Staying warm

[GaReb]

My main problem when in the field is staying warm. I have 2 Keagy-Noble U.S. blankets, and an Anderson Dry Goods quilt and even if I put all of them on I still can't stay warm! I don't know what my problem is, so do any of y'all know a way to stay warm when campaigning?

Chris, this forum requires its members to sign all posts with their full name. Please review the rules of the forum. - Mike Chapman

[DonSmithnotTMD]

Re: Staying warm

Have you tried keeping your back off the ground? Best thiing I ever tried was to keep my whole back (kidneys up) off the ground,. For real I just lay back on my rucksack andsometimes sit on a goretex jacket, but at an event you might have to get a little creative.

[KarinTimour]

Re: Staying warm

Dear GA Reb:

Much of what I learned about keeping warm when sleeping outside was from reading the several good articles on the old Authentic Campaigner's articles board. I especially remember a very comprehensive list of suggestions from Charles Heath. If anyone has that "keeper" in a form that they could repost, it would be a really valuable addition for people new to the hobby.

there are a lot of important variables you didn't address in your post. Here are some suggestions that I've gleaned from others over the years -- don't know if you are already doing them or not:

Directly on the Ground? Or above the Ground?
Are you sleeping up off the ground (as in on a cot)? The more air you have underneath you, the more likely you are to get cold. One of the most miserable nights I spent in the field was on a cot -- never again.

The goal is to keep you off the ground itself, as Don notes above, but without air (which can rapidly cool) underneath you. Putting at least a ground cloth and a wool blanket under you is one solution. Building a "nest" of leaves, pine needles, etc and then putting your ground cover and one blanket over that is another answer to this question.

Windbreaks?
When soldiers slept on campaign, they would assess the area for potential windbreaks and prevailing winds before deciding on a sleeping place -- can you get out of the wind, behind a rock, tree or under a bush? Could you build a windbreak with logs or deadfall?

Change of clothing?
When you wear clothing during the day you will sweat into it -- at the very least, change into fresh socks just before going to bed. Some will strip down or change underwear as well before going to bed. But wearing the same clothing you wore all day, including your socks, is a recipe for potentially being chilled.

Head covering?
Someone quoted that up to 20% of your body heat is lost through your head -- having a sleeping cap, especially one made of wool, rather than cotton, can make a huge difference in how well you sleep.

Spooning?
Depending on the change in temperature at night, even with all the above, you can still be chilled if you are sleeping alone. Pooling together with several other people will allow you to share body heat as well as blankets.

Internal temperature
Make sure to pee right before going to sleep -- a full bladder can help chill you down. Bill Watson also posted a suggestion of heating a cup of water and drinking that right before going to bed, and I've found it to be a helpful suggestion.

Good luck,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Camp Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[KathyBradford]

Re: Staying warm

Please consider wearing a sleeping cap. A large percentage of body heat is lost through the head. My husband and sons wear sleeping caps made of wool and lined with cotton. The edge may be unfolded and pulled all the way down over their noses for sleeping (helps warm the air they breathe). The wool outer fabric helps keep the damp night air at bay, and the cotton lining is soft against their skin. When campaigning, they avoid packing any extra ounces, but they do take their caps.

[DonSmithnotTMD]

Re: Staying warm

My somewhat appreciated comment reminded me of something else. Use a reflector on the fire. Basically, just pile some wood on the upwind side and sleep on the other side. It sounds dumb, but it works great.

Make sure you insulate anything touchng the ground. Sometimes even a jacket can be useful. Some of it is experience.

[celtfiddler]

Re: Staying warm

In addition to the above suggestions, something I've found that really helps is to put a gum blanket on top of your blankets to help keep the dampness out.

[Andrew Jarvi]

Re: Staying warm

Dear GA Reb,
All the above suggestions work great, I carry my blanket, greatcoat, gum blanket and shelter half in my pack. As the others said leaves, straw. or pine needles make good insulators from the ground. then I lay my gum blanket down, put on my great coat, cover with a blanket then my shelter half to keep dampness out. Also I wear a heavy night cap.

Andrew Jarvi
5th USCT

[DonSmithnotTMD]

Re: Staying warm

I just had a thought. depending on the impression, maybe you should be cold.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Staying warm

Make certain you have plenty of blanket underneath you, ideally 2/3. THe ground is quite adept at thiefing your body heat. Dry socks, sleeping cap and mittens or gloves will also go a long way to keeping you warm.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Staying warm

Well, I don't see the obvious, so I will offer this clue:

Sleep next to a fire.

