skip to main content

Ground insulation in winter

17 years ago

For all the winter diehard campers,

Last fall, April or so, I went camping and experienced every winter precipitation there is. Hail, sleet, snow, and rain with freezing temps outside the tent. I used a inflatable mattress with an exercise mat underneath it and a blanket between my sleeping bag and the mattress. The air in the mattress gets cold really fast. This sandwich configuration worked fairly well but was makeshift at best. Are there actual insulation pads made for this purpose? I have plenty of R19 fiberglass at home. The exercise mat worked. Maybe just another one between the bag and the mattress would suffice. Sure glad somebody warned me about the cold transduction from the ground, through the air mattress to the sleeping bag before I packed last time.

This year he will be a boyscout and they go camping regardless of the elements.

Thanks for any info.

Be well,

Elliot

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

jen_
17 years ago
Hi Elliot! I know what you are talking about! I don't do the winter thing but have had trouble staying warm up north with air mattresses. What I've started doing when I have room to pack in the boat or car is to use a self-inflating mattress with a thick foam so that there is a lot of insulation and the air is mostly to add a little softness. Then on top of that I put down a foam (egg crate but memory foam would be warmer) mattress on top. But, it's a lot of bulk. Then I will use my fleece blanket inside of the sleeping bag and that makes all of the difference in the world!

One more thing, you may have mentioned this but I don't remember. Make sure the sleeping bag is rated for the cold!
michelliot
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Jen. It's nice to see some of the long timers are still monitoring the site. I'll certainly do some experimenting with foam, which is probably the way to go. My bag is rated 15Â°. My son is still using a kid's bag so it might be on the emergency holiday list for the next week or two. I'll check out campmor and the other sites to see what's the latest in warmth for him.

Thanks again for the input. Back to hibernation for now.

Speak soon and stay well.

Elliot
Related Discussions
Maybe leaving the tubers in the ground all winter is best?
Q
Comments (8)
To: portia, That was exactly the same circumastance I went through the last 2 years with dahlias. We got LOTS of rain last year from April through July, into August, which is odd considering it normally starts getting dry in June in the mid Atlantic. So even though I used a mix of potting soil with gardening soil and some native soil, it was waterlogged, so I had to replant twice last year. This year I assumed we wouldnt get all the rain we got last year, but in May we had a huge storm that dropped inches of rain and when I looked at them the next day, it was like digging a hole in the sand at the beach, when you dig deep enough you run into water. Well, all I had to do was dig down 3 inches around the dahlia tubers, and I was hitting water! So I dug them all up, buried the sopping wet soil back into the hole, but got rid of about an inch of it, then made a new mixture of about 50% sand, built mounds roughly 6-7" tall and buried the tubers inside the mounds at about 1" above normal ground level, so that in reality they werent deep enough to become covered in water again. They dont like being dug up & replanted after they have been in the ground a few weeks, and it caused them to stop growing for about 2 weeks to reestablish their roots. From now on I think mounds are the answer to planting dahlias at least til I find a better place to plant them.
...See More
Best non-organic winter insulation?
Q
Comments (2)
Really can't think of anything that would be better than oak(or whatever leaves). If they are not kept dry in a bag, you will need to shred them, or chop them through the mower. But really, insulation is your need, and whatever does the job will be good. Dry blankets, great! Wet blankets, not so great. I don't see how you could keep a blanket dry, short of sealing it in plastic. A simple cover won't do, as ground moisture will creep up. Bagged blankets might be a good idea. Remember you need stagnant, non moving air to insulate. A simple styro box over the area (for instance) won't do. But if that box were filled with something, that would be good. Even though plants may be rated zone 5 or 6, I would still wait until the ground freezes, usually the end of November. If it snows in the meantime, so what.
...See More
Grass Clippings as ground insulation
Q
Comments (2)
I will be using pine straw and maple leaves to cover the plants themselves. The grass I am mentioning will strictly be on the ground matted down. It should help to insulate the soil and roots.
...See More
Insulation Between Basement and Ground Floor
Q
Comments (6)
Answer to last question first. No,do not put a return near the wood heater,the air will already be warmer than the system is capiable of raiseing it to. There likly isn't a problem during cooling season. The basement will be cooler than ground level wherther either ac is running or not. I can see where heat riseing from basement is a problem. Insulating between floors will help that. Depending on existing facturs,a return in basement connected to ground level air handler and/or return on ground level connected to basement might also help even out load and temps. The main consideration about crossventing between floors is possiable negative pressure in basement and backdrafting the wood heater and gas water heater.
...See More
brianh_va
17 years ago
Elliot,

