Winter Camping EquipmentHere is a short explanation of the equipment needed to stay warm when winter camping.
Water is the thing that complicates winter camping. When there is snow, it always melts, and rain has a habit of getting wherever it can. Plus, people sweat a lot, even when it's very cold. For that reason, you need to think about moisture. Many things will keep you warm when they are dry. The trick is to stay warm even when things are wet.
Think layers. With layers you can remove layers if you're hot or add layers if you're cold. Layers can be added and removed as conditions change. When you're active, your body heat keeps you warm so you don't need as many layers. When you're still, you need more layers to keep warm. If it's not raining or snowing, you don't need a waterproof layer, but you should have it in case it does. If it gets suddenly cold, or suddenly warm, you will be ready. Layers are the best way to "Be Prepared" for winter camping.
Avoid cotton completely for winter camping, except perhaps for normal underwear. When cotton gets wet, it's very cold, and it takes a long time to dry. "Cotton Kills" when it's cold. That means that regular jeans, T-shirts, and sweatshirts are a poor choice for winter camping. REI has good stuff, but it's a little pricey. You can find good stuff cheaper on the internet and if you shop around.
Sleeping bag: Get a -20 degree sleeping bag or warmer with synthetic insulation, which stays warm even when it's wet. Mummy shaped bags are warmer than rectangular bags because there is less volume for your body heat to keep warm. They are also more compact and lighter. Down is very warm and light when it's dry, BUT it's completely useless when it gets wet. That's why down is not recommended. Be aware that a winter sleeping bag is too warm to use when the weather is warm so you should also have a lighter sleeping bag for warmer weather. You can also get a fleece liner, to make a sleeping bag warmer. Perhaps a good fleece liner can be used to turn a 3 season sleeping bag into a winter sleeping bag. Loft is thing that determines how warm a sleeping bag is. This is how thick the insulation is. The heaviness of the insulation doesn't determine its warmth, but the thickness does. For this reason, don't overcompress your sleeping bags. Especially never sit on them in when they are packed! This will cause the bag to permanently lose loft. When you are done camping, don't store sleeping bags compressed. Store them laid out without anything on top so that they can retain their loft.
Sleeping pad: A closed cell foam pad is needed for insulation underneath the sleeping bag. Closed cell means that it doesn't absorb water like a sponge. A pad is very important since body weight compresses the insulation underneath you, and you will lose a lot of heat downward without a pad. Avoid air mattresses. If they get a leak, they're useless and they don't insulate very well because of convection. Self-inflating Thermarest type pads (it's like a thin air mattress filled with foam) are warm and very comfortable, but they are heavy, and they are useless when they get a leak.
Boots: Get waterproof, insulated boots, with a removable liner that can be removed and dried out. These are good for normal camping trips, but not so good for lots of walking. For backpacking, you probably want lightweight, waterproof boots. Make sure they're big enough to accomodate thick wool socks. Socks: Bring two pairs of thick wool/poly blend socks. Wool stays warm even when it's wet. 100% wool isn't good because it wears out quickly. That's why you want a wool/synthetic blend. It's worth spending real money for these, $15 per pair or more. Nothing will make a trip more miserable than cold feet. Smartwool is a good brand, but there are many others. You get what you pay for in socks. It's good to have inner sock liners to wick moisture away from your feet to keep them dry even if the outer socks get wet. Polypropylene is good, but there are probably other good fabrics for this purpose. A liner also prevents friction and blisters if you're hiking. Having two pairs of outer socks lets you dry one pair out while wearing the other, but for short trips you probably won't change your socks unless you step in the water. And even then, wool will keep you warm. It just won't be as comfortable.
Inner Layer: A soft, synthetic long underwear is best for the inner layer. It should feel fuzzy and comfortable. Avoid cotton and "waffle" type underwear. You want it to be synthetic so that it dries quickly and wicks moisture away from your skin for comfort. I've heard that silk is also good.
Shirt and Pants:
Polyester is good for shirts and pants. It dries very quickly and wears very well. Avoid jeans and T-shirts, they are cotton. Most synthetic fabrics don't wear out easily and they dry quickly. Wool or fleece pants and shirts are very warm, but probably not necessary if you have the other layers. It's good to have a thin layer in case it turns out to be warm. Hat: A thick wool or fleece hat is a must. You lose more heat through your head than any other part of your body. Make sure that it can cover your ears to keep them warm. Neck: Some people like scarves. I just prefer to fold up my collar. If it's REALLY cold, you will need something to cover your face. You can get a balaclava face mask like they use for skiing, or they have these fleece cylinders that you can wear around your neck and pull up over your face. This probably won't be necessary unless we do some extreme winter camping, in the mountains or something. Gloves: I haven't found a really good solution for gloves. They always get wet. I think that fleece or wool gloves combined with an insulated waterproof outer mitten might be the best bet. And have an extra pair of the inner gloves because they will probably get wet. You can dry one pair by the fire while wearing the other.
Sweater: A thick wool or fleece sweater is an important layer for warmth. In some warmer conditions, you could get by without a sweater using just an insulated outer layer. But if you have a good sweater, you will be prepared if it gets very cold.
Outer Layer: The outer warmth layer can be an insulated nylon parka. These are often quite water resistant and can be used when it's lightly raining, but you should also have an additional waterproof layer in case it really rains. Sometimes you might want an outer layer that isn't insulated, like a nylon shell. You might be able to get an outer layer with zip out insulation, but that's not really necessary. If you're expecting real cold, bring an outer layer with insulation. If you don't expect it to be freezing, then bring an outer layer without insulation.
Rain Gear: Ponchos are good for the waterproof layer because they keep you dry and at the same time give you a lot of ventilation that allows the layers underneath to dry. Get a waterproof nylon poncho, instead of a cheap plastic one. You could spend a lot of money for a waterproof/breathable outer layer that will keep you dry in very stormy and windy weather, but it's not really necessary. Those all plastic rain suits might be okay for an emergency, but they're not really very good. A completely waterproof jacket and pants without ventilation will end up making you wet on the inside from your own sweat. Because of this, these are only good for short periods of time in the rain, and aren't really recommended. Be Prepared The boy scout motto is "Be Prepared". If you have these things, then you'll be prepared for anything. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Look at weather reports and anticipate the range of possible conditions. Depending on the expected conditions, you might not need everything on this list. There is no such thing as "bad weather", just ill-prepared people. One other important thing to bring is a good attitude. A positive attitude can make any situation pleasant, and a negative attitude can make even the best conditions unpleasant. A scout is cheerful! Please add your comments or suggestions. Checklist The second column has some links so you can see an example that is for sale on the Internet. | | -20 degree mummy shaped sleeping bag | $70 | | | closed cell foam pad | $9 | | | warm hat that covers ears | | | | optional scarf, face mask | | | | fuzzy long underwear, top and bottom | $30 | | | quick drying, non-cotton pants and shirt | $8 $30 | | | warm wool or fleece sweater | $40 | | | insulated or non-insulated outer shell (depending on weather) | $100 $20 | | | waterproof nylon poncho, or waterproof/breathable rain gear | $20 | | | wool or fleece inner gloves | $9 | | | waterproof insulated outer mitten worn over gloves | $33 $35 | | | thin, polypropylene inner socks | $5 | | | 1 or 2 pairs thick wool/poly blend socks | $15 | | | waterproof boots with a removable insulating liner | $23 | | | | |
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