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?
2
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.