first time colder weather camping

[Ingrid]

So we're looking to do a camping trip this Thanksgiving but the problem is that all of our gear is for summer. I don't want to have to buy different gear because I don't know if I'll really ever do this again. It can get down to well below freezing in Vermont at this time of year so I don't want to be unprepared and miserable.

Suggestions?

We will be tent camping but not backpacking so it doesn't matter how heavy the gear is as long as can stuff it in the car.

[briansnat]

What do you use to sleep on? If you use a cot you'd need some sort of insulating layer beneath you. If you don't own a Thermarest or similar pad you can get away with cheap, closed cell foam available at Walmart or any camping supply store.

If you are sleeping on the ground you probably already have a Thermarest type or closed cell foam pad, so you are set.

If you sleep on an air mattress that can be an issue as the air inside can get pretty chilly, making for a cold nights sleep. As with the cot, perhaps a closed cell pad between you and the air mattress will be helpful.

Sleeping bag is the next key. If you have summer weight bags you will need more insulation. Perhaps you have a down quilt or comforter at home or a few wool blankets that you can toss on top of your bags.

Bring plenty of lighting because it gets dark early. Headlamps and/or lanterns can provide enough light to complete camp chores.

Consider bringing a "chamber pot" inside your tent in case you need to answer "nature's call" in the middle of the night. Getting out of the tent on a cold, late fall or winter night to use the facilities (whether they are heated restrooms, an outhouse or a tree) is not very pleasant. A wide-mouth Nalgene bottle would work for this (just make sure that you don't mistake it for your water). Campmor also sells an inexpensive portable jon with a female adapter for this purpose and no chance you'll mistake it for your water. My wife has been known to use a large pan from our cookset in an emergency.

If you have a campfire, keep plenty of wood ready for a morning fire. Morning is when you will be the coldest. In the evening you'd probably be bundled up and in front of a campfire. At night you'll hopefully be warm in your tent, but when you are up and about first thing in the morning you're gonna freeze.

Bring your shoes inside the tent and if they aren't too wet try to get them under your blanket for the night. Failing that, bring a few packs of chemical hand warmers and place them inside your shoes about an hour before you are going to put them on.

Dress in layers rather than a single, heavy jacket. Synthetic, wicking underwear, thin fleece or wool shirt, thick fleece or wool pullover or vest and a windproof outer layer. This way you can add or shed layers as conditions dictate.

Stay away from any cotton clothing. Cotton retains moisture and if you sweat at all during the day you will have damp, cold clothing. That is uncomfortable at best and worst case could be fatal.

[ponderosa]

Those chemical hand warmers that Brian mentioned are also nice for sleeping. I wear two pairs of socks to bed (or a pair of socks and down slippers), with a handwarmer between sock layers. I sometimes do the same thing with a pair of liner gloves and some mittens. I sleep much better with warm feet and hands. Wear a hat to bed, too. Have a snack before bed (digestion fires up your internal furnace), and take a quick jog or do a few jumping jacks just before crawling into bed, just enough to make your heart pump but not work up a sweat at all.

[Lorax]

A nalgene full of fresh hot water warmed up really works wonders also. Tuck this right in the bag with you. It will amaze you how long this will keep you toasty. Make sure to hike down the trail a little and warm up good before going to bed. If you go to bed cold, you will stay cold, if you go in warm, you will not waste energy getting warm. This is an important step, especially when we winter camp.

[Hector]

Since you have the luxury of not having to worry about weight, you can just bring some extra sleeping bags or comforters. The most important thing is to start off warm. If you put a cold body into a cold bag you'll never warm up. So start off nice and toasty warm and start off with your beds warm.

I've been known to warm up some rocks on some hot coals and then put them inside of cotton socks and then use them as bedwarmers. This helps get everything toasty warm for you.

[Michael]

My favourite hard-learned lesson for cold weather camping: If there's even a little snow on the ground, put down a tarp under your tent. You do not want to wake up in the middle of the night because your body head has melted the snow under your tent and caused it to drench you in the night.

Just believe me. It really sucks. Don't try to recreate the experience yourself.

Oh, and if you have room, keep your clothing inside your sleeping bag. Get in wearing as much of your clothing as you feel comfortable, then strip off any layers you plan to remove. In the morning, get dressed before unzipping your sleeping bag. You avoid losing body heat getting into your bag at night, then your clothes are warm in the morning.

[charley]

Closed cell foam pads insulate you from the cold ground. Put them under your regular air matress.