General cold weather camping kit.
Sleeping bag rated to 15* colder than whatever the temperature is going to be.
I use a Wiggy's -40* sleep system consisting of an inner 0* bag inside an outer 40* bag.
Substitutions: Although it may sound contrary to good sense - you can more or less subtract the bag ratings of layered bags from each other. So - if you can get your hands on two 40* bags, put them inside each other, you'll get something approaching a 0* bag - and about the same weight. Two heavy household blankets are about the same as one 40* sleeping bag. The issue with blankets is that they tend to bunch up. If you roll around a lot, you'll encounter cold spots.
Ground insulation is critical. Sleeping bags provide loft above - but collapse underneath you and your body heat will wick into the ground. You must have something higher density than a sleeping bag, but still highly insulating between you and the ground - or you're going to have a rough night.
Air mattresses are 100% worthless in the cold. The vinyl becomes brittle causing them to crack and the air inside them condenses - causing them to go flat. When they're flat they become a moisture barrier and are -worse- than nothing at all.
Thermarest makes a product called RidgeRest. It's a remarkably light, durable 1/2" to 3/4" thick foam pad that I use year-around. Even the best sleeping bag isn't going to cut it without one of these between the bag and the ground. They're $25-$35 or so. If you're going to buy a pad - accept no blow-up un-ridged substitutions on this. I've tried the alternatives - they're worse.
Substitutions: If you can't find or afford a RidgeRest, get a paper route. Baring that, find a THICK wool shippers blanket, a horse saddle blanket, a THICK wool serape OR a 2nd or 3rd sleeping bag to put under your sleep system between you and the freezing ground. Remember - heat travels most quickly through contact between solid objects. On a cold outing we had 3 men in one tent, shoulder to shoulder camping on 6" of snow. The two on the outside both had RidgeRests. The one in the center did not. The next day we took down the tent. The two with RidgeRests compacted the snow - but it was unmelted. The person in the center of the tent had melted through 6" of snow and thawed the first 1/4" of dirt/mud underneath it after a cold & miserable night's sleep. The two on the outside - right up against the wall of the tent - we slept fine.
Clothing:
Rule #1: Always have a complete change of dry clothing available.
Rule #2: Always follow rule #1.
Many layers is the start. Regulate your layers so that you don't sweat. Many types of fabrics (cotton) loose their insulating abilities when wet - and some (cotton) act as moisture wicks to further chill you through evaporation. Some people say that winter camping gear has to be all synthetic, silk or wool - I'm not that restrictive. Cotton is fine - if it stays dry. If you're going to wear cotton though - see Rule #1 - and it wouldn't hurt to see it twice.
Make sure you have a head covering - preferably a hoodie type jacket, stocking cap, ski mask or bomber hat.
Footwear:
Rule #1 for clothing applies - keep a dry set of shoes/boots/footwear available.
What I normally wear winter camping:
Inner layer: Cotton sweat socks, boxers, t-shirt. If you want to stay away from cotton, UnderArmor makes some high tech substitutes for the old standby clothing.
Footwear: Vasque 14" tall Thinsulate full Gortex. Backup is a pair of tennis shoes. Secondary backup is a pair of super-heavy wool socks - also worn in tent.
Pants: Cabelas 50/50 cargo pants. If it's 10* or less I'll put on a pair of sweats under them. There is a secret layer that can go on under the sweat pants if it's under 0* out. Ask your wife for a set of pantyhose. Ask any NFL player if they work.
Torso: Heavy canvas long sleeve button shirt. Zip up hoodie sweatshirt. Down jacket. Rain-proof outer shell. If I need more than that, then the fire needs to be a lot larger.
Head: Cotton ball cap, hood from the hoodie, blaze orange hunter's ski mask.
Substitutions:
Footwear: If your footwear isn't waterproof, bring three pairs. You ALWAYS want something on your feet while you're drying out the wet gear.
Legs: Baggy jeans two sizes too big from goodwill and a pair of sweats.
Torso: that sweater grandma gave you that you'll otherwise never wear, a hoodie, an oversized jacket and a poncho (in case it rains).
Head: If you don't have a hat - beg borrow knit one.
Techniques that help.
*Camp where there is a wind break from at least 3 sides.
