If you like nature, hiking, and camping (or indeed if you dream about it but are afraid of getting cold), then this article is for you. We would like to share with you some tips on how to stay warm when camping.

Wear layers

The number of layers you should wear depends on the temperature, but these could be:

• ✔ Base layer top and leggings;
• ✔ Sweater or jumper;
• ✔ Light jacket and trousers.

Layers of air are trapped in-between the layers of clothing. Air is a bad heat conductor and thus when you wear layers less heat escapes your body. Layers of clothing also create a barrier between your body and the cold surface on which you lie when you are camping.

Wearing layers also helps you to easily regulate your body temperature. When it is warm you can sleep wearing just your base layer top and bottoms. While on a colder night, you will feel warmer if in addition to the base layers you will wear a light jacket or a sweater. However, be careful to not overdo it and dress in too many layers. If you are feeling warm, take the top layer off, since otherwise you might get sweaty and this will result in your body cooling down.

Choose 100% merino wool for your thermal base layer clothing

Merino wool clothing is great at preserving body heat even on cold nights. Here are some reasons why merino wool thermal clothes are a particularly good choice:

• ✔ These clothes are intended for staying warm and maintaining optimal body temperature;
• ✔ 100% merino wool clothes are natural and breathable. They absorb sweat and wick it away which keeps your skin dry, warm, and comfortable;
• ✔ Merino wool is a fabric made of soft and porous natural fibres which can trap a layer of air that effectively insulates from cold surroundings and maintains the warmth of the body.

If the night is particularly cold, choose woollen clothes not only as a base layer but also as your second layer. Another great choice would be a sleeping bag that contains wool or a woollen blanket.

Have a separate set of clothes for sleeping in the tent

Do not wear the same clothes for sleeping as the ones that you wore for the rest of the day, especially if you have been hiking or exercising. During the day they absorb moisture and sweat which will not help you to stay warm at night.

Wear a hat

Did you know that a lot of body heat is lost through the head? Perhaps you’ve noticed that a lot of sleeping bags have a hood? Its purpose is to keep the heat from escaping through the head. You will definitely feel warmer if, in addition to the sleeping bag hood, you wear a hat or even better, a balaclava.

A hat or a balaclava covers the head and in the case of the balaclava, it also covers and warms the neck. The best fabric choice for a hat or balaclava is, yet again – merino wool. It is a relatively thin fabric, not restrictive and comfortable to sleep in. It is warm and helps to maintain the optimal temperature of the head and the rest of the body. Green Rose offers balaclavas for kids and unisex balaclavas for men and women.

The hat that you sleep with should also be intended for sleeping only and should be dry and clean.

When you are trying to stay warm, do not overdo it and do not cover your airways. If you breathe into your clothes and sleeping bag, this will make them damp and thus it will make you cold.

Wear socks

As in the case of the head, another area where you could lose body heat is bare feet. Thus, you should wear a pair of warm, woollen socks that are solely intended for sleeping and are warm, dry and have not been worn since washing. For maximum comfort choose socks without elastic around the ankles. 

If the night is particularly cold (such as when camping in autumn or winter) it might be worthwhile to wear gloves too. 

A few other important tips:

• ✔ If it is really cold, take a hot water bottle or bladder;
• ✔ Do not sleep naked in your sleeping bag, without layers there is no trapped air to keep your body warm;
• ✔ Always use some sort of insulating layer between you and the ground, such as a camping mat or mattress;
• ✔ Have a cup of tea or some other hot drink before bed (alcohol is not recommended).

Recommended merino wool clothes for camping

For men:

-        Male base layer top with long or short sleeves;

- Male base layer trousers or shorts;

- Male balaclava or hat.

For women:

- Female base layer top with long or short sleeves;

- Female base layer trousers or shorts;

- Female hat or balaclava.

For children:

- Kids base layer top with long or short sleeves;

- Kids base layer trousers or shorts;

- Kids hat or balaclava.

It might seem that you need a lot of clothes for hiking and then also for camping. The good news is that merino wool clothes are light and will not take a lot of space in your bag. 

We hope that these tips will dispell any fears of getting cold when camping (especially if you have not tried camping before) and will help you to stay warm and cosy during the nights in the great outdoors and enjoy your trips.

If you have some other tips and tricks that you have discovered that help you to stay warm and cosy when camping, please share them in the comments!