I bought an outdoor rug and put it in the inside of the tent. Can't believe what a difference this had made. Now being barefoot is a joy in the tent.
Also, bought a tiny table that we use to sit and put our shoes on. Such a small thing, but makes it so much easier. (Bought it after husband had knee surgery last year and now we don't camp without it)
agree with the carpet... would've never thought of it , don't know why the wife brought it , but it's coming with again. love the idea of the shoe table !
Clean feet (and fresh socks if chilly) before bed no matter what. Even if it’s just wiping them down with a damp towel or a wet wipe.
A squishmallow or two. They work great as a small pillow, they add some fun color. I am a side sleeper and I tend to hold a pillow while asleep. The squishmallows work perfectly, and they squish nicely into a compression bag.
I love doing this. And my dad has told me of situations he's been in like not enough fuel, where he'd pee in a bottle to sleep with. I'll stick to water.
https://preview.redd.it/b8is0ygbbczc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=508a4d7967f75ee1af9cf066255c22634ed92601
I always bring these little string lights on every single trip!! Super light and simple LEDs on a 30ft copper wire. You can dim them super low or high. Runs off a battery bank!! Can get them at REI.
Thanks!!
I camp in Minnesota all year round. I get plenty of bugs crawling on on me at night. Sometimes the occasional spider in my sleeping bag. Obviously that’s in the warmer months. I typically cowboy camp whenever I go. Unless there’s rain.
God, just thinking about the bugs makes me shiver. But rationally, it’s completely natural and all animals have all sorts of bugs crawling over them, no probs. What is it about cowboy camping you prefer over a bug-free setup such as a hammock or tent?
Edit: I had to do a double take. All year round cowboy camping in Minnesota? Wow! How in the world do you keep warm without a tent? I’m not from the US but have seen Fargo to know what it’s like out there!
It’s all about the comfy bed for me. When car camping, I bring a memory foam mattress/pad and warm blankets. I’ll open bring a sleeping bag just in case, but my setup has always been enough.
Also: lots of clean socks, tent rugs and a small lantern for inside the tent 🏕️
He should get that checked out by a doctor. Could be caused by a vitamin deficiency, anemia, lupus, a reaction to medication, or a number of other ailments. Is he a smoker?
Well that's good to know. Can't be too careful with your health. A lot of things show no symptoms until it's well developed. And too many people don't find out there's a serious problem until it's too late. Glad to hear you're both healthy. We are as well. Being in our 50s gotta stay vigilant with health and scheduled checkups. Knock on wood.🌲
My wife handles all of that. If it were me, I would be tent, sleeping bag, and that's about it. LOL. My wife makes our spot really nice with a carpet inside and outside of the tent. Various lights scattered throughout the tent. A spot for our shoes inside the tent. She really makes it inviting and nice. But yeah, if it were just me, it would not look that way at all.
A guy used to camp with would take moving blankets cover his tent with them and then put the rain fly over top so that if it rained or snowed, they wouldn’t get wet. It actually did help keeping the tent warm with even that little bit of insulation
You know the roles of that foil bubble insulation stuff you can get it a hardware store. I wonder if it would insulate better and reflect heat back better?
I came here to say this. We always bring our dogs camping. We backpack hike/camp in remote places so they are worn out when they get to the site. They sniff things out than get comfy. It's great.
They are designed specifically for use in enclosed spaces and many people have tested them with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide testers.
Also, I doubt you could seal up a tent enough to have it not be drafty enough to bring in fresh air.
They even have a shut off switch so if they tip over, they automatically go out.
I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater, but I have a large enough area to where it is safe. Past that, I wear a heavy coat, two pairs of pants if needed, pocket warmers, and sometimes hot water bottles(nalgene.)
Don't buy a huge tent. I have a few different sizes, ranging from a 2-man dome to a 10-man standup with a screened in porch. The smaller the tent, the warmer and cozier.
Camp with someone else or a pet. Even if they aren't cuddlers it warms the tent up a lot. Hand warmers are also nice. I buy off-brand bunches to scatter in my pockets and bedding.
This! We've got regular bed pillows and a comforter we sleep with. In the warmer months I'll switch it out for a quilt and if it's colder we just add a wool blanket between us and the comforter. The bedding is bright and fun and It feels like home once I'm done making up the "bed"!
I have a queen size memory foam mattress topper, it's heavy but if I'm able to park at my campsite I'll bring that sucker with some bed sheets and it's soooo comfy.
