As a former Floridian, I never imagined myself car camping during the winter. Especially not at high-altitude during a snowstorm. But hey, never say never! My boyfriend Noah and I currently live in Colorado and skiing is a huge part of our winter routine. Last year we camped in his 4-runner multiple times during ski season in order to get an early start on the slopes. We’ve even managed to sleep comfortably in temperatures below freezing! Don’t let that intimidate you though. It’s easier than you may think to stay comfortable while winter car camping. If you don’t have any experience with cold-weather car camping but are eager to get outdoors this winter read on. These are my ten winter car camping essentials you need to keep warm.
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Custom Car Bed Platform
Before I moved to Colorado custom car bed platforms were something I heard about, but rarely ever saw. Now I can’t go to a single ski resort parking lot without seeing one. A couple of years ago my boyfriend built a custom platform for the back of his 4-runner. We use it most often during ski season to hold our ski gear but it also doubles as a bed platform for car camping. While this isn’t necessary to sleep in your car, it does make it more manageable!
Sleeping Bag
A good sleeping bag is a must for car camping in the winter. We use a double sleeping bag and it has changed our setup for the better! Check out double sleeping bag options here.
You want something suitable for the temperatures in which you will be sleeping, so make sure the climate and the recommended temperature on your sleeping bag match up.
Here are some winter-rated sleeping bags to choose from!
Sleeping Pad or Mattress
For camping in your car, I recommend a 6 to 8-inch thick mattress or foam pad. Foam pads are really easy to fold up for storage. A sleeping pad rated for winter camping will also work. We found our mattress pad on Facebook marketplace and cut it down to fit in Noah’s 4-runner.
Pro tip: Stack a foam sleeping pad on top of a mattress to up the insulation value as we did!
Base Layers
It goes without saying that you will need to dress in plenty of warm layers. If you’re not sure what to wear, imagine you’re camping outside. Though your car will protect you from the elements better than a tent, it won’t be much warmer in your vehicle by the middle of the night.
A good warm outfit includes thermal base layers, warm socks, and a cozy outer layer.
Check out my base layers + Noah’s base layers.
Food Storage
One car camping essential is food storage. I recommend preparing and packaging your food properly before setting out to camp.
We have both a softshell and hardshell yeti cooler. For camping in the 4-runner during the winter we prefer to use the hard shell one. With the temperature dropping at night, even in the car, a hardshell cooler can regulate its internal temp better. Therefore keeping your food from freezing.
Finding a Campsite
Unfortunately, you can’t park and sleep just anywhere. Most public places restrict overnight parking and sleeping in your vehicle.
There are a number of apps and resources that can help you find free campsites these days. Some of our favorites are…
- BLM or Bureau of Land Management
- Campendium
- Free Campsites
- Reddit, yep that’s right. Search reddit topics for advice on free campsites! But always double-check before blindly following someone’s advice.
Dehumidifier
In my opinion, the worst thing about winter car camping is the condensation that inevitably builds up inside your vehicle. In order to avoid that you should crack the windows the slightest bit and invest in a small dehumidifier. This is the one we use!
Window Insulation
Reflective Foam Insulation: You can buy it here on Amazon. This product is able to reflect up to 97% of the heat in your car from escaping outside, so this will radically heat up your car, even to the point of making it a mini-oven system. Trust me, Noah and I have actually overheated before while winter car camping.
Using the foam on your windows will help you have a restful and comfortable night in your car, even during the harshest of wintery nights.
Traction Pads
If you’re driving in winter conditions, it is a good idea to keep some sort of traction pads in your vehicle. Snow traction mats are the best short-term tool to provide a layer of gripping surface between your tires and the snow/ice you might encounter while car camping. It’s always better to err on the side of caution!
Emergency Supplies
While you should always bring emergency supplies with you when camping, this holds especially true in the cold weather. Such supplies include a first aid kit, an emergency blanket, and some energy-rich gels or bars. We purchased our medical kit at one of the local REI garage sales and thankfully we’ve never needed to use it!
Camping in the winter is not to be taken lightly. However, as long as you prepare and bring all the essentials, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy car camping in the winter!
Let me know if you have any other car camping essentials down in the comments!