5 Tips on how to stay warm while camping

Camping holidays are possible all year round. But if you go camping in the fall or winter, it can get quite cold at night. In some places in Europe, it can be very cool at night even in summer. We have listed 5 tips on how to stay warm while camping.

A warm sleeping bag

If you go camping in the fall, you must stay warm at night. You can buy an extra thick winter sleeping bag, such as a mummy sleeping bag. Alternatively, you can warm up the sleeping bag before going to bed, for example with a hot water bottle. You don’t have a hot water bottle with you? Then make one yourself! Boil some water or get hot water from the toilet block and pour the hot water into an empty plastic bottle. 

ATTENTION: Please note that the water should not be boiling, otherwise there is a risk that the plastic bottle will warp and break. Then place the filled bottle on the foot of your sleeping bag half an hour before going to bed. In addition, you can fill the sleeping bag with a few items of clothing that you will put on the next day. In this way, you can limit cavities and also slip into warm clothing the next morning. Completely cuddled in a mummy sleeping bag – that’s how it gets nice and warm.

Avoid moisture

The moisture ensures that everything cools down quickly. If your clothes and shoes are wet, dry them in the awning or outside the tent. If you want to dry them in the tent, the humidity in the tent increases. And moist air is difficult to heat. If you still want to let it dry in the tent, make sure it is well ventilated. Did you know that it is also very important to pack the tent as well as possible when dry or to clean it when you get home? Otherwise, mold can develop in the tent.

Small tent

When camping in the fall and winter, your tent must be warm. The insider tip: camp with a small tent. It is easier to warm up than a large tent because there are fewer voids. One of the things you can do to warm up a tent is to use an electric heater. Or a tea light can work wonders and provide a lot of warmth in a small tent. However, make sure you keep it in a safe place.

Sufficient insulation

When it cools down at night, the floor also gets cold very quickly. If you go camping in autumn, you have an advantage: the leaves have an insulating effect. So put a base sheet on a pile of leaves and build your tent on it. This gives you additional insulation that keeps out the rising cold. It is also advisable to sleep on a sleeping mat or an inflatable mattress instead of an air mattress. These mattresses are often made of foam, which heats up much faster than an air mattress. Or you can use an inflatable camp bed with a slatted frame and a sleeping mat. This combination guarantees you a good night’s sleep.

Take care of yourself

Your body provides most of the warmth, so take good care of it. Eat and drink enough throughout the day to keep your body warm. Also dress well during the day, for example with the help of thermal clothing, a good jacket, and a hat. It can also help to do a few exercises before bed: sprinting, jumping rope, push-ups, and the like. You will find that if your body is warm, you will stay warm even in the sleeping bag. A sleeping bag is generally there to keep you warm, not to warm you up.