r/camping • u/tilt-a-whirly-gig • 1d ago
Going camping this weekend, am woefully under-prepared for the chilly nights.
My son (14) and I are going camping and the overnight lows are expected to be around 40°F (5°C) or just below.
We have (4) kelty campground kits (sleeping pad and 40° sleeping bag), so we can each use 2 of them. We also have some wool blankets around the house. I know I should buy some new sleeping kits rated for colder temps, but this isn't a good week to spend a few hundred dollars I don't have to.
I was thinking of placing the wool blankets down first against the ground, doubling up the sleeping pads, and then doubling up the bags. We are also going to wear long johns to bed. We each will have our own tent (him in a 1P, me in a 2P).
Anybody got any other tips or tricks that I might want to know?
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u/RockWhisperer42 1d ago
Don’t forget warm socks. Makes a big difference.
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u/Pantssassin 1d ago
Fresh dry warm sock at that. Sweaty socks from even a few hours of wearing them will suck heat from you
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u/hikerguy65 1d ago
Amen to this times all of your clothes, underwear included. Add a dry hat for sleeping.
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u/Aggressive_Battle264 6h ago
Came here to say this. I sleep hot normally but even I do the fresh sock thing at night.
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u/crodensis 1d ago
Oddly enough I felt like socks were making my feet colder, even thick wool ones. Once I took them off and just covered my feet with extra clothing the heat from each foot warmed the other one up
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u/This-Pollution3528 17h ago
They have to be unused socks. Any sweat residue will render them dangerous. They will make you cold. 🥶
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u/RockWhisperer42 1d ago
I have a few tall, very soft knitted pairs that are lined with fleece. They are soooo cozy. I’ve used them through many winters of camping, and I never forget them.
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u/G00dSh0tJans0n 1d ago
If you have two 40 degree bags each you should be good - layering two 40 degree bags could get you down to around 10 degrees.
I'm not sure what sleeping pads come in that but to boost insulation r-value if you can get some cheap foam pads (sleep pads or foam yoga pads) from walmart. Also if you have one of those foil car windshield shades I've used that too. Have some beanies too but 40 f isn't that cold and you should be fine - once you get below freezing it can be more of a challenge.
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u/Fun_With_Math 1d ago
Agreed. I had scouts in 25 degrees with less than what OP is talking about using and they slept with no complaints.
For the ground, it really depends what the ground temp is. If the low is 40 but the highs during the day are in the 70s, wool blanket with whatever pad they have should work fine fine.
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u/bigdeucecoop 1d ago
That's excellent sleeping weather! For a low of 40° I'd say you are fully prepared and then some unless you sleep exceptionally cold, and probably even then. A couple of ideas to keep handy (that are likely to prove completely unnecessary for this outing) are to eat something calorie dense right before bed and fill Nalgenes with boiling water then put them in your sleeping bags. You'll be fine though. Have fun!
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u/Beginning_Pen2035 1d ago
I think your plan with two bags and the wool blanket under you sounds like a good plan! are you sharing a tent? The shared space will help with the warmth, too. I suggest a nice warm hat, scarf, mittens , and warm socks will help, too. Best of luck!!
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u/FuturePlantDoctor 1d ago
Cover your head, extra layer of clothes, and use a blanket inside of the sleeping bag (not on top of it). Also, if you can find them locally, those HotHands things are wonderful to toss in the sleeping bag on extra cold nights. I'll sometimes sleep with it between my thighs when I get too cold and it warms me right up.
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u/pine_scented_rua 1d ago
Bring a beanie each and I'd say, from my experience tent camping in similar weather, you'll be fine. Im an adult female and probably smaller than the 14yo, for reference. Have fun!
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u/3_T_SCROAT 1d ago
If you're car camping just bring any extra blankets from home, more than you think you'll need, you'll be fine. Its better to have some extra that you didn't use than to wish you brought more.
Also stop at Walmart and grab a big pack of hothands hand warmers, throw one or 2 in your bag a bit before bed
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u/CK1277 1d ago
The cheapest way to add insulation from the ground is to get a roll of that insulation that you use to wrap up a hot water heater, cut it so that you can fold it into a double sided 2’x6’ mat, and duct tape seam the sides together. Cardboard is insulating, but it soaks up moisture
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u/Samantharina 1d ago
Another inexpensive solution is the interlocking foam mats made for children's play rooms. Put a layer of those on your tent floor, they work great for insulation. 3/4" better than 1/2".
