[info]Winter is coming! It happens every year; don’t let it stop you getting out and about in our beautiful country.[/info]

Lets face it, there are fewer people trying to crowd your favourite camp spot and the air never feels as fresh, clean and clear as it does on a crisp, winter morning.

The smells and sites of a winter morning in the bush, or at the beach or wherever you choose to camp, seem to be enhanced 10-fold during a winter campout. Maybe it’s the cooler air, the lack of flies and dreaded mozzies, or the accomplishment of having camped out in winter and stayed warm and dry!

To Stay Warm and Dry

There are a few essentials:

• Fire – camp at a place that allows campfires or at least fire in a fire pit. This does the obvious, keeps you warm, is useful for cooking, and gives you something to stare into while you discuss world affairs and fix it’s problems, sing camp songs or toast marshmallows. Have a look here for portable fire pit hints.
• Warm Beds – after the fire’s died down and it’s time for bed you need to have some good gear. Keep your mattress or bedroll off the ground as much as possible with a ground sheet or stretcher. Don’t go for the air mattress. The only thing worse then sleeping on the cold ground is sleeping on a bed of icy air! Get the best quality mattress or bedroll you can afford.
• Sleeping bag – whether you’re swagin’ it, tenting-it or in a van you’ll need a good sleeping bag. You’ll find the one you use in summer may not be warm enough in winter and a winter one too hot for summer so if you are a serious camper you should have 2 sleeping bags.
  – For either summer or winter sleeping bag you’ll want a bag that is long enough to cover you, but not so long that there is a heap of air space below your feet that needs to heat up.
  – Wide enough to fit your girth without leaving a lot of extra space in the bag. The more air space you have in the bag the harder it is to keep warm. A slim built person should go for a slim line bag like this slim line bag. A bigger person would be more comfortable in a wider bag like this one.
  – Keeping warm in around your head and neck is important too. Most of our heat is lost through the head and neck area so a bag that fits snuggly around the top of your head or is hooded will help keep you toasty
  – For camping in most areas in Australia during winter you’ll be comfortable in a bag that has a temperature range of between 10º to -15º.
• A bit of luxury in the morning! – I don’t know about you, but good coffee in the morning makes the world of difference to the start of my day! Just because you’re camping doesn’t mean you should live like an animal, right! An essential therefore is the award winning STARESSO Portable Coffee Maker. Read about it here.

I hope this has helped you with your winter camping adventures.