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[mirth]

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[CalicoKat]

are you sleeping on the ground or in a camper/cabin?

 

I think it would be bulkier to bring blankets. A nice toasty sleeping bag is easier. But the blankets would work.

[mirth]

_

[justasque]

Blankets are one whole heck of a lot easier to wash when you get home.

[Matryoshka]

I got some great fleece sleeping bags for $10 at Walmart. Not that that really answers your question, but thought it might be easier (and less bulky not terribly expensive) than bringing blankets if you just need some extras.

[Mrs Mungo]

Depends on how cold it is. Sleeping bags also help against dampness, blankets aren't so great for that.

 

Air mattresses actually get really cold when you use them on the ground. I prefer one of these sleeping pads and a sleeping bag.

[momofkhm]

Does anyone do light-duty camping with blankets instead of sleeping bags? I've got a bunch of polyester fleece blankets (and air mattresses and pieces of foam padding) but not as many actual sleeping bags as I would need for the # of people going. I think it will get down to around 40F at night when we go.

 

I wouldn't do it, personally. I get cold easily though. We were all in sleeping bags when we went over New Years Eve one year and I froze. I think the forecast was only down to 50F. Then just this past April, we were in the mountains, in sleeping bags. I was the only one in the family that brought an extra blanket. I'm the only that didn't get cold. Both times we were in tents.

 

Now camping in the summer, early fall, late spring? Yes to the blankets then.

[missiemick]

If you are willing to also sleep with a hat and a coat then blankets would probably work fine.

 

We went camping about three years ago and took mostly blankets -- we bought sleeping bags for our next trip :-)

[Harriet Vane]

I would personally duck-tape two blankets together rather than camp without a sleeping bag. The warmth factor for a bag is soooooo much better than with loose blankets.

[Mejane]

Air mattresses actually get really cold when you use them on the ground.

 

Yes! I thought I could use my sleeping bag just as a blanket and about froze. Ended up zipping myself in.

[mcconnellboys]

We have made a family bed before. We open up our sleeping bags and sleep with the nicer blankets next to us and the bags on top to hold in warmth. A good wool blanket will help with this, too. You just need to be able to tuck in the sides to hold the warmth inside!

[Ravin]

I usually use both. And a cot. I'm a wimp about the cold.

[StephanieZ]

40 degrees is cooolllldddd. I wouldn't do it w/o a sleeping bag.

 

Summer camping is fine with blankets & sheets. 60 would be my minimum w/o sleeping bags.

[ChristusG]

FOr 40 degrees, I'd definitely do sleeping bags. We camp a lot and I've used both sleeping bags and blankets. When it's cold outside, I'm shivering with the blankets on. If I can get inside of a sleeping bag, I'm warm.

[mirth]

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Edited July 26, 2014 by mirth

[datgh]

I think you did the best thing in buying the sleeping bags. You hit the nail on the head a cold camper is not a happy camper. If the weather for the day is going to be nice and dry, I will open my sleeping bag up and just unzip the screens in the tent. Just make sure they aren't predicting rain. If you hit a day of rain and they feel damp, run to the nearest laundry mat and throw them into the dryer for fifteen minutes than run back to the tent and immediately crawl into them. We hit several days of rain this spring and one thing I hate is a damp sleeping bag. My husband thought I was a wimp going to the laundry mat but had no trouble handing over his sleeping bag to!

 

Another little secret if the temperature is going to be in the 40's, get yourself some hand warmers. The kind that come in a little packet and heat up when exposed to air. My hands and feet get so cold so easily and then I am miserable. We camped in 30 degree weather this weekend and they made the trip so much more enjoyable with them in my mittens , plus when I crawled into my sleeping bag they kept my toes warm. They last for 10 hours. Best two bucks I ever spent!

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Jamee]

FOr 40 degrees, I'd definitely do sleeping bags. We camp a lot and I've used both sleeping bags and blankets. When it's cold outside, I'm shivering with the blankets on. If I can get inside of a sleeping bag, I'm warm.

 

 

:iagree: Not only that, you need to make sure your sleeping bags are rated for at least 40 degrees. We camped this summer in Yellowstone and it got down into the 30s. Never felt a thing since we had good sleeping bags--our boys were really surprised when the stepped out of the tent and it was as cold as it was. (I think the bags we had were rated for 30 degrees and had a nice flannel inside.) You can do blankets, but you're going to need a lot of them and probably some long-johns too.

[Jamee]

Thank you! You have all instilled the fear of Cold in me. I am definitely a novice camper. I have surmised that cold camper = unhappy camper.

 

Aspiring on being a happy one, I did not want to our little group to look like this with my blanket idea ==> :chillpill::chillpill::chillpill::chillpill::chillpill:

 

So since this morning, I got some real sleeping bags and liners too. Here is a fresh question: if moisture is the enemy of warmth and our existing sleeping bags are of cotton/flannel/polyfill construction (in fact, here is what I have .... Coleman), what should I do with them during the day? Let them hang hang outside on lawn chairs? Did I mention I am a novice camper?

 

 

That looks like it'll be perfect! Glad you went with the cotton too, those nylon bags are the worst. I think you'll be nice and toasty. And, when you camp in warmer weather, those are great to lay on top of with a sheet and light blanket.

[ChristusG]

I never do anything special with our bags during the day. I just leave them there on the bed.

 

And yes, it is miserable to be lying there in the middle of the night, freezing cold. And I live in Florida! I can't imagine the feeling of cold in places further north!