What Specialized Equipment is needed for Winter Camping?

[wagionvigil]

Winter Summer Fall Spring all need different equipment and clothes. What do the boys need to winter camp. Of course this will vary region to region but I am sure we will get these different ideas here.
My 2cents
Most Boys do not have the proper equipment to winter camp today. they will try to wear athletic shoes in 12" of snow.
There GI Joe Sleeping Bag will not keep them warm
They have no real winter clothing that is suitable for winter camping

[hacimsaalk]

for up here, in the great lakes Region of PA, ya gotta have a good sleeping bag. period. anything about 0 degrees, and you will freeze. i have a 0 degree mummy bag, and i slip a fleece bag inside it. both my dad and my brother carry -25 degree bags and love them. the next thing you need is clothing. long johns, underarmor, etc all work. dress in layers, b/c u can take it off, but u cant put it on. on the outside u need something waterproof and windproof. a good hat and good gloves, and you will bea ll set.

[riverwalk]

I know this isn't the input you seek, but I'm sure others will continue to add to your list.

I like to make them think, and right now the news is full of real issues for "campers" (hikers/climbers). I like to tell them their equipment needs to include a plan or planning. Plan what weather they anticipate, what misfortune they might have, what they might do about it, what others know of their plan....you know what I'm saying.

[Mrw]

We have sent kids home who show up with tennis shoes instead of boots for a winter/snowy campout.

Beyond that, we let them pack poorly and once they are very uncomfortable, they will always be prepared for the cold the next time around. We won't let them get cold to the point of hypothermia, mind you, but pretty darned uncomfortable is a good learning experience when they see the other guys happy.

[wagionvigil]

One thing we found out along time ago is that ski clothing is not the best clothing for winter camping. I melts! kid build large fires and stand around and the Nylon burns and melts easily. What works best around here is Work Clothing Like Carhartt etc. Insulated Coveralls really are great for winter camping. Boots felt packs, Gloves/mittens the best you can afford Good Ski Gloves work well but are expensive. Mittens are always warmer than gloves but kids do not like them. And i agree the Mind and proper planning are very important and are part of the equation.

[WVBeaver05]

Not mentioned yet, but don't forget some type of pad for under your sleeping bag. A 0 degree bag directly on the ground isn't 0 degrees anymore.

YiS

[FrankJ]

I agree with Riverwalk. The first thing to have is planning. That includes letting some one know where & when. (sounds kinda like a tour permit.)

Adequate shelter is important. Down here, a good three season tent works year round.

We advise staying away from cotton. When it gets wet, it is almost as bad as down. A warm hat to keep your head warm. Other than that dress in layers.


Adequate gear does not have to be expensive. You can find adequate clothing at Walmart or buy at the after season sales.

Another important issue is to stay hydrated & fueled. You need calories to consume to keep warm Cold weather is camp is a good excuse to consume calories. (Like I need one.)

[hacimsaalk]

Not mentioned yet, but don't forget some type of pad for under your sleeping bag. A 0 degree bag directly on the ground isn't 0 degrees anymore.

YiS

the ground pad is 100% neccessary. we teach our scouts to use a foam pad, then put a blanket down and wrap it around the sleeping bag (over the top). it adds warmth, and seperates you from the ground.

3-season tents work. nothing fancy is needed. however, ventilation is needed. if you close all the air flaps, condensation forns, falls, and suddely it has frosted in your tent. it isnt a pleasant feeling in the morning.

food by far is the most important part of keeping warm. a high carbohydrate menu is the best way to go. lots of liquids, like hot coco, coffee, water, etc are good too. w/o liquids almost constanly, you become dehydrated quick. stay away from sugar drinks like kool-aid, tang, etc.

[deweylure]

My suggestion for clothing is hunting clothes and or carhartt. Usually the materials are of good quality with the warmest synthetic fills and constuction availabel. I prefer the kind used for upl;and birds usually they are tan and have briar guards.

After the holidays is a great time to shop ,hunting seasons are generally winding down and you can find great deals at the major sporting stores try Gander mountain,cabellas,Bass pro.

I do recommend a space blanket in your first aid kit.

For sleep dont forget to change to a completely dry set of long underwwear and wear a stocking hat to bed. Dont sleep in the same set you wore all day. Silk is good but the atest are synthetics

I do not recomend air mattresses for the winter use a foam pad (closed cell foam)

I have camped in a three season tent although a four would be valuable.

Food is the key since your body burns more calories nutricious meals are amust and drink water you cna get dehydrated in the winter

Dewey

[mhjacobson]

Actually the best thing that you can take with you is adequate preparation and training. The best way to get your troop ready for cold weather camping is for you to do some cole weather hikes and other cold weather experiences.

The scouts need to practice putting up and taking down tents in snow, making fires in snow, foraging for wood in snow, and keeping warm in cold and wind.

Only after they have had these experiences, should be they be taken out for a cold weather overnight experience. For an idea of what should be in the training program look up the BSA okpick training program (manual available through the scout store) and the cold weather camping section of the BSA Handbook.

[WeeWillie]

The most important thing to bring on a Winter camping trip is an experienced leader. All the cold wheather equipment in the world isn't going to help you if you don't know how to use it. Even the best equipment will not keep your Scouts from cold weather injuries if they get over heated. If your troop doesn't have anyone qualified either find someone from another troop or your district.

Try a cold weather hike this year and next year plan your camping trip. Start in October. If your Scouts know what to bring, perhaps Santa can leave it under the Christmas Tree.

