Heating for sleeping

[ob4838]

We just got back from our trip to Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. Some of the nights got pretty cold when we were at higher elevations. I put a heating pad in bed with us and it was awsome! It drew hardly any current. Turned it on about an hour before we went to bed and it was nice a toasty.

Let's see a link for this magic heat pad

 

[Flipper]

Let's see a link for this magic heat pad

I dont know if a link is required its just a plain old Sunbeam heating pad my wife uses on her neck. I was just checking out Electric Throws, small blankets, 50x80 for $27 by Sunbeam on Walmarts web site.

 

[REWDBOY]

dont forget hot water bottles. pick up a few and keep them in the truck. so comfy to fall asleep with and no propane or power needed. a good one lasts a couple of hours.

That's mine and my son's default. What bottles do you use? We use the rei ones.

rewdboy:ob13762

 

[Rexplorer]

That's mine and my son's default. What bottles do you use? We use the rei ones.

rewdboy:ob13762

we seem to go through them pretty quickly. sometimes the water is too hot and melts the thing. sometimes we lose the lid. we just use cheap ones. wish my answer was more exciting, but sadly it is not. i live in canada and we don't have rei here. we have mountain equipment co-op, but after working there i can never go in there again. not because i did something and got banned, i just know how they operate now and feel i can't support them anymore.

 

[JersT4R]

I just picked up the yellow Mr Heater from Lowes. Should come in real handy for a trip this weekend. I also picked up a roll of Reflectix. Not sure if it’s better to run the reflectix around the walls of the tent or setup for each camper in our tent

 

[Dr Gil]

I just picked up the yellow Mr Heater from Lowes. Should come in real handy for a trip this weekend. I also picked up a roll of Reflectix. Not sure if it’s better to run the reflectix around the walls of the tent or setup for each camper in our tent

Running Reflectix around the walls of the tent may cause the condensation to drip off of the Reflectix like water off of aluminum foil, vs the tent fabric may absorb some water and not drip on to your sleeping bags.

 

[JersT4R]

Thanks for the info. We ended up cutting into 5’ or so sheets to lay over the sleeping bags with a wool blanket over that. My 10 yr old son used a 35 degree bag and said he was warm enough - Scouts camping this past weekend.

Though I also had him wear thermals and change his socks before bed for a heavy wool sock.

I had extra reflectix left over and used some in my chair around the campfire. I could feel a difference, my back wasn’t as cold.

 

[blackntan]

I recently took an overland trip to the northernmost point of Wisconsin. I have camped in the cold before and just dealt with it with my low degree rated sleeping bag which I used on this trip as well. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on a way to heat the sleeping quarters besides warm blankets.[/QUOTE. A blond

 

[Boort]

I also picked up a roll of Reflectix. Not sure if it’s better to run the reflectix around the walls of the tent or setup for each camper in our tent

Thank you! that was the name I was looking for but not recalling!. Reflectix is the stuff we used to use when I was a Boyscout doing Klondike Campouts. Basically Mylar bubble wrap. We used to make an outer cover for our sleeping bag from the stuff. Cut 3-4 lengths, 2 the size of your sleeping bag (to the top of the hood if mummy type bag, and 1-2 more the length of the bag up to your chin. Tape the seams with good Duct tape followed over by the packing tape with strings in it to reinforce the seam.

Kept us warm and dry in our snow caves as long as we were careful to keep snow from getting between the Reflectix and the sleeping bag.

Boort

 

[4wheelspulling]

For sleeping in my Jeep Cherokee when cold, my son came up with this idea and it really works! You know the cheap clear plastic bubble rap? Cut it to the size of your windows you want to cover at home before you go out. Take a wet rag of some type and wipe the flat back side of the bubble wrap. Apply the flat smooth side to the windows! Stays in place well, and does not seem to have the condensation problem like the foil sun shield type. Does a better job all around I think than using the foil type. Nice to have some light coming in the windows depending on your camping, and staying warmer too.

Off the topic a bit. With that said, as a younger Man I did a lot of mountain climbing. Still have Two mountain class of tents designed for use in cold, nasty, high winds type weather. Never did use anything other than some cooking to warm the tent. Because of your breath alone in the sub freezing temps, I would use a tent frost liner. The frost liner would keep the tent much dryer, having your breath freez to to the liner and not have it almost snowing in the tent from condensation. It made a big difference! Also, make sure you have a good sleeping pad that keeps you up off the ground or cold surface, does not absorb wetness, and will not compress much but insulate your back side when sleeping. Before I go to bed, I change into dry long underwear, saved just for sleeping. I make sure I have dry long Soft wool long underwear on with dry wool socks. Cotton is not your friend in cold weather. The polypropylene long underwear works well too. Hard to find the good high quality wool long underwear anymore. Winter snow camping is still some of my favorite, but like most things having the right gear makes all the difference in staying warm and having a good time snow camping! Benz.