Recommended Winter Camping Gear

Personally, I like winter camping, so in this blog I would like to share the appeal of winter camping. If you are interested in winter camping, please use this as a reference.

The Appeal of Winter Camping

1. The air is clear and refreshing, and the stars are beautiful

In the middle of the night when everyone is asleep, if you go outside and look up at the sky, the stars are amazing. It’s truly a moving experience!

2. Hardly any insects

There are some insects, but compared to summer they are hardly noticeable at all.

3. Food management is easy

Unlike summer, food doesn’t spoil quickly. There’s no need to worry about mold either.

4. Campfires are the best

Watching the fire is soothing. Since temperatures are low in winter and it gets dark early, you can enjoy campfires even more. (They’re fun even when it’s not cold or dark, but lower temperatures and darkness are more relaxing.)

5. It’s relatively uncrowded

There are fewer people than in spring, summer, or autumn, so it’s fairly quiet.

6. Warm food and drinks really hit the spot

Hot pot and oden are easy to prepare. Hot sake, coffee, cocoa, potage, and similar drinks taste even better.

7. You don’t get drenched in sweat during setup and takedown

Because the temperature is low!

Recommended Cold-Weather Measures (Assuming camping in areas that are not at high elevation and are in or south of the Kanto region)

Prepare a winter sleeping bag

Down sleeping bags are usually recommended, but they are expensive, so… even a synthetic sleeping bag will be warm enough if you buy one designed for winter. Choose based on the comfort temperature, not the lower limit or extreme temperature. Ideally, it should be warm even when you sleep without wearing many layers.

Use a cot or a thick mat

By keeping as much distance from the ground as possible, you can prevent the effects of cold air. A silver foam mat alone is not enough! When I first started winter camping, I was afraid of the cold, so I used a 5 cm thick inflatable mat with a blanket underneath, a synthetic winter sleeping bag, and an additional blanket on top. Now I use a cot with an 8 cm thick inflatable mat and a down sleeping bag. It’s pretty comfortable.

Heaters

Wood stoves, kerosene stoves, gas stoves, etc. It’s even better if you have a stove fan to circulate the air. Using heaters inside a tent is not recommended, but I use them while ventilating with the tent vents always open. Just in case, I also prepare a carbon monoxide checker. Always turn it off when sleeping.

Layer multiple inner and outer garments

It’s good to be able to adjust by putting layers on and taking them off. When a stove is running, the temperature inside the tent can rise quite a bit, so wearing heavy layers can sometimes make you too hot. If you’re planning to be outside for a long time tending a campfire, I recommend wearing flame-resistant down jackets and down pants. If you wear fleece, choose flame-resistant ones whenever possible. Ordinary fleece is highly flammable and dangerous, so be sure to wear a flame-resistant poncho or jacket over it.

Prepare a blanket

Having a flame-resistant lap blanket is even better.

Chair covers

If you sit directly on the chair, your bottom can get quite cold, so use a warm cover to stay comfortable.

Other items include neck warmers, warm socks, disposable heat packs, hot water bottles, and so on. If you have a portable power supply, you can also use an electric blanket. Another option is to choose a campsite with a power outlet from the start.

Points to Note

• When sitting in front of a campfire, your face can dry out, so be sure to moisturize well. It’s also good to have lip balm.
• As mentioned earlier, when using wood stoves, kerosene stoves, or gas stoves, be careful to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Due to the air being dry, be careful when making a campfire so that the fire does not spread to nearby dead grass or other materials. Always place a base under the fire pit or lay down a fireproof sheet. Many people also use spatter sheets, which are used for welding, as fireproof sheets for campfires.

Winter Camping Products Available at Sound House

Portable / Outdoor Hot Sake Set

An outdoor hot sake set made with shatter-resistant materials. Perfect for camping during the cold season.

LOGOS / Portable / Outdoor Hot Sake Set

Flame-Resistant Bucket Chair Cover

Made from fabric that’s not easily flammable even if sparks accidentally land on it during a campfire, providing peace of mind. Protects your valuable chair. The opening uses elastic, making it compatible with various sizes of bucket chairs.

LOGOS / Flame-Resistant Bucket Chair Cover (Navy)

Fleece Chair Cover

Simply attach it to your existing outdoor chair to instantly transform it into a chair perfect for autumn and winter camping.
It can be hand-washed if it gets dirty, making maintenance easy as well.

LOGOS / Fleece Chair Cover (LOGOS LAND)

LOGOS × Maruka Hot Water Bottle 2.5L

A hot water bottle that has long been used as a heating device. This is a collaboration item between Maruka’s galvanized steel hot water bottle, which has a nostalgic retro feel, and the LOGOS logo. It can be heated directly over a stove, heater, camping single burner, IH cooking heater, and other heat sources, and you can reheat water from the previous day after it has cooled.

LOGOS / LOGOS × Maruka Hot Water Bottle 2.5L (with original cover)

That’s all!