TentBoxing in the winter can be daunting with the colder temperatures. The worry of being too cold and not having as much fun can be a holdback from embarking on a winter adventure, but worry not! We’re here to help.
In this blog, we’ve put together a few key tips & tricks to making your winter roof tent adventures a success, ensuring you keep yourself toasty and warm throughout.
Why choose TentBox for winter camping?
Let’s start with the obvious: a regular ground tent is no comparison to a TentBox when it comes to keeping warm. Whichever way you put it, sleeping on the ground means your insulation levels are close to zero; meaning your body heat will reduce dramatically in a very short period of time.
With a TentBox, you’re naturally high off the ground so there’s no chance of the floor’s freezing temps sucking the heat away from you. Believe it or not, the air gap between your TentBox and the car acts as an insulating layer, as heat conducts slower through air than it does the ground. Every TentBox model is designed with comfort in mind with premium fabrics and thick, insulated built-in mattress.
Want extra peace of mind? You can purchase a cosy insulation pod for the inside of your TentBox Classic, which will keep your setup warmer through the night. Another good add-on to consider is our mattress comfort topper (available for Classic or Cargo) which adds another 3.5cm thick layer of memory foam mattress, all the while keeping airflow going to keep condensation at bay.
Without further ado, here are our top 5 tips & tricks to TentBoxing in the winter.
1. Keep your TentBox ventilated
It may seem contradictory, but keeping your TentBox ventilated is super important in the winter time.
As you breathe in and out, you release hot vapour into the air. When these water droplets hit the walls of your tent, they can collect as condensation. Naturally, these can freeze up in sub-zero temperatures. By partially allowing airflow in and out of your TentBox, you’ll prevent this from happening, which will help you keep the inside of your TentBox dry.
With that in mind, it’s important to stay realistic. Whatever tent you sleep in, condensation is inevitable. This is why it’s a good idea to pack a microfibre towel along with you. You can use this fast-drying fabric to wipe down the inside of your TentBox every so often, ensuring you keep condensation at bay. This is particularly important in the morning before you pack down.
2. Layer up
One of the most obvious tips here is to simply layer up. Thermal PJs, a high quality sleeping bag (look out for sub-zero temperature rating, goose or duck down fill and a fill rating over 600) and an extra layer on top will have you feeling cosy, however harsh the weather outside.
In this instance, the TentBox Down Blanket is a must-have add-on to any winter camping setup. The duck down filling keeps the heat in and the cold out. It’s durable, lightweight, and easy to carry with a small pack-down size.
3. Fuel your body
It’s vital you look after yourself during any adventure, keeping hydrated and eating plenty is a given. But aside from keeping your energy levels up, certain foods can also help your body stay warm. The technical term for this is thermogenesis, which is the process of your body producing heat caused by food metabolising.
Look out for food that’s naturally high in healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Many of these foods are more complex and take longer to digest. Bananas, oats, red meats, sweet potatoes and butternut squash are a great place to start.
On top of that, don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Water keeps your body functioning at its best and helps regulate your internal temperature. Research suggests being dehydrated can cause your core temperature to drop, which may lead to hypothermia.
Aside from hydration, you can also drink coffee (the caffeine increases your metabolism, which can raise your body temperature) or ginger tea (which is known to be good for digestive health and can stimulate thermogenesis).
4. Pick your parking space carefully
It may sound simple, but picking the perfect parking spot is key to keeping warm throughout the night.
Keep away from the wind, find a natural shelter and pop open the TentBox. Be sure not to park directly under any trees where there is a risk of falling branches; and on the wetter days, dripping water, which will continue long after the rain has stopped.
5. Pack appropriate gear for your daytime adventures
Before heading off on any TentBox adventure, it’s important you pack the right gear, clothing and accessories. This is no different to your typical winter wander, and will ensure you stay as dry and warm as possible before climbing up in your TentBox at night.
Here are a few quick tips:
- Pack waterproofs and stay dry
- Pack a hot water bottle
- Double up on socks and wear warm shoes (we recommend insulated boots)
- Pack extra lights for those early sunsets
Hear it straight from TentBoxer Arianna Lombardi
We spoke with TentBoxer Arianna Lombardi, who recently spent two nights in Val di Fassa, Dolomites, where the outside temperatures dropped to -10°C.
She told us a few of her tips and tricks for any snowy destination, and recommended a great location for anyone looking for a winter getaway to Italy.
“The first night the temperature was about -10°C, we didn’t have any kind of heating but we are both alpinists, so we acted as if we were going to bivouac in the mountains.
We had a great sleeping bag and base layers which was enough. There was a lot of frozen condensation but we stayed dry wiping it with a microfibre towel twice during the night.
We briefly opened all the windows in the morning to dry the walls and then left the TentBox under the snow until the evening. After a day full of fun, snowy adventures, we came back and wiped the snow out and dried the walls again, leaving the windows open for a couple of hours.
The Marmolada campsite is 5 minutes from the shops, cable car and ski rental. The campsite has a great view on Sass Pordoi and Gran Vernel. We left the car at the campsite and used the ski bus to get to the start of our ski alp adventure.
The trip was really smooth, the TentBox Lite fits perfectly on our car and we didn’t have any issues while driving. We’re already planning our next adventure. Italy-Scotland in May with lots of treks and maybe bike adventures sounds just about right!”
This wraps up our TentBoxing in the winter blog. Remember to have fun and keep exploring this winter… Adventure is out there whatever the weather, don’t let the cold limit your opportunities!
Want to share your story?
If you want to share your tips, trips and plans with your TentBox, we’d love to hear from you. Message us on Instagram @TentBox or Facebook (The TentBox Community) to feature.
