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Topic: Camping in April and keeping warm

shaunwilliams

31/3/2016 at 12:05am
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I'm quite new to camping. I've only camped three times with my son last year in July and August. On our first camping trip we were quite cold but had all the wrong kit and a very cheap tent.

Do you recommend camping in April without ehu and without a heater? Me and my son are really looking forward to camping again and have been waiting since last year. It looks like the weather is good at the weekend and the nights are warmish at about 7 degrees minimum.

Not sure what to do as I don't want me or my son to be put off camping if it's too cold.

If you do recommend camping is there any advice you can offer for keeping warm?

Post last edited on 31/03/2016 00:09:07

Campernic

31/3/2016 at 12:17am
Location: Northern Ireland
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Yes you can go without EHU but you need to have very good quality sleeping bags, and plenty of extra blankets. A woolly hat or balaclava is a good idea too.

The thing that is most likely to keep you awake is breathing in cold air if it's a big space all around you. You can't duck your head into your sleeping bag because of the obvious damp issues. I did read a comment recently on a blog where a guy put his head into a cardboard box!

It's best if you have a small sleeping compartment, that way there's not too much air around you both, and just being in there will heat it up somewhat.

floppy-poppy

31/3/2016 at 1:12am
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You can go without EHU, but if you have it you will use it. It's nice to have a warm drink quickly and even nicer to have a little heater of some sort.
Some folks leave an oil filled radiator on all night, we have never done this as we have found that if you're warm before you get into your sleeping bags you will probably stay warm if you have enough warm clothing in bed as well (I'm thinking your son here). OH wears just a tee shirt and pj bottoms whereas me (being nesh..ish) wear a thermal tee shirt type vest, fleecey pyjamas and a little fleecey "housecoat" and leave me socks on if it's really cold! Hey I'm as snug as a bug in a rug and sometimes wake up too hot and I know for the next night.
Your son would probably enjoy a nice hot drink , chocolate perhaps to get him warm inside first.
When it really comes down to it, it is your sleeping bag that's all important and what you are sleeping on.
We sleep on a raised bed plus SIMS and underneath our bed is a lot of stuff (good insulation)
I must admit, I don't get as cold now as when we first started camping - but our kit has changed a lot and so has our experience of camping.
Campernic is right, body temperature in a tent will heat it a little, but a little heater does help
Good luck!

-------------
May - Dorset
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Gambolia

31/3/2016 at 11:44pm
Location: Dunfermline
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We have tried camping in April without lecky and would never do it again. As the others have said a really good sleeping or get a cheap or old duvet to bung on top of your present sleeping bag would help a lot.

daveyjp

01/4/2016 at 12:14pm
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Many people try and camp in April using summer equipment and are miserable as a result.

People camp in the Arctic, Antarctic and near the summit of Everest. They can do so because they have the correct equipment.

As a minimum you need a 3 season sleeping bag, decent base layers, socks, a snood and a hat to have any chance of staying warm in the UK.

toller3

01/4/2016 at 5:31pm
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Vet bed (originally designed to use with puppies) makes a brillant warm carpet. Or just have 4 dogs sleeping on you like I do lol

Mousey

01/4/2016 at 6:44pm
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We're just back from a 2 night trip with kids of 6 and 3, the first night wasn't too bad but the 2nd night was very cold. We had a vis a vis tent with the kids at one end on a double blow up bed. We threw a piece of carpet underlay on the bed for insulation and they went into their sleeping bags and we threw a double duvet on top of them. They were snug as bugs.
We were at the other end on camp beds, cheap 15yo sim and sleeping bag and felt no cold(the wife did a little but shes cold in front of the fire lol)
We had a small 2kw fan heater in the middle and tbh i dont think it made any difference at night. We had the pods zipped up and i dont think any heat came thru. It was cosy when we got up in the morning tho.

Suzie2poos

01/4/2016 at 6:48pm
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Quote: Originally posted by shaunwilliams on 31/3/2016
I'm quite new to camping. I've only camped three times with my son last year in July and August. On our first camping trip we were quite cold but had all the wrong kit and a very cheap tent.

Do you recommend camping in April without ehu and without a heater? Me and my son are really looking forward to camping again and have been waiting since last year. It looks like the weather is good at the weekend and the nights are warmish at about 7 degrees minimum.

Not sure what to do as I don't want me or my son to be put off camping if it's too cold.

If you do recommend camping is there any advice you can offer for keeping warm?

Post last edited on 31/03/2016 00:09:07

Hiya - have just returned from camping in Derbyshire with no EHU and we survived even through Storm Katie! We used our normal sleeping bags and mattress and just added a duvet over the top. I slept with my pj's on and a microfleece jumper and put on some heat holder socks. I must admit on two nigths I did also resort to gloves and a hat. Weather seems to be heading in the right direction now so you should be fine in April. Personally I found the rain far more of an issue than the cold so pick some dry days and you will be fine.

