Tips for keeping warm at night?

[Ruby77]

Hi all,

Does anyone else get very cold at night when sleeping in the tent?

Any tips for keeping cosy? I'm thinking of a thermal set of clothing but don't know if that will help or which thermals are any good.

Any help would be appreciated :-)

[Rodbull]

Try to put a blanket either on the ground or on top of your air bed if you have one as a lot of heat is lost through the ground . Then buy a good sleeping bag and as suggested a hat. Always good to have another person next to you as well

[bexj]

Try and be warm before you get into bed, socks and a hat are a great idea, as are lots of layers which you can peel off as you warm up.

[markrkp]

Agree with Rodbull. Recommend another ground sheet under your airbed, and a blanket on top of it. I used to put covers over me and wonder why I was still cold. Thought about a raised camp bed actually, instead of an air bed.

[frostypaw]

Space blanket under airbed and proper sleeping bag. Massively warmer than roll mat on floor - no cheap sleeping bags real waste of money

Raised camp bed means cold air directly under you - fail

[Narnia]

I take an old down jacket when camping. As long as it doesnt get wet it warms you up pretty quickly in the tent and when it's extremely cold I have just kept it on inside sleeping bag. Inflatable beds are obviously useless when they deflate... thin camping mats are the best insulators even if a bit uncomfortable! A hat/scarf.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Narnia

[Ruby77]

Thanks all, some good tips there.

I like the idea of the space blanket under the airbed as its light and easy to carry, does that really work?

Just worried about carrying extra blankets to put on top and under.

[Narnia]

Are you looking for cheap or do you mind paying more? When I camp outside of festivals I use an Alpkit mat. Was about £40. It's thin compared to an inflatable bed! But more comfy than normal camp mat as it does take some air in. It's pretty indesructable tho and better than the other 2. I don't tend to use my proper camp gear in festivals tho in case they get nicked!

Unless you want the blanket for anything else I say you'd be better off taking an extra lightweight close cell roll mat.

You can get mats with the foil thing on one side. Never tried them myself tho

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-insulated-foil-backed-foam-camping-mat/212-6621.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=212-6621&sc_cmp=pcp_GSF_Camping%20%26%20Hiking_212-6621kpid=212-6621&sc_cmp=ppc_g__&gclid=CKK5ncrwrr4CFUbkwgodGFAAvQ

Edited May 15, 2014 by Narnia

[the_hutch_keeper]

Don't go to bed cold & wet .... Avalon Cafe after the night is over for a nice hot drink before bed

[neilloggie]

I always make a hot drink, coffee or hot choc with about a 1/4 of a bottle of cheap Baileys in and then crawl in to bed fully dressed. I still usually wake up about 5am with a slight shiver and put a hoody on and go back to sleep.

[HurrahBrother]

Layers is the key

Silk sleeping bag liner (bout a tenner on ebay) is a boost, and very good for hot muggy nights (you can sleep on top of your bag in just that),

Fleece liners are good as well.

There are shops selling good quality woollen blankets on site one particularly good one (fairy themed, over by the leftfield ) sadly doesn't not open until Friday

Self inflating sleeping mats are also better than the foam stuff by a good margin. The ground will leech heat. Bad for sleeping on, good for chillin your beers.

Have a brew up kit? Try a hot water bottle. If you have an old army felt covered water bottle with a screw on lid, that does a good job as a hot water bottle.

[rischbrit]

Stay up and dance all night!!! Problem sorted

[Peroni]

Have a bed sleeping kit... layers including my trusty fleece tresspass top, woolly hat, leggings under tracksuit bottoms.... I always use an airbed + elasticated sheet as a base. Then I use one of these bad boys as a base layer...

http://m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/art/80231662/

Or http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-fleece-blanket/212-9286.prd

Edited May 16, 2014 by Peroni

[Ruby77]

Ok so basically a layer underneath and on top of the airbed. I haven't done that before, didn't realise I needed to as thought the airbed would be enough of a barrier between me and the ground but obviously not so thank you for the tips! What about thermal underwear, are they all pretty much the same? Anyone wear those underneath?

[stardustjunkie]

I always wear tracksuit bottoms to bed, because they have zip up pockets. I put my phone, money etc in my pockets so that I know they're safe if anyone comes in the tent. They are also warm and you can tuck them in to socks to keep you warmer. I then wear a top and a hoody, wrap a blanket around me and climb in to my sleeping bag. I always have a blanket under my sleeping bag. Usually I don't have a roll mat or an air bed, I just sleep straight on the floor in my sleeping bag, but this year we're taking an air bed. I plan to put a foil blanket underneath the air bed to help keep it warmer.

Keep in mind that the tent gets VERY hot in the morning if it's a warm one. There's very little shade and tents get close to becoming saunas! You want to be able to wrap up warm but be able to strip down as much as you need to when the sun starts to rise.

[e_p]

whats a space blanket?

[Peroni]

Ok so basically a layer underneath and on top of the airbed. I haven't done that before, didn't realise I needed to as thought the airbed would be enough of a barrier between me and the ground but obviously not so thank you for the tips!What about thermal underwear, are they all pretty much the same? Anyone wear those underneath?

[snoopyhill]

whats a space blanket?

[Ruby77]

 

These are the cheap versions we use

http://www.poundland.co.uk/leisure-and-entertainment/camping/emergency-blanket-2-pack

[KryziF]

thought the airbed would be enough of a barrier between me and the ground

[jonny2mad]

I take a arctic sleeping bag a airbed and a thermarest over the blow up matress, but really sleep in the day

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

Decent mat, decent sleeping bag & a pillow. I've never been cold going to sleep and I always strip off down to my boxers.

[muddyslingbax]

go the bed at 7 in the morning pissed; once that sun comes it's boil in the bag time, job done.

you'll be using them thermals to wipe the sweat off your brow:)

[plainlazy44]

Decent mat, decent sleeping bag & a pillow. I've never been cold going to sleep and I always strip off down to my boxers.

[jeffie]

Old school, hot water bottle?