Since you mentioned Campmor, I want to tell you that after years of resisting down bags I realized that I never had gotten a bag wet, so switched to down. My first one was a 20 degree rated Campmor bag that I found comfortable at 50 degrees or above. My next one was an LLBean Mt. Katahdin rated at 20 degrees that I find comfortable at 30 degrees or above. In each case over a 2 inch Thermarest pad.

I get most of my gear from REI or Campmor, and have been very happy with it. There was a huge difference, though, in the construction quality (baffling of zippers, an extra ring of insulation across the neck area and on and on) between the equivalently rated Campmor and LLBean bags.

Brian
craig76
16 years ago
Close cell foam sleeping pads work best. You can spend what you want for about 12 dollars on up.If weight isn't a problem there are thick pads that fold. The biggest problem I've had with close cell is the size.Most are two feet by six.I'm broad shouldered so staying on isn't easy.You can tell if a part of your body is off the pad even with a good bag.Air filled pads are cold again even with a good bag.Stay away from them.
tplife
16 years ago
Inflatable air mattresses are notorious for transferring cold as a heat sink. The gold standard is ThermaRest, from around $59 up to $110 depending on length, width and application. It would be better to splurge on a ThermaRest and save a few $ on a lesser sleeping bag rather than the other way around.

Related Stories

GREEN BUILDING Insulation Basics: Heat, R-Value and the Building Envelope

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Learn how heat moves through a home and the materials that can stop it, to make sure your insulation is as effective as you think

REMODELING GUIDES Cool Your House (and Costs) With the Right Insulation

By Buckminster Green LLC

Insulation offers one of the best paybacks on your investment in your house. Here are some types to discuss with your contractor

GREEN BUILDING Ecofriendly Cool: Insulate With Wool, Cork, Old Denim and More

By Julia Pockett

Learn about the pros and cons of healthier alternatives to fiberglass and foam, and when to consider an insulation switch

MATERIALS Insulation Basics: What to Know About Spray Foam

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Learn what exactly spray foam is, the pros and cons of using it and why you shouldn’t mess around with installation

KNOW YOUR HOUSE Know Your House: The Basics of Insulated Concrete Form Construction

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Get peace and quiet inside and energy efficiency all around with this heavy-duty alternative to wood-frame construction

GROUND COVERS Ground Force: 10 Top Ground Covers for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

Protect your soil from weeds and drought this summer with a living mulch of ground covers

GREEN BUILDING Insulation Basics: Designing for Temperature Extremes in Any Season

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Stay comfy during unpredictable weather — and prevent unexpected bills — by efficiently insulating and shading your home

WINDOW TREATMENTS Easy Green: 9 Low-Cost Ways to Insulate Windows and Doors

By Laura Gaskill

Block drafts to boost both warmth and energy savings with these inexpensive but effective insulating strategies

GREEN BUILDING The Big Freeze: Inventors Break New Ground to Keep Things Cool

By Olivia Strigari

Old-fashioned fridges can be energy guzzlers, but there are more eco-friendly ways of keeping food fresh, as these global innovations show

MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTS Your Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

By Laura Gaskill

Keep your home and yard safe and running smoothly as temperatures drop and activity moves indoors

Sponsored

Klaus Roofing of Ohio

Central Ohio's Source for Reliable, Top-Quality Roofing Solutions