The Camping Forum

[Spandles]

we are thinking of squeezing in a winter (half-term in October ) trip. What do I need to do differently from my summer trips (apart from warmer clothes ) Other posts say 'be well prepared' but what exactly does that mean?
Is EHU advisable?

[M0KAS]

this will give you some information, but its really aimed camping for temperatures colder than what we expect in October, but the information will work for all winter camping

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/winter/wintcamp.shtml

http://campfish.net/coldweathercamping.php

[Donnelly69]

Take plenty of batteries, gas or petrol for you lights, as the evenings are dark and long.......

As you say, plenty of clothing inc extra socks. Make sure you have at least a rough list of things to do as it's usually when you're sitting around that you notice the cold, keep busy and you'll sleep like a log.

Personal choice on the EHU I'm afraid, we never use it, never found it a necessity. If you have the right gear, you'll have a good time. And you never know, it may just be warmer than you expect......

And if it is really foul, a night at the pictures or pub is always a treat.

[badger]

Donnelly69 is spot on.... simple things like hats and gloves(never 4get them). Take extra hot water bottles and put your night-wear in your sleeping bags with them b4 getting changed for bed. DONT wear lots of layers when you go to sleep.... Its a common mistake some people make. Extra blankets too if you have the room. I am assuming you drive so you should have the room.

[Wayne]

DONT wear lots of layers when you go to sleep.... Its a common mistake some people make.

Agreed, and if anyone is wondering why, the extra clothes need more body heat to warm them through and they also lose the heat quicker than your sleeping bag. Because you have the extra clothes on your body heat isn't getting through to the loft (stuffing/insulation) in your sleeping bag which warms up keeps its heat and keeps you warm. Least thats as I've always understood it, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

[nutgone]

I personally use gas heaters & lamps for some extra warmth in the evenings, but wouldn't dream of leaving them on all night.
I don't use a sleeping bag, I carry 2 of them, but one goes underneath me, on the camp bed, with a double, winter grade duvet folded in half. I sleep in that & only use the other bag over the top if it's necessary, which it usually isn't.

I find if I warm the tent up before going to bed, once I'm in & asleep I'm fine 'til morning.

I'm off in just over 3 weeks, for a week, & won't be using EHU. I'm also planning on camping for new years, I think I will be having EHU then, but the main reason for this is price, it's included, so I will probably take a fan heater with me.

I cook inside my tent as well, so if it's getting chilly I tend to put the kettle on & have a cuppa, or put the dinner on, if it's time. It's surprising how quickly it warms a tent up.

I may also get myself a decent sleeping bag for the new years trip. My 2 are only cheapo ones (2 season I expect, although they probably claim 3).
I've been toying with an army surplus bag, I don't like most of the modern shop/branded ones, they're either too small or just not up to the job IMO (or too expensive, more likely).

Good luck anyway. I'm hoping for a quick "Indian" end to the summer in October, fingers crossed eh?

[nutgone]

Oh yes, & I absolutely swear by long-johns. Maybe a bit old fashioned these days, but I love them, wouldn't want to spend a winter without mine.
(obviously I've got more than one pair, you understand)

[TerryV]

Agree completely with hot water bottles. We've got a gas heater we used just to take the chill off but didn't need to use much last October half term. This year we are getting EHU for the first time with a halogen heater, but that's more for my wife than it is for me.

Also agree about lights and batteries. It really came as a shock how much you get through when you are used to summer camping.

Would also add groundsheet gets very cold. If you don't have tent carpet, a fleece or throw that you can put down in the living area will make things more pleasant. Slippers also a good plan as well.

[nutgone]

Be very careful with halogen heaters in tents, they've caused some nasty tent (& house) fires in the past. I personally don't think they're suitable for camping, but with due care & attention they shouldn't represent to much of a problem.

I don't know much about it but I gather the problems come from material coming into contact with them, & most models are pretty unstable on uneven ground, so I guess that's where the problems lie.
Sure, they've got a safety-tilt switch, but this won't render it completely safe.

I don't wish to alarm anybody here, I'm simply passing on a warning that was passed to me last year. Sadly I've lost the links to various news stories etc which came with that warning.
I think people have assumed that because they're electric they are safe to leave unattended, whereas they probably require as much attention as a gas heater. So not unusable, just need to keep a bit of an eye on it.

