Samuel Mwagiru Karongo

25 tips to keeping your tent warm with and without electricity You can’t be prepared enough when camping in cold weather. So every time I go out camping I am always looking for new and better ways to keep warm. I’ve had awful experiences before camping in colder seasons. There was one time my son and I went out camping. My wife decided to stay at the lodge because our second born was still young. Plus she had a terrible experience from the previous year. My son was excited, we’d only stay for a night then come back in the morning. It wasn’t snowing but it was chilly. Of course, we hadn’t prepared enough, it was a painfully cold night. Luckily, I had a few tricks up my sleeves, so we found a way to keep warm till morning. So I decided to dig deeper and find everything I could about keeping your tent warm. So I combined the research and personal experience to present to you 25 tips to keeping your tent warm with and without electricity. Read on to learn more. How to stay warm in a tent A study conducted a few years ago found out that cold-related deaths were 20 times higher than those caused by heat. While this study isn’t specific to the camping related, cold motivated deaths, it helps in painting the potential risks associated with long exposure to cold weather. All I am saying is that keeping warm is a matter of life and death. This is truer if you are spending longer periods in the cold weather. Let’s dive into the tips on how to keep your tent warm with or without electricity. Heat your tent with hot water - hot water bottle This is one of the tricks I normally use, for one it reminds me of the true essence of camping. When you are out camping miles away from home, improvisation adds flavor to the camping experience. For this tip to work, you need hardened bottles. It’s simple. Just heat water to near boiling point. You also need a fire and some heating items. Once, the water is hot enough you can transfer it to regular plastic bottles. Spread these bottles inside the tent. They will keep you warm till morning. This method is so effective that the bottles are still warm in the morning. Use heated stones to keep the tent warm This method is almost similar to using water bottles. Choose some stones and place them around the fire. Do not throw them into the fire because they’ll be hard to remove. To ensure they do not burn the tent, you should wrap them with a piece of cloth. You should place them strategically within your tent at least one hour before you sleep. The best spots are those furthest to you, to avoid touching them. Warm stones keep passing heat for about four hours. Even though they do not pass heat for longer as water bottles, they pass it off faster nonetheless. Insulate your tent - Reduce Ambient Space I found this to be rather interesting and a fantastic way to keep your tent warm. For starters bring together you and your partner’s sleeping bag. Secondly, lay your gear and sacks all around the interior of your tent to add more insulation. Thirdly, secure a space blanket on the tent ceiling. You can secure it using duct tape. But if you see a lot of moisture in the morning you can do away with this method. Electric / portable heaters You’ll agree with me that modern time’s tent heating methods are lifesavers. Though some as electric heaters are not as commando as others highlighted here, they are effective nonetheless. After all, the idea if to keep our tent warm, isn’t it? The electric heater requires approximately 2 feet space around it. Place it in a position it won't be knocked down, ideally on a platform. The heater should be secured to the platform. Connect it to a source of electricity, usually, through an extension cord. Also, the cord should be secured with duct tape to avoid getting wet. Ensure the cord's wires are not exposed and the cord is placed away from human traffic, to avoid tripping. That's it! Enjoy your warm camping experience and do not forget to share your experience here. Electric blanket Moving on swiftly to another sophisticated, less “jungle” tent warming method. This method is targeted because it only heats the person using it. That said, it might warm a smaller tent depending on its power. They come in regular blanket sizes and specific designs such as King Sizes, car blankets, food blankets and so on. They are powered by an electric source. You should confirm whether there is a source of electricity at your campsite. Underfloor heated carpets I have not tried the underfloor heated carpets as yet but from the rave reviews, I can tell they are awesome. Technically, they use the same principles as the electric blankets but with a different approach. Simply place them on the tent floor. You can still use your sleeping bag in this method. To ensure they work on fine you can have a heat-reflecting mat below the heated carpets. That way, the cold moistures from the ground will not get into the tent. At the same time maintaining warmer air in the tent. Insulate your tent with a tent carpet and/or rugs - layers underneath Quite a significant amount of heat is lost through the naked ground. A carpet or rug offers a layer of insulation when placed on the floor of your tent. Nevertheless, tents carpets do not come cheap but can bring out homely coziness. You should consider getting one on your next camping trip. . Alternatively, you can invest in a rug. However, most of them are not waterproof. When using them ensure you lay them on waterproof material to prevent getting damp. Wear suitable clothing - don’t wait until you feel cold to layer up – thermals I always layer up when I am going for cold camping. I dress up in three layers, inner, middle and outer clothing. There is a misconception that cloth keeps us warmer if they are bulk. In reality, clothes keep us warmer if there is space for air to pass through. Heat passes through the heat-conducting substances. But it even travels faster through the air. So you should not only look for clothes material bulkiness but also the material itself. For example, cotton is not a great clothing material during cold winters. These