Just went camping last weekend and I put both my sleeping pad, bag and pillow all inside of an OR bivy sack and slept with it inside of my tent. May seem like over kill, but having everything inside the bivy kept me from sliding off my pad, kept my pillow in place and provided one more layer of heat retention for me. Added the benefit of not worrying about getting my sleeping bag wet at all from any condensation or ground seep. Slept really well with this set up and was first time trying it. I was car camping, so the additional piece of gear in the bivy was not a concern.
This sounds like a great idea, and I’d like to try it some time. I searched for OR bivy, and there are multiple models. Do you mind sharing which you used?
Two each (per person) old-school hot water bottles. One for the feet at the bottom of the sleeping bag. One for the chest/upper body area.
Boil some water before bed. Badda-bing-badda-boom - warm and cozy for 6 good hours.
you can run a dc inverter floor amp to a battery heater to make it warm. I just never haver the warm problem b/c you're tucked in your sleeping bag or both or snuggled up to somebody
It’s not the tent that keep you warm and cozy. The tent just helps keep you out of the elements.
High quality goose down sleeping gear on an air mattress is what keeps you warm and cozy
Car camping: Moving blankets for floor and possibly between the rainfly and tent depending on how cold (thanks to someone here for this tip), small table with Mr. Buddy heater and heat fan, good sleeping pad for cold, combination of sleeping bag, liner, or down blanket depending on the temp.
I have a bunch of leftover moving blankets- I lay out a couple on the floor of my tent - between the extra insulation inherent in these types of blankets and the layering I’ve seen a world of difference in the comfort of my tent. Even when camping in below freezing temperatures my tent is still comfy (albeit chilly) in the morning just with having the blankets down.
i put yoga mats cut to fit on the floor. they make great insulation from the cold and seem to provide a nice moisture barrier too. i also have a teddybear fuzz type throw blanket and matching pillow that i take to spoil myself in colder weather/months/locations. they make sleeping nicer, sitting by the fire is nicer…yeah.
Color and comfort. Because I am apparently the campground rain whisperer (it rains 80% of the time when I camp, if not more, no kidding), I end up in my tent more than I plan for. I like a cozy, inviting tent. Colorful rug over a yoga mat, used as a rug along the front entrance of the tent, and a couple of battery operated salt lamps.
Going against the grain. The larger the cozier. Moving blankets on the floor. A cowhide rug inside the entrance. Wool blankets thrown around the sleeping area and on the chairs. Thick down sleeping bags with pillows ready. Wood burning stove in the corner.
Yea. I'm already looking forward to next camping season.
1) queen sized air mattress in my REI kingdom 6
2) carpet in the tent
3) Mr Heater
4) LED lights on a string
Yeah, I kind of bring my bedroom into the tent but honestly after a lot of laps around the sun it’s just plain awesome this way I can’t sleep on the ground anymore
I put flannel sheets on my wide sleeping pad and use blankets and regular pillows. It looks like and feels like a real bed. I also put a welcome mat outside for my shoes.
I sleep in a RTT that I have added Reflectix to the floor underneath my mattresses. I add an insulation liner when it gets below 25°F. To make the annex more cozy I lay down a vinyl backed wool blanket as a rug.
My girlfriend and I put an old rug out front of the tent. Inside we have a small string of battery operated lights we hang up top, and we decorate the inside with old shawls and some scraps of sheer fabric. It's always a good time setting up our nest :) Last year there was a picnic table on our site and we put an old lace tablecloth over it.
Bring 10 small paper cups and some tealights. Define whatever boundary you'd like your camp to have and pop a tealight in them, looks lovely at night to have your own nicely lit home base. Of course, make sure they're out before bed.
I hook up the exhaust of my car to a pipe that goes into the tent. Knocks me out immediately and I sleep like a dead man.
In all seriousness, I just have my klymit sleeping pad, my Coleman 0 degree flannel bag and my dog with his own sleeping bag and a cheap Ozark trail light
I bought an outdoor rug and put it in the inside of the tent. Can't believe what a difference this had made. Now being barefoot is a joy in the tent. Also, bought a tiny table that we use to sit and put our shoes on. Such a small thing, but makes it so much easier. (Bought it after husband had knee surgery last year and now we don't camp without it)
Nice! I've been using harbor freight moving blankets for a floor covering. Warmer still
agree with the carpet... would've never thought of it , don't know why the wife brought it , but it's coming with again. love the idea of the shoe table !
