Winter camping essentials

Camping in winter might sound like a crazy idea but it’s actually a divine experience, with smaller crowds and more space. Less campers means less lines, better camping spots and a greater sense of solitude and serenity. If that’s not enough, there are also no mosquitos (if you’ve camped before, you know this is a win).

It’s hard to put a finger on exactly what makes winter camping so magical - maybe it’s because your body produces more endorphins in the cold, or because warming up next to a campfire is just good for the soul. All we do know is that if you love camping in summer, you’ll love it in winter as well.

But before you go running off into the wild, you’re going to need a few essentials. From jackets and shirts to packs and bags, we’ve curated a list of winter camping essentials to help you make the most of your next cold weather adventure.

Warm jackets

When venturing through the cold wilderness, nothing is more essential than a warm and insulating jacket - it’s your winter camping best friend. The perfect jacket should be light and easy to transport, weather and water resistant, insulated for warmth and of course, exceedingly stylish. If you need something light and portable, we love the range of ultra-light down jackets and fleece full zip jackets from Uniqlo. If you need advice, speak to the experts at Kathmandu about their wide range of ‘insulation for any situation’ winter jackets, there’s heaps of options to choose from and something for everyone.

Kathmandu - Winter Camping Essentials
Image sourced: Kathmandu

Uniqlo - Winter Camping Essentials
Image sourced: Uniqlo

Core Clothing

Although a great jacket can make up for a lot, you’ll need a good foundation of core clothing if you want to stay warm. It’s essential to dress in layers, so make sure to pack quality shirts, pants, shoes, and socks. Even during the coldest parts of the year, the temperature can vary so give yourself the flexibility to dress up or down as required. We love the range of shorts, pants, tees, joggers, and hoodies from Johnny Bigg that would perfectly suit autumn or cool camping trips. If you need something a little warmer, Uniqlo has a fantastic range of HEATTECH extra warm t-shirts as well as heaps of other core clothing essentials including gloves, scarves, and beanies.

Johnny Bigg - Winter Camping Essentials
Image sourced: Johnny Bigg

Pack your bags

Part of what makes camping so exciting is having the freedom to explore your surrounds, and this becomes infinitely more difficult if you don’t have a good bag. Whether you need a backpack or large trekking bag, the perfect pack should be comfortable, light, durable, weather resistant, ergonomic for even weight distribution and have ample storage. To ensure comfort and flexibility whilst on the move, look for a bag with padded shoulder straps, adjustable belts, and ventilated back panels. We recommend National Geographic’s hiker backpack, which features a lightweight design, reinforced bottom, designated laptop storage and water resistance, making it perfect for the modern adventurer. We also love Kathmandu’s range of travel, hiking and day packs, including a hybrid trolley pack which easily transforms between a backpack and trolley. Hot tip: we highly recommend purchasing some dry bags and/or compression socks to keep the gear inside your bag dry and compact.

National Geographic - Winter Camping Essentials
Image sourced: National Geographic

Sleep easy

After a long day of trekking and an afternoon spent setting up camp, the last thing you want is an uncomfortable sleep, so having a good tent and sleeping bag is crucial. When choosing a tent, think about the way you want to camp, taking size, weight, and design into consideration. Ideally, you’ll need a tent that’s durable, designed for all seasons, with sturdy poles, windows for ventilation and a strong frame. We love the selection of tents at Macpac, with options ranging from solo hiking tents to 6-person open air tents. Your sleeping bag should be high quality, snug and rated for low temperatures, especially if you’re camping during the middle of winter. No matter what trip what you have planned, we recommend the range of sleeping bags at Macpac and Kathmandu.

Macpac - Winter Camping Essentials
Image sourced: Macpac

Backpack essentials

Last, but certainly not least, are the essential products you’ll want in your backpack on almost every trip. You can pick these up at a number of retailers including National Geographic, Kathmandu, Macpac, Uniqlo, Kmart, Big W and Target.

What you’ll need: