Cold(er) weather tent

[ismangil]

Hi all,

I'm used to camping in the summer, I use Vango Venture 500. The tent are categorised as 2-season, i.e late spring to early autumn.

Since the Peak Star Party is end of Oct, and it's on the Peak District, I am slightly worried that I need a better tent to withstand the weather better.

Do any of you recommend a different type of tent for the cold weather or just use the usual tent, i.e. not the mountaineering/adventure type tent.

[brantuk]

Get an oil fired radiator for £25 from Argos - hook it up to the site electrics and you'll stay snug as a bug in a rug in a Vango

[Coco]

Its not the tent that matters that much surely? Its the sleeping bag, I'm buying a season 4 down bag for Cumbria, boy was I cold last visit, absolutely freezing, could sleep even was wearing a North Face Down coat in my sleeping bag!! my legs & feet were like icicles.. ended up in the car with the engine running BBrrr... didnt help drinking 1/2 gallon of beer

Sleeping bags going in the foot well of the car on full heat prior to getting into it..

Also foil ground sheet next time, foam mat not airbed, down bag... happy days.. could do with a nice warm lady to cuddle but I dont get that much at home these days..

[ismangil]

Got it. Consider a space heater, get a good sleeping bag and mat.

I'll double check my sleeping bag.

[AndyH]

Another tip, which worked really well at a -9 Kielder, was to put an old duvet on top of the usual foam mat. Extra insulation from the ground. A big thick rug over us in the bags helped too. We use Swedish Army, artic sleeping bags. Superb in the winter, but horrific for summer use.

Andy.

[Psychobilly]

A "4 season" tent will handle high wind heavy rain/hail/snow much better - so ideal for Kielder in the British summer

I hate tents prefer a Bivy or a tarp and a decent sleeping bag...

[adamsp123]

Heater in the tent!

[jamespels]

I'm thinking a big gas powered space heater in marquee - something like these Marquee and temporary building heaters from All Seasons Hire - and all pile in if it gets too cold

[mcrossley]

Insulation under your sleeping bag and an electric blanket over the top - much kinder than space heaters on the site electrics, which are often limited in amperage - especially if sharing a hookup with some one.

[ismangil]

I'm thinking a big gas powered space heater in marquee - something like these Marquee and temporary building heaters from All Seasons Hire - and all pile in if it gets too cold

That would be great fallback plan James!

[ismangil]

Looking at sleeping bag techniques now, found some good tips: http://www.backpacker.com/february_2007_gear_make_your_sleeping_bag_warmer/gear/12141

[ismangil]

This one is even better: http://www.backpacking-lite.co.uk/sleep/sleep-systems-and-sleeping-bags.htm

Thanks everyone for the tips that led me to explore more on the interaction between sleeping bags, our body, and the tent itself.

[Alkaid]

I have no association with this company, but Alpkit are a UK based manufacturer who only sell online with no middleman distribution - therefore prices are rather good. I bought a down bag from them and it is wonderful! www.alpkit.com

You don't need a 4 season mountain tent for low level / valley camping, even in winter. Just a decent 3 season will suffice, but would advise to avoid tents with solely mesh inners, as these can be draughty in winter. Some of the Vango models are nice, non-mesh inners (with optional venting), nice for low down winter camping from the car.

[RobSay]

I have no association with this company, but Alpkit are a UK based manufacturer who only sell online with no middleman distribution - therefore prices are rather good. I bought a down bag from them and it is wonderful! www.alpkit.com

You don't need a 4 season mountain tent for low level / valley camping, even in winter. Just a decent 3 season will suffice, but would advise to avoid tents with solely mesh inners, as these can be draughty in winter. Some of the Vango models are nice, non-mesh inners (with optional venting), nice for low down winter camping from the car.

I too would recommend Alpkit for all things outdoory - the down jackets are excellent as are the sleeping bags. No frills but easily the best warmth for the money. They also have some lovely thick self inflatting mattresses. Have a read of their article on the science of sleeping bags:

Choosing a down sleeping bag - Alpkit

(basically standing round in the cold and climbing into a sleeping back is not suddenly going to get you warm - you need to be warm when you get in.... they recommed star jumps

R

[ismangil]

I have no association with this company, but Alpkit are a UK based manufacturer who only sell online with no middleman distribution - therefore prices are rather good. I bought a down bag from them and it is wonderful! www.alpkit.com

You don't need a 4 season mountain tent for low level / valley camping, even in winter. Just a decent 3 season will suffice, but would advise to avoid tents with solely mesh inners, as these can be draughty in winter. Some of the Vango models are nice, non-mesh inners (with optional venting), nice for low down winter camping from the car.

Yes I've just found alpkit as well, looks good.

Good tip on mesh inners, would you please elaborate how would I look at the tent specs to know whether it's inner mesh only or not?

I am particularly looking at the Vango Beta or Omega 250, this is to downsize from my Vango 500 five berth tent as it seems no one else in my family wants to go camping in late October!

[Capricorn]

Don't know about the Alpkit bags but their jackets are great. Bought one for last years and when everyone was zipping up against the cold I was opening mine as I was warm.

