Winter shouldn’t be an obstacle if you like camping. Maybe you are not attracted to spending the night in a tent when it’s freezing outside, but there is a way out! You can sleep in your car – for this, you just need to take some extra things with you.
Is it safe to sleep in a car in the winter?
Can you sleep in your car during winter camping? Of course, spending the night in the car during winter is not a problem, many camping enthusiasts do it all the time. However, for the car winter camping to go smoothly, you still have to make some effort. To make you feel comfortable and warm in your car, you need to do the following:
- Prepare your car for winter. In winter, the car cools down faster, especially the windows contribute to this.
- Choose the right clothes. To feel warm, you need to wear several layers of clothing.
- Bring the right gear. You will need a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat.
- Take care of a safe heater. You will be glad for an additional source of heat when night falls and the temperature drops even lower.
- Find a suitable place for parking and camping. It should be a suitable place, at least protected from strong cold wind.
- Monitor the temperatures. If you are too cold, then this is a good reason to leave the camping place.
- Make room for sleeping. Try to provide enough space in your car to sleep.
Can you sleep in your car during winter camping without freezing and trespassing
There are some pretty important aspects of winter car camping. And believe me, it will not be enough for you to bring a few extra blankets with you to maintain body heat, there are more important things.
Winter camping in a car or a tent? If you are not traveling alone, and your car is too small for two people to sleep in, then there is only one solution left for you – to spend the night in a tent. However, a car during winter is much better than a tent, as it is well protected from wind or snow.
Search for secure parking or camping
Finding a suitable parking or camping site is the best solution for winter overnight camping. Find a good place, preferably there would be a toilet, there are also well-equipped campsites with shower and laundry.
Remember that you can’t stop at any place you like and spend the night in your car. To find suitable parking, use the following tips:
- The parking place should not be restricted by the city authorities, for example, you cannot spend the night in the bus station parking or airport parking.
- It should be a safe place. If this is your first time in this area, then ask the locals what they think about the place you have chosen and whether it is safe.
- If snow or a storm is expected at night, then find a safe and protected place. Do not park under the trees, as you may find yourself under a fallen branch. In this case, the best way out would be to park at the campsite.
- If there is a power source in your chosen parking lot, then you can connect and use your safe-to-use heater all night.
Staying warm while winter car camping
Winterize your car. Car windows let in the cold very well, so it would be better if you insulate most of the windows of your car.
How to insulate car windows for winter camping. The most affordable way to insulate windows from cold air is to use reflective double-sided insulation. Cut out pieces from the insulation roll that match the size of the car windows and fix the insulation with vacuum suction cups. Reflective materials will always not only retain heat inside the car but also absorb a decent amount of condensation.
Some tourists also use wool felt as an additional layer, which absorbs additional condensate. This is a cheap and incredibly effective solution.
Make room for sleeping, and think ahead. Spending the night in the car requires preparation in advance, worry about it when you are still at home. If you plan to sleep in the trunk, then make sure that you can quickly assemble your bed. If you can’t sleep in your car, then think about sleeping in a tent.
Keep an eye on the temperatures. Take a thermometer with you on a camping trip and monitor the temperature and your well-being. If it gets too cold, you just need to pack your things and leave the campsite. You can start the car, turn on the heater and get warm. If you plan to spend the night in a tent, but you do not have a heater, then it is better not to risk your health.
Avoid inflatable beds and pillows. The air inside the Inflatable bed or pillow will become cold, you just won’t be able to warm up. Therefore, options such as a memory foam sleeping pad with a wool liner or something similar are more suitable for winter car camping.
Dress accordingly. If you have decided to sleep in the car during winter, then dress in several layers, then you would be warm. If you suddenly get hot, then you can always take off one layer of clothing.
Pack the right gear – sleeping bags, blankets, warm socks, etc. Always take more gear with you than you think you might need. Do not underestimate the frost and cold, it is better to have spare warm socks and an extra blanket. When choosing sleeping bags for winter camping, pay attention to their temperature rating. So, you will find out what temperature it is designed for.
Using a portable heater for extra heat. Never use heaters with an open flame inside the car. So, there may be a risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. You can use a propane heater only if there is no other way out and if you have a carbon monoxide sensor in your car.
The best safe-to-use heater for a car during winter will be an electric heater that can be connected to a 12V car outlet. However, please note that portable car heaters can only be used when the engine is running, so you can only use them periodically to get warm air. In addition, there is always a small risk of the heater catching fire, so put it in a safe place. And keep one of the windows ajar to let in the fresh air.
Getting rid of moisture and condensation
Undoubtedly, the car has pretty good insulation, but you need to let condensation out of the car, otherwise, by morning your windows will be covered with ice. The best thing you can do is to leave one of the windows slightly ajar to allow air circulation. Do not open the window that is opposite your face, and also always open the window if you use an additional heater.
Packing for winter camping
Below you will find a complete list of what you will need for winter camping:
- High-quality sleeping bag for low temperatures and camping bedding. Do not spare money for a good sleeping bag that will keep you warm on a winter night. But don’t forget about a few extra blankets, which will also serve you well.
- A thermally insulated camping mattress or sleeping pad. Do not take inflatable mattresses with you to winter camping, we recommend using insulated foam mattresses.
