12 Top Tips for Winter Camping | Tiso Blog

by Tiso

Scotland's leading outdoor clothing and adventure specialists since 1962.

Winter camping brings many surprising rewards – and if you have the right kit to keep you warm and dry it can prove to be an exhilarating experience. Here are our 12 top tips for winter camping in happiness and safety.

1 | Pitch up before dark

Putting up a tent or setting up a bivouac camp after dark is possible (if you have a good headtorch) but it’s far easier to do it in daylight. Remember that in winter it gets darker far earlier than summer, so the sooner you arrive at your camping spot the better.

2 | Go wild

You will find that many campsites close for the winter although Pitchup does list the campsites that are open year-round. For more exhilarating experiences try wild camping. Often, you do not need to go far from your home or mode of transport to find a quiet winter camping spot. Remember to follow the Scottish Outdoors Access Code for responsible camping and take care to camp somewhere safe from flooding and avalanches.

3 | Pitch Perfect

You will need a tent or bivvy bag that is highly resistant to bad weather. Look for features such as excellent waterproofing, three or four-season grading and taped seams. These tents would be good choices:

Hilleberg | Nallo 2 GT

Hilleberg is a renowned name in robust tents. The tent offers great strength yet is still fairly lightweight at 2.7kg and very easy to pitch, the tent also has a useful pitching extended porch.Shop Online

Bergans | Trollhetta 3-person tent

Made from Bergans' infamous Ripstop Nylon with a silicone coating, the Trollhetta 3 has a reliable construction that is perfect for the majority of weathers. The overall design makes for an easy to carry, simple to pitch and convenient to transport three man tent.Shop Online

4 | Bag a lot of warmth

You want a sleeping bag that is designed for below freezing conditions. It could be down filled or synthetic insulation but read what it says on the label. If you are carrying the bag a fair distance you might want it to be lighter weight but you don’t want to compromise weight for warmth. Add a hot water bottle to your rucksack and fill with hot water from a stove before you retire for the night.

Salewa | Spice -8 Sleeping bag

The Spice 8 sleeping bag from Salewa has been deisgned for hiking in wet conditions. The water resistant fibres will insulate and help keep you warm even when wet and can take you down to -8 degrees. Shop Online

Tundra | Pure -10 Sleeping bag

The Pure 10 sleeping bag is lightweight and whilst not waterproof all over, the black material at the foot and head is waterproof. Filled with the highest quality ethical down, it will keep you warm in the extreme wintery conditions.Shop Online

5 | Ground warmer

The ground is colder in winter so you need some kind of thermal insulation between you in your sleeping bag and the tent groundsheet. Inflatable mattresses work best, such as the new Therm-a-rest Neo Venture mattress. Add a foam mat or you could use a campbed to keep you off the ground.

6 | More layers

Wear warm clothes, such as thermal baselayers (top and bottom), an insulated jacket and socks for sleeping in and take an extra fleece blanket just in case.

7 | Use your head

A beanie hat will do a lot to keep you warm at night. And if your sleeping bag has a hood make sure you use it.

8 | Shoes inside, for once

On most occasions, campers will keep their footwear in the porch outside the main part of the tent. But in winter this can mean you will end up with frozen shoes come the morning. So keep your footwear inside the tent. If the shoes are mucky, pop them in a spare plastic bag.

9 | Feel some freedom

There is no point in wearing so many layers that you have to squeeze into your sleeping bag. Being too constricted can lead to poor circulation.

10 | Vent the tent

It might be a little cooler ventilating the tent overnight, but this will be much better than the wet caused by condensation.

11 | Listen to your body

Take note of the signals that your body gives you. If toes or hands are colder than you think they should be, try to find a way to warm them up, even if this means refilling a hot water bottle in the middle of the night.

12 | Essential stove

A stove and water for boiling, as well as lightweight food supplies such as comforting hot chocolate or porridge oats, can make a huge difference to an overnight camp in winter. Choose a stove that can cope with winter weather, so one that has a windshield is vital. Or take a separate windshield. Light a campfire, too, if it's safe to do so.