[hacimsaalk]

My suggestion for clothing is hunting clothes and or carhartt. Usually the materials are of good quality with the warmest synthetic fills and constuction availabel. I prefer the kind used for upl;and birds usually they are tan and have briar guards.

After the holidays is a great time to shop ,hunting seasons are generally winding down and you can find great deals at the major sporting stores try Gander mountain,cabellas,Bass pro.

I do recommend a space blanket in your first aid kit.

For sleep dont forget to change to a completely dry set of long underwwear and wear a stocking hat to bed. Dont sleep in the same set you wore all day. Silk is good but the atest are synthetics

I do not recomend air mattresses for the winter use a foam pad (closed cell foam)

I have camped in a three season tent although a four would be valuable.

Food is the key since your body burns more calories nutricious meals are amust and drink water you cna get dehydrated in the winter

Dewey

hunting clothes are especially cheap after the major hunting seasons are over, and in the middle of the summer (if you can find them). classifieds are also a good place to find relatively cheap clothes. carharts are good, but a bit pricey as well. a cheaper version made by Walls, or gander mtn, etc. works just as well.

sleeping in the same clothes you wore all day will keep you warm for oh, about 2 hrs. TOPS!!! after that, you will wish you were living in the anartic, b/c it is probably warmer than your body at this point. the changing of the clothes is probably the most important part of staying warm at night.

air matresses put u up off the ground, but since they're only filled w/air, they let the cold float under you and they absolutly freeze you out.

a nice fire or a vehicle close by is also a good thing to have, just in case someone gets too cold. it is almost neccessary to prevent hypothermia and frostbite injurys.

winter camping is not one of the times that you want your scouts to "learn from their mistakes". you can become seriously injured or even die from getting too cold or improper equipment. if they dont have the proper equipment, they either A. Get it, B. The troop gets it for them, or C. THey dont go. PERIOD!!! this isnt something that can be messed with, its just too dangerous to do that.

[Mrw]

We only let them get uncomfortable enough to remember to prepare better the next time.

No question of having a kid in any danger of frostbite or hypothermia! We would bail them out before that point.

But for the kid who was told his personal dome tent would not stand up to the snow and wouldn't take it down...they just made sure one of his buddies would take him in when it collapsed on him (and it did!).

[hacimsaalk]

We only let them get uncomfortable enough to remember to prepare better the next time.

No question of having a kid in any danger of frostbite or hypothermia! We would bail them out before that point.

But for the kid who was told his personal dome tent would not stand up to the snow and wouldn't take it down...they just made sure one of his buddies would take him in when it collapsed on him (and it did!).

i know what you mean. i was just stressing that they cant just be left to fall on their face.

we have done similar things, but we always prepare for the shortcomings we know there are (ex: extra sleeping bags, clothes, etc.)

as far as getting cold, we let them get cold until the point of extreme discomfort, then we warm them up in a vehicle, give them the "good sleeping bag (or change their clothes, etc.). then send them back to bed.

[Quailman]

You can't stress enough the importance of the closed-cell foam pad. I upgraded a while back to a thermolite self-inflating mattress. It's thin, but provides plenty of comfort plus insulation. OTOH, they're quite expensive. I still have my old foam pad, though. It works great for sitting on during breaks on winter hikes and for outside my tent.

Speaking of tents, the smaller the better. The interior of the tent gets warmed by body heat, so the less extra air inside the quicker it warms up. If your tents are fairly spacious you might consider three boys in a two-man tent if they'll fit.

I lived in Colorado for several years and backpacked a lot. I took up cross country skiing so I could continue backpacking into the winter. Let me tell you, that got old pretty quick. I did continue to x-country ski, but not so much to camp. Too much sweating led to too much near-hyperthermia any time we stopped.

I live in Texas now and our council has a winter camp each year between Christmas and New Year. Nearly 1,000 boys attend, and about 80 merit badges are offered. Two years ago it got down to freezing twice. That's quite a change from waking up to find your water bottle frozen solid.

One more tip - with those warm, warm sleeping bags, have the boys keep tomorrow's clothes down in the bottom of it. They'll thank you in the morning.

[summertop]

On winter camping, I have a list that I continue to modify and improve detailing what they need to bring...clothes, sleeping, shelter.

This year, one boy complained that his toes got cold. But that was it and it was only the first evening. Overnight EVERYONE slept plenty warm. I brought two extra sleeping pads, 4 extra foam pads and 3 bags of blankets. None of them were used. The next day there were no complaints of cold.

Now, I HAVE had some cold boys before. I disagree with letting them "suffer" as a learning experience. They are already suffering when they come to me. They have already learned their lesson. If I let them continue to suffer, albeit safely, they won't have ANY fun. Next time, they just won't want to come. Teach them, make it fun, and they will be confident and look forward to camp outs.

[WVBeaver05]

You can't stress enough the importance of the closed-cell foam pad.

I can confirm this one! Having just returned from a Winter Camporee where we had to make a last minute change to have a second adult (my wife substituting for a father with a sick child) and not enough time. A tripled quilt just doesn't insulate as well as the closed cell foam pad.

One more tip - with those warm, warm sleeping bags, have the boys keep tomorrow's clothes down in the bottom of it. They'll thank you in the morning.

I would recommend against this. The moisture from your body will make the clothes damp and less comfortable. The alternative solution is to keep the next days clothes handy and pull them into the sleeping bag for a few minutes before getting up and dressed. Also, you really only need to pull in the inner most layer of clothes. And, pull the day clothes into the sleeping bag while you still have on your sleeping clothes, too.

At least that's what works for me.

YiS

[pipestone1991]

Wool socks & common sense.