The Grey Nomads Forum

WARMTH FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS-SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

gandk said
10:36 PM Jun 23, 2017

Hi All finally started our "Big Lap" but as we have lived in the hot tropics for 40+ years we are not prepared for the cold at night. Clothes not a problem but what sort or brand of bed blankets, doonas or ???? and no silly remarks please would people suggest as we do free camping as well with no option of heaters.

Cheers

Kim

Aus-Kiwi said
10:47 PM Jun 23, 2017

Welcome . I find draughts is most annoying . Good sealing vents & windows.. A good sheet, light blanket & , dooner . The sheet going around shoulders . Big partner helps too . Lol

cultana said
10:58 PM Jun 23, 2017

1. Get a bigger donna than bed, e.g. double bed get king size donna. Also get a feather down donna they are much better.

2. Make sure partner is well warmed before going to bed, this helps a lot.

3. Night time exercises under sheets/donna add to heat and warmth.

Possum3 said
11:30 PM Jun 23, 2017

We carry Black wolf sleeping bags with hood for below freezing nights out on the desert country - only had to zip them up about twice in 6 years. We do have a very well insulated van with a/c but rarely use it for heating.

Radar said
11:55 PM Jun 23, 2017

A good feather and down donna, lots of down. Pillow Talk

Flannel sheets.

2 hot water bottles, top way to warm the bed, has multiple uses, stomach pains, back arches, in the morning to wash in, no waste.

A beanie and scarf.

If you are seriously cold turn your gas bottles off. Must have bottles turned off, you will not need the frig going or any other gas appliances running.

In the extreme, I would look at covering where drafts are coming in, temporary covering the vent in the door and the one above your bed but remember no gas to be running and gas bottle off. We leave a window open just every so little away from our sleeping area.

It was the extreme sub zero temps.

I will probably get shot for mentioning covering the vents but I have also warned you at same time gas can and will poison you. Its a nasty

But when your cold it one way of helping to be comfortable.

Hope this helps and warns you.of the dangers of poisoning of gas and gas build up in a sealed area risking explosion.

Pakrak said
12:45 AM Jun 24, 2017

Agree with Possum good quality sleeping bag with hood. We still use a beanie and socks. Hot water bottle too. Be warm before getting into bed. Good to have socks on if getting up in the night. Sleeping bags give warmth underneath as well as on top.
We travel with a camper trailer and heading off at the weekend to the cold for us weather.
Pakrak

meetoo said
01:10 AM Jun 24, 2017

Hi Kim, congratulations on starting your big lap. Plenty of good suggestions there for you. If finances allow, I would seriously consider a diesel heater. Can be done for less than $1000. I used to use many of the above mentioned ways to keep warm, which do work, but I guess, till you have it, you won't know just how nice it is to have a toasty warm van, anywhere, anytime, at the touch of a button. Have a great trip and keep warm on those chilly nights.

Cheers, John.

Desert Dweller said
05:38 AM Jun 24, 2017

HWB's, we carry them under our bed at all times. We have a double doona that clips together. One layer is a 2, the other a 3. We can have just the 2, just the 3 or clip them together to make a 5. We also have a sheep skin mattress cover to stop cold from coming from underneath. Snug as a bug in a rug!

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Saturday 24th of June 2017 05:40:31 AM

Moonraker said
06:06 AM Jun 24, 2017

X2 for the diesel heater. Uses very little diesel. For cold nights we leave it on set to about 16deg or less and you can leave some roof vents open which allows good air flow with no chance of condensation build up in the van. If its cold and wet no chance of damp in the van from wet coats etc. I agree also with a down doona which is big enough to hang down the sides of the bed.
And of course going north in the winter obviously helps.

sandsmere said
06:11 AM Jun 24, 2017

Truma gas heater does the job perfectly.

A good cuddle always works too. smile

matildatraveller said
07:27 AM Jun 24, 2017

Good morning Kim,

Congrates guys on your 'Big Loop' adventure you'll have a fantastic time!!! (from someone who knows. biggrin biggrin biggrin )

Plenty of 'keeping warm ideas' have already been given. But my suggestion (maybe for another time) is all about timing the weather conditions to have an 'endless summer'.

I started off in Adelaide SA in my Motorhome in March 2016 and headed east along the Great Ocean Road into Victoria, NSW, QLD, NT and WA covering 28,000 klm of beautiful countryside, wonderful people and great travel experiences and loads of photos. (I took a good 12 months and only saw a fraction of what there is to see out there!)

