Is it reasonable to extend the life of your camping season with simple improvements to your tent? Of course it is! Fortunately, there are many ways to do this. Whether you want a quick easy fix, or something that will last you the long run, this article will help explain potential ways to extend your camping season.
Who camps in the winter?
You’re not the only one considering winter camping..
Camping in America has been a steadily growing hobby for the last couple of decades. More and more people are opting to experience the outdoors.
Winter offers a wide variety of sports and hobbies. Skiing, hunting, ice-fishing, and many other winter sports draw many people into camping during this time of the year. Current day technology allows for winter sport enthusiasts to camp when and where they want with comfort.
Selecting the proper roof top tent
A majority of the RTT’s you come across will be rated for three seasons. While they’re not purposely designed for winter use, you can make additions to your tent that will allow you to achieve winter camping.
The major difference between a 3-season and a 4-season RTT is the thickness of the fabric. Manufacturers sometimes double the walls which allow for better insulation and protection from the wind. 4-season tents can bear the weight of more snow and resist brutal winds with less likelihood of wear and tear.
If you are an avid winter sports participant, opting for the 4-season tent will be best for you. Spending the extra money is a secondary thought if you will truly get the use out of it. For a casual winter camper, you can use your 3-season tent with extra accommodations and be just fine.
Where does the heat escape?
The obvious answer to this question is due to hot air rising, the roof will allow the most heat to escape. If you have a hard top tent it will likely help hold the warm air in. I have come across multiple 4-season tents that are soft shells too. That being said, in colder weather having a hardtop or not, you’re going to want to add some additional insulation to trap the heat inside your tent.
How to insulate your roof top tent
Now that you have some knowledge about tent options and who camps in the winter, I will list some practical options to insulate your RTT.
A very simple and cheap fix is to either tape or hang a space blanket to the inside of your canopy. This isn’t a long term solution but can easily work for a casual camper a few times a season.
You can buy a more expensive and thicker all purpose weather blanket to improve insulation on the roof as well. It all depends on how much you’re willing to spend and plan to use the materials for camping.
Due to the hot air escaping mostly from the roof, you can probably get away with insulating the roof and not the walls if you want. But if it were me and I saw a big storm coming through or high winds expected, I would rather be safe than sorry and spend the extra money to insulate the walls.
You can purchase an interior insulator sold by tent manufacturers designed solely for cold weather camping. This quality material will run you a couple hundred bucks. It looks and probably works a lot better than clamping blankets to your tent. By searching Tepui Insulator on Google, you can find many pictures and reviews of the product. I would reserve this purchase for the true die hards. If you consistently camp in frigid winter weather, then it could be worth it.
Using a heater in your tent
You can and should bring a heater to put in your tent. Some are rated specifically for use inside the tent. They can come equipped with carbon monoxide detectors and special safety shut-off features. The Mr.Buddy heater is the most recommended of all camping heaters. They can run on low all night and produce plenty of heat to keep you warm.
You want to avoid heaters with open flames. A quick trick you can do is using a classic heater, putting it on a plank of wood or elevated surface, and then heat the tent shortly before bed. You won’t be able to do this all night, but if you take caution it will allow you to be warm when going to sleep.
Blocking the wind
Another addition to keep you warm is a weather cover. Most tent manufacturers offer them for just a couple hundred dollars. They provide an extra layer between you and the weather, while also preventing wear and tear on your tent. Again, if you’re looking for a cheap, quick fix, just buy a tarp and put it over your RTT. I would bring zip ties or clamps to easily attach it to your tent. This is important for blocking the wind, and in turn keeping you warm!
Rooftop advantage
An instant advantage RTT’s provide is the added insulation that is built into the base of the tents. Many RTT’s have multiple layers in the base that are “sandwiched” together, providing a thick and insulated layer.
Being elevated off of the snow covered ground will help you avoid getting wet. Many winter campers using a classic ground tent have to make preparations. They would typically have to pack the snow where they want to place the tent, lay a tarp or some other material down, and then pitch the tent. You can skip this whole process with a RTT.
Adding an annex to insulate your tent
Some tents have an annex come with the tent, while many have an option to buy it separately. The annex is useful for a number of things, especially blocking the wind. A clever idea I saw was someone putting a heater in the annex which helped keep the tent warmer. However, be cautious using a heater.
Sleeping Bags
Stating the obvious here, but winter camping calls for sleeping bags rated for colder weather. Sleeping bags list the degree rating to which they can handle. You’re going to want a bulky, thicker sleeping bag to comfortably get you through the night. The higher end sleeping bags will fit your body better which will conserve energy and heat. Additionally, adding a sleeping bag liner can keep you comfortable and warm throughout the night.
Bedding
The mattress in your RTT is way more comfortable than the ground. However, for added comfort and a barrier from the cold you can buy a mattress pad. Similar to the other topics we have covered, I will give you a cheaper option and a long term choice.
A regular memory foam mattress pad that goes on top of an ordinary mattress will give you the comfort you need. They can easily be cut to fit the dimensions of your tent. You can also go to Tepui or another tent manufacturers website and search mattress pads specifically designed for your tent. These pads offer more features than a simple memory foam such as anti-condensation and more breathable materials.
Learn from experienced winter campers
If you don’t have a friend to ask about their winter camping experiences, watching Youtube videos can give you a huge amount of knowledge that you may be lacking. A short five to ten minute video will give you an idea of what to expect, how to set things up, etc. Many of the videos I have seen give plenty of little tips and genuine advice on how your experience will likely be. Also, seeing the equipment they prefer to use for different conditions gives you a solid base line to compare to.
Many outdoor goers love to explore new and fun toys. I’ve found the best way to find these is buy watching YouTube videos. They’re fun to watch, get you excited about your next trip, and maybe help spark some ideas of your own!
Here is a link to another article I wrote that talks more about heaters and winter camping!
Conclusion
Your camping experiences don’t need to end when the cold arrives. If you “jimmy-rig” it unconventionally, or buy premium products to fit your tent, you can extend the life of your camping season that much further.