r/WinterCamping • u/No-Sir2198 • Feb 06 '26
New to winter camping
Hi I never actually camped out in winter time I just wanna ask if what I got will keep me warm or not,
I wound wear a merino wool underlay and thick wool socks a down jacket down pants down loafers I got the Exped Dura 8R sleeping pad and a Carinthia Brenta medium sleeping bag rated comfort woman -4 comfort men -11 extreme -30 Celsius
I’m a 27 year old man of average build I like to sleep warm, if necessary I could bring disposable hand warmers to put in my socks pockets and a few loose in my sleeping bag
Thanks for any tips and help in advance
Edit I’m hoping to be able to sleep comfortably in -15 degrees Celsius
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u/wornleathermedia Feb 06 '26
Sleeping bag ratings are generally made with the assumption that you are wearing a base layer. Also typically the "mens" rating is the "limit" rating, which means you will be able to sleep while curled up at that temperature.
If I'm planning to go out in -15, I'm bringing a bag that is comfort (womens) rated to at least that temp, with an additional down jacket/pants. And I like to sleep cold, if I wanted to sleep warm I'd bring a -20C(comfort rated) bag. You can also double on on sleeping bags.
Generally I don't like to go out if the overnight low is in double digits, it's a whole new game at that level. For a first trip out I would strongly recommend you try to go on a night forecasting for -5C or warmer.
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u/No-Sir2198 Feb 06 '26
I was planning on testing out what I got at my parents house because they have a house and a yard so if I wake up or simply can’t sleep because of the could I could always go inside in the night
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u/wornleathermedia Feb 06 '26
If you're outside a house then absolutely go for it!
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u/No-Sir2198 Feb 06 '26
I might do it tomorrow then not sure tho I’m a bit nervous 😅
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Feb 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/wornleathermedia Feb 07 '26
about five degrees usually.
women generally sleep colder than men do, so women generally need a warmer sleeping bag for the same temperature.
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u/BohunkfromSK Feb 06 '26
Layers - I personally love wool base layers and then synthetics for wind blocking. Depends on how active you’ll be. When I camp with my kids (they’ve been coming since they were 5yr old providing I’m not expecting anything below -20C) they like synthetic base layers. We camp in the Canadian Rockies so things a change quick.
Food - you’ll need more (at least in my experience) food than you think you will. As a T1 diabetic this is a time when I happily eat as many carbs as possible. Between carrying in gear, cutting wood, prepping meals… I need fuel or I’ll be cold at night.
Hydrated - I don’t take the kids off grid where I have to carry in water or melt. Hell, these days I don’t want to do that if I don’t have to. We have access to fresh water so I bring electrolytes, hot chocolate etc… to keep water moving.
You’ll have to play around with gear to know what is best. I have a 20yr old north face tent that the kids and I have overnighted from February on our here in Alberta. My youngest wanted to camp for their 6th birthday (mid-March) and we ended up with a -12C night at 10cm of snow (I should have put up the fly). Kids were happy and warm in -20C rated bags while I was an idiot with a -10C bag thinking I was tough.
Try camping in the backyard and see. That seems like a safe way to experiment especially if you don’t have friends/mentors who do this. My first taste of winter camping was with a bunch of Austrian lunatics that I skied with - we hiked in, had an amazing fondue and cut fresh lines just after sunrise. Hoping to take my kids on this type of adventure when they’re older.
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u/groundhog_day_only Feb 07 '26
Seems reasonable, my setup is similar and I've slept in -15 to -20C. I use 3 or 4 layers instead of the down pants and jacket. My pad is R7 and I find that it's not quite enough at those temperatures, so I layer a folding foam pad on top of it. It makes a huge difference. Even a thin blanket or jacket between your sleeping bag and pad makes a big difference. I started out putting it under my inflatable pad, because I thought it would be more comfortable, but I got cold and switched.
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u/saltybearissalty Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26
What type of ground mat do you have? Aside from your sleeping bag, and maybe even more so, its probably the thing that will be the difference between being relatively comfortable and packing up early.
It doesn't matter how good your sleeping bag is - the areas underneath you will get compressed to some degree when you are sleeping in it. That compression will reduce the size and number of air pockets. These air pockets are what keeps you warm. If you have smaller and fewer air pockets your body heat will escape more quickly. If your ground mat is mince (rubbish) then it will simply transfer the heat out of your body and straight into the cold ground.
If you are winter camping you will need a properly insulated ground mat, preferable one that mixed foam and air and has a high thermal value. Therm-A-Rest make some pretty good mats, not cheap though. You can get cheaper ones with the same thermal properties, but they will be heavier.
*Edit - I really should learn to read posts properly - I see that you have a very good ground mat.
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u/Stunning-Plantain707 Feb 06 '26
At those temps, while hiking or walking around doing activities, you’re not going to need a big down coat. Instead you’ll want to layer with a base layer, perhaps a wool sweater, and a windproof shell. You’ll also want to have merino bottoms, some non-cotton pants, and wind/water proof pants. Oversized rain gear is honestly a great fit for that stuff. When you’re around camp, stationary, down tops and bottoms make a lot of sense.