are the tips you should remember when layering up: Wear a hat all the time. Wear thermal innerwear Remember to wear three layers of clothing Put on synthetic socks Always cover your face like you are skiing. Don't get wet By all means, make sure you don't get wet when you are out camping. Also, ensure your gear does not get wet. How do you avoid getting wet? Store your gear and extra apparel in waterproof bags in your backpack. Wear waterproof gloves and carry extras to use if they get wet. Wear waterproof boots Carry extra clothes for when the one set gets damp from hiking or outside activities. Ensure the floor of the tent is not wet before tucking yourself in. Avoid extremely wet weather when you are out camping. You can stay within your tent till the blizzard or rain subsides. Don’t go to bed cold There are potential risks associated with going to bed cold. I can’t stress further the importance of sleeping warmly. To avoid going to bed cold you should prepare early. For instance, ensure that the sleeping bags are readied beforehand. Next, you need to warm the sleeping bag through the various methods we have highlighted here. Of course, you can’t thrive in the cold on an empty stomach. Eat delicacies full of high calories and slow burring qualities such as chocolate and nuts. Whatever you do you should ensure you never sleep cold at all costs. Use a sleeping bag liners Should you be using a sleeping bag liner? Yes, you do. It's easy to be all tough and "macho" when you are out camping. As it is, the sleeping bag has been designed to keep you warmer. However, it's highly unlikely, you will get as much sleep as you would when you sleep on sheets back at home. Essentially, the sleeping bag liner has been designed to keep you warmer when you sleep in cold weather. Use disposable heat packs Two scenarios make disposable heat packs great for me when I am out camping. The first situation is when I want to keep myself warm at night. I place a few of the disposable heat packs in my sleeping bag when I lay down. Secondly, I find they are quite useful when I am out hiking in cold temperatures. The first scenario is best suited for our tent warming tips. So do not hesitate to carry the disposable heat packs. Use a suitably sized tent - not too large There is no definitive tent size, everyone shares different opinions about why they prefer one size over the other. Nevertheless, a not so large tent is nearly perfect for cold weather, for the basic reason its better at heat management. On the other hand, if it’s too small the same point can be viewed as a disadvantage. When I am out with the family I prefer a large tent because I need more space. Plus, I have gained enough experience in how to keep our tent warmer. Alternatively, I'd go for a medium-sized tent. Besides, it's easier to manage even when moving around. And you can read more about people's tent choices. Use the correct kind of sleeping bag - well-rated sleeping bag - Insulated, Closed-Cell Foam Sleeping Pad First of all, I hear people ask this question a lot. Where do you place the sleeping pad? There are two options either underneath or inside the sleeping bag. Well, off the top of my head I can state a few reasons why I’d put a sleeping pad inside my sleeping bag. If they are placed underneath they tend to shift with every turn of sweet dreams. Or I’d say they minimize the cold spots once inside the sleeping bag. That said, I can still share some reasons why you should not put them inside the bag. For example, some are wider making them difficult to fit in your sleeping bag. All in all, you need to get the correct sleeping bag with an insulated closed-cell foam sleeping pad. Take extra blankets It doesn’t hurt to come prepared with some extra blankets for use. One blanket might get damp or even wet, you’ll need another one for replacement. Occasionally, people forget to carry along extra blankets for colder nights. When it gets extremely cold, they are lifesavers, they help keep you warmer in the biting cold. Choose the right camping spot - sheltered - away from high winds Regardless, of the spot you choose, it’s important to learn how to secure your tent against the wind. The following tips will help you choose the right camping spot: Check the weather forecast, you should confirm with the weather guys on the strength and direction of the winds before setting base. Remember to carry the proper gear for securing up your tent You can choose a sheltered campsite, they might not offer the best view but at least they protect against strong winds. Go for natural windshields; once you confirm the direction of the wind, place your tent in against trees, hills or cliff protections. Pitch tent in the right direction especially the door should be facing the direction against the wind. Pitch your tent when it is less windy. Pitch your tent properly, there are best practices such as the use of pegs and arranging your tent properly. Eat sufficient calories and drink hot drinks You need to eat sufficiently nutritious food high of calories, stay hydrated, more so drinking hot drinks to stay warm. One quick tip about eating camp food is that you should pick food that requires less preparation. You can easily prepare foods such as sandwiches, typically eaten with a mug of hot chocolate, tea or even some soup. Do not shy away from fatty foods, cold weather tends to burn more calories in your body. Meat and cheese can be chopped up at home. Lastly, you can enjoy dry treats as well as few crackers or even fruitcakes. However, it’s good to mention that this is just a sample diet, you can work with various combinations. You can read up or check online for other great high calories diet combinations. Get active The rules of science allow you to remain active in the cold weather. When you are active your body is warmer unlike when you are resting. You should not wait until you are cold. Get active. In most cases, people tend to layer up when they are already cold. However, you should maintain your body active by doing some activities such as jumping. Also, you can do some other activities