Snow and cold weather usually means the end of the camping season for most people. However for others, it’s just the beginning. Some people actually prefer doing their camping in the fluffy white stuff when there’s nobody else around in the wilderness other than the animals.
Winter camping can be dangerous though if you’re not properly prepared and don’t have the right equipment. The main objective is to keep yourself warm and since most of your body heat escapes from your head and feet you need to make sure you’re wearing a good hat and have the proper type of camping boots on your feet. The boots should be designed to keep you warm and dry and to protect you from any possible injuries.
Regular hiking boots aren’t really good enough as they can quickly be turned into frozen leather blocks when you’re out in the ice, cold, and snow. Once the boots become wet and frozen they can be pretty hard to thaw out.
Also, if you keep them on your feet you could easily get frostbite. There’s been more than one winter camper who’s unfortunately lost a couple of toes due to this.
Your camping boots should be designed specifically for the harsh conditions of the winter. These boots can be constructed out of several types of materials and need to have good insulation that’s made out of wool or a synthetic material. The outside should be made out of waterproof leather, synthetic or rubber. Whatever it is, it should be waterproof.
Some types of boots worn in extreme weather conditions will be constructed of plastic or a similar type of material. They may also come with attachable crampons on the bottom to give you a better grip if you’re climbing over ice or mountaineering. When buying a pair of boots for winter camping you need to make sure there’s enough insulation in them. The boots should come with a tag which lets customers know what conditions they’re rated for.
For instance some boots may be rated for zero degrees Fahrenheit and others could be rated for minus 20 degrees. This means the minus-20 degree boots are filled with more insulation than the zero-degree boots and can be worn in colder weather. You also need to consider what you’ll be doing when wearing the boots. If you’re going to be doing quite a bit of hiking you may prefer a lighter pair that is a bit more flexible.
If you’re planning on staying around your campsite most of the time then you might want to go for a pair that has thicker soles and insulation. You should never buy a pair of boots without trying them on first to make sure they fit properly. They also need to be comfortable. You’ll be in trouble if you’re stuck out on a hike and you start to develop nasty blisters. You may want to wear the boots a few times before embarking on your winter camping trip to break them in.
You shouldn’t have much of a problem finding a suitable pair of winter camping boots as most outdoor sports shops sells them as well as some large retail outlets and department stores. You can also buy them online, but the problem with this is that you can’t try on the boots until you get them. If they don’t fit you’ll have to send them back and forth until you find a pair that does.