Everything Karin said. A fresh pair of dry wool socks, wool sock hat, mittens, dry clothing, spooning.

At the Hodge March, I found myself on the outside of the puppy pile and furthest from the fire. The wind was blowing up my arse and out my nose. I was miserably cold. Without getting up, I rolled the edge of groundcloth (lengthwise) up to block the wind with my hand. When I decided that this little bit was sufficient, I stuffed my cartridge box, haversack, belt and knapsack under/behind this lifted edge of groundcloth. (I should add that the groundcloth had stiffened in the cold air, making it much easier to form this little wall.) I was able to fall asleep without the wind blowing up me, even though I was still cold.

Getting out of a wind will make all the difference in the world.

I noticed that you carry a quilt. Are you putting it on first or last? I would not encourage anyone to carry a quilt (or even as much stuff as you listed), but if you have it, lay it on top to seal in body heat.

But, the best way to keep warm is spooning next to a fire. The best way to freeze is to sleep by yourself under a pile of blankets.

[Silas]

Re: Staying warm

Spooning?
Depending on the change in temperature at night, even with all the above, you can still be chilled if you are sleeping alone. Pooling together with several other people will allow you to share body heat as well as blankets.

I second the spooning suggestion. It's under represented in the hobby. Be a man and just do it. Drones may chuckle at spooning, but that's because they're awake a 3:00 am wondering why they're so cold.

The Heath article also mentioned a sock practice which I also perform. Don't change your socks until you go to bed. Take off you old pair and put your dry pair on. Then place your other pair over the dry ones. Make certain that the old pair are turned inside out. If they are wool - as they should be - then they should be dry by morning.

Head cover.
I'm not into those silly caps. I prefer scarves. My mother crocheted one for me. I wrap it around my head and face at night. When I wake, I rewrap it into something resembling a turban. When we break camp and if it's still cool, I wrap it around my neck.

Weight and mass are at a premium when on campaign. Some may consider caps to be more stylish, but I get more uses from the scarf than I would a sleeping cap.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Staying warm

Not that this would apply to any of us on the AC, but drinking alcohol when it's cold can lead to one having issues. I'm not a doctor so I don't know precisely what this causes the body to do, but I do know that for most people it makes you sweat, in colder temperatures this can lead to rapid cooling of your body and lead to things like hypothermia. On a second note, alcohol also slows your breathing, and it is speculated that the whiskey draughts along with the morphine given to General "Stonewall" Jackson could have been factors for him contracting phneumonia.

Paul B. Boulden Jr.

RAH VA MIL '04

[flattop32355]

Re: Staying warm

[QUOTE=Silas]
The Heath article also mentioned a sock practice which I also perform. Don't change your socks until you go to bed. Take off you old pair and put your dry pair on. Then place your other pair over the dry ones. Make certain that the old pair are turned inside out. If they are wool - as they should be - then they should be dry by morning.

Personally, if my feet get cold, nothing else on me is warm. I do the above suggestion, plus fold some of the blanket or greatcoat under my lower legs. Even though it leaves me "short-sheeted", I stay warmer.

My other best way to stay warm is to kick my son out of the tent at night...he keeps stealing the covers. :wink_smil

[Kykeydet12]

Re: Staying warm

try filling your canteen with hot coffee then go to sleep with it . some put it on they're chest some at they're feet. I prefer it between my legs , but sometime when I'm sleeping in a borrowed shelter half and my feet stick out the end I put them there. another comment on this make sure you have the cork in tight or you'll look like you wet the bed in the morning .
another trick is to just plain old camping . go just regular camping and just sleep out in the cold and you'll get used to it . it work's great .


Rob young

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Staying warm

I think this subject has been delt with about 1000 times, but...

S**T can the extra blankets, find a pard, lay on ground cloth on the ground, lay one blanket on the ground, lay one blanket over you, lay one ground cloth over you, change your shirt, change your socks, and sleep in your shirt sleeves, and use your jacket as a pillow.

A few months back one fellow brought three blankets with him on a campaign event. Not only did myself and another fellow have to carry him and his ponderous load on the march, he froze is a** off at night, while the rest of us were fine.