that will make you sweat in the cold weather. Light a campfire A campfire is a universally recognized symbol of camping. It's more like saying that you have not truly gone camping if you never lit a campfire. The campfire is useful in two ways. One, the campfire is used for warming yourself directly or through warming hot water bottles or even stones, Secondly, the campfire can be used to cook or warm food which is an essential ingredient in a great camping experience. In some instances, you can even set up a tent in a spot when a fire has already died down. However, you should be very careful not to endanger your life or of anyone in the tent. Be prepared and pack the right camping gear Missing gear can ruin what otherwise would have been a perfect camping trip. But you shouldn’t worry, because experienced campers know when to improvise. Therefore, even skills play a crucial role during winter camping. That said, there is some useful gear that you shouldn't leave behind at all costs. This gear includes a strong tent, a well-insulated sleeping bag alongside its sleeping pad and a stove during cold temperatures. Besides, you can carry a heater or bottle for warming. If you have other people with you just multiply the essentials with the number of people you’ll be having during the trip. Furthermore, you should not forget to carry cold season clothing such as puffy coats, waterproof jackets, socks, gloves, and sunglasses. Even if you do not come with the specific cloth as I have shared, at least make sure that they will keep you warm throughout. Oh, yeah…don't forget to come with food and drinks that you'll be eating during your camping trip. Dry clothes and gear - store in a dry bag As I had stated earlier, you need to carry along enough pairs of clothes to change while camping. For instance, there is a high possibility some of the clothes might get wet and need replacing. The extra clothing allows you to have a backup even when it’s cold. High R-value sleeping mat Let's just say that having a High R-value sleeping mat is essential during cold outings. Sleeping mats come in various sizes ranging from rolling up foam pads, with ridges or aluminized ones for better insulation. The aluminized ones help reflect available heat towards you. In our case, you should choose the insulated sleeping mat because it will offer thermal protection. However, some people might choose an all-weather sleeping mat to serve them better even in summer. I bet you are wondering what the meaning of R-Value is. Well, the R-Value indicates a sleeping pad’s insulation ability from the tent’s floor or ground. This value runs on a scale of 0-6. The higher the number the higher the R-value thus the higher the ability to keep you warmer. So when you are out to purchase a sleeping pad, you should consider the R-value Remove morning frost from your tent You’ll notice that water vapor tends to condense on the tent interior. The downside to this is that when the ice melts it will wet your gear. But there is a way around this. You can control the morning frost by packing your gear inside plastic bags. Furthermore, you need to sweep the ice particles before they melt. If there is a need, you should dry out your gear every morning. Of course, you can always invert your tent when there are some sunshine and useful wind. They help to remove any remaining moisture. Insulate your water bottles When it’s cold or you’re in high altitudes there is a potential risk of dehydration. Your body does not handle freezing water so well. In actual sense, it drops the body temperature and raising temperatures back to normal becomes hard. There are specially designed insulated steel bottles that you can carry along to keep water at a safer to drink temperatures. Some of the commercial air coolers maintain heat with a 95% retention capability. Once in a while, you should keep on dehydrating your body by drinking something warm such as soup or water. Protect your electronics from the cold Cold weather has a way of draining your battery or even damaging your electronics permanently. If you carry along with electronics, which is expected especially with smartphones, you can keep them at the bottom of your sleeping bag. And not just electronics, you can keep away anything that you feel might freeze from the cold weather. By default, electronics can only fully function at a specified maximum and minimum temperature, if they go past that they might get damaged. Confirm this with your electronics before taking them out for camping. What not to use to heat your tent Tent stove without flue Tent stoves are usually designed with a flue to pass the smoke out of the tent into the air where people cannot breathe in the gases. Safety is enhanced through following the right installation measures such as using them in a well-ventilated area. You should also follow the manufacture's guidelines. Maintain a clean flue at all times. Burn only dry wood to prevent clogging up the flue. As a precaution, you should never go to sleep when the tent stove is open. Open fire Because of the risks involved, you should not use an open fire in a tent. For one, the open fire is uncontrollable and might burn materials in the tent including the tent canvas. Even if the tent is high enough and well ventilated some woods produce sparks that might burn gear, tent or clothes. If you burn words containing tar, the entire tent will be filled with thick smoke. The most ideal situation when using open fire is to find a way to control it. For example, the fire can be lit in a firebox placed on a platform. Heaters during the night Recently, the Campers Coalition warned that campers using heaters overnight poses threats to campers. They warned that there is a higher risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially during the night. They added that outdoor tent stoves and heaters emit life-threatening CO. When you use heaters at night you become vulnerable and are unaware when carbon monoxide poisoning happens. Carbon dioxide symptoms include drowsiness, headaches, feeling dizzy, confusion and general weakness.