Cold Weather Riding/Camping

[Mellow]

I want to put a Tutorial together for cold weather camping and I know of a few things that work for me, I'll post them below, but I'd like see what other 'tricks' have worked for you and I'll include them in the Tutorial. That way, it will help others be more prepared.

Riding

Electric or not? I have Gerbing gear but I also wear a thin synthetic form fitting layer next to my skin then a T-shirt and/or sweatshirt before my gerbing jacket liner and then my riding jacket.
Heated grips are great but some silk glove liners will go a long way in keeping the digits warm.Camping

Same as riding except I take off the gerbing liner, it doesn't breath and you'll end up sweating in it and then getting cold.
Synthetic ski-type cap - this is great for just hanging around in cool/cold weather and will keep you even warmer in your mummy bag if it gets really cold.
Mummy Bag - These are great, keep your head covered and you'll have a nice comfortable night.
Anyone have any other tips?

[Trailace]

I want to put a Tutorial together for cold weather camping and I know of a few things that work for me, I'll post them below, but I'd like see what other 'tricks' have worked for you and I'll include them in the Tutorial. That way, it will help others be more prepared.

Riding

Electric or not? I have Gerbing gear but I also wear a thin synthetic form fitting layer next to my skin then a T-shirt and/or sweatshirt before my gerbing jacket liner and then my riding jacket.
Heated grips are great but some silk glove liners will go a long way in keeping the digits warm.Camping

Same as riding except I take off the gerbing liner, it doesn't breath and you'll end up sweating in it and then getting cold.
Synthetic ski-type cap - this is great for just hanging around in cool/cold weather and will keep you even warmer in your mummy bag if it gets really cold.
Mummy Bag - These are great, keep your head covered and you'll have a nice comfortable night.
Anyone have any other tips?

Here are a few things that came to mind.

If it?s going to real cold I bring a thin blanket to insulate me from my air mattress or ground.
Wear wicking sox as base layer, with a pair of wool over the top to help my feet dry, which helps keep them warm.

[Doobage]

Nice tip on the feet.

Since I don't have any fancy electrical vests or grips, I've just layered my clothing while on the bike. This seems to provide a good variety of clothing when I stop. I've been wearing an Eddie Bauer jacket over my First Gear mesh jacket, which blocks 95% of the wind. The remainder of wind flow seems to keep me from sweating and I use a long sleeve shirt and/or sweater/pull over under the mesh jacket. (shirt, pullover, mesh jacket with liner, Eddie Bauer all weather jacket).

In the tent I've found that keeping as much insulation as you can carry between the ground or air device is the only way I can keep warm. A blanket or eggshell stuff seems to do the trick.

Does anybody have any tricks for keeping your nose warm during the night? (besides ducking under the bag and suffocating)

[Diggers1300]

Does anybody have any tricks for keeping your nose warm during the night? (besides ducking under the bag and suffocating)

When it's real cold I have used a what when we were young was called a knit "toboggan" hat. I had mouth and eye holes only. This allowed me to keep my head out of the bag and not lose body heat thru my head.

Steve

[Mellow]

When it's real cold I have used a what when we were young was called a knit "toboggan" hat. I had mouth and eye holes only. This allowed me to keep my head out of the bag and not lose body heat thru my head.

Steve

That's a pretty good idea, I wonder if there are some out there that provide as good if not better heat retaining abilities than a sleeping bag.. I might have to do some searching ...

[Diggers1300]

Well I don't think it would work as well as "ducking inside the bag" but I don't like having my head covered up when sleeping so it is the only alternative I have found so far. Let me know how your research goes Joe...

Steve

[Mellow]

Well I don't think it would work as well as "ducking inside the bag" but I don't like having my head covered up when sleeping so it is the only alternative I have found so far. Let me know how your research goes Joe...

Steve

There are a few hunting related things out there that might be good but I haven't found anything that looks nice and cozy... I still need to try some of the army surplus sites, they've always got some cool stuff.

[Big Bandit]

As far as insulation from the ground, self inflating air mattress work great. A plain air mattress allows air to cirutale through convection and will suck the heat right out of you. However, a self inflating air mattress is filled with open cell foam which prevents the air from circulating and provides excellent insulation from the ground. They are also relatively comfy.

[Doobage]

I used a neoprene ski mask when sno skiing that might work. It is a half mask that covers the cheeks, nose, mouth and chin. But it has an opening beneath the nostrils and lots of holes over the mouth. It does not cover the hair, forehead or eyes, but that's usually not a problem. Just my freakin' nose.

