Camping in minus 10 weather with a tent, info required.

[SYRON CONVERSIONS]

Okay, I need some info please, I would like to hear from the people who have experienced extreme cold in the minus's while camping.
But let me first tell you all, I have a 3m x 3m canvas type tent, it has this frame that you put up first and then the tent hangs from the frame with clips, it then has this skeloton sheet that goes over the top, cannot remember the name of this tent, however it is some sort of canvas material, it has a built in ground sheet as well as netting on all the windows as well. It is a dome shape tent.

Now is it better to use an air mattrass or to sleep off the ground on a stretcher?

If sleeping on the ground, I do already have a few of these thin light blue mats, I was thinking of putting them under an air matrass to prevent the cold from seeping up through the ground, even some newspapers.

I thought of using my old army sleeping bags and a down duck feather duvet over the top, but if I am using seperate stretches, this would be a problem.

Is it better for a person to use a double air matrass or two singles air matrasses, if a double is used, then at least the lady can snuggle up to me.

Is there any type of heater available that a person can use as well, now taking into consideration that there is no electricity.

The area that I will be camping in is very cold, it sometimes get even below minus 10 degrees C. Thus rather go prepared than cold.

I just need to know what works.....

[Dadz Toy BFI]

Stay off the ground - airbed or stretcher is fine
Canvas tent is fine maybe even better than Nylon; wind chill is the main factor; minus 10 ambient is nothing minus 10 ambient with a wind turns into minus 20' quickly.
Wear multiple loose fitting layers in bed, then you can put on and take off till you're comfortable. :Geek:
A Duck Down bag will be toasty
Shared body warmth is the key - even if they are in seperate sleeping bags- you'll feel the benefit.

Enjoy, it's a walk in the park Simon :shifty:

[Harold]

Have a good mattress, comfort is necessary for warmth. Have a good sleeping bag, preferably two that you can zip together – snuggling up is a great way to keep the cold away. Then have a warm but light blanket/duvet to go over the sleeping bag.
By this time you will be happily warm.

[Mud Dog]

I would agree that airbed is better than stretcher. A stretcher alows air in underneath, robbing warmth. Newspaper / cardboard is a good insulator (used to work well on cold mornings in my biker days) to be used under the matrass if you think it will help. Gas heaters work well but deplete the oxygen in your enclosed tent, so not a good idea to run for too long. Have fun.

[Gertc]

Stay way from a stretcher all the heat will escape. We camped at Golden Gate in May and in were ice cold. Started of sleeping on stretchers and end up sleeping on a spare ground sheet folded double and shared body heat with the wife. ( dit was so koud dit het daai nag geryp tussen man en vrou)

[wim]

My problem exactly,ass from Fryday im on a weeks leave and can not decide where to go to ass were camping in a caravan.Inland to cold and charlets too expensive,we are trying too head towards some snow but it looks like next week im gonna bee sitting on a beetch somewhere.Main problem is wee have a 3jear old daughter and i think the cold will be a bit harsh on her.

[Mud Dog]

The 3 yr old is tougher than you give credit for, but it's probably more enjoyable on a nice beach or coastal lagoon. You've got plenty nice places along the KZN coast you can go to, and not too far to travel either.

[Dadz Toy BFI]

The 3 yr old is tougher than you give credit for, but it's probably more enjoyable on a nice beach or coastal lagoon. You've got plenty nice places along the KZN coast you can go to, and not too far to travel either.

As boy scouts we had our Annual Winter Camps in Minus Teens, sleeping on the floor with kidy polyester sleeping bags enol

- kidz are as hard as hell, it's just age that weakens us

Don't forget your Beanie Si

[Niel]

Cadac, has a gas heater and they work well but as mentionned do not burn long when inside the tent

[ThysdJ]

Insulate between the ground and your air mattress, and put a thick blanket on top of the mattress as well... Dont upset your wife before going to bed so you can share body heat, and take a good few bottles of Sedgwick's Old Brown Sherry, no other brands, it must be Sedgwick's... Also the smaller the tent the better...

[Scooter]

Go to a place that is warmer

All good advice Simon, but ultimately make sure you are warm before going to bed as that will make a world of difference.
Getting in cold makes it very difficult to get warm.

Otherwise, just enjoy it and remember to put the meat back in the fridge at night, to stop it from freezing :wth:

[African Child]

Stem saam gebruik n lugmatras, moet net nie die pomp en repair kit vergeet nie. Ek het eenkeer n nuwe een in sy box saam geneem op n trip.....hyt n gat ingehad! Moes die gat met n klein G-clamp elke aand vir n week toeknyp sodat ek nie in die nag op die grond wakker word nie. In hierdie tipe koue is kondensasie in jou tent soms n probleem en die lugmatras is maklike om droog te hou. Vir my is dit baie belangrik om my kop warem te hou gewoonlik werk n K-Way beanie lekker maar in ekstreme koue werk n ballaklawa beter vir my. Die volgende gaan seker bietjie belaglik klink maar enige iets om jou warem te hou. Alhoewel bietjie raserig in die nag werk n survival blanket baie goed. Jy klim eers in hom en dan in jou slaapsak. Ek hou van buite slaap sonder tent en dit werk baie goed. Laastens gebruik liewer n klein tweeman tent in sulke koue omstandighede, dis baie waremer as daai groot tent van jou en n dubbel lugmatras pas gewoonlik net net daarin. n Groot tent het meer koue lug in. In n tweeman tent steek jy sommer net jou gaslampie aan om dinge warem te maak. Maak net erens iets oop vir bietjie suurstof. Hou alles eenvoudig, vergeet liewer van die Cadak heaters.