Hi! I have an Alpkit Alpdream 700 and a slim Airic (the previous version in blue). I am going to Norway in March and might camp for one night. Hence I was wondering how silly it would be using them as the temperature might drop to -20 C... I have a silk liner and I would take more warm clothing with me + I would be in a tent with another person... What do you think? Thank you Sanne
Conditions can vary a lot. At present it is around freezing on the west coast at sea level, but -40C at Kautokeino on Finnmarksvidda in the north.
Where will you be staying in Norway and why will you be camping? There is a lot of indoors accommodation available that may not be obvious to folk who aren't familiar with the country. I can offer advice if you give me more details.
Hi! Thanks but the setting is quite clear and fixed. We go one day into the woods and we come out the next day - the night will be spend in a tent. There might be snow. So, the temperature during the night can be anywhere between +5C and -20C for the region I am going to. Hence to rephrase my question: would the equipment I have enough for such a situation or should I think about other stuff? Thank you
I'd be a bit concerned I think. Like Jim I'd be aiming to stay indoors in a hut or else build a snowhole - in either case I'd then only expect to have to deal with temperatures a few degrees below zero (and personally I'd be reasonably happy to use what you describe). A tent wouldn't be my choice - I appreciate though that you've said that's what you're doing....
Do you have to carry the gear far to get into these woods, or on again the next day? If you can treat the sleeping bag as the final item having added several dry layers, hat, socks, gloves and a deecent down jacket then you might be ok - at the coldest end of that range I don't think you'd be entirely comfortable but you proably wouldn't come to any serious harm. However I'd be concerned by the mat - I don't know which Airic that is but how thick is it? Camping on snow can suck warmth out below you through all but the thickest self-inflating mats. An Exped down mattress is a good choice if you can afford one, or a more versatile and cheaper system is to add a closed-cell foam 'Karrimat' type mat too and place that under the Airic - both together will provide pretty effective ground insulation. But that's why I ask how far you've got to carry things? And how easy it would be to bail out to shelter if it really got bad?
Agree with Matt. I don't think you're at danger of hypothermia with the gear you describe, as long as you aren't damp or chilled when you go to bed. Sharing a tent with another person will make a BIG difference as well. I'd make sure I wore a hat in bed, added extra insulation from the ground, and also ensure I had a duvet jacket to wear if necessary. Thing is, for one night, if you don't sleep because of the cold, it doens't really matter, and the gear you have certainly shouldn't mean you're in danger. Equally, for one night, I wouldn't bother buying a load of extra kit. In winter (UK, so down to about -10C) I have used a +5C rated bag for bivvying simply to save size and weight. Yes, I've been cold, but as I said, for one night, it isn't really that important, as long as you steer clear of hypothermia :)
Having just completed my first winter tarp bivvy trip (one night on the North York Moors, not quite Norway I grant you but it did get down to -4C.) I can offer you a couple of bits of advice from my very limited experience.
1. A closed cell foam mat of the 5 season or military type, purchased for less than a tenner from any outdoor shop is very warm, far warmer than my alledged five season self inflating multimat. At only 300g they are also very light but VERY bulky.
2. If you have a bivvy bag and a down (duvet) jacket, in my case a Rab Survival Zone, and Alpkit filo, respectively you can put your down jacket between your sleeping bag and bivi bag over your torso. This adds loads of insulation where you need it. If you wake up in the night boiling hot like I did just shove it down to the end of the bivi bag. You'll have warm feet, and a warm duvet jacket to put on in the morning.
3. I also had a summer weight PHD down bag with me which you could use inside the winter weight bag, it's less than 380g and packs very small. If I had used that as well I think I would have passed out with the heat.
Hi! thanks for the suggestions so far. What I will do is - I will have a look at the closed cell foam mat as it might be good to have something like this anyway. Then, I completely forgot about my bivy bag but then I would take it with me anyway. Thank you Shed - that was really helpful. Then, as a general comment, I would like to practise to camp outside in winter - and the only way to do it is by doing it and it is not that uncommon actually. But then, I am presumably used to other temperatures and like the cold, but not to be cold. So, therefore, anybody, who has experience with wintercamping, please, feel free to come up with more suggestions, even if it is going very much beyond this small tour. Thanks!
As everyone says - make sure you have very adequate insulation under you, especially if on snow. If necessary, empty your rucksack and put it under your mat together with any surplus clothing - your jacket for instance. They'll keep you warmer underneath you than wrapped around you.
If you're really out in the cold and there is adequate snow, think of digging as snow hole, as Matt says, rather than sleeping in a tent. Snow insulates pretty well, so it is relatively easy to get the internal temperature up to just below freezing (cooker, candles and your body heat). Just below freezing (make sure its not just above!) is a lote easier to sleep in than -20C.
To dig a snow hole, you need a snow shovel, but you really ought to be carrying one anyway if you're out in the Norwegian winter.
I keep forgetting: I am off to the Winter mountaineering skills course by the MCoS the weekend before - maybe they can show me additional stuff in terms of technique you guys have been talking about. But keep sending stuff! This is really helpful! Thank you!