- A set of multi-layered clothing. Be sure to include thermal underwear in this kit, preferably made of synthetic materials, since they absorb sweat better. For a medium-warm layer, choose wool or fleece, as they retain body heat best. The top layer of your clothes should be waterproof, although you will not need this layer of clothing during sleep.
- Reflective insulation. Use reflective insulation to insulate the windows in your car.
- Camping lantern. So that the car battery does not run out too quickly, we recommend that you use a camping lantern. Moreover, the car battery discharges even faster in cold weather.
- Folding shovel and tools. It may happen that snow will cover your car at night, so a folding shovel will help you clean the car and find your way out of the campsite.
- Electric blanket. This blanket is a safe and very good way to keep warm. It has heating wires inside, which can create a body very effectively, warming not only you but also the space in the car. For such a blanket to work, you will need only 10-12 V. Therefore, you can either use a car outlet, or even a portable power system, which is even better.
- Electric heater. This is a very convenient thing if you have an outlet in your car.
- Take with you everything that you think will be useful to you during camping.
10 tricks to sleep warm while car camping trip
Not only a heater or blanket will help you keep warm at night during sleeping in your car camp. There are other tricks, thanks to which you will not only not freeze, but also get a great night’s sleep.
Layer up. As we said earlier, you should dress in three layers of clothing, so this way you can keep your body warm and comfortable. The most important layer is the base layer. And here everything depends on how you react to the cold. If you are not too susceptible to cold, then you can choose synthetic leggings and a top as a base layer, if you are most often cold, and you want to stay warm, then opt for a set of merino wool.
Thermal underwear made of merino wool is good because it absorbs moisture better than synthetics and stays fresh longer. If you go camping for more than 2 days, then take a couple of sets of thermal underwear with you. Avoid a too-tight base layer of clothing.
Prevent moisture. During the night, quite a lot of condensation from your breath can accumulate in the car interior. A wool sleeping bag, blankets, things, and pillows can absorb this moisture, and in the cold, these things will dry for a long time. The best way to prevent condensation is to leave one window slightly cracked open all night for air circulation.
Location solves everything. Remember that if you’re sleeping in your car on the banks of a river, lake, or sea, then in the morning you will expect a colder temperature than if you were, for example, in the forest. Therefore, in such camping, you should prepare for lower temperatures.
Beat the chill. Don’t wait until you get too cold to put on an extra layer of clothes. Keep an eye on the thermometer, and stay ahead of the temperature drop. If you are going on a hiking trip, then you should not put on too much so as not to sweat in the cold, but if you are in a camp, then to overcome the cold, put on an extra layer to keep body heat.
Eat up. Your body heats up by burning calories, so during winter camping, you should eat an easily digestible, hearty, carbohydrate meal. For the same reason, never go to bed hungry during winter camp.
Make the bed. Make your bed long before you go to bed. A sleeping bag will warm you better if it lies down for a while and straightens up after unpacking. Underwear should also be worn before going to bed so that it has time to warm up.
Relieve yourself. Be sure to go to the toilet before going to bed. A full bladder will result in additional body heat loss.
Avoid burrowing. It’s not worth burrowing into a sleeping bag and breathing there. At first, the warmth of your breath will warm you, but then the condensation will create a damp cold for you. It is best to keep your head out of the sleeping bag while sleeping. Don’t forget to wear a hat at the same time.
Isolate with gear. We have already written above that you should protect your windows from the cold with reflective insulation. As for the interior of the car, you can put your things around the perimeter of the trunk or the cabin where you sleep, and not put everything in one pile. This way, you will save precious heat and protect yourself from any drafts outside.
Invest in your mattress. Choose a good mattress or sleeping pad with thermal insulation and a high R-value, which is also suitable for winter camping with a tent. To increase the heat, even more, put an additional foam mat on your mattress.
FAQ
Can you sleep in your car while camping?
Yes, sleeping in your car during car camping is safe. But for this, you need to prepare beforehand: take a sufficient amount of warm clothes, a warm sleeping bag liner, blankets, a mattress, and a pillow. It will be good if you have the opportunity to use a safe-to-use heater or an electric blanket.
How cold is too cold to sleep in car?
It all depends on your feelings. Surely, you should not be sleeping in your car in such a cold, in which you will not be able to start the car in the morning. It can be dangerous. In any other case, rely on your feelings, and if you feel that you are too cold, it is better to leave.
What is the coldest you can sleep in your car?
If your car is not additionally heated by anything, then you can comfortably sleep in it at a temperature of about 0° F if two people sleep in the car, or you use a heater. Then the temperature can be comfortable for you – 10° F.
Summing Up
You can have a lot of fun during winter car camping. Do not be afraid to sleep in the car – with proper preparation, this will not cause you any inconvenience. Just prepare for car camping with the necessary bed linen and the necessary amount of warm clothes in advance, insulate the windows in the car and take care of a portable heater.
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My name is Olivia Kellison. I have been camping with friends and on my own for a long time. For me, camping is a great way to escape everyday life’s chaos. I started this blog because I have always had a passion for the great outdoors, and here I am gladly sharing what I know with other outdoor enthusiasts. It does not matter whether you are an experienced adventurer, or just planning your first trip, my blog will be of great help to you.