Winter camping tips

Although I put up a post about our trip to Newnes, which happened back in Easter, we have just arrived back from a two week adventure through the outback - traveling as far as Oodnadatta, Cameron Corner and even Broken Hill!  The reason that we went this time of year is that it is pleasant out that way, weather wise, this time of year.  Add to that a lot of people (relatively speaking) travel through the region it is relatively safe this time of year.

When we were thinking about the trip I cam across some winter camping tips from outdoor gear specialists Coleman...

There tips - used with permission - are as follows:

There are some obvious benefits to camping in the colder months such as smaller crowds, campfires in National Parks and the chance to see wildlife that you wouldn’t normally see (for example, whale watching along the coastline South of Sydney). Coleman has provided some great tips and tricks on how to get out into the wild this winter.

Tips from the outdoor experts Coleman include:

1.          Be properly prepared – Make sure you have everything you need for a colder, harsher environment. You might even want to bring along the Coleman Hot Water on Demand to make sure you can have a hot cup of coffee.

 2.          Have the right equipment – A durable and warm sleeping bag is essential. The Bigfoot range from Coleman are perfect for this!

3.          Stay on top of the weather – Check the weather in advance and make sure you’re prepared for the worst case scenario.

4.        Get out of the wind – Make sure you select a site with some natural wind breaks.

5.       Always use an airbed – Insulating yourself from the cold ground is far more important than insulating from the cold air.

A couple of extra tips from us:

1. If you have some more than a couple of days plan to travel somewhere that it is best to travel to in Winter - desert regions and tropical regions spring to mind.

2.  Check with the National Parks folks about campfires - some don't allow them year round - Sturt National Park springs to mind.

3.  'Menu plan' for comfort food.  Stews and soups are great in winter especially if done in a camp oven!  Camp oven damper, warm, with honey is a favourite of mine.

This being a blog - feel free to post a comment with your tips or even a comment about either my tips or Colman's.

Coleman have a pretty good range of stuff on the market - visit www.coleman.com.au for a look at what they have.