Camping in winter can be an exhilarating experience, and especially after the year we’ve had! We’re all eager to get out again, in a socially distanced way, and reconnect with the great outdoors. But if your family, like mine, has an aversion to being in the cold for long periods, the good news is that, with evolving technology, there’s some great equipment available to help everyone get the most from their trip.
1. A thermal tent
The first essential when camping in winter is a well-insulated tent that can withstand freezing outdoor temperatures and keep the cold out, especially when the mercury drops after dark.
Although more are appearing, there aren’t that many options, especially for family use. The Crua Tri 3 is a 3-person option, claimed to be suitable for 4 season use, which makes it a practical option. A poly/cotton thermal cocoon is attached to the interior of the tent to keep out the cold, while the nylon exterior shell is waterproof to 5000mm. The same company also produces a 6 person model for larger groups and families.
2. Wearable sleeping bag
Why wasn’t this invented sooner? An Evrgrn Crash Sack is a fun but incredibly practical sleeping bag, with armholes, and an unzippable bottom. The advantage? You can get up and walk around while still inside. So for those midnight trips outside the tent, there’s no more need to freeze, and minimum disturbance for your tent mates. It also has interior pockets for phones and other essentials and will keep you warm in temperatures as low as 45 degrees.
3. Portable power station
This is a great backup to pack with your camping gear. A portable power station has a myriad of uses, from recharging your communication devices to heating wearables (see below) and providing light in the case that your other sources fail. Weighing less than 3lbs, it provides 18 hours of iPhone charging. Although it’s quite an investment, it can also be invaluable back at home, in the case of a power outage.
4. Backpackers stove
When you’re hiking or camping in the wilderness, there’s nothing better than some hot soup or a warming stew. A lightweight stove can make all the difference to your mealtimes. For example, the Soto Windmaster weighs only 85grams and will boil water in less than 8 minutes, even in blustery conditions.
5. Head torch
The new generation of head torches makes moving around at night so much easier. Newer models incorporate a dimming feature, so you won’t disturb tent mates if you’re moving around in the dark, as well as a night vision mode. While some work with lithium batteries, others such as the ReVolt Headlamp can operate for up to 300 hours with a single USB charge.
6. Heated outerwear
In the last few years, lots of cool new heatable outerwear has come on the market – everything from heated gloves and thermal jackets to underwear and innersoles for hiking boots. Just one of these items will make all the difference when you’re in sub-zero temperatures.
