Keeping warm is one of the key components to a cosy and comfortable night’s sleep in your hammock. Being cold whilst you are trying to get a restful sleep is a short cut to dampening your happy camper mood and ruining your adventure wherever you are in the world. Depending on the season, keeping warm can become difficult if not done correctly. Luckily, we have compiled the ultimate top tips to keep yourself warm in the great outdoors.
1.) Keeping dry
Setting up a tarp canopy over your hammock , large enough to prevent any rain from dropping on you throughout the night will keep you dry and in return, warm! Keeping your clothing dry is not always a possible task when camping, this is why it is crucial to be able to store your clothes and key items in a dry bag.
2.) Use a Hammock underquilt / sleeping pad
It is best to lay on a sleeping pad within your hammock. A sleeping pad helps insulate you, and is often used in tents to insulate the sleeper from the cold ground. When picking the best sleeping pad for your needs, check the ‘R’ value. This value measures how insulated the pad is, the higher the ‘R’ value, the warmer it will keep you. ‘R’ values typically range from 1 to 9. The main downside to using a sleeping pad in your hammock is the fit. A pad may not fit snugly within the hammock, and slip out from underneath you while you sleep.
A good alternative is an underquilt, and unlike the sleeping pad, once secured it won’t slip out from underneath you. Underquilts hang underneath and around the sides of the hammock. Much like the sleeping pad, the underquilt insulates you from the bottom up. In order to get the best out of your underquilt, you want to ensure it is fit snugly to you hammock, but not so tight it compresses in on itself, as this would prevent loft and warm pockets of air from forming.
3.) Correct sleeping bag
Knowing the climate is crucial when choosing the correct sleeping bag to use. Sleeping bags are rated with seasons, dictating how warm they will be. They typically range from 1 to 4. A season 1 bag would be best used in the warm summer months, and a season 4 is best for the cold winter months.
When storing your bag, try not to tightly compress it in a bag if you have the room. The more it can air the more loft your sleeping bag will have. More loft equals more warm air pockets!
When nestled in your sleeping bag, if you find you have lots of extra leg room down the bottom, try stuffing dry clothing down the bottom of it. This will further insulate you, keeping you and your toes extra toasty.
4.) Fatty Foods
The next tip is a good excuse to eat some naughty foods before bed. Fatty foods are a great source of energy that your body will use to generate heat once consumed. Foods such as peanuts would be a perfect example of this.
5.) Keeping wrapped up
There’s nothing wrong with going to bed fully clothed when camping, in fact, the colder the weather, the better it will be for you to wrap up. A good pair of ski socks can help insulate your feet from the bottom, and a good woolly hat can help keep you warm from the top down.
6.) Location
When choosing where to hang your hammock and to set up your campsite, ensure that there are good natural features surrounding you that can offer shelter from the elements. This can come in the form of trees, or other sturdy vegetation that will act as a wind blocker. While the wind may not have a direct effect on the temperature, it makes a huge difference to how you perceive the temperature!
7.) Hot water bottle
Heating up some water and putting it in a suitable water bottle will not only keep you warm but also make all your fellow campers jealous. The ultimate cosiness comes from a hot water bottle. Put it in your sleeping bag and hug it close to your torso.
8.) Warm up before bed
While sleeping bags are fantastic for keeping the user insulated, they are not so great at creating heat. This is why it is so important to get as warm as possible before you get into your hammock and sleeping bag. Getting a fire going is the most obvious answer, as a decent fire will create a good amount of heat. However, if you find the fire hasn’t warmed you up quite enough, it is an old military trick to do a quick five minute physical blast before jumping into your sleeping bag. You don’t have to go all out on a mad hit workout, but a few minutes of star jumps will get your heart rate up, pump your blood round your body and raise your temperature.
Keeping warm whilst camping is not only to benefit your morale and sleep, but also extremely important to avoid Hypothermia. Remember the outdoor environment can change rapidly, be sure to check the weather conditions before you venture out. Please leave any comments or questions you have below and remember Happy Hammocking!
