How to keep warm at night in January ?

[ShellieR]

We will be tent camping at the Fort Jan. 2 thru 9th. There is a good possibility that it will be really cold on those nights. So my question is what should I buy, a electric blanket or pad? We will have a king size air mattress and 2 blow up single pads (not quiet as big as a twin). I don't want to be cold every night but I especially don't want my 3 boys to get cold. Any suggestions?

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

I vividly remember FREEZING on an inflatable mattress one weekend. I was toasty warm on top from the blankets, but the air inside the mattress just was cold, cold, cold. I'd be sure to put something between you and the mattress, definitely.

 

[Running_Bell]

Staying warm with air mattresses in cold weather can be a challenge. Air in the air mattress takes on the temp. of the ground and your body cannot heat it up... so you can be very cold. We have had our experience over the years camping in 30 degree night time weather in a tent, in the mountains of NC. Here is what we have done... it really does help:

- in addition to a footprint under the tent (no brainer there), we lay down interlocking foam flooring (you can buy these at Walmart in the gym equipment section). These are about 1/2 inch, very sturdy, interlocking, easy to clean. We lay down enough to cover our 10 x 14 tent. It's a small effort and cost for a HUGE pay off. The air mattresses then are more insulated from the ground temps. Takes me about 10 minutes to lay them out.

- foam padding on top of the mattress (thick foam), then a fitted mattress pad on top of that.

- In very cold weather (when we're at sites with electric), we lay a heating pad (on the lowest setting) UNDER the mattress for about an hour before bed... this heats up the air in the mattress. Never leave that unattended and we never lay on the mattress with the pad turned on underneath.

- Camping without electric... we have a propane heater... and we put an extra thick army blanket under the mattress pad.

We've stayed warm on some pretty cold nights... now, getting up and out of bed in those temps. is a totally different story.

Have fun!

 

[Lil' Lisa]

I have to admit that when I first read the title of this thread many answers came to mind... I won't share those...

As far as blanket vs. pad, the pad would be your better option. It will insulate you from the cold air in the air mattress and the heat will be trapped within any blankets you have on top of you. You will be warm and toasty!

 

[skylizard]

I have to admit that when I first read the title of this thread many answers came to mind... I won't share those...

You're not the only one

 

[clkelley]

I use an electric mattres pad AND and electric blanket. Kept me toasty the couple of December's I was there and it got REALLY cold.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I just wanted to add that it is possible that it won't even be that cold when you camp in January.

I have camped at the Fort in January before where I was in shorts and a t-shirt all weekend, and never needed a jacket, even at night.

Yes, be prepared for cold.

But, it is not a given.

You could, and I hope you do, have nice, warm weather.

TCD

 

[mnsprk]

I have to admit that when I first read the title of this thread many answers came to mind... I won't share those...

You're not the only one

Dirty, I mean GREAT minds must think alike!!!!!

 

[ShellieR]

Thanks for the advice

Y'all are a bunch of dirty minded campers

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Dirty, I mean GREAT minds must think alike!!!!!

ditto

I just wanted to add that it is possible that it won't even be that cold when you camp in January.

I have camped at the Fort in January before where I was in shorts and a t-shirt all weekend, and never needed a jacket, even at night.
TCD

Thats certainly what I'm counting on for our first week of Jan.

 

[luckycharm19335]

You're not the only one

I am guilty of the same thought.
They do have 3 boys.

 

[Todd Packer]

Dirty, I mean GREAT minds must think alike!!!!!

Ok I'll take one for the team. I'll day what everyone is thinking.....

Do it like a couple of drunk Monkeys all night long!

 

[luckycharm19335]

Ok I'll take one for the team. I'll day what everyone is thinking.....

Do it like a couple of drunk Monkeys all night long!

Now that's just funny.
Just the laughing will keep you warm!

 

[terri01p]

 

[ChateauFive]

Don't forget to take a space heater We use one in our motorhome to save on propane.

 

[SC DAD of 2]

You're not the only one

That was the ONLY thing I could think of..........

What! You thought the only way we keep warm is to

build a KAMPFIRE!

 

[BradyBz12]

Y'all are a bunch of dirty minded campers

But back to the question...

We have a camp in ME that isn't heated when we're not there so when we arrive on a Friday night in the dead of winter, that mattress is C-O-L-D.

I used to use an electric blanket but found that the cold mattress pretty much sucked the heat right out of me no matter how heat I trapped in with the blanket.

We switched to the electric mattress pad. Turn it on, crank it up for about an hour to thaw out the mattress and sleep like a baby!

We also camped in our hybrid in some pretty cold temps too and I found the same thing to be the case. I was plenty warm on top with the heat running in the camper, but the mattress underneath could not hold any heat being on the tent end. Thank heavens for heated mattresses!

 

[Charitycase20]

We will be tent camping at the Fort Jan. 2 thru 9th. There is a good possibility that it will be really cold on those nights. So my question is what should I buy, a electric blanket or pad? We will have a king size air mattress and 2 blow up single pads (not quiet as big as a twin). I don't want to be cold every night but I especially don't want my 3 boys to get cold. Any suggestions?

I have this same question, as I am planning a trip for Jan 2012 (yeah I know, sooo far off). We tent camped here on the Eastern Shore a couple weekends ago and the temp dropped down to the mid-40s a couple nights...we went to the wally world and bought some el cheepo thin fleece blankets, put them under the sheets and then piled the blankets on top...the fleece did a better job of insulating the air mattress. I was looking at the heated mattress pads too but dang it, they aren't cheap...$90 for a queen size!! Thats like 2 nights at FW isn't it? Hoping for not too cold weather for you in January!!

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

In a tent the last thing you want to leave on all night is any kind of heater as you dont want to knock it over while sleeping. If your on a air matress use a heated matress pad and the heat from that with good blankets on top will keep you nice and toasty.

 

[SandrA9810]

Given the record for the past few years.... Orlando generally gets it's coldest front of the year the first weekend in January after the new year. In 2007 I think it was, maybe 08, it was literally in the 20's at night. But that's just my experience...

Foam rubber is very good at trapping body heat. As to why many people hate to use it in the summer, or using mattress pads if they're already a human heater.
I always made our bed out of the 3" foam from the bed, and 10 million blankets, comforters, and sleeping bags. The coldest I've been there was in the 50's at night, beautiful during the day around low 70's. And I just went under a few more blankets than usual, still froze my butt off though.

Foam is your friend.