Good luck!

Mucker1884

01/4/2016 at 8:58pm
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We were complete novices back in July 2012, and by Feb '13, just 7 months into our camping career, with a little bit of "trial and error", and a hell of a lot of superb tips and advice from these forums, we set off oozing with confidence, and ended up experiencing my proudest camping moment to date

My only regret is that we've failed to experience it again since... not through the like of trying/hoping!

So yes, there's enough help and advice on these 'ere pages to make it a breeze (pun not intended!).
I even attempted a few tips for newbies camping in winter myself, on page 2 of that link. OK, some bit's may be a tad OTT for April, but not many. If it's cold, it's cold!

We're all different, so there will be a little suck it and see. A little of the aforementioned trial and error, but this is very, very do-able!

-------------
2024: 38 nights thus far...
2023: 47 nights
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2020: Just 24 nights
2019: A personal best 50 nights
2018: Just the 30 nights
2017: 34 nights
2016: 32 nights
2015: 38 nights
2014: 34 nights
2013: 36 nights
From July 2012: 23 nights

geoffprinter

01/4/2016 at 9:38pm
Location: Kent
Outfit: 5m Bell Tent & Olpro Pop Tent.

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If its got EHU. use it would be my advice. If later on in the year you want to `rough it` try it then. April nights can be bl**dy cold I can tell you. We are in a caravan at the mo and without the heater on low at night, we really feel it, and thats with a 13.5 tog duvet. It seems to be your head that gets cold.

ps We are in the south, and when i left work at 6am this morning, I had to scrape the ice off the windscreen of the car.

Post last edited on 01/04/2016 21:42:52

shaunwilliams

01/4/2016 at 9:50pm
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Thanks for all the amazing advice. I keep looking at the weather for the warmest night time temperatures. I was hoping for 10c but will settle for 8c minimum temperature as I really want to get away soon. Luckily I bought us both 3 season sleeping bags as we only used duvets on out first camping trip and we were both really cold. We learned the hard way :-) So I went a bit extreme to make sure we were warm in the future. I did find my sleeping bag to be too warm when I used it in summer so hoping it will be ideal for spring.

My campbed arrived yesterday and I was all exited to set it up and put my sim on there. Unfortunately I was sent a standard kampa dream one instead of the xl I ordered so had to send it back as it was far too small for my sim :-( so I'll be sleeping on the floor again but with fleeces underneath my sim.

Love the pictures of the camping in the snow. I am a long way to doing this but hoping that this spring trip will work out if we get the weather.

Tomorrow looks ideal but I've not had the time to get everything ready to go so I'm hoping next week is nice as I'm off work so can go any day.

Thank again for all your help 😀

DeborahTurner

01/4/2016 at 10:11pm
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For me it's not so much the keeping warm overnight - as others have said proper sleeping bags, a few fleece blankets or duvet, and something to insulate you form the ground and its fine - but the evenings.

Dark and getting cold. Do you camp in places which allow a fire? Sit round the fire and keep warm. Don't get cold before you go to bed, have a hot drink, early night or lie on your sleeping bags chatting.

ANGEDAWS

01/4/2016 at 11:04pm
Location: Northern England
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Making myself sound old here but we have been camping as a family for about 12 years and in the early days most tents didnt have a SIG and EHU was unheard of unless you had a caravan.

We camped once on the Spring bank holiday and it got down to minus 1.

Once you get used to EHU there is no going back and it does make life more comfortable. No reason why you cant go without it with the right mindset and proper equipment though, even in April. We used to go to bed early and get up early with the kids and keep busy during the day. Lots of warm clothes and decent sleeping bags of course.

Enjoy if you do decide to go!

Glamper Wendy

08/4/2016 at 10:42am
Location: Kent
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We us ehu so that keeps us nice and warm but we do turn it off once in bed..We have a raised airbed..underneath a foil backed yoga mat type thing to insulate ..then on top of bed one of those teddy bear type mattress toppers..then a fitted jersey sheet..Double sleeping bag..and in cold weather a high tog duvet on top..even in summer we use a thin duvet on top as it can get chilly at night..that works for us..oh dont forget the warm pj's and some cosy bed socks too.

-------------
Camping Tip #26: In an emergency, a drawstring from a parka hood can be used to strangle a snoring tent friend...or husband!!

dtiapril

08/4/2016 at 4:54pm
Location: North West UK
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I'm not fond of the cold, and even in a season 4 sleeping bag or sat by a campfire I still feel it.

Our solution was to buy some decent wool blankets from Military Mart, as they are super warm and they retain their insulating property even if they get wet. I wrap it around me if I'm cold by the fire, and then use it as an extra layer if needed for sleeping (it's big enough to wrap completely around my sleeping bag and has enough spare that the dog can snuggle under it too if he wants to).

I also bought thermal underwear as sort of pajamas and to give an extra layer of warmth during the day, and a decent ski hat that I sleep in.

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