[TerryV]

Warning duly noted on halogen. To be honest heaters in tents make me twitchy full stop.

[nutgone]

I wouldn't say there's any really safe heater for a tent, except maybe an oil filled radiator, but that's still got 230 volts in it.

My winter project is to design a gas or paraffin powered heater which sits outside the tent & contains a heat exchanger, piping safe heat into the tent. Haven't decided weather to use blown air or miniature water based radiators for the "in-tent" side of it.

It was actually last years winter project, but I didn't have the money or access to a workshop that I have this year.

An instantaneous hot water system powered from any camping stove is another one I had planned, which may yet come to fruition.

watch this space......

[Spandles]

Thanks for your repies. Its a good point about the long dark evenings! As you can see by the time of this reply (3am) I'm not a good sleeper so I would hate to wake up cold and not be able to get back to sleep. I think we would need to look at the forecasts and make a last min decision.

[rexgrant]

we are thinking of squeezing in a winter (half-term in October ) trip. What do I need to do differently from my summer trips (apart from warmer clothes ) Other posts say 'be well prepared' but what exactly does that mean?
Is EHU advisable?

Hi Spandels
Had to pop in for this one. I have camped in every month of the year, and yes you really do need to go prepared.
You don't say if you will be taking children.
But here what Val and I used for winter camping,
We had a Cabanon Andorra this is a cotton walled tent that as a separate kitchen area that you can cook in,we never had more that a spattering of snow so I can not say how it would have coped with 6" on the roof but I always carried storm poles that could have been added if heavy snow was forecast In cold weather I always added a large tarp over the tent to form a second skin to trap air between the two,weather it worked I am not sure but the guy ropes would have helped in a winter storm My tent set up for winter camping. http://.........../apps/photos/al ... id=3987717
I personally would not consider winter camping without an EHU but what must be noted is that the standard EHU
set up http://www.towsure.com/product/Camping_ ... t_3_Outlet will only allow you to draw 10 amps even if you are on a 16 amp pitch to draw the full 16 amps you will require one of these http://www.towsure.com/product/3Way_Car ... _Connector and this http://www.towsure.com/product/Caravan_ ... d_10_Metre
and another http://www.towsure.com/product/Pitch_Po ... upply_Unit
this will allow you to draw the full 16amps but beware you could attempt to draw 20 amps from the 16 amp supply
Use this to work out how much power you require http://www.jobsite-generators.com/power ... ators.html
[[You could get a qualified Electrician to make you up a unit with a 16 amp Circuit Breaker and 25 amp cable it is recomended that you use blue artic cable for winter use,?I have for the caravan.]]
But this would allow you to use two fan heater one running at Two KW and one at one KW. This is what we did but our heaters had thermostats we could turn down over night plus 3.4 amps left to run a video player to watch films for the long nights, But wrapped up warm sat out under the stars with a fire is a very rewarding experience.
Even were fires on the floor are not allowed when all other campers have given up for the year and you have the site to yourself then this is the way we kept warm outside http://.........../apps/photos/al ... id=6938100
Insulation on the floor as been covered and insulation under an inflatable bed as also.But possibly the most important item on your list would be a fully winterized sleeping bag that is breathable The best that warm you up the quickest are the Mummy bags filled with Down but very expensive also very restrictive if you like to twist and turn in your bag. The only wide sleeping bags that a suitable for winter camping according to the makers spec are the ones that are made for specimen fishermen who fish without heat in their bivvy's on the banks of rivers and lakes for weeks at a time here is a selection http://www.fishingwarehouseshop.co.uk/i ... 250432a322 As has been brought up that a minimum of clothing should be worn inside a 5 season sleeping bag and also it is very important that your bag is breathable to allow perspiration to escape and not wet the bags lining and make you feel cold.
Good sleeping bag, good insulation,on the floor,And at least a 2KW heater. This is for camping in a suitable tent.
Makers rate their tents at 4 season for winter camping, the smaller the tent the easier it is to keep warm
The best known of winter tents are the Tentipi http://www.tentipi.se/index.php?id=1
These tents are designed for winter camping and staying warm.
Catch you again
Rex.