Would love to hear from other who have done some winter camping . For instance is it safe to cook within the tent or do you put up a separate tent ? Did you have your tent custom made so that you can handle blowing snow and still be able to exit the tent without getting snow inside. What about air vent for cooking ?
winter camping tips
- Thread starter LimaKayak
- Start date
kai38
Explorer
Some tents have a vestabule, a front zippered "pre" door area to leave muddy boots & to cook. Cooking inside a cramped tent can be dangerous if you knock over your lit stove setting your sleeping bags & tent on fire or spill the hot pot of soup inside the water tight floor. Look for at least a 3 season tent or a 4 season tent. Some 4 seasons might have a small zippered floor area to open to set the stove for cooking. The tent will need to has some ventalation while the stove is burning. Big tip for winter camping is stay dry & dont wear cotton as a base layer or any layer
gasman
Adventurer
look for a 3 or 4 man 3 or 4 season isodome tent 5 poles, more ridgid and will stand up on its own in pretty high winds.. some times you dont have the option of pegging them down in the snow. i would make sure the fly goes all the way to the ground.. the tent should breathe well and the fly will keep you out of the elements.. the bigger your tent is the harder it is going to be to heat.. i have never cooked in a tent .. and never will . i know the the tents these days are way more flame resistant but its just the way i am i dont use a heater either, a good mummy bag rated to minus 30 does the trick for me .. now i have used rocks heated in the fire wrapped in a towel .. stuff one of those in your sleeping bag and you are warm all night..
gasman
Adventurer
sorry i couldnt find the model 1600, on their site, how are you gonna be 2 feet off the ground ? i think your gonna freeze your butt off.. the air under the tent will be a bad thing..
I'm planning on using a down mattress and vapor barrier clothes and liner . I don't think the air under neath will be a problem (talking to adventure trailers people). Also , where i park is going to be fairly protected. I can always build a base to enclose the area below the tent.
gasman
Adventurer
might be ok . i never had the luxury of bringing a matress.. i dont understand the 2 feet off the groung thing in a tent. does this tent have a hard floor or is it a cot thats off the ground inside the tent.? now once or twice i did have a bale of hay under my tent.. that was nice.
gasman
Adventurer
the subject of heaters has been covered lots you should take a look in the camping and outdoor gear section..
ive never really liked propane heaters they have their advantages and disadvantages carbon monoxide ? moisture ? the products of clean combustion are basically heat nitrogen and water vapour so on one hand your gettin warm but on the other hand your gettin damp.. and damp means your gonna freeze.. those litle propane heaters make a tremendous amount of moisture..
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Complete combustion of a hydrocarbon results in CO2 and H2O + heat released.
I'd spend the money on good sleeping bags. Buy them rated to at least 10 degrees colder than what you expect to encounter and maybe more. Back packers have solved all of this long before, just follow their lead.
A cool trick with a vestibule in snow is to dig a trench where you can sit in the tnet, but have your feet in the trench. Make it narrow enough that you can put the stove on the far side of the trench and barely lean out to cook.
I'd spend the money on good sleeping bags. Buy them rated to at least 10 degrees colder than what you expect to encounter and maybe more. Back packers have solved all of this long before, just follow their lead.
A cool trick with a vestibule in snow is to dig a trench where you can sit in the tnet, but have your feet in the trench. Make it narrow enough that you can put the stove on the far side of the trench and barely lean out to cook.
deepmud
Adventurer
you are going to put a tent on flat trailer, or on a pickup bed?
Clearly, with the talk of 2 feet off the ground, and parking, you aren't "tenting" in the traditional sense - it's fine, but you aren't giving out all the data, so the advice you are getting doesn't fit your needs exactly.
I enjoy heat in a tent, but not to sleep with - then it's time for a nice sleeping bag. Ground pads, mattress', all good. However, I've never used a tent on a trailer like I think you are describing.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Carbon Monoxide is the result of incomplete combustion, and you'll find it on the exhaust side of all the appliances that I know of that burn hydrocarbons.
If you want to heat an area you need a heater with a separate combustion and hot air set up. The exhaust need to be vented in an area with good airflow.
If you are cooking, heating, lighting an enclosed area using hydrocarbons as fuel, which is highly inadvisable, you need to have a battery operated CO monitor.
Don't confuse a low Oxygen sensor with a CO monitor. CO can kill you way before the oxygen sensor turns the appliance off.
I know life is terminal, but please don't shorten it.
If you want to heat an area you need a heater with a separate combustion and hot air set up. The exhaust need to be vented in an area with good airflow.
If you are cooking, heating, lighting an enclosed area using hydrocarbons as fuel, which is highly inadvisable, you need to have a battery operated CO monitor.
Don't confuse a low Oxygen sensor with a CO monitor. CO can kill you way before the oxygen sensor turns the appliance off.
I know life is terminal, but please don't shorten it.
matt s
Explorer
Here is a free one: heat water and fill your nalgene (or other poly bottle) with it and toss into the bottom of your bag as you head to bed. Careful with this as boiling water with no buffer will burn you. However wrapped in a towel etc. it will keep you warm for much longer than you would think.