merbabu, on the Indonesian island Java. Many Javanese students ‘collected’ volcanoes in their free time, which meant you could rent camping gear for next to nothing in local outdoor shops. Which is what we did, only we forgot to tell the shop owner that we planned to pitch the tent 3000 metres above sea level. It does not take a clairvoyant to guess the outcome: inadequate gear, temperatures that dropped rapidly and a night of shivering high above the clouds.
Summer nights can be cool, even if you don’t camp on top of a volcano. Cold can ruin a camping trip. Or worse, lead to potentially dangerous hypothermia. Luckily, you don’t have to lug around a huge amount of gear to avoid an uncomfortable night. A few sound choices and investments in the right gear will suffice.
Tent
In a tent, your body functions as a heater. The smaller the tent, the less space it needs to warm up. And the faster it does that. If you go camping with two people, it does not make sense to bring a tent that can house an army. Choose one with a capacity for two, maximum three people. Unless you’re embarking on a polar expedition, a winter tent that can withstand squalls and snowstorms is not necessary either. A decent three-season tent will get you a long way. An extra ground sheets provides extra insulation.
Every camper’s most worst rival for sleep? Condensation. When temperatures drop sharply, it seems tempting to zip up every vent. Don’t! At night, you breathe out water vapour. In an inadequately ventilated tent, it sticks around – making your wake up cold and damp. For the same reason, ensure your tent fabric is as tight as possible. This allows rain and dew to drop down the outside of the tent fabric. As soon as the outer tent fabric touches the inner tent, moisture will start seeping in.
More tips for camping in the rain.
Location, location, location
You’d think I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice? You’d be wrong. In rural Armenia, daytime temperatures soared and a friend and I thought we could bivouac without an outer tent. Wrong! At altitude, temperatures plummet after sunset: instead of a night of stargazing, we got a night of shivering. Don’t be like us, be smart when you’re heading into the mountains.
The higher the altitude, the colder the temperatures. But the lowest spot in a valley isn’t the ideal to pitch your tent either. Wind often has free rein there. Use the landscape to protect yourself against the elements. Hillocks or knolls, rocks, trees or bushes can all serve as natural windbreaks. Also, figure out where the sun rises in the morning and position your tent so the rays will warm it up. This makes it a lot easier to hoist yourself out of a sleeping bag on a cold morning.
Sleeping bag
Quality sleeping bags are independently tested and will show at least two ratings: comfort and limit/extreme. The latter is only relevant in emergency situations. Unless you fancy yourself Wim Hof, you can ignore it. Rather, focus on comfort and choose a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature five to ten degrees lower than the lowest temperature you expect during your adventure. That way, you will definitely be safe.
A mummy sleeping bag has a had that keeps your head warm – in low temperatures, this makes a huge difference. Make sure you can breath freely though, otherwise condensation will accumulate in your sleeping bag. Opt for a sleeping bag that fits well – a sleeping bag that is too big means more space your body has to heat, one that is too tight loses insulation quickly.
Layers can help. A liner in your sleeping bag, a quilt on top of it or an extra blanket – small details that can make the difference between a pleasant night or a cold one. You can consider filling your sleeping bag with clothes for the next day. That way, there’s less space to warm and you avoid having to put on an ice-cold shirt or trousers in the morning.
Sleeping mat
At least as important as a sleeping bag. The soil is cold and that cold can assault your body all night. An air mattress avoids contact with the soil, but does not necessarily offer insulation and the air under your body can still cool down. Much better is to choose an insulated sleeping mat. The R-value is a measure of insulation. The higher the value, the better the mat insulates. A mat with an R-value under two suffices for hot weather. Opt for a R-value higher than four when it gets colder, and at least six when it freezes. Or use multiple mats in layers.
Clothes
Clothes can get wet or sweaty during the daytime. It does not only feel unpleasant to keep those clothes on throughout the evening, it also can lead to icy nights. It’s better to reserve a separate set of dry sleeping clothes. Use layers, so you can take clothes off when the tent gets too hot. A base layer of thermal underwear is a good start – for example from merino wool. Also consider a fleece sweater, woolen socks and possibly a hat, buff or balaclava – the latter has the added advantage that it doesn’t easily slide of your head at night.
Read more about our climb of Tajamulco with Quetzaltrekkers.
Eating and drinking
A hot, high-calorie meal triggers digestion, an internal heat source. Food high in fat and protein, in particular, put the body at work – generating heat as well. Hot drinks also help. Speaking of drinks: try to stay hydrated during the day and eat regularly. The more dehydrated or exhausted you crawl into the tent, the tougher for your body to heat itself. Avoid (too much) alcohol, which can give a short boost but cools your body down in the long run.
Before going to bed
A sleeping bag does not provide heat, it only traps your body heat. If you’re shivering when you go to sleep, prepare for an unpleasant night. Don’t let it come so far: don’t wait until your cold to put on a few extra layers. If you feel cold when you want to go to bed, make a quick walk to the camping toilets, jump up and down a few times or make a dance around the campfire. Don’t overdo it – as soon as you start sweating, you make things worse.
Extra tips to stay warm in the tent
- Invite a friend in your tent. The more people, the warmer the night.
- A hot water bottle takes up little space in your backpack, but can save you from a freezing night. Fill it with warm water from the tap or heated on the campfire. Don’t place the bottle near your feet – close to your torso, it will warm up your body much quicker.
- Long live hand and foot warmers!
- However tempting it might seem, don’t ever use a gas stove inside your tent. The little extra heat does not justify the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
This blog post first appeared in Dutch on Kampeertijd.
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