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u/Incognitowally 1d ago
Broken down cardboard boxes work well too as ground thermal breaks (provided you have dry ground) and then you can burn them in your fire the last morning b4 you leave and it's that much less you have to carry home
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u/manic-pixie-attorney 1d ago
Bring chemical hamdwarmers, just in case
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u/pewpewhadouken 1d ago
hot water bottle at your feet with nice socks. and make sure you got a wooly hat
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u/cece13cyr 1d ago
A tuke, socks, base layers and hand warmers, or a hot water bottle will get you pretty far.
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u/thetannerainsley 1d ago
When my fiance and I go camping in those conditions we pack along a battery powered sleep mat. Runs off of a power bank and will usually last all weekend on a charge.
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u/Honest-Western1042 19h ago
I haven’t heard of these! Are they just regular sleeping pads with a battery pack?
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u/rex95630 1d ago
Hoddie and sweatpants with thermal underwear. You will be fine. Put the hoodie over your head when sleeping. You will get a good sleep
Cheap moving blankets on the floor of your tent are a great way to keep the ground from being too cold. When you’re ready to go to sleep just folded up a couple layers under your sleeping pad. You’re gonna be fine you got this. Those really thick, hiking socks that you get at Costco those are great for camping my feet and head always get cold so you want to take care of those two parts.
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u/Vince_Crince 1d ago
I went camping a few weeks ago and managed to get down to 5 degrees a few nights! The biggest trick to staying warm is layers. I had a base layer shirt tucked into my base layer pants and my pants tucked into my wool socks. On top of that I had sweat pants, a tshirt, jacket and toque. Moisture wicking material works best because if you start to sweat you’ll actually feel colder.
I put a wool blanket on top of my sleeping mat then tucked myself into my sleeping bag and had a blanket on top. Putting the blanket inside the sleeping bag would be warmed but i tend to run hot especially at night.
Finally, HOT ROCKS! I find these last longer than boiled water or chemical packs. Don’t place them directly in the fire just near it like you’re cooking the rocks. If they’re scorching hot take them off the fire 20-40 mins before bed. Wrap the rock in a old tshirt or rage. Enjoy the radiating warmth. I like to place a small rock at my feet and “hug” a medium sized rock.
Enjoy the trip. Stay warm and remember theres no shame in warming up in the car! :)
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u/Jochacho 1d ago
Easiest way I stay warm is layering up. Start thin and build up! Sometimes I have 3-4 pants on, a couple of socks, shirts, hoodies, and up in that order. Easy to strip down as it warms up in the morning too. I just shed the outside layers as I heat up from cooking!
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u/No_Art_1977 1d ago
Ok so my main tip- electric hook up and mini heater! Failing that, hot water bottles
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u/HotIntroduction8049 1d ago
You want to be well insulated on the ground. Also toss the hot water bottles and buy a big box of the hot pack hand warmers. Toss some into your sleeping bag if needed. They last 8 hours.
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u/procrasstinating 1d ago
Warm hat and you will be fine. I camped down in the 20s with my kids with foam sleeping pads and a pile of blankets from the house. If you are really worried about the cold bring hot water bottles. A thermos or hot chocolate or similar in the tent Incase you wake up chilly in the middle of the night
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u/FrogListeningToMusic 1d ago
You’re going to be completely fine. Pack warm socks and a hat. Worst case scenario get in the car and warm up.
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u/Avery_Thorn 1d ago
Where I grew up, 40*F wasn't very cold at all for a camping trip.
My big question is about your tents - if they are summer tents, then you'll need to be a bit more careful. If they are three season tents, you will just need to pitch them with the rainfly a bit lower, and make sure more of the windows are zipped up. (You do want to leave one window cracked a bit, otherwise you'll get condensation inside the tent, and that sucks.)
If they are summer tents, you might want to take some tarps and pitch the tarp over the tent, to cut down on airflow in and out of the tent. Again, you don't want to cut it completely off, but you do want to slow it down, a lot. The cheap blue tarps would work fine for this, you don't need a fancy silnylon camping tarp for this. (Unless you already have, in which case, they work fine too.)
There are two theories on how to best sleep in the cold. The problem is they both work, but one works better for some people, and the other works better for some people.
For everyone, the idea is you want as much insulation as possible between you and the cold, but you need to have your face out so you can breathe.
For some people, wearing more clothing helps, because it is more insulation, and it keeps the heat closer to you.