For a bag maybe a look at OutdoorScotland.co.uk camping equipment, tents outdoors gear shop they do an Echo400 that has a good reputation and comparitively inexpensive. Being synthetic is is a better option in case of dampness as down tends to hold moisture and you lose the insulation of it.

If you want a warm hat try celtic-sheepskin.co.uk, mens hats, either Trapper or Colorado.

May be daft but why not a small futon?

Chair by day and a bed at night, raised off the ground and well insulated by the cushion/mattress. Place a bit north of me makes a range. Futons, futon mattresses and contemporary sofabeds from sitandsleep.co.uk

May be better to put it on a sheet of ply to save the tent base.

[twotter]

Some years back I camped out in very, very, cold conditions, the wrong side of -20

On top of a groundsheet we had a normal foam roll mat, then a thermarest mat, then a sheepskin rug. The sleeping bag system has an outer ventile bivi bag, then a 4+ season arctic grade sleeping bag, then a fleece inner bag, and a cotton liner bag. With all that I could sleep quite comfortably in just my thermal shirt & long johns

Might be a bit of overkill, but the layering principle works as well for sleeping bag systems, as it does for clothing.

As for a tent, we used either a pyramid style tent, or a North Face VE-25.

[ismangil]

As for a tent, we used either a pyramid style tent, or a North Face VE-25.

A quick search on Google showed the tent costing as much as as HEQ5 mount, so I'll pass on that thank you very much!

[JKB]

Well as a Member of the MR (Mountain Rescue if you weren't sure) the tent isn't really the issue. However, get one just big enough for you! More space means lost heat. Get a cheap foam mat, on top put a thermarest (or equivalent product) and spend the money you were going to buy a tent with on a damn good sleeping bag with cotton liner.

Snug as a bug!

[Coco]

Well as a Member of the MR (Mountain Rescue if you weren't sure) the tent isn't really the issue. However, get one just big enough for you! More space means lost heat. Get a cheap foam mat, on top put a thermarest (or equivalent product) and spend the money you were going to buy a tent with on a damn good sleeping bag with cotton liner.

Snug as a bug!

Can you point to a good sleeping Bag, I spent hours researching it but have come to the conclusion there isn't one for less than £140 and its very seasonal, so no good in a few months time. not unless you plan on loosing weight!

[NickK]

Just make sure your tent has an inner skin for the sleeping section - it traps the warmth of any heating better.

At SGL6 I had an electric oil radiator inside the sleeping area. Just switch on 30mins before you go to bed. Also as others have said - an air mattress with a reflective layer (the stuff you get for putting behind radiators) then duvet then sleeping bag then duvet. I was using a Vango Icarus 500 and it survived the rain and the wind.

I learnt a big lesson at SGL6.. get a long extension lead and then once the scope is set up image from inside the tent! That way you'll not get hypothermic.

[ismangil]

Can you point to a good sleeping Bag, I spent hours researching it but have come to the conclusion there isn't one for less than £140 and its very seasonal, so no good in a few months time. not unless you plan on loosing weight!

In my local GoOutdoors store you only need to go as high as £50 to get the really technical one. And as the links on the posts above mentions you need a sleep system rather than just the bag.

The 100+ bags probably gets you ultra light bags or something which is not important for star parties!

[Alkaid]

Good tip on mesh inners, would you please elaborate how would I look at the tent specs to know whether it's inner mesh only or not?

Hi Perry,

Sometimes it can be difficult to see from the specs how much mesh is present on the inner tent. Some manufacturer's websites allow you to click a button that 'removes' the flysheet so that you can see the inner tent on screen. But others don't....

I would recommend visiting a local shop, (as already mentioned the big ones like Go Outdoors are good) so that you can see the tent pitched and also get inside it to see if it's suitable. Go outdoors have loads of tents on display at this time of year.

Here's a link to a Vango one I like - three man (so room for you and kit), solid inner, double doors for easy entry/exit and a nice looker.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/halo-300-p149966

Good luck hunting!

Steve

[Photosbykev]

for star parties buy one you can stand up in and then focus on the other specs ! I spent 5 nights at SGL6 in a small tent, very warm and cosy, but a major pain sitting down or shuffling around on your hands and knees all the time.

[Alkaid]

Can you point to a good sleeping Bag, I spent hours researching it but have come to the conclusion there isn't one for less than £140 and its very seasonal, so no good in a few months time. not unless you plan on loosing weight!

Just a quick point - down bags are less temperature sensitive than synthetic bags.

A 3 season down bag can also be used in warm summer temperatures, and a 4 season one can be used in Autumn and Spring.

Do the same with a synthetic bag and the occupent tends to roast.

I don't know why this is....I've seen it mentioned in Trail magazine and Country Walking. I have also experienced it myself with my Alpkit 3 season bag, in summer I don't roast. Late autumn, I am warm and sleep well.

I myself 'run cold' - I feel the cold (slight build, no meat on me!) and last time a tried a 3 season synthetic bag in mid May I kept waking up because I was cold.

If you are going to get a synthetic bag, make sure you buy the right one for you, as temperature ratings are a very grey area when sleeping bags are concerned. If you can stretch to a down bag, go for it as you won't be dissapointed due to their 'greater range' of temperature whereby one still feels comfortable.

My two sheckels.