It can get super cold when you’re camping in winter, especially when you boondock a lot without electricity to turn on your heater!
For most holidays, we make an annual cross-country trip from Colorado to Georgia to hang with family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. With this kind of trip, we know we’re taking our chances with the weather. Last year, we got hit with a freak ice storm in Fairhope, Alabama! We had to do an emergency hunker down for a few days.
The fiberglass of our Casita is pretty thin (take a tour of our camper before and after here), with minimal insulation from the cold. I’ve learned there’s 13 things we have to have to keep us warm and in good spirits in the RV in winter. Before you take off in cold weather, I wanted to share my checklist with you to make sure you’re ready too:)
Update: We camp so often in cold weather, we decided to invest in installing a heater that runs off of our propane tanks.
13 Must Have’s to Stay Warm Camping in Your RV During Cold Winter Weather
1.Mr. Buddy (when boon docking)
Before we installed a heater in our Casita that runs off of our camper’s propane tanks, we used Mr. Buddy when we’re boon docking and not plugged into electricity. He runs on the small green propane tanks you can get from Walmart. We place him in the middle of our floor.
2. Space heater (when plugged in at a campsite)
Again, before we installed a heater in our Casita, we used a regular space heater for when we’re plugged in at a campsite with electricity, so we’re not using up lots of green propane bottles from Walmart with Mr. Buddy.
3. Rugs
Make sure you have rugs on your floor to give you extra protection from the thin and frigid floor of the camper.
Our Casita Spirit Deluxe has a unique layout that took me a few months to figure out a good rug set up to protect our floor from spills and stains and also provide warmth from the camper’s underbelly. We found a natural fiber rug to run down the center of the floor from the bathroom to the bed.
4. Flannel Sheets
We’ve learned flannel sheets are a must in winter and we love our flannel sheets! They keep us super warm and cozy at night and I love them because they keep your face warm on the pillow all night. I get so cold and uncomfortable if we use our summer sheets because my hair and face get cold from them.
5. Extra down comforter
This is a must too! Some nights require extra, extra warmth and an extra down comforter is key! You can get a simple down comforter from Walmart, or… we totally glamp out with this heavy fur blanket we got as a gift. Oh, my Lord! It’s so soft, heavy, and keeps us warm! Don’t judge, we LOVE it:)
6. Fleece blanket
If it’s super cold, I have a fleece blanket like this one I put under our flannel sheets and right over me to sleep. Fleece keeps me nice and cozy and is even better than flannel in my opinion!
7. Merino wool pajamas
When we’re living out of the camper in winter temperatures, you bet I wear both the top and bottom as my base layer 24/7. I use these both to sleep in and under my sweaters and jeans during the day. They keep me warm and toasty.
8. Hat
You may think I’m crazy, but when you’re boon docking in winter, it feels like you’re tent camping in winter. I wear this knit hat on my head all night to keep my head and ears warm while I’m sleeping.
9. Buff as a Neck Warmer
If my neck’s cold, I’m cold! One of our essential items we always carry in the winter or summer is a Buff. In the winter, we use it as a ear warmer, you can tie it into a hat, and at night I use it as a neck warmer to keep my neck warm. I totally recommend a Buff because it’s so light and you can use it year round in so many ways!
10. Fingerless Gloves
I love these wool fingerless gloves with a mitten cover, because they’re so practical! They keep my hands warm, but I can turn the pages of a book, use my cell phone, take photos with my camera, work on the computer. I recommend these gloves:)
11. Wool Socks
A whole category of gear for me is for my feet. If my feet are freezing, I can’t fall asleep. To make sure my feet stay toasty, I pack two or three pairs of the heavy duty wool socks with me. I use two pairs to wear during the day and a specific extra heavy pair in the camper at night and while I’m sleeping.
12. Slippers
Along with wool socks, I always have slippers that I slide on while in the camper. For me, it’s really important to have slippers that both support my arch and are thick on the bottom with rubber soles keeping my feet protected from the cold floor of the camper. I got these when I was pregnant and my feet were changing and love them!
13. Microwavable Slippers
If you tend to camp with electricity and have a microwave, get these! I found these and they are now on my Christmas list!:) I won’t be able to use them all the time, because we don’t have a microwave and we tend to boon dock a lot but I gotta have them:)
14. Good Conversation with 501 Questions: A Travel Game
Now that you’re all cozy and warm, have fun with our new game 501 Questions: A Travel Game to have fun, laughter, and good conversation when it’s cold outside! Our game has 750 entertaining questions and trivia to unplug and get to know your travel pals better. We play over dinner, around the campfire, on our long road trips, and anytime we’re with friends and family. Camping World’s shared, “…highly recommend for your next trip (and all trips!). It’s a fantastic way to start conversations while you’re driving, out on a hike, or hanging around the campground!” Get cozy and have fun with our game 501 Questions: A Travel Game!
Unplug & Have Fun, Laughter, & good conversation
Get our new game 501 Questions: A Travel Game for fun, laughter, and good conversation on your road trips, around the campfire, over dinner, or zooming with friends and family! You’ll get over 750 entertaining questions and trivia to have fun with! It’s available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle here.
“…highly recommend for your next trip (and all trips!). It’s a fantastic way to start conversations while you’re driving, out on a hike, or hanging around the campground!” -CAMPING WORLD
Make it Easy to Remember for Later!
Download this checklist so you can easily pull it up later.
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Make Your Time Together Count!
Unplug and connect with one another in your tent, on your long road trips, over dinner, and around the campfire with our new game 501 Questions: A Travel Game! You’ll get over 750 entertaining questions and trivia to have fun, laughter, and good conversation to get to know each other better and make the time fly on every adventure!
“…highly recommend for your next trip (and all trips!). It’s a fantastic way to start conversations while you’re driving, out on a hike, or hanging around the campground!” - CAMPING WORLD