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Winter Camping Essentials

Winter Camping Essentials

Want to go camping in winter? These are the most important winter camping essentials that you need to bring on your trip!

Winter Camping 

There is something magical about camping in the winter. The cold, the silence, the light that is different. When you go camping in the winter, you are right in the middle of that all. It will make you spend a lot of time outside, while at home you might have hardly come out on a cold day. 

If you are going winter camping it is nice to go out and be active for a while. A brisk walk will quickly make you feel a lot warmer. Do you want to experience that real winter feeling? Then go camping in an area where you can go skiing. At the end of the day curl up by the campfire and warm up with a hot chocolate. It will make you appreciate the winter wonderland even more. 

Tip: Looking for a place to go winter camping? Those campspaces in the UK are open during winter season!

Winter camping essentials

Winter Camping Essentials

Camping in winter is ofcourse a lot more fun, when you do feel warm and comfortable. These Winter Camping Essentials are exactly what you need for that. 

1. Tent

Real diehards go winter camping in a tent, and ofcourse you need a good tent then. If you are one of the diehards, your tent should be a 4-season tent that is designed to get you through any type of weather, like wind, rain and snow. The best ones are made of a durable polyester or nylon. 

You can buy your tent in a nearby outdoor store, but you can find them online as well. Have a look at Amazon, or buy it from a small online retailer. 

A few examples of good tents are: 

  • The North Face Mountain 25 is quite pricey, but it is definitely worth it. The dome tent with four tent poles is the strongest and most stable tent you will ever see. It will keep you sheltered through rain, wind and snow. The tent is super durable, some people used it for more than 10 years! It might not be the best tent if you go backpacking in the mountains alone, because then it is a bit heavy. But when you go together, or when you just go camping at a campspace, this is the tent you need.

  • Don’t want to spend that much? There are plenty of other options. The Berghaus Cairngorm 2 Tent is designed to keep you dry and comfortable all year round. The aerodynamic design of the tent will make sure it stays firm during heavy weather. The tent is easy to set-up and easy to pack. And has many more advantages. 

Are you less of a diehard but still wanting to go away in winter? Consider renting a campervan and go to one of our motorhome sites, or take it even more comfortably in one of our glamping options. 

 

Winter camping essentials tent

2. Sleeping Essentials

A sleeping bag of high quality that can handle low temperatures is one of the most important things you need for camping in winter. It might be a good idea to pick one with a cold-weather rating just a bit colder than the temperature you expect. Choosing a sleeping mummy sleeping bag will help to keep your head and shoulders warm. You can also make use of a sheet sleeping bag to make the total amount of degrees you could handle a bit lower. To keep your sleeping back dry and warm, it might be useful to put your sleeping bag in a dry bag. 

Besides a sleeping bag a quality sleeping pad is important too. Pick one that has an R-value of 4 or more and go for the foam ones. 

3. Cooking Essentials

Your cooking essentials in winter aren’t that much different than your cooking essentials in summer. The most important thing of course is a camping stove and a pot set. With this you can create any camping meal you want. If you are alone you might not even need a plate, as you can eat straight out of the pot, but otherwise bring a plate and of course some utensils. Another not to miss essential is an insulated water bottle. If you go for an RVS one, you can use it for drinks during the day and it can help you keep warm at night. Bring enough easy-to-cook food. Bring some dry food that just needs a splash of water, or pick one of our easy camping meals

You will find an extensive camping packing list on our blog! 

Winter camping essentials cooking

4. Safety Essentials

Our packing list has some safety essentials too. When you go camping in winter, a few of the most important ones are: a headlamp and/or a flashlight, a first aid kit, a pocket knife or multi-tool, duct tape and a repair kit for your tent and stove. 

Are you planning to go hiking or do another outdoor activity? Then bring a compass, a map, sunscreen and a whistle. 

5. Clothes

Last but not least: your clothes. It’s really important to bring clothes that are made of fabric that dries easily. Wet clothes either from the rain or snow, or sweat, will make you cold. It also helps to bring lots of layers. As when the sun is out, it might become warm.

Important items of clothing are good socks (such as wool socks), warm and waterproof winter shoes, a thermal shirt and thermal leggings and a fleece vest or a good wool sweater. For the super cold days or the moments you are going out skiing, take good wind and waterproof trousers and a jacket with you.

Avoid cotton at all costs. Cotton does not wick moisture and that may drop your body temperature. Besides that it serves as a medium for bacteria.

Winter camping essentials clothes

Winter Camping Tips

These winter camping tips will help to make your winter camping experience even better.

1. Light a Fire

It can be difficult to find good wood, but you will probably always find some wood to light a fire with. Sometimes they even provide it on campspaces. Staying close to the campfire will keep you warm and it can also be used to cook your meal. Have a look at the campings that allow campfires and at our best campfire meals.

2. Check Weather Conditions

Always check the weather conditions as it will help you pack the right things and know what to expect. Not that adventurous and a weekend of bad weather coming up? Check with you campspace host if it is possible to rearrange your visit. 

3. No Frozen Tent

To make sure your tent won’t freeze on the inside, keep your vents open. In this way the condensation from your breath can go out. Too cold? Then make sure to sweep out the ice crystals before they melt. 

Looking for more tips? Have a look at these cold-weather camping tips to make your winter camping trip one to memorize for the good things and not just for the cold. 

Winter camping essentials light a fireWinter camping essentials warm tent

Now you have your winter camping essentials, you are ready to go. Quickly book your campspace and enjoy this perfect adventure!

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