cold-weather tents

[acco40]

I've camped in 0 - 10F degree weather, 10 - 20F degree weather and in heat indexes of 115F and above.

 

The coldest I've been was on a camping trip where we left on a Friday in April, first 70F day of the year and that evening it got down to 35F, the next day the high was 44F and the night time temps dropped to 19F. I was unprepared (my fault) and my legs cramped up from the cold. I did not bring my cold weather gear.

 

The hardest part for me wrt cold weather camping is that my water supply freezes and and I have no good way to heat up a plastic jug containing a block of ice.

[ScoutBox]

I have a lot of experience with cold weather camping. 10 years serving in the Army, where you are sleeping in the elements all year with or without the right equipment. Spent 5 days in winter in Alaska running in place it was so cold and we had NO winter kit. As for civi street. I live in Switzerland, and camp a lot in the winter either in snow holes or in the open in tents in the snow.

 

So if I may add to this discussion about 4 season tents. My troop has The North Face Rock 22s and 32s. These are three season tents. I have also several tents I use, and one thing I can say is that the 4 season tents hold up better in wet weather then the three season ones do. My Hillebergs are all four season tents, and I've NEVER been wet in one of them. Even my family tent which is the Hilleberg Atlas 8 man tent is perfect and better in the rain and all weather. I think that before you invest in a tent you should look at when your going to use it, and how often. I'm out camping every month outside of Scouting. I camp more then my troop does. And I have been lucky enough to have a job testing tents and equipment. So buying a tent is an investment. Don't let others who don't see the weather decide for you. You have to look at it yourself.

 

ScoutBox