Camp Like a Pro: Essential Tips for Staying Warm in Your Sleeping Bag

Camp Like a Pro: Essential Tips for Staying Warm in Your Sleeping Bag

Imagine marvelling through a lush forest, setting up your site, and cooking your favourite camping meals while sharing waves of laughter with your camp buddies. Everything is perfect only when dusk falls, leaving you with no choice but to endure the harsh cold at night. If you could pick a sturdy , you will not have to experience that burden.

Like our home bed, sleeping bags keep our bodies comfy at night. But in the woods, it also protects us from the brutal cold and prevents the risk of catching hypothermia. Experiencing cold while you are camping is one of the things you will not want to encounter. It will not let you fall asleep, drains energy, and poses a significant health risk. Even if you are loaded with many hiking gears, if you do not pack a sleeping bag, even a tent cannot fully guarantee your protection from the cold.

So what does the best sleeping bag looks like? Not because a sleeping bag is a "sleeping bag," it can warm your body. However, there are certain things that we need to keep in mind, and we are here to guide you on all the things you need to know on how to stay warm in a sleeping bag. Spoiler alert, after reading all the tips we have rolled below, you will surely ace warming in your sleeping bag like a pro!

Essential Tips for Staying Warm in Your Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bags, such as the ones available at Novapro Sports, are known to withstand harsh weather conditions, such as cold seasons, by insulating our bodies at night. Although designed for icy environments, it is still best to do our little homework for additional warmth and comfort while in our sleeping bags.

1. First Things First: Find the Perfect Sleeping Bag

You cannot get comfortable and warm inside a sleeping bag if it does not fit you. The success of the sleeping bag in warming up your body lies in its shape and size. It should be fit enough to give you sufficient room for comfort without leaving excess space as it will affect the air around you. Seasoned campers are fond of mummy-shaped sleeping bags as this size provides less wasted space and is warmer than conventional designs. However, consider that sleeping bags come in many lengths, so you want to look for something ideal for your size to ensure you leave any space that fills up air and makes you feel cold even inside your sleeping bag.

2. Invest in a Good Quality Sleeping Pad

A top-notch sleeping bag can keep you warm at night, but a good sleeping pad can keep you warmer. Below your sleeping bag should be an insulation pad of excellent quality. Nowadays, some manufacturers design their bags with pads, but this is different. If yours needs to be outlined with a built-in sleeping pad, find one with a high insulation rating. In distinguishing the capacity of the pad to insulate your body, always go for the r value. The higher the pad's R-value, the better insulation it provides against cold surfaces. For example, mats and pads with an R-value rating of 3 and 4 are designed for three-season temperatures or those colder nights without frost. In the meantime, those with over five ratings are intended on places below freezing grounds. Therefore, it is best to contemplate things, including your location site, to get the ideal pads for your trip. Of course, if it is on a snowy mountain, getting those with above five r value ratings is best to ensure you stay warm under the given terrain conditions.

3. Ameliorate the Sleeping pad

Try extending your air mattress for extra comfort since some prefer using shorter pads to pack light when camping. Best to place them beneath your feet to shroud them from the ground. Besides, you can tag another small foam pad to add more padding and insulation below a full-length air mattress.

4. Stay Warm With a Sleeping Bag Liner

Contrary to what most people believe that a sleeping liner does not do much of a job, it is still an essential camping gear to pack alongside your sleeping bag. Ironically speaking, a sleeping bag shelters our body with heat, but some of its fabric tend to feel cold — and it is a pesky feeling that adds tingly and makes us feel uncomfortable at times. So albeit a liner only provides a moderate amount of warmth in our body, it still comes in handy if you do not want your skin touching the cold fabric of your sleeping bag. On top of that, it is also good to note that sleeping liners keep your sleeping bags cleaner.

How to Stay Warm in Your Sleeping Bag?

There are specific ways to stay warm while in our sleeping bags. By doing these things, you can sleep at ease and get that much-needed energy you need for the next day of your camping journey. 

1. Dress Smartly and Dry

As much as you love dipping in the river and nearby lake, always change into dry clothes after bathing. Or if you sweat the whole day from walking, wear a new set of clothing before tucking yourself inside your sleeping bag since damp clothes promote heat loss in our body. In addition, dress smartly. Wear apparel that is ideal for the season. So for chilly weather, we need sleeping clothes tailored to this season to keep our body warm, especially at night when the temperature usually drops. Knowing how to layer can also come in handy. While inside your bag, you can add socks, a scarf, gloves, and a hat to provide your body with the additional heat you may need.

2. Hot Water Bottle is a Must

This is a hack that you definitely must try! 

Although we cannot place a heater in our tent, we can stir our curiosity and make our DIY heater with the help of a hot water bottle. First, look for a water bottle that can resist hot liquids but avoid using insulated or vacuum tumblers as these would not release heat. Then, fill the bottle with piping hot water, and place it at the bottom of your bag or in the middle. Just ensure that the bottle is tightly sealed to avoid spilling.

