Amy Clark
This weekend we are attending a festival and going to camp. We live in Michigan- and it's fall.. so during the night the temp has been getting down around in the low 40's. I have a very nice 8 person tent and there are 5 of us in it. (Me, my husband and our 3 kids ages 10, 3 and 1). There is no electric hook-ups and I'm not comfortable with a heater inside anyways- only the kids have sleeping bags- is there anything else we can do to make sure its warm in there so the kids don't freeze? (Like laying extra blankets down on the floor etc...)
Answer
Fuel powered heaters in tents can be deadly so don't even use them.
The tricks to staying warm at night is insulation and staying dry. Start by setting your tent over a good vapor barrier like a plastic tarp, this keeps water vapor from the ground from rising through your tent floor. Next is a good layer of insulation under the sleeping bags, the best form is a closed cell foam pad the thicker the better, Walmart has a folding foam sleeping mat they sell in the store for about $45 that is 4inches thick. A backpacking model called Thermarest is lightweight sells for about the same price is only 1-2 inches thick. Inflated air mattresses are not any good for trapping heat and get as cold as the air around you. I also sometimes use a folded furniture pad about $10 bucks at the hardware. Next is using sleeping bags rated for the weather sleeping bags rated to 15* will be good enough but the colder the rating the warmer the bag. Adding a fleece liner will add more insulation. Throw a comforter over the kids for a bit more and your done. Now before you hit the sack eat a good meal with plenty of carbs and drink plenty of fluids, this is what your bodies need to burn fuel with to make heat and keep you warm at night. Of course that may give rise to the call of nature and definitely get up and go because it takes heat away from the body to heat a full bladder and you can't sleep any way. Do all these things and I guarantee you will be toasty warm all night. Here is a link with more winter camping info,
Fuel powered heaters in tents can be deadly so don't even use them.
The tricks to staying warm at night is insulation and staying dry. Start by setting your tent over a good vapor barrier like a plastic tarp, this keeps water vapor from the ground from rising through your tent floor. Next is a good layer of insulation under the sleeping bags, the best form is a closed cell foam pad the thicker the better, Walmart has a folding foam sleeping mat they sell in the store for about $45 that is 4inches thick. A backpacking model called Thermarest is lightweight sells for about the same price is only 1-2 inches thick. Inflated air mattresses are not any good for trapping heat and get as cold as the air around you. I also sometimes use a folded furniture pad about $10 bucks at the hardware. Next is using sleeping bags rated for the weather sleeping bags rated to 15* will be good enough but the colder the rating the warmer the bag. Adding a fleece liner will add more insulation. Throw a comforter over the kids for a bit more and your done. Now before you hit the sack eat a good meal with plenty of carbs and drink plenty of fluids, this is what your bodies need to burn fuel with to make heat and keep you warm at night. Of course that may give rise to the call of nature and definitely get up and go because it takes heat away from the body to heat a full bladder and you can't sleep any way. Do all these things and I guarantee you will be toasty warm all night. Here is a link with more winter camping info,
is it illegal to camp in a Walmart parking lot?
Daniel S
I know they will let you (or atleast used to let you) have an RV there overnight, but what about tents?
Answer
About tent camping at Walmart, I don't know, but some WalMarts do allow RVer's to stay overnight, but I would call or go inside the store and get clearance from the manager and/or store security before attempting to park in their parking lot all night. Even then, you may still be asked to leave. A friend of ours had permission from the store, but the town's policies did not allow for 'camping' in any public place over night and our friend was rudely awakened by the police knocking on his door at 1 AM who told him he had to leave. So, he had to get dressed and hit the road again until he found a truck stop where he tried to get a few more hours sleep before he had to start driving the next day.
About tent camping at Walmart, I don't know, but some WalMarts do allow RVer's to stay overnight, but I would call or go inside the store and get clearance from the manager and/or store security before attempting to park in their parking lot all night. Even then, you may still be asked to leave. A friend of ours had permission from the store, but the town's policies did not allow for 'camping' in any public place over night and our friend was rudely awakened by the police knocking on his door at 1 AM who told him he had to leave. So, he had to get dressed and hit the road again until he found a truck stop where he tried to get a few more hours sleep before he had to start driving the next day.
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