*Put your tent far enough from the fire that you -can't- feel any heat from the fire. Burning down your tent is a really really bad idea. With a proper sleeping bag and ground mat - there is no need to heat the inside of a tent.
* Keep water in jugs small enough to fit inside your cook pot.
* Before you go to bed, put a water bottle in the cook pot, pour water in around it up to the rim of the pot. Remove the water bottle. Put a lid on the pot. If your water is all frozen in the morning, heat up the water set asside in the cook pot to boiling - then remove it from the burner and set the first frozen water bottle in it. Re-heat the water as necessary until you have some water to drink & start thawing the next bottle. If you're a coffee drinker, pre-fill the coffee pot with water too before you go to bed.
* At some point someone is going to have the idea to boil water, put it in a canteen and take it to bed with them. If you're going to do this, wrap it in a sweatshirt first before putting it in your sleeping bag with you. A boiling hot canteen of water can burn you AND melt your sleeping bag's fibers - ruining it. Also consider what your backup plan is if the canteen melts, breaks freezes and breaks, has a bad seal or somehow gets liquid in your sleeping bag.
* Have a fire large enough to generate heat at chest level so you don't have to sit down to enjoy it.
* Have a fire small enough that you can get close enough to enjoy it.
* Rotate/turn continuously while near the fire. By the time you feel the heat directly through the 4-6 layers you're wearing - you're melting &/or on fire.
* Use welding gloves (if you have them) when cooking on the fire. Since you're well insulated - it's hard to judge just how hot it is while stirring your soup. Better yet is to remove things from the fire to stir them.
* Always keep some of your water in liquid form - beyond what you need to drink. You need some liquid water to be able to thaw the frozen water in your other canteen.
* Strip down and change into a dry and clean t-shirt & underwear before going to bed. If you're going to sleep in socks - make it a fresh perfectly dry pair.
* If you're cold (shivering) wet (can't get warm) and have no real hope to fix that state - get in someplace warm and LET SOMEONE KNOW YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. Winter camping is -not- a solo activity for this very obvious reason. Keep track of your buddies - but don't be annoying about. OK?
* Ventilate your tent. You do NOT want to zip your tent up and "seal in the heat". What you're really sealing in is your respiration and perspiration - which will condense on the walls of your tent and turn into gross, foul smelling snow that will fall on your face when you bump the walls of your tent in the morning. Think of the tent as a wind break only - otherwise get it well ventilated. I leave the front & rear doors/windows on my tent down 8-12" to make sure there is adequate air circulation. Leave the tent sealed up when you're not in it - in case it rains. Zip it up as much as you need to to keep water out - but ventilation (without becoming windy) is key to a warm night's sleep - as contrary as that may sound.
* Peeing in a bottle inside your sleeping bag at night is VERY risky. Before you do it, consider what your back up plan is if in your half-awake state happen to drop that bottle. Having to alert the camp at 4 AM that you need to get dried out and into a warm vehicle or need assistance getting warm because your sleeping system is ruined with urine - yeah, not the topic you want your buddies to hear.
* If someone gets cold, mumbling, stumbling, hypothermic, etc..., get them warmed up. Get them to walk around the fire in a goofy circle. Get them into a warmed up vehicle, into a shelter (tent), supply them with warm (not burning hot!) beverage, make sure they have dry clothing (if not, fix it), get them into a dry sleeping bag - note, if shelter isn't available, clothing is wet, the fire isn't starting, lay out a tarp, lay out a ground mat, lay out a sleeping bag, strip them down, put them in the sleeping bag. If that isn't working and it's life or death, climb in with them.
Stay dry, use layers, stay warm. Once you have those things covered - the rest is fun.
Advantages to winter camping:
1. No refrigeration necessary. Bring your fresh meats in a zip lock bag - no need for a cooler - no need for ice.
2. No bugs, creepy crawlies, biting, etc...
3. Hot single pot stew dishes become really tasty.
4. No people in the way. Since you'd have to be crazy to go camping in February at a lake in Nebraska, you have your pick of spots and nobody is around to bother you - and those who do pass by generally decide you're a lunatic and speed up as they go by.
5. No people in the way. It bears repeating.
So - that's the basics of it. Since we're truck camping not backpacking - it's a whole lot easier to do and the gear requirement isn't as steep - substitutions generally weigh more than dedicated gear, but when truck camping - who cares about weight?
So - is anyone interested now?
