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Tracy
I am planning to have my very first winter camping next month. I heard some people said that a four-season camping tent is necessary for a winter camping. I purchased a camping tent this summer and it's a three-season camping tent. I think it's OK because I will use my sleeping bag. Do I really have to buy a four-season camping tent?
Answer
The major differences between a 3 season and a 4 season tent are that the winter rated tents are designed to be able to support or shed a heavy snow load without the frame breaking or the tent collapsing. They also tend to have the rainfly system designed to maintain a more reliable space between the fly and inner tent wall to minimize condensation and having the fly press on the tent due to a build up of snow. Winter rated tents tend to have smaller window and ventilation areas and will more often have an exterior vestibule arrangement to block wind and to give you a place to leave snowy gear outside the sleeping area or to cook on the ground but out of the wind during storms.
Unless you expect heavy snow loads or severe blizzards and extended bivouacs, a good quality (not discount store) 3 season tent can be perfectly adequate for winter camping. I have winter camped many times with 3 season tents, in fact, probably more often than with my 4-season ones (though I own several tents of each type). If your tent pitches tight so that the fly doesn't blow around and snap in the wind and has strong poles and a vestibule or good fly overhang over the door, you will most likely be fine in it.
For winter camping in snow I always carry a microfiber towel to wipe condensation off the inside of the tent walls at night and before I get out of my bag in the morning.
Be certain you have stakes that will work in the ground conditions you will encounter. Fat plastic stakes will not work on frozen ground -- get the thin metal ones that twist in. If you will be camping in deep snowpack, you will want to be able to make "dead man" anchors by attaching the guy lines and corner staking tabs to buried stuff sacks that you fill with snow or rocks or tying your guy lines to buried branches. You will probably need to stake the tent more solidly than in warmer weather due to the higher potential for wind. Nothing is worse than watching your dome tent bounce down the mountain and out of sight over a cliff (hasn't happened to me but I've seen it happen to others).
The major differences between a 3 season and a 4 season tent are that the winter rated tents are designed to be able to support or shed a heavy snow load without the frame breaking or the tent collapsing. They also tend to have the rainfly system designed to maintain a more reliable space between the fly and inner tent wall to minimize condensation and having the fly press on the tent due to a build up of snow. Winter rated tents tend to have smaller window and ventilation areas and will more often have an exterior vestibule arrangement to block wind and to give you a place to leave snowy gear outside the sleeping area or to cook on the ground but out of the wind during storms.
Unless you expect heavy snow loads or severe blizzards and extended bivouacs, a good quality (not discount store) 3 season tent can be perfectly adequate for winter camping. I have winter camped many times with 3 season tents, in fact, probably more often than with my 4-season ones (though I own several tents of each type). If your tent pitches tight so that the fly doesn't blow around and snap in the wind and has strong poles and a vestibule or good fly overhang over the door, you will most likely be fine in it.
For winter camping in snow I always carry a microfiber towel to wipe condensation off the inside of the tent walls at night and before I get out of my bag in the morning.
Be certain you have stakes that will work in the ground conditions you will encounter. Fat plastic stakes will not work on frozen ground -- get the thin metal ones that twist in. If you will be camping in deep snowpack, you will want to be able to make "dead man" anchors by attaching the guy lines and corner staking tabs to buried stuff sacks that you fill with snow or rocks or tying your guy lines to buried branches. You will probably need to stake the tent more solidly than in warmer weather due to the higher potential for wind. Nothing is worse than watching your dome tent bounce down the mountain and out of sight over a cliff (hasn't happened to me but I've seen it happen to others).
What are your jungle camping/hiking supplies, gadgets and must haves?
phaja1nine
Please advise on what kind of things you wished you had while hiking and camping in the jungle. I know that the basics will be covered but you list those as well just so I can be sure I am not missing anything. I love gadgets so feel free to include those as well.
Please make list with Peru in mind.
Thanks!
Answer
Can't really offer you a "complete" list since you don't specify what you'll be doing or where you will be staying. But, some things I can't live without when camping in jungle conditions are listed below. All of them cost between $10 and $20 but are worth their weight in gold.:
"Blu Bandoo" cooling bandanas. They are scarves that you can tie around your head or neck that have gel beads inside the fabric. You soak them for 10 minutes in water, the beads swell and it causes a chemical chilling affect that lasts all day. Wearing one around your neck really helps keep you cool. You can re-use them over and over.
