Winter Overlanding for Beginners

By Jesse Malarsie

This is my first winter in the overlanding world, so I have been excited to try out my roof top tent to see how well I do when the temperature plummets. I have not been camping in the snow since I was a teenager, so basically I was starting all over. Over the years I have developed the lovely ability to be cold at just about any time so I have been slightly nervous on how to stay warm. Even during snowboarding and snowremovalIgetprettycoldsoIbroughtalotofstuffwithme. Thesearemykeytakeaways!

Beflexible. We searched for 4 hours for a place to camp. We severely underestimated the number of snowmobiles that would be out and already set up for camp. So after two canyons we found a spot for the night. We decided it was a great research trip because we learned that a lot of roads arenotopenduringthewinter.Andthat other recreational minded people will be out and looking for spots as well. So if you are able to figure out info before heading out, I encourage that but sometimes you won’t know until you areoutthere.

Shoes&Socks. One of the hard lessons I learned was that my snow boots were not adequate for winter camping. So socks were key to keep my feet warm. Helpful tidbit: make sure you find the right thickness, blend, and style for you. Therearemanyoptions!

Baselayers. They are a godsend. I switched to fresh base layers before bed so they were dry and ready to keep me warm that night. I took some new base layers to try out and compare with thebrandInormallyuse.

Midlayer. Andagoodouterlayer.I think most people in this community know how to dress for colder weather but I need to put this on here. I am a vest person so I have a trusty down vest with me at all times to add to my layers.

Accessories. Gloves, beanies, ear warmers, neck gaiters, etc. I had two types of gloves. My snowboarding mittens for hanging out when I didn’t need to use my hands much and a lighter pair for food prep and activities. Due to wintery breezes and chilly morning I opted to wear a neck gaiter which I highly recommend! For those who have cold feet and hands, take the warming packets! I had them in my boots and coat pockets and eventually transferred them to my sleepingbagforalittlemorewarmth.

Now let’s talk about food! Food is fuel and in winter camping, what you eat can help immensely in making sure your body is staying warm. Look for high energy foods (granola, cheese, nuts, etc) and foods with calories and fat content. And yes, the warmer the better! If you like chili this is a great timetocookthatup!

I ended up using dehydrated food because I wanted to make this trip easier on myself. My partner chose hotdogs and chili for his meal and packet oatmeals for breakfast. I definitely want to up my food game but I am still deciding what cooking gear I wouldliketoget.

Pack all the snacks! You’re burning more calories out in the cold so make sure you have some energy and calorie boosting snacks at hand. I just love to snacksothisisagivenforme.

Water. One of the issues we had was keeping our water storage from freezing. The insulated bottles we had did a fantastic job, so I definitely recommend investing in some good insulated products. If you can, sleep with your water bottle close to you. I’ve also heard that if you put salt in the water it can help but I have not tried this.

Sleeping gear. It was trial run with my new sleeping bag (rated to 15 degrees F) and I believe it is going to work out. It’s very comfortable and I believe that an “issue” I have had will be worked out once I find the right layers for myself to wear while sleeping. My issue was my feet getting cold but this is normal for me anytime. I woke up cocooned in my bag and it was great. The inside of my tent was frosted (we did leave windows open for ventilation) but my bag stayed warm and dry. My sleeping bag has liner on the ends to prevent moisture from seepingin.

Campfires. Do it! Whether you are using wood or propane, do yourself a favor and have a fire.This may seem like a no brainer but I have to put it on here. We bundled up in our winter gear, correction I bundled up (my boyfriend has the warmest body temp of anyone I know), and sat around the fire that night. It was great! I prefer to rotisserie myself by the fire to stay warm. Until I get a propane tank attached to my truck I will be going old school and lugging around bundles of wood for our fires. Totally worth it though.

I do not have the insulation layer for my tent. Still debating that purchase but I think we will be good without it. I know alotofpeopleuseheatersofsomesort so that may be an option in the future. Now, sleeping pads. Yes, my tent has the padding it came with but I decided totryoutsomeofmysleepingpads.On top of the tent pad I put a closed cell sleeping pad and on top of that I put my cold rated inflatable pad. It was very comfy and I am glad I brought the extra layerstosleepon!

Have fun! We choose to do this because we either love it or we’re crazy but either way still look for the enjoyment in winter overlanding/ camping. I’m excited to get back out and try some new things. I find this whole process an adventure in itself so the trying, researching, going back to the drawing board, and trying again is excitingforme.

You can build out your vehicle the way you want, travel (when and where) you would like. Maybe reading this article is the closest thing you will get to winter overlandingandthatistotallyfine!

We brought snowshoes with us and were open to the idea of a hike but ended up socializing and just hanging out. Sometimes we stay active when out and other times we just need that mental reset and chill around the fire or campsite. I’ve learned to plan for things but go with how I feel in the moment once we’re out. I am an outdoor photographer so I am generally toting mycameraaround.

I know there are a ton of tips and tricks out there and please feel free to share them with me! I believe it is very helpful to be teachable in this community as there is so much to learn or see and when someone is willing to share, it is time to be a sponge. I wish you all the bestonyouradventures!

My Gear:

Truck:FordF-150

Rack:RCI

RoofTopTent:iKamper3.0

Lights:DiodeDynamics

SleepingBag:NEMODisco15Women’s

SleepingPad:NEMOSwitchback(closedcell)andSeatoSummitEtherLightXT Extreme-Women’spad

FreezeDriedFood:PeakRefuel

Cooking:MSRPocketRocket2.0

Baselayers:REICo-opMidweighttopandbottom,REICo-opMerino185top

Socks:SmartwoolWomen’sMountaineerClassicEditionMaximumCushionCrew weremygoto’s.IalsolikeStancesnowboardingandBurtonsnowboardingsocks.

Gloves:KombimittensandColumbiaformylightergloves

Boots(thatworked):SalomonQUEST4D2GTXandTevareEMBERslips