By heading East I followed the sun and was in Far North QLD, The 'Alice' and Ayres Rock & NT & Kimberly's and Broome of WA for most of the cooler southern weather conditions. However of by late October the tropical Northern regions began their 'BIG WET build-up weather of heat & humidity. So I ski-dattled back down south and into Perth for Christmas. Then returned to Adelaide across the Nullabor via the Great Australian Bight by February 2017.

Sold the Motorhome and brought a 4X4 Toyota Hilux and added an 'ACTIVE CAMPER" onto the back. On Tuesday I'm heading away from the QLD East Coast to inland via Longreach, Winton and Cameron's Corner for the "BIG RED BASH" at Birdsville. Sadly I will not able to escape the desert cold nights, so I will take on board all the previous comments:- A good Feather Down Doona, hot water bottle & a sheepskin underlay for the mattress. I'll have to take a hit for the team regarding the comment from Ausi-Kiwi,( a bigger partner helps) sorry mate - but solo traveling does have it's down side, Safe travels everyone from Gwynnie @ matildatraveller

the rocket said
07:48 AM Jun 24, 2017

Hello gandk,

we travel fulltime n at the moment it is freezing. During the coldest weeks we book into somewhere that has electricity for heating. But if we are freecamping we use a king size doona on a queen size bed. on the packets they usually have got numbers on them. 5 is usually the hottest n would b too hot for us. We have a 3 and have extra wool blankets if not warm enough. The wool blanket warms us up well as it adds an extra layer. rubber backed hallway carpet sold by the metre at bunnings is good. Hot water bottle. Thermal wear clothing. Kmart has them for $12. Not the tshirt type but the cling to your body type, ribby type. i find ordinary flannelette pj's r not warm enough. Have fun. Enjoy.

JayDee said
08:02 AM Jun 24, 2017

We purchased a diesel heater. One of the best investment we have made and added to our Caravaning.

No other comment needed

Jay&Dee

SouthernComfort said
08:17 AM Jun 24, 2017

Good grief, some of this advice seems more appropriate for the Southern Alps in winter!!

Not sure how long you intend travelling for, but you don't need to experience big cold if you just head south in the summer. That way you get out of your big wet, and in fact you might find the challenge is staying cool on hot nights.

sufil said
09:00 AM Jun 24, 2017

We use a qs fluffy snuggly blanket for a top sheet. Have 2 doonas ,one is a thicker winter weight one and the other a summer weight one and bedsocks.If my feet feel warm the rest of me stays warm!!. And if it is really cold a beanie.

Aus-Kiwi said
09:45 AM Jun 24, 2017

Have to agree with diesel heater . We just use it to take the chill out . Keeps condensation away . Set very low overnight . Doubt it would use more than a litre overnight . I never use to suffer from cold. Since losing a ton of weight !! I do now !! Cuddles are better and more satisfying !! Lol

PeterD said
10:46 AM Jun 24, 2017

The thing NOT to do is use one of those catalytic heaters. They may not poison you with carbon monoxide but they deplete the oxygen in the air and that is enough to injure your health.

RustyD said
10:51 AM Jun 24, 2017

A good bottle of anti-freeze from Dr Dan's Pharmacy works wonders.

macka17 said
10:52 AM Jun 24, 2017

Permalink.

16Deg??????.

We live in Yeppoon. Prev Townsville.

My heater goes on when temp' drops to 22.

and is set on 26\28 for winter. 24\7.

When it gets warm again. turn it off. Same with Pool,

Rev Cycle Heaters. It runs at 31\32 deg ALL yr.

Normally.

Di has arthritis in hips and knees.

Really helps her.

IF a person has to go down to the Arctic (South of Bundy)

A caravan costs X Dollars. Diesel heaters start at $1ish k.

Where's the problem.

You want to be warm. BE WARM.

Don't tickle it round the edges.

You only here once.

I have Canadian Winter clothing here. Inner and Outers.

Wear over there.

Fortunately. Never had to wear here yet.

BUT.......

Buy a Diesel heater. But NOT a cheap one.

Mid range.

Pete.

We used those Catalytic Heaters on gas bottle.

45\50 yrs ago in UK winters

They fine. as long as you crack a window to cycle the air.