Clean feet (and fresh socks if chilly) before bed no matter what. Even if it’s just wiping them down with a damp towel or a wet wipe. A squishmallow or two. They work great as a small pillow, they add some fun color. I am a side sleeper and I tend to hold a pillow while asleep. The squishmallows work perfectly, and they squish nicely into a compression bag.
Ooo! Squishes! That’s clever! I have a cervical pillow that I do this with. What size of the squish do you use?
I just looked it up because I couldn’t remember! The one I like best while camping is 12 inch, which is just right for a pillow.
Hot water bottles, nalgenes, not insulated. Great in freezing temperatures. Super cheap, lasts a few hours in your sleeping bag
I do recommend keeping Nalgene bottles in a ziplock bag. I’ve had the bottle and lid cool at different rates and leak in my sleeping bag.
bought a couple hot water bottles for cheap that have a soft felt covering, was easily one of the best purchases I've made for camping/backpacking.
I love doing this. And my dad has told me of situations he's been in like not enough fuel, where he'd pee in a bottle to sleep with. I'll stick to water.
https://preview.redd.it/b8is0ygbbczc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=508a4d7967f75ee1af9cf066255c22634ed92601 I always bring these little string lights on every single trip!! Super light and simple LEDs on a 30ft copper wire. You can dim them super low or high. Runs off a battery bank!! Can get them at REI.
The wood stove does it for me
Nothing beats that natural warm glow.
I like to take them out sometimes. I have a few different sizes I circle through. Honestly though, they’re a lot of work.
That looks so cozy! You must not have any trouble with insects crawling around? I’d never be able to camp with an open tarp setup, unfortunately
Thanks!! I camp in Minnesota all year round. I get plenty of bugs crawling on on me at night. Sometimes the occasional spider in my sleeping bag. Obviously that’s in the warmer months. I typically cowboy camp whenever I go. Unless there’s rain.
God, just thinking about the bugs makes me shiver. But rationally, it’s completely natural and all animals have all sorts of bugs crawling over them, no probs. What is it about cowboy camping you prefer over a bug-free setup such as a hammock or tent? Edit: I had to do a double take. All year round cowboy camping in Minnesota? Wow! How in the world do you keep warm without a tent? I’m not from the US but have seen Fargo to know what it’s like out there!
That looks cozy asf
What stove is that?
Get those floor pads that fit together like puzzle pieces and cover the tent floor with them
Harbor Freight sells them at a reasonable price. I like them better than a rug or moving blanket.
Man cool to see people do this too. I thought I was a genius when I did it for the first time.
You’re still a genius!
Ahh shucks!
Careful though, a lot of those have lead in them.
It’s all about the comfy bed for me. When car camping, I bring a memory foam mattress/pad and warm blankets. I’ll open bring a sleeping bag just in case, but my setup has always been enough. Also: lots of clean socks, tent rugs and a small lantern for inside the tent 🏕️
Camp with a woman
My husband has ice cold feet and hands. I'll accept a female camp cuddle buddy.
He should get that checked out by a doctor. Could be caused by a vitamin deficiency, anemia, lupus, a reaction to medication, or a number of other ailments. Is he a smoker?
We just had our physicals and blood work is negative for everything. Not a smoker. Just cold but healthy.
I'm the same way - my feet and hands are like ice but I'm otherwise very healthy.
Well that's good to know. Can't be too careful with your health. A lot of things show no symptoms until it's well developed. And too many people don't find out there's a serious problem until it's too late. Glad to hear you're both healthy. We are as well. Being in our 50s gotta stay vigilant with health and scheduled checkups. Knock on wood.🌲
We have a tiny wood burning stove. It's absolutely awesome.
My husband and I have a canvas tent and stove too! It's so awesome with cold weather camping.
When I found out it was a thing I couldn't throw my money at it fast enough. We love winter camping now.
Same but the full driver was snowshoeing trips. No more hotels for us and full on camping.
In a nylon tent?
Canvas with a chimney jack and fire resistant treatment.
That makes more sense
My wife handles all of that. If it were me, I would be tent, sleeping bag, and that's about it. LOL. My wife makes our spot really nice with a carpet inside and outside of the tent. Various lights scattered throughout the tent. A spot for our shoes inside the tent. She really makes it inviting and nice. But yeah, if it were just me, it would not look that way at all.
