Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandra on August 3, 2009 at 7:34pm

With kids that young I would start them out with a fall trip first and see how it goes. The whole key is keeping them warm and dry. Build lots of fires. Have lots of good snacks to keep their metabolisms up. Hot drinks, too.
If it were me, I would take them to a campground they would enjoy, even if it isn't quite your cup of tea. Something geared toward kids. Or take them to a National Park, where there are usually museums, campfire programs, etc. Keep them active so they won't have time to sit and freeze.
Make absolutely sure your tent will not leak! (See my blog on staying dry in a tent.) It will kill the whole trip if rain gets into your tent. And make sure they don't keep changing into dry clothes every time they get wet. They will do it, in spite of your warnings. (Take my word for it lol)
When I used to have to work outside all year long, the things that kept me the most warm were thermals and wearing a jumpsuit over my regular clothes. If you got them those two things, I think they will stay warmer.
Of course, make sure they have good sleeping bags. You can increase the warmth of a bag by using sleeping pads under the bags, by putting a flannel sheet or fleece sleeping bag liners in the bags, or by putting a big quilt or other sleeping bag over the top of them. And they can sleep in their thermals for extra warmth.
Make sure they have gloves, hats, and warm socks and warm shoes or hiking boots
But yeah, I would definitely take them. It will just take some extra planning on your part to make sure they have fun and stay warm.

Permalink Reply by Kjirsten Trujillo on August 3, 2009 at 11:39pm

Thanks for the info. We camp a bit in the rain quite a bit already (we're Washingtonians.) Our "normal" camping season is from may to september, before we had the kids we did some into oct. & Nov. but haven't tried it yet with the kiddos.
My biggest concern was keeping them warm while they sleep. They usually have their own sleepingbags & hubby & I zip ours together. One thought I had was 2 air mattresses with one adult & one kid on each with us using our body heat to help keep them warm, using the sleepingbags zipped together to make 2 larger bags.

Luckily, my kids love trail hiking already and are very used to being out in the cold & rain ( again we live in Washington) We've just started getting them used to carrying some of their own supplies in small backpacks.

We're really looking forward to getting the kids out even more this year, we figure the earlier they get used to it the easier it will be :)

Permalink Reply by Sandra on August 4, 2009 at 12:19pm

Yes, you're right -- break 'em in early so they think it's just part of life! Your idea about the sleeping bags should solve any cold sleeping issues. Sounds like you have plenty of experience to make this a great trip! Half of the fun is in the planning and anticipation -- so enjoy! And let us know how it's going. :)

Kjirsten Trujillo said:

Thanks for the info. We camp a bit in the rain quite a bit already (we're Washingtonians.) Our "normal" camping season is from may to september, before we had the kids we did some into oct. & Nov. but haven't tried it yet with the kiddos.
My biggest concern was keeping them warm while they sleep. They usually have their own sleepingbags & hubby & I zip ours together. One thought I had was 2 air mattresses with one adult & one kid on each with us using our body heat to help keep them warm, using the sleepingbags zipped together to make 2 larger bags.

Luckily, my kids love trail hiking already and are very used to being out in the cold & rain ( again we live in Washington) We've just started getting them used to carrying some of their own supplies in small backpacks.

We're really looking forward to getting the kids out even more this year, we figure the earlier they get used to it the easier it will be :)

Permalink Reply by Anthony Composto on November 6, 2009 at 2:01pm

I response to zipping two bags together, I would say not too due to the fact that the more room there is in the bags, the more air your body has to warm up. This is the theory behind a mummy bag. It works best when there is very little extra space. You also don't want a bag that is too small. Good sleeping bags keep you warm not by just keeping cold air out, but more by keeping your body heat in. If you ever get really cold before you go to bed and your wearing a lot of clothes, it's best to strip down to just your thermal layer before you get in your bag. If not, you cold clothes will act as a cooler and they will introduce a lot of cold into your bag and you wont get warm until your body has heated up all the clothes your wearing and the inside of the bag. I have not found anything warmer than Army issue E.C.W.C.S. You dont need all the layers. This system is designed for temps of -40 F for extended periods of time. But I would start with the Polypropylene Thermals by Polartec. You can buy these used at any military surplus for about $14.00 per set.