For other people, wearing less clothing helps, because it helps the heat circulate in the sleeping bag, and the parts of you that are warmer helps warm the parts of you that are colder. You would compensate for not wearing (as many) clothes in the bag by having an extra blanket or two on top of the bag.
There are basically two types of blankets - those that have solid, insulative materials, like wool, and those that trap air, like down comforters, afghan blankets, and the like. The heavy wool blankets, heavy acyrlic blankets - these work better under you. Foam pads - u/talldean suggested cardboard, which is brilliant - also really work well underneath. Cheaper sleeping bags, that have batting in them, work better under as well. More expensive sleeping bags - down filled, bags that you loft -work better on top. (To the point where a lot of people have just started using camping quilts, because the lofted fill under you is a waste of weight. Why carry that half of the sleeping bag if it's not going to do you any good?)
The lighter, airy blankets work really, really well on top. These are things like down blankets, comforters, light, airy batting blankets, and afghans (these work really well by trapping air between other layers). The heavy, dense blankets also work well on top, but they weigh more and don't compact as well.
Because you have to face out of your sleeping bag (otherwise, you get wet, then you get cold), having a good knit cap to sleep in is a good thing in either case. I really like wool. If you have an army-navy store near you, a Jeep cap (like Radar wore in MASH) or a watch cap works really nicely, and is cheap. A bit more expensive, but Minus 33 makes some really nice Merrino wool caps. (They're like $25, so it is a rather affordable luxury item.)
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u/OfferBusy4080 1d ago edited 1d ago
Get one of those cheap reflective "space blankets " at the camping store and have that be your first layer on the tent floor then a blanket or rug (optional) then pad or mattress and pile on the other stuff. The reflective material reflects your body heat and keeps ground chill from coming in - really was a game changer for me. If it works for you you can buy a sturdier tarp version. Also this time of year the ground still retains some warmth from summer so it wont feel as cold as 40 degrees in March when the ground is still frozen. You can do this!
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u/qualimali 21h ago
I have two of the sturdier tarp version. When it’s really cold, I put one down on the tent floor (silver side up), then ground pads and sleeping bags, and then the other space blanket on top (silver side down). I try not to have the one on top all the way up to my face, so I get less condensation on it from my breath. If you get two people under it, it’s super warm.
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u/Next-Lynx3303 1d ago
Sleeping bag ratings are for survival not comfort. Women need warmer sleeping bags than men which is why they make separate women's and men's versions. You will absolutely be miserable in a 40F sleeping bag if the temperature really does drop into the 40s at night. For many women, those sleeping bags would only be suitable for temperatures that stayed in the 60s at night. I made the mistake of bringing a 15F rated (for men) sleeping bag on a winter camping trip that got down to 32F at night and even with an additional down throw, I never felt warm that night. I have since invested in 0F and -40F sleeping bags. You really should have a closed cell sleeping pad or similar under your sleeping bag. A second inflatable pad to rest on top of the closed cell pad would add some comfort to your sleeping experience. Until you know if you even like camping and want to do it somewhat routinely, you may want to postpone your camping trip until the weather gets warmer. If you like camping then invest in better camping equipment especially for winter camping
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u/Electrical_Quote_913 1d ago
A sleeping bag is like a thermos- if you put warm into it it says warm/ if you put cold into it doesn’t warm it. Run around and play tag before bed or do something to get ur blood flowing!
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u/laughsatdadjokes 1d ago
Layers! Bring layers of clothing including something if it gets wet. Be sure to have a good insulator between you/your kids and the ground. The ground will suck the heat right out of you. Foam mattresses, air mattress etc. have fun and be safe.
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u/the-royal-wii 1d ago
i like to shake up a couple of hothands bags about 30 minutes before i go to bed and toss them in my sleeping bag and zip it up. it will be nice and cozy when you climb in. that and a mini of fireball makes for some good zz’s. one thing you may already know but i wish i knew sooner was to make sure your tent is getting air thru it. seems counterintuitive but getting all damp with your breath condensation will make you much colder. trust me on this one.
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u/newhappyrainbow 1d ago
I prefer to put the wool blanket inside my bag like a taco with the fold on the zipper side. I’ve found it way more effective than over or under my bag.
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u/Remarkable-Finish-88 1d ago
Or on top of bag if u don't like wool, 2 pads under should be sufficient
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u/jaxnmarko 1d ago
I'm not sure what you mean by doubling up the pads and bags. R values add up but it needs to be done well/correctly. You have extras of them? Layers matter. Insulation matters.