An Eddie Bauer sports series zip-neck long-sleeved shirt made with what they call Cocono poly fabric. It has fine mesh panels on the sides and down the back that really keep you cool and dry and the material is SPF 50 rated to prevent sunburn (near the Equator, even people with darker skin can burn painfully). I think they discontinued these shirts but I just bought 2 on their outlet website for $20 each.
A cheap lightweight plastic salad bowl that holds about 2 quarts of water (like a basketball cut in half). You can fit it in the bottom of your daypack and it is really handy for washing your face or doing undie and sock laundry. (get it in the picnic goods department of K-Mart or other discount store for a dollar or two.)
Speaking of laundry, get a set of small backpacker clothespins (they are small bright colored metal or plastic clips.) Very handy for hanging up wet gear and even a flashlight in your tent or cabin. Camping goods departments sell them (COughlans brand, usually) for a few dollars.
A backpackers mesh hammock is handy too (only cost $10 or $12 and fold down small enough to fit in a pack pocket.) Hung between two trees you can sit on it or sleep in it, hung on the wall in a tent or cabin it gives you a big pocket to keep your gear off the floor.
Quick dry underwear made of polyolefin or polyester mesh -- they won't get damp and sweaty while you wear them and dry overnight when you wash them out. Check sporting good stores.
Wool socks (yes, wool), lightweight cushion weave. Much easier on your feet in hiking shoes in damp hot weather -- more absorbent than cotton or synthetics and will cut down on blisters.
A wide brimmed fabric hat and a mosquito net that can go over it when the bugs get to bugging me.
A small journal to write in each night before going to sleep. You think you'll remember everything when you get back but you never do -- it's so much fun to read your own first hand account years later.
A couple of tiny LED flashlights -- they look like a big clear plastic gem about an inch across attached to a black plastic clip that can attach to your pack, hat or pocket. Excellent for walking around camp at night or reading and writing in bed.
Can't really offer you a "complete" list since you don't specify what you'll be doing or where you will be staying. But, some things I can't live without when camping in jungle conditions are listed below. All of them cost between $10 and $20 but are worth their weight in gold.:
"Blu Bandoo" cooling bandanas. They are scarves that you can tie around your head or neck that have gel beads inside the fabric. You soak them for 10 minutes in water, the beads swell and it causes a chemical chilling affect that lasts all day. Wearing one around your neck really helps keep you cool. You can re-use them over and over.
An Eddie Bauer sports series zip-neck long-sleeved shirt made with what they call Cocono poly fabric. It has fine mesh panels on the sides and down the back that really keep you cool and dry and the material is SPF 50 rated to prevent sunburn (near the Equator, even people with darker skin can burn painfully). I think they discontinued these shirts but I just bought 2 on their outlet website for $20 each.
A cheap lightweight plastic salad bowl that holds about 2 quarts of water (like a basketball cut in half). You can fit it in the bottom of your daypack and it is really handy for washing your face or doing undie and sock laundry. (get it in the picnic goods department of K-Mart or other discount store for a dollar or two.)
Speaking of laundry, get a set of small backpacker clothespins (they are small bright colored metal or plastic clips.) Very handy for hanging up wet gear and even a flashlight in your tent or cabin. Camping goods departments sell them (COughlans brand, usually) for a few dollars.
A backpackers mesh hammock is handy too (only cost $10 or $12 and fold down small enough to fit in a pack pocket.) Hung between two trees you can sit on it or sleep in it, hung on the wall in a tent or cabin it gives you a big pocket to keep your gear off the floor.
Quick dry underwear made of polyolefin or polyester mesh -- they won't get damp and sweaty while you wear them and dry overnight when you wash them out. Check sporting good stores.
Wool socks (yes, wool), lightweight cushion weave. Much easier on your feet in hiking shoes in damp hot weather -- more absorbent than cotton or synthetics and will cut down on blisters.
A wide brimmed fabric hat and a mosquito net that can go over it when the bugs get to bugging me.
A small journal to write in each night before going to sleep. You think you'll remember everything when you get back but you never do -- it's so much fun to read your own first hand account years later.
A couple of tiny LED flashlights -- they look like a big clear plastic gem about an inch across attached to a black plastic clip that can attach to your pack, hat or pocket. Excellent for walking around camp at night or reading and writing in bed.
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Title Post: Do I really have to buy a four-season camping tent?
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