Cold Weather Camping in the A-frame Pt. 1: Learn to Layer
I spent the majority of my 20’s living in old, turn of the century houses that had no A/C and no heat in the mountains of Western NC. I know how to layer. I know how many beers it takes to not feel the 17 degree draft whipping through your apartment like an atmospheric jet stream. I know how to survive, okay. But for the past five years, I’ve lived in climate controlled environments along the coast; frozen pipes and window film have no place in my life anymore. Also, it turns out that alcohol is not the best beverage to grab when you’re trying to avoid freezing to death, lol. I need responsible, adult solutions for our cold weather boondocking needs and it all starts with everyone having the right clothes and linens packed.
P.S. When it comes to boondocking in very cold weather, we keep it adult-only. We feel that it’s one thing to willingly subject ourselves to the elements, but we don’t want to expose our daughter to those kinds of conditions.
Base Layer - The deal here is to stay dry and retain as much of your body heat as possible. Your base layer should be moisture wicking. You should not be marinating in your own sweat. Sets like these are affordable and get the job done. Don’t forget some moisture wicking socks that will work in tandem with your hiking boots to keep your feet dry.
2. Mid-layer - Next, make sure you have a removable mid layer to insulate your body and catch the heat your base layer can’t retain - even if you don’t think you need it. It can be a balmy 50 degrees out until dusk, but when the sun starts to set, you may quickly find yourself in the near-freezing zone, wishing you had another layer between your outer shell and your thermals. A nice fleece or wool pull-over with a half collar is a good place to start. Thick wool sweaters are good for those extra cold nights.
3. Outer Shell - Waterproof and insulating. That is what you’re looking for. The jacket that’s linked here is a great place to start for the price. Now, when I’m looking for pants, I prefer soft shell with a fleece liner for camping or hiking. Think snowboard pants, but less heavy duty. Mountain Hardware makes a fantastic hiking pant that will regulate body heat very well for your lower half. Yes, they are totally expensive. I found them at Sportsman’s Warehouse on clearance for $85 bucks a piece and bought my wife and I a pair each. We’ve endured 20 degree temperature swings on after dark hikes in these things and experienced very little change in warmth. If it’s a milder, sunny spring day, you can skip the base layer and just wear these pants without thinking twice.
4. Hiking Shoes - I have a pair of the linked Oboz and they are the bomb for most conditions. If its super wet or snowy, try these Hi-Tec high rise boots. I have a pair that I use on the job every day and I can attest that they are water tight. I actually bought the same style in a youth size for half the price #lifehack. Having a small foot is pretty great :)
5. Wool Blanket - Having the right blankets can make the difference between a miserable all-nighter and a good night’s rest. Don’t just grab any old blanket and expect to be warm, even if you’re in a camper. When you’re boondocking, there may be nights when you have to run the propane heater very low to avoid draining your battery with the blower. In that case, you’re going to want a nice wool blanket to regulate your body heat and keep you dry. I always go for 80% or more wool for maximum warmth, but I do understand that the natural blankets often stink. As in they smell bad. Sort of like the sheep they came from, haha. But the lanolin smell will wear off, especially if you air it out. The bottom line is that its worth it.
6. Sleeping Bag - There are some nights, especially when you’re tent or car camping, that you just can’t get warm enough to fall asleep. Grab the sub-freezing sleeping bag. Sleeping bags come with a variety of temperature ratings. You can get 0 degree bags and even -40 degree bags. Now, this does not mean you will be all warm and toasty in your sleeping bag when it’s 12 degrees outside. It pretty much just means you won’t die of hypothermia during the night. You can further insulate your bag by lining it with your wool blanket and wearing your base, mid layers and some hot feet socks and shoes to bed. On super cold nights, I even sleep in an insulated sweater cap to make sure I’m retaining as much body heat as possible. All these things combined can make a considerable difference to your comfort levels in cold weather applications.
