10 tips for winter camping
Camping in cold weather can be a blast or torture, and the difference usually lies in how well you prepare. With these 10 tips for winter camping, you’ll have much more control over the experience: from clothing and sleeping bags to choosing the right campsite so you don’t spend the night shivering.
1. Choose your camping spot carefully
Avoid low-lying areas where moisture and cold air accumulate. It is better to choose slightly elevated ground, protected from the wind by trees, walls or rocks, but without dangerous branches overhead.
2. Invest in a good sleeping bag
Your sleeping bag is your best friend. Choose one with a comfort temperature rating suitable for the expected minimum temperatures. If you are unsure between two, choose the warmer one. You can add an inner sleeping bag liner to gain a few extra degrees.
3. Insulate well from the ground
It doesn’t matter how good your sleeping bag is if the cold seeps in from the ground. Use a decent insulating mat and, if possible, combine it with an inflatable mattress. In a motorhome or camper van, add a blanket or insulation under the mattress if you feel the cold coming up from below.
4. Dress in layers, even when sleeping
Do not sleep with your coat on. Better:
Thermal layer close to the body,
Mid layer (T-shirt or thin lining),
Dry and comfortable socks.
If you feel cold wearing that, add a sweatshirt or thin hat.
5. Keep dry clothes separate from wet ones.
Moisture is the number one enemy in winter. Always have one bag for wet clothes and another just for dry clothes. Change your socks and T-shirt if you have sweated before getting into your sleeping bag.
6. Hot dinner before bedtime
Una comida caliente (sopa, pasta, té, infusión…) antes de ir al saco ayuda mucho a entrar en calor. Evita acostarte con hambre y, si puede ser, haz algo de movimiento suave antes de meterte a dormir.
7. Ensure proper ventilation
In winter, you feel like closing everything up, but if you don’t ventilate, you’ll get condensation and stuffy air. Leave a small air inlet to renew the interior: less humidity, less feeling of damp cold.
8. Check the heating equipment
If you use heating in a motorhome, stove or similar, always follow safety regulations: ensure good ventilation, never sleep with open flames, check gas installations and turn off anything that should not be left on overnight.
9. Organise the material for the evening
Before going to bed, keep the following items handy: a headlamp or torch, water, something extra to keep you warm, and anything else you might need. That way, you won’t have to get up in the cold to look for things.
10. Have a plan B
Even if you plan to follow these 10 tips for winter camping, always have a plan B: a nearby campsite with better facilities, an alternative route, or the option to move your motorhome if the weather worsens.
With a little preparation and common sense, winter camping ceases to be about “suffering the cold” and becomes an addictive experience: silent nights, clear sunrises and the feeling of having beaten the cold season.
