Winter Camping: Gear, Equipment and Sleeping Systems

For my first three years at university studying outdoor education and environmental science, I chose to ‘tough it’ in a summer sleeping bag. Winter nights were something I associated with convulsive shivering, lack of sleep and lack of energy the following day. Investing in a warm bag really makes a difference. Using a silk liner is another great way to add a little comfort, or you could go for the cheap alternative by using a butcher’s meat sack (new, not used!), which is essentially a cheap fabric bag.

Scotland is inherently wet and therefore the best insulating materials will tend to be synthetics like PrimaLoft or a hydrophobic down rather than normal down, the former are more able to perform over multi-day use in damp conditions.

Look for a sleeping bag with plenty of loft, and ideally with a neck baffle. Sleep with your mouth and nose poked outside, and avoid the classic advice to dry wet gear inside your bag and against your body: if you want to stop socks or boots freezing, put them in a dry bag then put that to the bottom of your sleeping bag. No moisture need enter the sleeping bag unnecessarily.

Sleep naked or clothed? I’ve had some heated (pun intended) discussions over campfires on this one – it seems to be a common argument.

Winter Camping: Staying Dry

Once pitched maintain dry discipline. This is pretty common sense, but it’s often overlooked. By creating a bubble of comfort to hide inside even the most inhospitable environment becomes survivable and manageable. Make a rule that no wet kit enters the inner tent, ever! I have found that as soon as moisture comes inside it stays inside. If a little snow or rain makes it past, then towel it out before exposing it to your sleeping bag. Maintaining airflow will reduce moisture from condensation, so keep a vent open, even in the strongest gale.

I chose to cook inside my tent, placing my stove on a snow shelf in the outer vestibule clear of any tent wall fabric. It is essential to increase ventilation during cooking and maintain a constant vigilance to carbon monoxide risks, this can kill if ignored.

Winter Camping: Have Fun

Most of all, winter camping need not be ‘gnarly’– it is about experiencing the wonder that is snow-capped peaks, frosted valleys and epic views from the door of your tent. Follow your instinct to what you find comfortable and have a blast, in every sense of the word.

We recommend booking onto a winter skills course with a certified instructor if planning to head out to camp in winter mountains. Mountain centres like Plas y Brenin in Snowdonia and Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms offer numerous training courses for all levels.