staying warm

[madman]

when camping in winter i use a tried and true method. the hot water bottle. fill nalgene bottle with hot water wrap with clothing or drop in a sock.put this in a breathable stuf sack with the socks u hiked in any wet gloves or hat. place in bottom of sleeping bag this will keep you warm all nite and dry any wet clothing packed with it. also you will have water for the morn. give us your ideas

I've never tried the hot-water bottle method (although I'll usually keep a nalgene in my sleeping bag to keep the water from freezing). On a side note, my biggest problem isn't keeping warm, it's trying to warm up an already cold sleeping bag. I find that putting on more layers at night tends to insulate (my) body heat from the bag. Instead, i'll line the inside of a decent bag with a compact fleece blanket and just sleep in a long sleeve tee shirt and shorts.

The only disadvantage is if you have to get out of your tent in the middle of the night.

[mochilero]

I sleep with all my clothes on, and have found that this definitely keeps me warmer.

Also, going to bed warm is a big help ( It takes forever to warm up if you start out the night cold), so exercise a little, or have a hot cup of tea just before turning in.

Wearing a hat is guaranteed to help.

One last one: Some have told me that sleeping with your feet slightly uphill keeps you warmer. Seems to be true, when I've tried it.

Steve
The Ultralight Backpacking Site

[MichaelJ]

I used to do the hot water bottle trick, but I've found one problem with it. It makes the sleeping bag *too* warm when I get in, and so I end up with my torso pulled out, the zipper slipped down, etc. Then, overnight as things cool off, I end up waking up with a wicked chill.

So now I just do one bottle (not all of them), and I don't bring it to a full boil. That gets the cold out of the bag before I get in but doesn't overheat me.

Also, keep in mind that there is a break-even point with wearing clothes. If you put on too many layers, you will sweat in the bag, and that will end up freezing and causing conductive heat loss and giving you a chill, especially if you use a down bag. I found that by backing off on how much I wore in the bag, I got warmer.

And a pee bottle solves the other problem.

[blacknblue]

My biggest problem with staying warm on the coldest nights is losing heat via conduction, right out the bottom of the tent. If sleeping on my back, my back gets cold. Obviously, with 8 inches of down on top, that's fine. But even sleeping atop a sleeping pad, space blanket, the tent itself, and the footprint, I still manage to get cold. How do you prevent that conductive heat loss? Or am I just being a wuss?

its especially tough sleeping on snow. In winter I switch from a 3/4 thermarest to a full length closed cell pad (ridgerest). I've never had to use both at the same time, but that would be my advice if you're still cold.

you could also follow this guys quasi-scientific advice http://www.haeadventure.com/sleeping.htm

good luck C

[David Metsky]

For winter camping I recommend two pads, one open cell and one closed. If you are sleeping on snow, that is really the way to go.

Stay hydrated, eat before going to bed, and have a pee bottle that's easy to identify in the darkness.

-dave-

What's nalgene? Not sure about spendimng nights in tents, but in what confers sleeping bags- one rule i am aware of is that you should try not to breath into the bag, as moisture in your breath will make you wet and cold. It's better to put something (thin) over your face to pre-warm the icy night air, like a shawl or the sleeve of a sweater.

[cbcbd]

Originally Posted by Weary Wanderer

What's nalgene?

It's a sturdy water bottle with a big mouth:
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/


I'm a warm sleeper and don't mind being a little cold at night. But on really cold nights I just remember that less layers works best. If my feet are really cold then I wear my down booties to bed.
I usually take a 3/4 length open cell pad in the winter, so usually my feet are resting on top of my backpack where the pad ends, so are very far away from any snow contact

...oh, and situps in the bag are good too

Oooh, you meant a thermos?