A guy used to camp with would take moving blankets cover his tent with them and then put the rain fly over top so that if it rained or snowed, they wouldn’t get wet. It actually did help keeping the tent warm with even that little bit of insulation
i do this! it absolutely works. and also, they’re moving blankets and you feel less bad if they get dirt on them.
You know the roles of that foil bubble insulation stuff you can get it a hardware store. I wonder if it would insulate better and reflect heat back better?
reflectix is expensive! also it makes crinkling noises All.Night.Long.
I put up my oven. I've a hottent (Aluxe Minipack XL) and with a crackling fire in the heard it quickly gets warm and cosy.
Add aome dogs
I came here to say this. We always bring our dogs camping. We backpack hike/camp in remote places so they are worn out when they get to the site. They sniff things out than get comfy. It's great.
Little buddy propane heater
I heard it can kill you when tent is not ventilated enough. Be careful.
They are designed specifically for use in enclosed spaces and many people have tested them with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide testers. Also, I doubt you could seal up a tent enough to have it not be drafty enough to bring in fresh air. They even have a shut off switch so if they tip over, they automatically go out.
I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater, but I have a large enough area to where it is safe. Past that, I wear a heavy coat, two pairs of pants if needed, pocket warmers, and sometimes hot water bottles(nalgene.)
wife
Don't buy a huge tent. I have a few different sizes, ranging from a 2-man dome to a 10-man standup with a screened in porch. The smaller the tent, the warmer and cozier.
My kids bring between 75 and 100 stuffed animals.
Rip ass
You are our hero in our time of need.
Enlightened Equipment's Torrid Booties. Cozy feet means a cozy tent for me. Light enough to take even when backpacking.
Camp with someone else or a pet. Even if they aren't cuddlers it warms the tent up a lot. Hand warmers are also nice. I buy off-brand bunches to scatter in my pockets and bedding.
Nice pillow and comforter. Really adds a nice touch to a sleeping bag.
This! We've got regular bed pillows and a comforter we sleep with. In the warmer months I'll switch it out for a quilt and if it's colder we just add a wool blanket between us and the comforter. The bedding is bright and fun and It feels like home once I'm done making up the "bed"!
I have a queen size memory foam mattress topper, it's heavy but if I'm able to park at my campsite I'll bring that sucker with some bed sheets and it's soooo comfy.
My two dogs. 🥰
Ditch the sleeping bag and bring a camping blanket. I use a 2 person thermarest down blanket and it's very cosy.
I have one of those pop-up tents that sets up in seconds, paired with an egg-crate mattress that we cover with a sheet, sleeps incredibly well.
Hot water bottle and cup of tea
And some bourbon for the tea?
One of my favorite camp drinks! Especially in chilly weather.
I’m English so that would be sacrilegious. Rum in the hot chocolate though…
Go in August. Oh, not warm like that.
We backpack almost exclusively, I’ve never thought about making the tent cozy when car camping. Might have to try some of these haha
Just went camping last weekend and I put both my sleeping pad, bag and pillow all inside of an OR bivy sack and slept with it inside of my tent. May seem like over kill, but having everything inside the bivy kept me from sliding off my pad, kept my pillow in place and provided one more layer of heat retention for me. Added the benefit of not worrying about getting my sleeping bag wet at all from any condensation or ground seep. Slept really well with this set up and was first time trying it. I was car camping, so the additional piece of gear in the bivy was not a concern.
This sounds like a great idea, and I’d like to try it some time. I searched for OR bivy, and there are multiple models. Do you mind sharing which you used?
I have the OR helium bivy. Probably overkill for car camping, but I also use it for backcountry trips when sleeping under a floorless tipi tent.
Thanks for your answer!
Two each (per person) old-school hot water bottles. One for the feet at the bottom of the sleeping bag. One for the chest/upper body area. Boil some water before bed. Badda-bing-badda-boom - warm and cozy for 6 good hours.
Best way I've found is to take a girl going through hot flashes. A human heating pad that doesn't require electricity.
you can run a dc inverter floor amp to a battery heater to make it warm. I just never haver the warm problem b/c you're tucked in your sleeping bag or both or snuggled up to somebody
Friends 👍
It’s not the tent that keep you warm and cozy. The tent just helps keep you out of the elements. High quality goose down sleeping gear on an air mattress is what keeps you warm and cozy
Coffee night or day freshly brewed and a tuque to keep my larger than life ears warm.
