Roof top tenting in winter is great. The cold and crisp air make camping something different and also contribute to you most likely being alone where you choose to camp.
It is really cozy to sit bundled up to the teeth in a winter landscape by a fire, brew coffee, and look at a starry sky.
But you need to be prepared and think about what equipment you bring.
We at Taktältarna have tested roof top tenting in winter on several occasions and in temperatures down to minus 15 degrees with our roof top tent Åreskutan.
Among other things, we have used it as a sleeping place on the way up to Abisko, where we traveled to chase the northern lights in February and in early spring when we went on a ski trip in southern Lapland.
Here we share our best tips for you who want to roof top tent in winter.
8 tips for you who want to use roof top tents in winter
1. The absolutely most important thing when you are going to roof top tent in winter is to have a sleeping bag adapted to the outdoor temperature. Also have an extra sleeping pad or wool blanket to put on the mattress for extra insulation.
2. Sleep in wool base layers and a hat. If you miss the hat, much of the body's heat escapes through the head.
3. When there is snow outside, it is harder to find secluded places to spend the night. This is because small roads and parking bays are not always plowed. A campsite, rest area, or large parking lot can be good alternatives for winter camping. An advantage of rest areas is that there are usually good toilets!
4. Use an insulating inner tent, it both raises the temperature inside the roof top tent and minimizes condensation on the tent fabric.
5. If you want to hang out in the roof top tent, there are external heat sources to use, we have tested the gas heater Heating Buddy which works great. You just screw on a regular gas canister and it gets warm in no time. It shuts off by itself if carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide levels get too high or if it falls over. Others use a diesel heater with a pipe up into the roof top tent, powered by battery. Both options are nice to start when it's time to crawl into the sleeping bag for the night or out of it in the morning.
6. If it is below freezing outside, equip yourself with a little extra patience when you fold out and fold up the roof top tent because all materials become stiffer. Especially the cover on the roof top tent becomes a bit trickier to put together.
7. If you do not use any heat source in the roof top tent, it is good to take a little jog or do some squats to get your body warm before you crawl into the sleeping bag. Preferably drink something warm just before bedtime. If you are really cold, or it is really cold outside, you can have a bottle of hot water, wrapped in a protective cloth, to put in the sleeping bag, it warms nicely!
8. Bring plenty of firewood to burn – both for coziness in the evening and for warmth in the morning when you get up. Extra blankets to wrap around yourself in camping chairs are also nice!
Interested in roof top tents? Check out our roof top tents here. If you have any questions about roof top tents and roof top tenting, you are always welcome to contact us! info@taktaltarna.se
All photos except those of sleeping bags and the gas heater are taken by Philip Alexandersson.