I haven't tried it while camping, but seems like it "might" work.

[Trailace]

As far as insulation from the ground, self inflating air mattress work great. A plain air mattress allows air to cirutale through convection and will suck the heat right out of you. However, a self inflating air mattress is filled with open cell foam which prevents the air from circulating and provides excellent insulation from the ground. They are also relatively comfy.

You got that right.

Welcome Big Bandit!:D

[Mellow]

I know what's worse... and air mattress with a leak... woke up twice in Big Bend laying on the ground... oh my sore bones.. LOL

[Pat Mayes]

So what is the best ground cloth to use under your tent to help prevent rocks, sticks and thorns from puncturing your air matress? :confused:

[FrioPoint]

I use a plastic shower curtain for a ground cloth. It is thick plastic, and it's cheap enough that when it gets nasty after a couple of years I throw it away and get another one.

So what is the best ground cloth to use under your tent to help prevent rocks, sticks and thorns from puncturing your air matress? :confused:

[Mellow]

I got one of these from campmor.com

http://www.campmor.com/images/tents/larger/21924_l.jpg
Click for link (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=12262)

[Pat Mayes]

Great thanks! (You too FrioPoint)

[number9]

I have a Heavy Duty tarp I got at Wal-Mart (about 2x thick as normal tarp) that I plan to trim to size and use as a ground cloth. Most likely will also cut a section to go inside the tent as well. This would give double protection to the tent floor, help to keep it clean and provide a section of tarp that could be used for some other reason incase of emergency/not-to-emergency without sacraficing the tent ground cloth.

[Mellow]

I have a Heavy Duty tarp I got at Wal-Mart (about 2x thick as normal tarp) that I plan to trim to size and use as a ground cloth. Most likely will also cut a section to go inside the tent as well. This would give double protection to the tent floor, help to keep it clean and provide a section of tarp that could be used for some other reason incase of emergency/not-to-emergency without sacraficing the tent ground cloth.

Is it possible having one on the inside of the tent could cause more harm than extra protection?

I have no idea. I've not used a tarp in the past when I forgot to pack it and didn't have any issues with messing up the bottom of the tent, I'm sure doing that every time would surely cause problems.

Maybe the more experienced guys here have some ideas on this.

[Big Bandit]

It is my understnding that ground cloths were originally used to keep tents clean. If the ground is muddy and you pitch your tent, the bottom becomes muddy and then when you roll up your tent to pack it, the mud gets transfered from the bottom to the rest of the tent. A side benefit of ground cloths is to provide protection for the floor of your tent. However, if you clean your tent site, remove sticks and rocks etc., the tent should not need protection from the ground. I realize that in rocky areas, like Big Bend, it can be difficult to find spot that is clean soil, as large as a tent, even a small one.

As far as putting the tarp on the inside, I do not see how it could harm the tent. To keep the tent clean, I leave my shoes outside, this also protects the tent floor, and I only own freestanding tents which can be picked up and shaken out before they are packed. This has worked well for me, for the past 25 years.

[Doobage]

I think if you are wanting to optimize protection...the main tarp goes down to keep the mud off the bottom of the tent (and perhaps minor abrasions) as everyone has mentioned. But the largest benefit I see to using additional tarp material would be for a door mat outside of the tent. I also keep my shoes off, but if you have to take your shoes off before you get into the tent, you must do a balancing act as you take them off. Boots would require you to sit in the tent while you take the boots off. A pain to say the least.

On the inside, I like to use a blanket when possible to catch the erroneous/inevitable grass or dirt that might come in and then take it out for a shake when packing up (or every other day at the site).

But the largest hazard to any tent, inside or out has always been shoes/boots. Everything else just optimizes the longevity.

[Mellow]

Yeah, I always leave my boots or slip-on shoes outside the tent in the vestibule.

Just gotta make sure you shake them good, don't want no ants or spiders crawling in them to get warm.

[Mellow]

I used a neoprene ski mask when sno skiing that might work. It is a half mask that covers the cheeks, nose, mouth and chin. But it has an opening beneath the nostrils and lots of holes over the mouth. It does not cover the hair, forehead or eyes, but that's usually not a problem. Just my freakin' nose.

I haven't tried it while camping, but seems like it "might" work.

I found this at campmor....

http://www.campmor.com/images/cloth/larger/26624_l.jpg
Click for link (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=39159834)

[Mellow]

Or this at an army surplus site for $5

http://www.1starmy.com/uploadimages/Product_722.JPG
Click for link (http://www.1starmy.com/viewproduct.asp?Productno=722)