With the snow, ice, Santa & the Yuletide season upon us, it is only proper to look at the compulsory items in your winter camping checklist. Here are must-have gear to pack to ensure your chilly time out with family does not turn into a disaster. Trust winter to always come with a surprise or two, and not necessarily pleasant ones.
7 Compulsory Items To Have in Your Winter Camping Checklist
Winter Camping Tent
You’ll come across extreme weather conditions as you hit the wild in winter. Thankfully, this can be weathered with a good winter tent that’s as well durable & waterproof. Your tent has to be in top shape since it will be your shelter throughout your adventure. Choose a size that’s large enough to accommodate everyone who’s on the trip with you.
If you expect stormy weather, go along with a four-season tent. This tent type has heavy fabrics & strong poles specially designed to endure heavy rain or snowfall and high winds. If this isn’t available, you can make do with a 3-season camp while hoping that the worst weather does not say hi.
Winter Sleeping Bag
A winter sleeping bag offers extra safety & comfort during chilly nights, especially for single campers. Your choice is ideally rated 10° below the expected coldest temp & should be 3 pounds lighter in weight.
Instead of going with a rectangle-shaped bag, you should try out a mummy shape with draft collars over the shoulders & hoods with strings. This will improve insulation & hear retention. To be secure, you can consider costlier bags that are extra padded in the head & foot areas as well as liners to foster warmth.
Winter Survival Blanket
An extra blanket made of soft wool & cotton is an advisable gear when traveling during winter. This will provide more warmth and come in handy in several places. This blanket type is usually stain-resistant and easily cleanable, which makes it just okay for winter camping. Keep in mind, too, that its wool makes it insulated even if wet.
Winter Sleeping Pad
Not to outrightly consider the convenience it brings, a winter sleeping pad is an extra layer of warmth positioned between the snowy ground & sleeping bags. You can pack two types of full-length pads along for better cushioning & insulation. One should be a self-inflating air pad to be on top, while the other should be a closed-cell foam pad positioned below. Also, take note of the R-value, which is how you measure the insulating ability of a pad. The least to go for should be 4.0, but I advise higher ratings for very cold environments.
Winter Clothing
You have to wear the appropriate set of clothes that will keep your temperature under wrap. Coming along with these clothes is as important as packing other gear. Without these, your gear may be for nothing. Let’s look at some layers of clothes to pack along.
- Base layer: basically, this is the layer closest to the skin and usually the most important. Apart from its part in ensuring warmth, it is the layer that absorbs moisture obviously because it is lying on your skin. Clothing in this layer has to be moisture absorbent. This is a critically important function because failure to remove perspiration from your skin is likely to cause hypothermia. Select fabrics like nylon, polyester, and Merino wool that dry rapidly.
- Mid-layer: the main function of this layer is insulation. It helps your body to retain heat as well as allow proper distribution. There are a couple of wears to choose from here, including puffy jackets, pullover sweaters, vests & pants made of wool, fleece, or synthetic material.
- Outer layer: also known as the shell layer, this is concerned with waterproof, windproof, lightweight & breathable coats, jackets & pants. This layer is your protection from snow & rain and prevents moisture from getting to the underneath layers.
Winter Footwear
Your footwear has to be waterproof and able to provide insulation, much like your ideal clothing. Pay close attention to the following considerations when shopping for your winter footwear:
- Heated insoles: your shoes have to have heated insoles, as they protect your toes from going numb when kept on for long. Always buy footwear with these insoles. You can also wear waterproof and insulated insoles on the feet directly.
- Boots: this is usually dependent on the level of snow, but the usual choice is between mountaineering & hiking boots. However, if you will be skiing or snowboarding, put on footwear designed for the activity. Ensure that your boots fit snugly and wear thick socks underneath.
Winter Camping Accessories
Although they are often overlooked, accessories can make your time much easier and more comfortable in the winter. They include:
- Glasses or Goggles: The eyes are usually the most ignored part when preparing for the great outdoors. Many often forget that they also need protection and are even more delicate than the body. You have to keep them safe from the wind & sun. Note that even in winter, the sun can be severe and may lead to discomfort, sunburn & even snow blindness.
- Gloves: grabbing gear or cooking meals is difficult with bare, cold hands. Therefore, a good pair of insulated or fleece gloves is a necessity. These will keep your hands warm and prevent them from going numb. Come along with a spare in case the other suffers a tear.
- Hat: with a synthetic beanie or knit hat, you can stay warm & retain body heat. A winter hat will cover your ears & offer extra warmth during the cold nights and days.
- Socks: socks will prevent ice & snow from infiltrating your footwear. Find a pair of good socks that’s warm, comfortable & breathable to avoid blisters & lower the risk of frostbite.
Concluding The Compulsory Items to Have in Your Winter Camping Checklist
There are other compulsory items to have in your winter camping checklist, some of which are winter heater, winter stove & insulated camping bottle. Take note of these necessities to ensure that winter is all happy as it should be. Stay warm: stay safe.