Knowing how to stay warm in a tent is vital knowledge. Before you go on a camping trip, you need to educate yourself on the key basics — and staying warm is one of them.
At the less serious end, if you’re cold in a tent, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. You can’t relax, you have to huddle together, and you’re hating every second. It’s frustrating, and not the cozy night by the fire that you dreamed of.
At the more serious end, it can be incredibly dangerous if you are not warm in a tent. If your temperature dramatically drops, you can be at risk for hypothermia. This is incredibly serious and left untreated, deadly. You have to ensure you are as warm as possible, to avoid the worst.
Staying warm is crucial — no one wants to be shivering while looking at a gorgeous view, you’d much rather be cozy. It can completely change your experience because your perspective will be different. Once you feel safe and content, you can relax — and truly enjoy what nature has to offer.
In this article, we’re going to give you some key tips on how to stay warm in a tent.
So, keep reading for more!
How To Stay Warm In A Tent
Below, we’ll share some of our top tips on how to keep warm in a tent.
Purchase The Right Sleeping Bag
If you’re going camping, you should invest in a high-quality sleeping bag. While some cheaper versions might catch your eye, this is a vital purchase. Some sleeping bags are only ideal for the summer, and should not be used during the other seasons — check your sleeping bag’s specifications.
You need to invest in a tight-fitting sleeping bag, with thermal technology that will keep you warm. While you may be tempted to bright a duvet, it will not keep you anywhere as warm as a sleeping bag. You’ll want to be as snug as humanly possible.
Bring Extra Blankets
You should definitely bring some extra blankets along with you. Avoid any thin blankets or blankets made of cheap material. You’re going to want to either get a thick woolen blanket, or blankets infused with thermal technology. Remember, it’s about staying as warm as possible — even in the summer months, don’t skip the blankets.
Wear Thermal Base Layers
Do not skimp on thermal base layers. They can protect you from cold weather, and make the world of a difference. They may not be the latest fashion, but it doesn’t matter — you’re camping, and hypothermia will never be in. You can purchase thermal vests, thermal t-shirts, and thermal leggings. All the better!
Buy A Sleeping Bag Liner
This is one step a lot of campers miss out on. If you don’t know, a sleeping bag liner is inserted inside your sleeping bag. It’s designed to add extra warmth, and it prevents dirt from reaching the inside of the sleeping bag. You may not be convinced, but a sleeping bag liner can add anywhere from 5F to 25F of heat. If you’re cold, or even a little chilly — it’s going to make a huge difference.
Be Mindful Of Your Pitching Location
When you’re finding a location to pitch your tent, be mindful. Do not pitch it anywhere you like, you have to consider a few different factors.
Make sure you check the weather forecast, so you’ll know which direction the wind will blow. You should avoid any dangerous areas — such as pitching near a ridge, as this can be dangerous if the wind picks up. Also, do not pitch in a low-lying area. You’re going to want to be at least 100 feet above the valley floor. This is because the air will be closer in low-lying areas.
Use A Sleeping Pad
Do not assume that you can just use your sleeping bag for protection.
You’ll need to invest in a sleeping pad. These are insulated pads that you will sleep on. They’re quite lightweight, and you can purchase some which are inflatable. They’re quite thin, so you won’t be high up. Also, they’ll make the experience a lot more comfortable — as laying on the hard floor is cold, and miserable.
Bring A Hot Water Bottle
That’s right, bring a hot water bottle along with you!
They’re small, compact, and won’t take up too much space. If you’re extra cold, filling one of these up with hot water can help keep you toasty.
Put On Your Layers Before The Chill Hits
A big mistake that people make camping is putting on layers after they get cold.
You’ll want to try your best to preserve your heat, and that’s easier to do if you maintain constant warmth. When you’ve settled down, put on some extra layers. These could be more thermals, a fleece jacket, a coat — and you can even (on top of those) wrap a blanket around you.
Make Sure You Eat!
There’s nothing like cooking around the campfire, but it’s not all about marshmallows and biscuits.
You need to make sure you’re eating a good amount of food to aid digestion. When our bodies undergo digestion, our bodies also heat up (known as diet-induced thermogenesis). If you eat before bedtime, and throughout the night, you’ll be helping your body stay toasty and warm.
It’s also great if you can eat some hot food. Try meals like soup, beans, stews — and so forth. Pile up on carbs too, make sure you’re getting some bread, or even some rice.
Avoid Going To Bed Cold
Do not jump into bed cold!
Before bed, engage in some light exercise. This could be a nice walk near the fire, or even doing some basic exercise. You’ll want to do exercises like star jumps, running on the spot, or burpees. This will help your blood flow and get your core temperature up.
Bring A Pee Bottle
Okay, I know some of you won’t like to hear this — but it will help.
Having to leave the tent at night is daunting, you let in cold air, and you get physically cold in the process. This is especially worse for women, who have to remove their trousers. For men, it can be as easy as peeing in a bottle.
For women, you might need to be creative. You can purchase urination devices for women that go over the vagina and help them pee, it will be like a funnel — meaning they can pee in a bottle, or something similar. While it may not want to be a conversation you want, it could help you stay warmer, and it’s no shame in it (as long as you’re not being messy!).
Summary
That brings us to the end of the article on how to stay warm in a tent. We’ve given you 11 key tips on how to stay warm in a tent. From wearing base layers to investing in a high-quality sleeping bag, and eating food — we’ve given you some great advice.
Thanks for reading.
I decided to set up this site as an extension of my passion, to help others with their own camping and hiking journeys. I want Stone Moves to be the ultimate guide to all things camping and hiking. Whether it is something you have been doing for years, or whether this is a new hobby, there is information on my site to suit everyone.
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