Keeping Warm in the Wild

Most people leave the urban areas once in a while to escape the rat race in their own region and commune with nature. Camping out into the wild and enjoying nature involves a lot of risk. Depending on the region, hypothermia could be one of the major concerns of camping, especially on a winter season. Therefore, it is important to include stuffs for warmth in one’s checklist.

Here are some methods to make winter camping warm and enjoyable:

• Campfire

• Generators – the use of a generator like Yamaha 1000-watt portable generator will help campers stay warm. The weight is just 20lbs and running time is 12 hours. It does not even create a mush sound. With this convenient way of running several warming appliances at a time in an inexpensive manner, staying warm in the wild is possible.

• Camping heaters – inexpensive heaters like propane heaters are referred to as perfect camping heaters. These safe and easy to use heaters are portable with 8 inches round heating area and works up to 7 hours at 3000 BTU with one 16.4 OZ propane cylinder.

• Bedding – sleeping arrangement must consist of a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and mattresses, which provide warmth while sleeping.

• Clothing – wearing of long pants and covering the body with different layers of clothes will help in keeping the warmth in the body.

• Hot drinks – boil some water and store them in a heavy-duty water bottle and keep it aside. Drink some hot water to regain the lost heat when you feel that your body is losing warmth.

While enjoying the outdoors, it is important to consider that the body cools down during sleep and the blood is drawn from the extremities to the center of the body, thus, providing good insulation will prevent heat loss. Staying warm will get one a good night sleep. Here are some tips to remember so that the next time you stuff your camping gears on, sleep comfort will not be a problem anymore.

• Fluffing your sleeping bag before crawling inside will create more air space, thus, easily warming your body.

• Bring your boots and water bottle into the tent if the temperature looks as if it will drop. In extreme cold, sleep with your boots on and bottle beside.

• Nibble something with high calories before turning in for the night. Calories are a unit of heat; the fuel the body has to burn will help keep you stay warm during the night. Before, a mixture of a teaspoon or two of butter with a cup of cocoa or something with strong libations before one hits the hay is being practiced.

• Boosting the efficiency of a sleeping bag through: wearing a fresh dry pair of underwear to bed; doubling up sleeping bags; using a sleeping bag liner; wearing parka in sleep; sleeping in a tent.

• Put on your rain gear pants and jackets when the temperature drops unexpectedly, and you found yourself shivering in your sleeping bag. The rain gear acts as a vapor barrier and holds in the body’s warmth.

• Keep hydrated during the day and avoid lots of fluids at night. This will avoid you from going to the bathroom in the middle of a cold freezing night.

• Using a pee bottle is better than exposing one’s self to the cold elements. Just make sure proper labeling in the bottle is done.

• Keep a snack with you for replenishing the lost calories and warming back up again in the middle of the night.

• Select a good campsite off an area where cold air settles.

• Use a good insulating ground pad. Studies show that it is more important to have something warm under you rather than what is on top.

• Sleep with a stocking hat on. Most of the body heat is lost through our head.

• Make your feet dry as possible before going to bed. Dry-wash your feet with a good foot powder. Also, having a pair of dry sleeping socks will help.

• Wear loose fitting clothing to bed to permit circulation.

• Use the buddy system to share warmth with others – snuggle in with someone.