They were VERY efficient from memory.

Kept my 22 ft van Shirt sleeve warm in Minus 10ish.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 24th of June 2017 10:56:14 AM

RustyD said
10:59 AM Jun 24, 2017

If you suffer from cold feet, put one thin pair of sox on then optionally put one thick pair over. But they must be dry. Don't go to bed with the clothes you have been sitting around it as they will be damp with sweat and act as a Coolgardie safe.

Hit water bottle is must. Takes up almost no space. Heating a brick or two in the campfire, rolling them in a towel and putting them in you bed works.

Thermals top & bottom. Got a good set from Ray's many years ago. Have another Kmart set too just in case. They are also wearable under jeans. Needed them a few times.

RustyD said
11:05 AM Jun 24, 2017

As Macka17 points out Canadian stuff is great. Actually too good. I never want to be in temperatures that Canadian gear is made for. Spent a winter in Detroit which is actually north of Canada.

As a kid growing up in Ballarat the best clothes were Oshkosh (Wisconsin). Could never wear them out and were never cold and, although not cheap, always got handed down.

-- Edited by RustyD on Saturday 24th of June 2017 11:10:59 AM

Mike Harding said
11:14 AM Jun 24, 2017

I don't know where most of the responders to this thread camp and sleep but I'm wondering if it's the beach at Mawson Station?

I have been tenting all over Victoria for years, serious off road stuff. I have experience of winter camping from well up in the High Country to the "deserts" in the far west of the state. I guess I have spent around 300 winter nights in these areas and commonly camped with minimum night temperatures of -5C. My coldest was around -8C.

My bedding is:

a standard ($100) self-inflating mattress on the ground

A *quality* sleeping bag - currently using Darche - https://darche.com.au/products/sleeping-gear/ - at a discount $84 those Cold Mountain -12C bags are a steal.

A "car rug" which is usually used for packing stuff in the 4WD but doubles as a blanket on really cold nights - I haven't used it since I bought the Darche bag.

And, perhaps most importantly, a $2 beanie.

Keeping warm is all about "layers" of insulation in order to trap the warm air. Wear two thin jumpers rather than one thick one. Keep the head warm with a hat, the head is a major source of heat loss. Psychology also plays a part - think warm not cold.

Remember that you also get cold from below so if your mattress is a poor insulator (inner spring) consider a blanket or foam "egg shell" thingie as extra insulation under you.

moamajohn said
12:07 PM Jun 24, 2017

Just waiting for my Eberspacher to arrive from Turkey then its off to the Eyre Peninsula.

Tony Bev said
12:57 PM Jun 24, 2017

It does not really get too cold, in my area, perhaps down to 1 or 2 degrees, if camping in the trees of the South West of WA, national parks

But...
I will assume that this would be very cold for you, until you acclimatise

As well as all the advice from the posters above
What works for me, if on my own, is to use a sleeping bag, which will keep any drafts out, and then normal bed blankets/dooner on the top

On my first lap I put many questions to other travellers, as I was learning some of the ropes
I was told by full time travellers, never to worry about the weather, if you are cold put extra clothes on, if it is raining then wear a raincoat, etc

RustyD said
01:12 PM Jun 24, 2017

Have similar kit for camping as Mike Harding noted. Good self-inflationing mattress. Sleeping bag rating is the temp that hypothermia sets in. You need 5 degrees lower for comfort. Hence if you are camping in -5C, you need a -10C bag. A -5C bag will protect from hypothermia in -5C temps but you will be cold. Next weekend I'll be camping on the ground just out of Horsham. Quite often the tent flap is frozen stiff and zips jammed in the morning.

mylestom said
04:15 PM Jun 24, 2017

12v 50W Throw rug, or 250V 100W heat pad thru inverter, either will help supply extra warmth.
Clothes, Blankets, Donnas, so many choices and most will do the job.

Izabarack said
04:31 PM Jun 24, 2017

Ikea has a range of down filled box bafflle quilts. Very small percentage of feathers puts them in the high performance range. Much lighter than blankets or quilts. I do a lot of bushwalking and have a couple of very expensive down filled sleeping bags and know the benefits of down as an insulating material. My recommendation is one of the Ikea range. You might also consider sewing a foot box into the bottom end. A foot box keeps things in place and one's tootsies don't ever pop out the end.

Iza