What do you guys do to prepare for cold weather campiong and what extras do you take with you?
Don
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What do you guys do to prepare for cold weather campiong and what extras do you take with you?
Don
Smart wool socks
Army cold weather gloves with wool inserts (the kind that come up to the elbow)
Cold weather hood. AKA tankers helmet liner.
Full face watch cap or wigwam hat (whatever you want to call it)
Fleece
Fishtail coat (real cold)
Lowe Alpine hooded coat (not as cold, cold rain, windy)
synthetic long johns (Thermax, Capilene, Cool-Max - polypro material)
lightweight wool pants.
Lowe Alpine wind pants unless I'm taking my fishtail.
A couple of chem heat paks. just in case.
I have a 3 season bag but if it gets really cold I can stuff a survival blanket inside to help with body heat.
Usually build a reflective fire in winter.
Just try to dress in layers so I can add and remove as I need to. I mentioned this in another column somewhere. I try to stay away from cotton clothing. SAR folks have a saying, "Cotton Kills". It absorbs water, it's fibers shrink when wet so you loose any insulating quality, it will steal your body heat when it gets wet and it takes forever to dry. I like nomex, gortex, (polypro) that type of fabric close to the skin to wick moisture away.
Up the calories a bit (like I need that) for food.
The biggest problem I run into if it's cold and no snow is carrying water. I try to heat the water that morning and again at noon if we are on the move. Otherwise I just sit it next to the fire if we are in a fixed camp.
I'd like to see what Nativedude has to say on this. The guy walks barefoot in the winter for crimeny sakes.
Depends on where your cold weather camping is. Down here in Georgia, just throw and extra wool blanket into the mix.
Definitions of cold vary. Miami Florida cold is anything less than 60F. Northern NH cold, where I am, is about 20F and less and gets down to the minus 30F range. So when you are talking cold and gear you need to be more specific.
This'll be the first year I do it but here's my list:
Leather mittens with wool mitten inserts
Heavy cotton winter hat
wool balaclava (skimask)
Thermal pants (base layer)
Polyester/Nylon hiking pants
Thermal long sleeve shirt (base layer)
Wool button-up long sleeve shirt (WWII military winter shirt) <- I love this shirt! It's got all these extra wool flaps where you'd usually get a draft like behind the front buttons, behind the cuff buttons, etc.
Wool "yooper" fall coat
Columbia-brand rainproof/waterproof outer shell
and maybe Waterproof/rainproof shell pants (snowboard pants)
Cold is anything colder then you like and that you have to plan on taking winter gear to keep warm.
I live in NW New Mexico. It is 30F here tonight. At times it gets down in the lower teens.
Last month I camped in the San Lewis Valley, in the mountains of Colorado, for a couple of nights. It was pleasant till the sun went down the first day. On the second day the cold came rolling in fast, to the area. By 8 am it was -2F with a brisk wind and gusts to 45MPH. Snow fallen and Ugly my mutt had crawled into my mummy sleeping bag with me. I think he was trying to push me out, to get his breakfast.
I had not planned on cold, wind, snow & ice!
In winter I carry a few things I might not carry at other times. 2 lbs Beef Summer Sausage and a 1 lbs stick of Pepperoni is in a tin under the car and truck seat. I also have one or the other in the pack. It keeps well and offers the fats Ugly and My body's will need. I put a pack of Fat Back in with the cooking Gear. Dried fruits are in the pack too. Cold meds come along. 2 types of stoves, to cook and for heat come along. Fruit cake is a must. Ugly gives me attitude at lunch if he does not get his fruitcake when we winter camp. He will even look at me funny if I try not to give him his fair share.
My back packing days are close to an end. I have wheels on my external frame pack. I have learned to do a lot of camping from my pickup. This allows me to carry wood, extra water and a food cooler. I still use the tarp instead of a tent and when it gets cold I have a Johny Warmer. With a Johny Warmer in the bottom of my sleeping bag, My old army mountain sleeping bag is warm from dang cold to OMG it is cold. I keep a wool blanket for Ugly and put another warmer wrapped in it for him. He does not like being covered at night but he loves that warmer at night when it gets OMG cold.
A wool blanket has been cut and Ugly wears it like a poncho. He has learned how to get out of it and know to bring it to me, to put it on him, if he gets a chill. I have sleeping cloths I keep in my sleeping bag. I do not like sleeping in the cloths I have been in all day. I place them under my sleeping bag on my mat to keep them warm for morning. I also have wool sox in the sleeping bag and a stocking cap. 80% of heat loss is threw our heads and this helps me sleep warm. I get less moisture in the sleeping bag if my face is out of the sleeping bag.
All for now!
Don
As an old woodsman, I prefer wool to any of the newer outdoor products for clothing. Its quiet in the wood and retains most of its insulating qualities even when wet.
Many times while winter camping in the backwoods of Pa., I was reminded of a lesson in school. That is..." There is no such thing as cold, ONLY an absence of heat." Then as I add more wood to the blazing inferno trying to warm my "COLD" fingers and toes I'm thinkin' Old Boy needs to be right here, right now and explain my discomfort. That all soon fades thought as I raise the hot cup of tea to my lips and kick back to enjoy the simple pleasure of life in the woods.
Just one old flatulants thoughts.
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