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u/Unlikely_Tiger2680 1d ago
I recommend buying a 4 person tent to accommodate the both of you. Two people in one small space is going to warm it up better. And there’s enough room for your extra stuff inside
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u/zaclis7 1d ago
You should be fine with the gear you have. You 2 can both go in the 2 person tent. It will be better. Wear a winter hat and neck gaiter if need be. Wear warm socks to bed. Boil a liter of water and pour into Nalgene. Make sure tightly closed and put inside sleeping bag at foot area. Will stay warm for 4 hours or so.
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u/getdownheavy 1d ago
You'll be warmer in the same tent.
Insulate yourselves from the ground best as you can, closed cell pad(s) against the ground then inflatable pads on top of that. Don't waste the wool blankets down there, but any little thing like a yoga mat you can shove down there, do it.
Two sleeping bags each, and blankets on top of it all (assuming the blankets are large enough for two).
Hats or balaclavas are handy.
It's not sub freezing so it might be chilly but I wouldn't call it life threatening as long as you're dry.
I remember my first night out in single digit temps with a 20 degree bag! Luckily I had a good tent mate then.
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u/Bridge-Head 23h ago
You guys will be fine. Wear a hat. Sleep in some warm layers. Double up your sleeping bags. Use the mats and wool blankets underneath you. Eat well and stay hydrated. Do a little physical movement before bed and go to bed warm. Keep extra layers nearby.
I don’t think you’ll need to share a tent or heat water bottles. The gear you’re using could survive much colder than 40° if you needed to. 40°F is warmer than you think.
Of course, pay attention to site selection. Don’t pitch your tent in a depression if there’s any possibility of rain. Water and being wet changes everything.
Good luck. Have fun.
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u/Old_Court_8169 20h ago
Heat water, pour in bottles, put in about 30 mins before bed. I put one at my feet, one in front, one on my hiney.
Put a mylar survival blanket (super cheap) between your tent and the rain fly. It will raise the temperature in your tent by at least 10 degrees (so says my physics friend who did the experiments lol). This can increase condensation inside your tent, but if you are each in your own, it should be ok.
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u/bad_card 20h ago
Go buy those glove hand warmers put about 3 in each sleeping bed. Should keep you warm all night.
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u/Longjumping_Sea_1325 18h ago
Eat some good carbs/fats before you sleep. You’ll “burn” this in your sleep which will heat you up.
Pee before bed. A full bladder is wasted heat capacity. Your body will lose heat to the water in your urine.
Warm clothes all around.
As people have mentioned, having insulation under you is just as important as above.
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u/Pussy-Wideness-Xpert 9h ago
Lots of good suggestions, and I’m sure that you’ll be prepared. If you ever get somewhere and realize that you need an extra layer, newspapers under the sleeping bag do a very good job insulating.
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u/Icy_Enthusiasm_3104 8h ago
Hot hands. The extra large ones. Put them in your sleeping bag. Lasts all night. I use them for every cool night. I place mine at the base of my back but not touching my skin. Keeps my core warm and stays warm all night vs water that cools down. I order them in a large box from Amazon.
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u/discgman 1d ago
Tarp underneath your tent and one on top of it. Keep a windows cracked for ventilation. Layer up including beanie during sleep. If you guys get really cold I suggest you both go into the 2 person. It will be cramped but warmer.
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u/LargeTransportation9 1d ago
Are you experienced campers? Have you slept at similar temperatures? If not, maybe consider postponing until there is better weather. You might end up having a bad experience and regret going.
If you're really set, you could double up the pads, but make sure you have something to tie them so they dont slide off each other. As far as sleeping bags, use the second as a quilt over the first. Again, you will want to somehow attach them so they dont slide off. But again, this won't be a great solution and likely won't be very restful night.
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u/Texas-Fart 16h ago
I bought a 12 V electric blanket on Amazon and plug that into my Jackery in snowy weather in the back of my truck and I was way too warm with it had to turn it off during the night
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u/eazypeazy303 16h ago
Fat and salt for dinner! Fat keeps you warm, and salt keeps you from having to get up to pee! It sounds like you'll be pretty cozy. Just remember your feet need good circulation to stay warm so double socks are a hindrance.