3. Eat Before Sleeping

Yes, you read it right. Of course, it would be best if you ate before sleeping. First, however, choose a meal rich in carbohydrates, sugar, or fat such as an energy bar or a hot cocoa drink, to ignite our body's furnace at night with a steady supply of energy.

4. Give Your Feet an Extra Care

If a part of our body quickly gets cold, that would be our feet. Unfortunately, there are times that they can still feel cold, even when you are inside your sleeping bag with insulation underneath. Therefore, we suggest putting on thick socks to keep your feet warm and a pile of extra clothing under the end of your load to envelop your feet against the cold ground. 

5. Exercise Before Going to Bed

Before tucking yourself into your sleeping bag, try doing light exercises such as sit-ups, jumping lunges, and shoulder rolls. It does not have to be difficult if you do enough to warm your body. This way can help your body produce supplementary energy at night. Just be sure to avoid sweating. Do adequate exercise but not so much to make you sweat.

6. Cocoon Your Blanket

If you are okay with the weight you are carrying, or you will be camping on a site where you can park your vehicle near your tent, bring a thick wool blanket. Bringing more blankets, the better! Place the blanket below your sleeping pad and cover your sleeping bag with a duvet to get that added comfort at night.   

7. We Love Warm Hugs!

For those travelling with their loved ones, do not hesitate to hug them at night. However, it is better to use double sleeping bags for a couple to spoon while sleeping as it will warm your body and leave no room for excess space. Though it is sweet to look at, snuggling has been proven to help emotional and physiological beings. Indeed, we love warm hugs!

Strategies to Stay Warm in Your Sleeping Bags

But wait, there is more! We are still going. We want to make sure you are comfortable and cozy in your sleeping bags, so we have made a game-changing plan to ensure everything will work out on your side when camping with your sleeping bag.

1. Keep an Eye on Your Tent Ventilation

Your tent is your home away from home—it should be sturdy and robust enough to withstand cold weather. Choose a tent with proper ventilation to stay warm inside your sleeping bag. It will not suffocate you; at the same time, only a certain amount of air can pass through it to keep your place warm.

2. Choose a Sleeping Bag with Hoods and Yokes

Do you like wearing hoodie jackets? Then, you will also enjoy sleeping in a bag with a hood and yoke. It delivers heat around your head, ears, and neck, even without tightening your bag, since the yoke can sit against these areas to help you remain warm at night. Unfortunately, not all sleeping bags typically have a draft collar or yoke. But if you want the best sleeping bag, find one with a contoured flap that holds it at your neck to trap the heat around it.

3. Try Not to Overdo

All the things we listed in this article, without a doubt, can help you stay warm while you are in a sleeping bag. Nevertheless, do everything. Try a few of these tips as much as possible, and if you find yourself already comfortable inside your sleeping bag, stick with it. Doing all these may result in overheating and will make you sweat at night. Sweating is a BIG NO when you want to stay warm. As you sweat, your body tends to be cold again and will waste all the energy you put into preparing yourself to get cozy in your sleeping bag. Always remember that too much of a lot is only sometimes ideal. So, better to look for the tips you find yourself comfortable doing to stay warm and cozy during your camping trip.

Conclusion

Camping and hiking are great ways to explore the outdoors. See vast terrains and please your eyes with all the wonders of the earth. However, since we will be staying in a campsite, mountain, or woods, it is best to prepare ourselves for all kinds of things we might experience along the way, including sleep at night. Did you know the secret to a happy camper lies behind a good night's sleep? So be sure to get enough sleep at night to avoid being grumpy in the morning. And there is no better way to sleep soundly at night than getting a comfortable sleeping bag that will contour our body while keeping us safe and warm. So when packing for all your camping gear essentials, pack a suitable sleeping bag with all the traits and qualities listed above. These tricks can save your night from extreme weather conditions. And if you need help finding the right way to clean your sleeping bag after your expedition, read our blog to find out how.

Novapro Sports offer a myriad of hiking essentials that can help you during your trip. We covered you, from the best sleeping bags to camping tents and even cookware designed for camping. So what are you waiting for? Come and visit our website to give your outdoor trip a memorable experience.

Available Products

Compact Ultralight Sleeping Bag Naturehike 0.76kg – Grey (Right)

Make your next camping trip even more enjoyable with this Naturehike Ultralight Sleeping Bag. It is designed to fit a single person comfortably. The bag is lightweight at only 0.76kg yet provides ample insulation from synthetic material for all seasons and terrains - giving you the freedom to explore nature worry-free! In addition, its neutral grey design blends seamlessly into any environment or adventure style.

Compact Ultralight Sleeping Bag Naturehike 0.68kg – Green (Right)

Get ready to rest easy on your next outdoor adventure with Naturehike's Ultralight Sleeping Bag! Weight at only 0.68kg, this roomy bag is designed for one and suits all genders - plus, it comes in a bright green hue that will help you stand out from the crowd. In addition, synthetic insulation ensures maximum warmth throughout any season without weighing down its envelope shape design like heavier materials would do. So pack light and sleep tight wherever life takes you!