Don't have EHU but we do have one of those gas heaters that take canisters. Have them in B&M at the mo and they really do a good job. Obviously you can't leave it overnight as the gas runs out but they're fine for taking the chill off and letting you get into bed quite comfortably.
We prefer not to go down the EHU route, as one thing could lead to another and then it would be home from home and what's the point of that?? Personal choice that's all..
if you see my post 'back from red shoot' you will see that we had a heater and ehu for the first time this weekend. Made a huge difference at night. We had the outwell one and also had it on thermostat through the night.
would highly recommend.
Good luck. Nothing worse than being freezing - been there and I can't blame yo u for coming home.
------------- DOZY
Life should not be measured by the amount of breaths we take but the moments that take your breath away.
We were frozen too. We went to Dobrudden near Leeds and they've stopped doing EHU for tents.
Cold sitting round for us, not so much in bed as we have a blanket under the airbed, then a fleece under the sheet. As it was so cold we had a sleeping bag opened up over the sheet and then the 11.5 tog duvet over the top. We were toasty til we had to get up....
Definately too early to camp without EHU or any other form of heating IMHO!
I was toastie warm with a decent sleeping bag & a decent camping mat (rather than airbed). No duvets, no hats, no multi-layer clothes in bed (in fact in the past when I have done the multi-clothes in bed I've been colder, I reckon for the sleeping bags to do their job you need to be in less layers)
For the evenings we also have very good ski thermals, fleece layers and ski jackets.
Friends in ordinary layers of clothes & waterproof jackets, with airbeds and fan heaters froze. They couldn't understand how we didn't need a heater. I did take one but didn't use it - I switched it on once to make sure it worked cos it was brand new and within seconds was far too hot.
The only time I was actually uncomfortable was when I was in a friends tent who had a heater, when I left the air outside felt bitter.
I am still not convinced that its a good idea to be in a warm heated tent as it makes the outdoors feel colder than it really is?
Good kit, designed for the weather is the answer imo.
Its not like I'm a particulary warm person normally - came back to the house and it was freezing so I spent last night on the sofa under a slanket! Maybe I should wear my thermals indoors LOL!
I went non ehu camping in early April when there was frost on ground and was warm enough at night to just be in t shirt and underwear in sleeping bag . I had airbed , a fleece blanket on it then a thick 400 or 350 gsm( i think ) sleeping bag with a hood thing on and on top of that an old square sleeping bag laid over like a quilt and got too hot at one point but wa neevr cold at night .
BBQ got stoked up with lots of charcoal to throw off heatin evening and also some wood as we were only ones there .
thanks for all your replys what is a good sleeping bag? me and my other half normally sleep together but on the second night we slept apart in separate bags but we still wore lots of clothes we were abit warmer but had that much stuff on other half couldnt move or turn round
We came home a day too but it was the icy wind that caused us to do so not just being cold.
The wind had changed direction and our extention was pitched direct into it so it wasn't pleasant to sit out. Could have coped with just cold as have suitable clothing, layers and bedding.
We made the decision during Sunday afternoon. We had a pub meal booked that evening and decided to go back to site, then go for the meal then head home, rather than come back to the tent unable to enjoy sitting outside because of the icy wind just to pack up in the morning anyway.
If we had had plans in the area the next day or were staying for longer than just the Sunday we would have stayed.
When we went to tell the site owners they said they had had several people leave early
Quote: Originally posted by phil w1 on 04/5/2010
thanks for all your replys what is a good sleeping bag? me and my other half normally sleep together but on the second night we slept apart in separate bags but we still wore lots of clothes we were abit warmer but had that much stuff on other half couldnt move or turn round
A 3-season sleeping bag for May-Sept in my opinion.
I got one from Costco which was huge, very comfortable and warm - I'm hoping it won't be too warm in the summer as I really want one bag to do the entire season - it has vents built into the sides though so I am hopeful it will be fine.
Never yet had a heater in a tent, not in 30+ years of camping. The secret is clothes, lots of layers of them. Good old fashioned woolen jumpers work better than most microfleece layers, unless you buy the hi-tec mountain stuff. Chain store thermals are okay though. Wool socks for wearing in bed are less sweaty than fleece ones.
A good sleeping bag is another essential, with some sort of insulation layer between you and the airbed if you're using one.
Hot water bottles and hot drinks before bedtime also help. If you change into your jammies over in the toilet block where it's warm then put your top clothes back on over them till bedtime, this will stop you...and especially kids...getting chilled.
Close the sleeping pods up before evening time. This helps conserve warm air inside. Keep them closed as much as possible at night...if you get up to go to the loo, for example, close the pod behind you. And keep your sleeping bag closed to save you having to warm it up again.
Keep the tent zipped down too if it's really cold outside.
Finally it's a fact that almost all camping newbies underestimate how cold it gets at night outside, even in high summer. Just because you can sit out in your garden in a t-shirt at 9pm doesn't mean you won't be freezing at 2am in your 2-season sleeping bag at the campsite down the road. Even in August, let alone the start of May!
Although I've camped in icy conditions as a younger (and single) chap, this year called for a new approach: as much as I could do to keep wife and 4-year-old warm and happy on their first early season trip.
Things that worked best included EHU (a godsend for heater, kettle and light), the Outwell Fan heater (just during the evening, we didn't leave it on at night), fleecy topper for the airbed, compulsory hats for all and a thick duvet on top of sleeping bags).
With all of that I just about got away with it - son had a brilliant time (cried when it was time to leave) and there weren't too many grumbles from my wife.
we went to north wales couple of weeks ago with no heating but certainly kept warm in bed. We took slightly different approach had some floor insulation left over from fitting wood floor in one of the bedrooms (silver foil and polystyrene) which we placed under air bed with old blanket as well. Double sleeping bag on top plus duvet and literally roasting. Great nights sleep but was in bed by 9.30 to beat the cold.