10 Easy Hacks for Winter Camping [With Must-Have 4×4 Gear]

Nothing beats the experience of driving a 4×4 truck on a road covered with snow. During such trips, the experience is more about the journey rather than reaching the destination. In the daytime, you explore remote backcountry, and at night, you sleep in a cold environment.

However, during Overlanding, the participants also need to be self-reliant and independent in the field. It all begins with having a dependable and rugged 4×4 vehicle that can survive rough terrain. Besides that, you also need to be extra prepared with the right gear — especially when you are planning winter camping.

In this article, we discuss some easy hacks for winter camping and essential 4WD gears and accessories that you may need for camping.

10  easy hacks for winter camping

1.   Don’t invest in a crap gear

It is an obvious one — but you’ll be amazed to know that so many people are buying cheap and bad-quality gears. And they realize that it’s bad when they find a hole in their tent while pitching or while shivering in cold in a thin sleeping bag. So, it is important to root for good quality camping gear. It doesn’t mean that you have to dig a hole in your pocket. But look for gears that are superior quality but available at a reasonable rate.

2.   Take care of your sleeping bag

If your sleeping bag is in its best condition, you don’t have to buy another one for every new trip. It is best to invest in a superior quality sleeping bag that lasts you a good few years. This way, you don’t have to spend money often on camping gear.

3.   Sleep with your clothes

Besides the sleeping bag liner, it is best to cram the sleeping bag with the clothes you want to wear the next day. This will provide you extra warmth overnight, and you will also have dry and warm clothes to put on the very next day.

4.   Make plastic hot water bottle

If you have a heavy-duty plastic bottle, you can always refill it with boiling water and place it in your sleeping bag for extra warmth.

5.    All-weather fire starter

You need to have an all-weather fire starter or a striker (portable flint) to help start a fire in any weather condition – be it cold or wet. When your priority is to get the fire going again, you require enough wood for the coming day as well.

6.   The ultimate camping party trick

In case, you don’t have a pan or pot, and you want to boil water in a hot water bottle, you can even do it in a plastic bottle. All you need to do is take the lid off the plastic bottle and place it on the embers of an open fire. Also, use some sticks to support the bottle — otherwise, the plastic may warp as it heats up. When boiled, remove the bottle from the fire and let it cool before pouring it into a hot water bottle.

7.   Avoid urinating during night

To avoid pissing in bushes, you need to avoid drinking too much water or any other beverage at least 2-3 hours before  going to bed. After all, it won’t be safe going in the wild alone to pee in midnight hours.

8.   Use a sleeping pad or mat to trap more heat

Without a sleeping mat or a comfy pad for sleeping on, you may lose more heat. It is best to sleep on two pads or mats to trap more heat.

9.   Function over fashion

Layers are your best friend when camping in winter. You have to layer up with thermals, a regular t-shirt, a sweater, and a jacket. You may feel like a fashion disaster. But you have to choose function over fashion when camping in winter.

10. Utilize a backpack as a sleeping bag add-on

If you have taken out most of your gear from your backpack, and it’s just lying empty in your tent, you can pull it over your feet for extra warmth.

Must-have 4×4 gear for winter camping:

1.   Navigation System

Although it is tough to beat old-fashioned maps, we recommend advanced GPS during winter camping and road tripping on any overlander. The advanced GPS devices come with a touchscreen, an extensive database of several off-road trails, and multiple ways to mount it on a vehicle.

2.   Portable stove

Winter campers also need a good portable stove that’s easy to carry and also able to prepare complete meals with different courses. Look for a portable stove that can quickly heat up and is also sturdy enough to survive in any rugged environment.

3.   Sleeping bag

You need quality sleeping bags for serious camping. It is best to buy a sleeping that is appropriate for all climates and any outdoor adventure. For winter camping, it is recommended to buy a sleeping bag rated for zero to minus degrees temperature conditions.

4.   All-season camping tent

It is essential to invest in a tent that’s designed to hold winter conditions in the coldest months of the year. You need to   choose a four-season tent to ensure your shelter is suitable for cold weather camping.

5.   Extra fuel

Always keep extra fuel with you to survive the worse conditions.  If your portable stove stop working, fuel helps you light a fire in the wild — also, it is needed to start and run your vehicle.

With all these easy hacks and essential winter camping gears, you can easily survive the worse conditions in the coldest months. If you know any other hack or gear that we should list, do share it with us.