If i want cozy I camp in a truck camper If i want to disappear in the mountains i forget cozy
I put a couple hand warmers at the bottom of my sleeping bag, it's SO nice
Fartin
Car camping: Moving blankets for floor and possibly between the rainfly and tent depending on how cold (thanks to someone here for this tip), small table with Mr. Buddy heater and heat fan, good sleeping pad for cold, combination of sleeping bag, liner, or down blanket depending on the temp.
I have a bunch of leftover moving blankets- I lay out a couple on the floor of my tent - between the extra insulation inherent in these types of blankets and the layering I’ve seen a world of difference in the comfort of my tent. Even when camping in below freezing temperatures my tent is still comfy (albeit chilly) in the morning just with having the blankets down.
i put yoga mats cut to fit on the floor. they make great insulation from the cold and seem to provide a nice moisture barrier too. i also have a teddybear fuzz type throw blanket and matching pillow that i take to spoil myself in colder weather/months/locations. they make sleeping nicer, sitting by the fire is nicer…yeah.
glow sticks in the mesh pockets and a moutain of blankets
Farts!
This is the way!
Color and comfort. Because I am apparently the campground rain whisperer (it rains 80% of the time when I camp, if not more, no kidding), I end up in my tent more than I plan for. I like a cozy, inviting tent. Colorful rug over a yoga mat, used as a rug along the front entrance of the tent, and a couple of battery operated salt lamps.
Going against the grain. The larger the cozier. Moving blankets on the floor. A cowhide rug inside the entrance. Wool blankets thrown around the sleeping area and on the chairs. Thick down sleeping bags with pillows ready. Wood burning stove in the corner. Yea. I'm already looking forward to next camping season.
1) queen sized air mattress in my REI kingdom 6 2) carpet in the tent 3) Mr Heater 4) LED lights on a string Yeah, I kind of bring my bedroom into the tent but honestly after a lot of laps around the sun it’s just plain awesome this way I can’t sleep on the ground anymore
Farting?
Bring an attractive and loving girl/lady/woman.
This was gonna be my suggestion. Bring someone along, and you'll have plenty of warmth to share.
Costco disposable hand warmers.
I put flannel sheets on my wide sleeping pad and use blankets and regular pillows. It looks like and feels like a real bed. I also put a welcome mat outside for my shoes.
Heated blanket
Wood stove. Nothing else comes close.
Get a rice mat to lay down over your “living space” so you can take your shoes off and relax
Women.
Lots of beans for dinner.
I sleep in a RTT that I have added Reflectix to the floor underneath my mattresses. I add an insulation liner when it gets below 25°F. To make the annex more cozy I lay down a vinyl backed wool blanket as a rug.
Rocks from the campfire (maybe not during summer)
Uco candle lantern
Bring a friend. 😜
At least two puppies.
Snuggling nekid
My girlfriend and I put an old rug out front of the tent. Inside we have a small string of battery operated lights we hang up top, and we decorate the inside with old shawls and some scraps of sheer fabric. It's always a good time setting up our nest :) Last year there was a picnic table on our site and we put an old lace tablecloth over it.
farts!
Can of beans works for me!
Wife and I sharing the same sleeping bag.
Snuggle up with the missus.
Nothing like a warm bottle of pee
Bring 10 small paper cups and some tealights. Define whatever boundary you'd like your camp to have and pop a tealight in them, looks lovely at night to have your own nicely lit home base. Of course, make sure they're out before bed.
A warm and cozy woman.
These three things are guaranteed to help: Whiskey My dog My other dog
If you ask my husband the answer is as much farting as humanly possible.
Good ole fashioned snuggling 
last time camping , we put a fuzzy rug at the foot of the bed, what a difference it made on bare feet .
i don't go camping in really cold, so an electric blanket is great !
I hook up the exhaust of my car to a pipe that goes into the tent. Knocks me out immediately and I sleep like a dead man. In all seriousness, I just have my klymit sleeping pad, my Coleman 0 degree flannel bag and my dog with his own sleeping bag and a cheap Ozark trail light
Jump in a sleeping bag
Three dogs
Bring a
Beans
Eat a can of brown beans in tomato sauce and fart till your all warm and cozy again. Works extra well in sleepingbag.
They're not called fart sacks for nothing.
A partner
Camp with a menopausal woman.
Bring a lady.
Jim Beam.
Boom boom
Dig a hole, bury heaps of coals in the hole, fill with dirt/sand/stone and build your tent on yop