How to Safely Keep Warm While Camping

Camping

February 7, 2023

Camping season is just around the corner and is a wonderful way to experience the great outdoors. Waking up to the sunrise, exploring nature during the day, watching the sunset, and hanging out around the campfire are treasured experiences for many people. But when the weather cools down in the fall and winter months, many people pack away their tents and campers for the season. This doesn’t have to be you, though!

You don’t even have to be an avid outdoor lover to enjoy camping in the fall and winter months, and you might even find that you like it more. You won’t have to compete with as many people for the best camping spots, and you’ll be able to experience the beauty of the cooler months and the changing seasons as you camp. Not to mention, you can always brag about how hardcore you are because you go camping when it’s cold outside.

There are plenty of ways to safely and easily keep warm while camping, even for the most hesitant camper out there.

1. Dress in Layers

Layers give you greater control over the regulation of your body temperature. Start with a base layer of thermal underwear or clothing that fits close to the skin, then add layers on top of that.

You’ll quickly find that moisture is the enemy of warmth while camping, so bringing extra dry clothes is a must. Also, be sure to choose moisture-wicking materials – not cotton – as you layer your clothing.

Now, “dress in layers” doesn’t mean “pile on all the clothing you have.” If you dress too warmly for the activity you’ll be doing, you’ll sweat. And you don’t want to sweat if you want to stay warm, because sweat cools as it dries.

By giving yourself options for how much clothing you’ll wear at any given time, you’ll be able to take off and put on layers in relation to the outside temperature and your exertion level.

2. Insulate Your Sleeping Space

That ground you’re going to be sleeping on at night will be COLD. You no doubt already have a sleeping pad for comfort’s sake, but bringing and using an extra sleeping pad for fall and winter camping is a good idea.

Using two sleeping pads gives you greater insulation and warmth from the cold ground and even snow you’ll be sleeping on top of.

3. Use a Hot Water Bottle When Sleeping

Before you turn in for the night, fill a leak-proof water bottle with hot water. You can snuggle with this at night to keep you toasty warm if you keep it near your core.

Keeping that area of your body warm is especially helpful since it will heat the blood faster throughout your body.

Just be sure that you don’t burn yourself by making your hot water bottle too hot. You’ll also need to choose the right water bottle, so it properly gives off heat. Think thick plastic, like a Nalgene water bottle, vs. insulated stainless steel.

If you’re not comfortable using a hot water bottle, activated hand warmers inside your sleeping bag can also help you stay cozy and warm.

4. Keep Eating and Drinking

Yes, there’s a good excuse to keep snacking when you’re camping! Snacking helps your body burn calories to stay warm, especially if you’re choosing high-fat, high-protein foods.

Have a good hearty snack before you turn in for the night so your body’s metabolism can keep working and help keep you warm throughout the night.

Also, be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated…even if it makes for a middle-of-the-night trip outside to relieve yourself. Staying hydrated helps with fatigue, and you’ll need plenty of energy when camping.

5. Stay Dry and Ventilate Your Tent

You may be tempted to burrow your whole head and face into your sleeping bag to stay warm. The problem with this is that the moisture from your breath will quickly make your sleeping bag wet. And remember, wet = cold. No good.

To stay dry inside your tent as you sleep, you’ll need to keep a breathing hole around your nose and mouth for ventilation. This will let your sleeping bag work as it’s supposed to so that you stay warm.

If you’re finding that there’s a lot of moisture in your tent when you wake up, you’ll also want to open the vents on your tent – even partially – to properly circulate the air.

Otherwise, you may find that the hot water vapor from your breath will collect as condensation and freeze on the inside of your tent. And who wants to wake up inside of an ice cube?

Heat Hog Portable Heater for Camping – Best Tent Safe Heater

The easiest way to stay warm while camping? Bring the heat with you! The Heat Hog Portable Propane Heater helps you stay warm while camping during the cooler fall and winter months.

Safety Features

Of course, you need to take some safety precautions when bringing a portable heater for camping along on your trip.

Thankfully, there are some built-in safety features on this camping heater:

Safety Tip-Over Switch automatically shuts the tent heater off in case it gets knocked over
Rugged Safety Guard keeps unwanted objects from coming into the tent heater while still letting the warm air circulate
Low Oxygen Safety Shut-Off automatically shuts the portable heater for camping off if there’s low oxygen in the space in which it’s working

Even with these safety features, you’ll still want to take some commonsense precautions. Don’t run it all night while you’re sleeping – you can always sleep in shifts if you want to keep the heat going.

Be sure you have proper ventilation in the tent as you run this camping heater. This will let you run the tent heater for longer before shutting it off. That will help the camping gas heater more effectively and safely warm your space.

A good idea is to run this portable heater for camping in your tent before you go to sleep, then shut it off right before you turn in for the night. Be sure to give the camping heater its distance while you’re using it!

It’s also helpful to use this camping heater to warm your space as you get dressed in the morning before you step out into the cold.

Adjustable Heat Angle

This tent heater has an adjustable heat angle with tilting features that lets you direct the heat where you need it most.

Tilt it up toward your face while you’re outside, then adjust the angle downward when inside your tent or camper to quickly warm up the coldest space near the ground.

This camping heater has a curved plaque technology that provides a greater heating area, allowing you to quickly warm the inside space so you don’t have to use it for as long.

Choose from two different sizes (9,000 BTU or 18,000 BTU), depending on the heat output you need. Both sizes should easily warm your tent or camper in a short amount of time.

Runs on Propane – No Electricity Needed

This tent heater is indoor and outdoor safe. It runs on 1-lb. propane cylinders, so you can easily bring it camping with you, no electricity required.

Some people may consider bringing a portable heater for camping as “glamping,” but hey, nothing beats staying warm and safe when you’re outside!

Sure, you’ll probably build a fire at your campsite, but a propane camping heater can work in a pinch to give you quick warmth.

Even when you’re not using this camping heater on a trip, it will still be helpful to have around for use in a power outage or when hunting, ice fishing, or tailgating.

Adjustable Temperature

Not quite ready to have the heat on full blast? That’s OK – this tent heater doesn’t just turn on or off. The adjustable heat settings dial lets you keep the temperature at what makes you the most comfortable.

This is especially helpful when fluctuating temperatures outside affect how much heat needs to be produced inside.

And if you’re using this propane camping heater inside a camper, you can adjust as necessary depending on the number of people who are hanging out inside.

Propane Fuel Warming Dock

If you’re a seasoned camper, you know that space is at a premium when packing. This portable heater for camping has a warming dock that keeps the propane fuel warm, making sure you get the most BTUs out of each tank.

The warming dock helps you use your propane more efficiently, meaning you won’t have to bring as much with you. And when you’re short on space, that’s a win for your packing efforts.

Easy to Transport and Store

When you’re ready to pick up this camping heater and move it somewhere else, the Heat Hog will be ready to go! Its heavy-duty handle and lightweight body make it easy to transport.

This tent heater also doesn’t take up a lot of space, which means you can easily store it away in your closet, garage, or shed when you’re back from your trip.

When you’re camping outside in the fall and winter, you need to be prepared for the cooler weather, especially at night. A portable heater for camping is a great way to quickly and efficiently warm up your space before you go to sleep.

Enjoy the great outdoors all year round with these ideas for how to safely keep warm while camping!

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