Having the Right Gear

I am recently back from 6 days of winter camping. OK, so the picture is a BIT dramatic, as my winter camping was in North Carolina, but there are still some lessons learned. In this article, we’re going to talk about bringing along the right gear, just in case. In fact, here’s some Tactical Wisdom about that:

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers, they succeed.

Proverbs 15:22

Last year, I camped in the same place and the temperature never got below the high 30s. I was fine in a summer weight sleeping bag with a poncho liner (woobie) added. This year, someone apparently turned off the Global Warming machine and we faced temps that got down to the low 20s. I know, that’s not extreme at all, but if you were prepared only for 35-40 degrees and get 20-25 degrees, it’s a HUGE difference.

For starters, I began with my usual USMC issue Combat II tent. Sure, it’s a bit higher profile than my TCOP or EBNS tents, but we weren’t going for low profile. What I like about this tent is that it had room for my heavier cold weather gear without being crowded. I got mine from Coleman’s Military Surplus, but you can find them all over. Look for a new one if you can. Diamond Gear still sells accessories for it, so I’ve picked up some extra things like a footprint that mates up with the tent. That’s one more layer between you and the ground. The Combat II also has extra room in the vestibule so that I could pull gear under the rain fly to keep it from developing frost. The blackout nature of the rain fly keeps it dark inside even when it’s bright outside, so if you need to sneak off for a nap while the students are learning, you can (ask me how I know).

I slept on a Kylmit Static V Recon pad. These take up virtually no weight and roll down very small, but keep you up and off the ground. While it’s inflatable, I got a really cool little pump in last month’s BattlBox that blew it up in seconds. The pump also deflated it quickly at the end of the week.

As far as sleep gear, I decided this year to bring my winter weight bag, because I had checked the forecast. That’s vital for winter caming. The USMC sleep system has a 3 season and a winter bag, and they go together to form the extreme cold weather bag (down to -40). I didn’t need both and the winter bag is rated to 0 degrees, so I just brought that. I also kept my woobie in my assault pack, where it normally stays, just in case. I brought along a Klymit Overland Outdoor blanket as well, but I didn’t need it. On the second night, one of my friends was complaining about the cold, so I handed him the Overland. Share your gear to help each other out. I offered to let him snuggle with me, but he passed on the offer. As a side note, I keep the Overland blanket in my car, just in case. You never know.

When I slept, I put on silk-weight base layers for warmth. I used Buffalo Wool Company sleep socks, made from buffalo wool. They were a LIFE SAVER. For me, my feet regulate my body temp. If my feet are hot or cold, my whole body is. These are loose fitting and they kept my feet cozy. On the coldest two nights, I put on a USMC cold weather balaclava and cinched the sleeping bag hood down tight.

To light my tent, I used a Hybrid Light brand solar lantern. It lit the tent and kept my phone chargered. Each morning, I set it on top of the tent to recharge in the sun. It has several settings and can be VERY bright. I don’t need that much light and keeping it on low power enabled me to extend the battery life. I originally got mine in a BattlBox, but you can click the picture and find it on Amazon.

Layering is important in winter camping. I had several different layers from the ECWCS to put on and take off both when sleeping and operating out in the cold evenings for night classes. One of the best investments was my Woobie Top from Mission Essential Gear. Several different places make them in hoodies, but I didn’t want a hood, and it gets tangled on gear. They have a “job shirt” variant that I love. I wore out during night ops under my BDU top and while sleeping on the coldest nights. Not to mention, it’s a cool jacket either way.

For a heavier field jacket type out layer, I went with my tried and true French CCE F3 smock from Krushchiki Supply. It’s a solid jacket with more pockets than you’ll ever need. It’s sturdy and adds some warm as long as you wear a fleece or other layer with it.

The other big issue for cold weather camping is acclimitization. People in Western Society have become so used to climate controlled lives that they have lost all ability to be comfortable outside of a 5 degree range from 65-70. We leave our climate controlled homes and rush to our climate controlled cars, and then into climate controlled businesses and stores. We never spend time outdoors in the heat or cold. I intentionally wear very light layers until the temperature drops below 30 (maybe a jacket from 30 to 40) to make sure that I never lose my cold tolerance. Start learning to be uncomfortable now and you’ll be amazed at what you can tolerate. Humans lived in cold climates for thousands of years without central heating.

Winter camping can be fun as long as you have the proper gear. Plan ahead and pay attention to the forecast.

While you can find the gear at Amazon, a much more cost effective way to get good gear to try out is signing up for BattlBox. Use code JOE-D-25 when checking out at https://myrefl.ink/v/D72003E to save 25% off your first box. Try it for the first month and you’ll love it.

Clicking the photos and links may generate a small commission for me if you buy something at no cost to you (the feds make me say that).

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Don’t forget to buy a t-shirt, a patch, and some books while you’re here.