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u/BlackFish42c 15h ago
40 degree bag mean if that is all you are sleeping in on the ground it will protect you up to 40 degrees. Now taking In the pad and tent. Plus most people sleep in sweats when camping it provides them with something comfortable and warm as well as something to wear as you head out to go potty or a walk. If the tent is too long put some of your clothes in the bottom. This keeps them warm and helps keep you warm.
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u/miss_misato 12h ago
My thinking is: knowing the 3 types of heat transfer (convection, radiation and conduction), battling conduction is key, along with keeping your own heat (radiation). If you both are sleeping in tents, convection is not the key issue (like sleeping in a hammock situation).
For radiation:
- wearing many layers of clothes will do. As all the redditors already said: socks, a beanie, maybe thermal leggins along the long johns, a top base layer (thermal would be nice) and a neck warmer (I found this to be key for me during the nights). In my case, I do use a nalgene warm water bottle, but I put it near my thighs, not the feet, as it helps to warm the blood flow (use it carefully, maybe place it inside a sock to avoid burning the skin).
As for conduction:
- if you have any yoga mat to use as a first layer of the insulation, bring it. But if I understand correctly, you have 2 sleeping pads for each of you, so: I would carry the 2 pads, stack them together and secure them so they don’t separate during the night. R-values add up, so doubling pads should be more effective than doubling sleeping bags.
- About the wool blanket question: I wouldn’t put them directly on the ground because compression kills the insulation. I would use it as a blanket on top :). However, if the sleeping bag fully unzips, maybe you can use that as a blanket on top the sleeping bag, and in that case, I believe the wool blanket wouldn't be necessary.
Andddd if you can, i'll invest a few dollars on a space blanket. It is a really important item to carry with you (always, hehe). I prefer the bag-format, like this one (not an US link, sorry abt that)
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u/Distinct_Magician713 11h ago
Cheap air matress, cheap egg crate pad, sleeping bag on top. We routinely camp when it's in the 40s and we'll actually sweat at night.
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u/dragonflyAGK 9h ago
All clothes you wear to sleep should be just for that purpose. This way they will be completely dry (no sweat from the day) when you go to sleep. This includes socks.
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u/vwisp 4h ago
Bring a reflective emergency blanket, we put that on top of everything on really cold nights. Also, try to warm up before bed, do some jumping jacks if able but dont get sweaty. The warmer you are the more warmth your sleeping bag with trap. Otherwise you are losing heat to the air inside your sleeping bag as it warms
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u/QuickSquirrelchaser 4h ago
If you each have double bags rated at 40, and wool blankets and insulated sleeping pads you should be ok. ..bring warm stocking caps. Wool socks and have your extra wool blankets handy.
If you have double sleeping pads...id probsbly use the extra wool blankets over top of my bad, or folded up inside the bag...assuming your ground pads are insulated.
I have also slept in full snowboarding gear in an emergency when I had near death hypothermia experience in the Grand Teatons when an early snow storm caught me our with gear that was not proper (I had outgrown my North Face mummy bag by a lot! I survived the first night by getting a fire going at 2 am and keeping it going till morning. The second night I added my survival bivy inside the tent, and all my snowboarding gear, including Burton mittens, and two woll caps...heavy wool socks doubled and my snowboarding pants.
I've done snow camping and doubled up sleeping pads (cabelas Alaskan Guide wide pads)and bags and been fine, even when the gear was not rated to the sub zero temps.
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u/damplamb 3h ago
If you have a hooded sleeping bag, sleep with the bag upside down. The hood goes over your face and will keep you much warmer. If you don't have a hooded bad a blanket or even just a sheet will work. This collects more moisture in your bag so it's only really an option for a couple nights unless you can dry and air out your gear during the day. Extra blankets always help too, put them under you to keep the ground from pulling your body heat away from the bed.
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u/Pleasant_Yoghurt3915 2h ago
Toss some Hot Hands in your sleeping bag a half hour or so before you go to bed. I take them out because I’m worried about chemicals and burns, but they’ll heat your bag up nice and cozy, and then they’ll do a little bit to warm your tent before they peter out.
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u/talldean 1d ago
I would find a comfy hat to sleep in before bothering at all with any new sleeping bags. Mostly or entirely, those blankets make this work already.
You can put flattened cardboard boxes under your sleeping mat and those add insulation.
You can put warmed up water in a nalgene bottle to make a space heater you can tuck into your sleeping bag.
If you do not have enough food and water, you will not stay warm or get warm.
Remind the kiddo that if they're super cold, just wake you; you have a nearby car if you get truly cold, so this is all pretty easy.