Winter is coming. Is your kit load out changing with the season?

[Man of Tanith]

Noticing the cold nip in the air combined with a new shed for kit storage i have been inspired to shift my kit to the winter weight stuff.
This means....
1 I've swapped one of my water bottles to my stanley thermos. It wont freeze overnight,i'll have a litre of hot water ready in the morning so i can get a brew without having to wait for the kettle.
2 Thicker CCF mat to go under my klymit air matress. Comfier cosier
3 Oilcloth covered wool blanket for wrapping around when sat by fire
4 kupilka kuksa instead of metal mug. Thermally more efficient and less burny mouthy ouchy pain
5 heavier duty sleeping bag used.
6 DD 3x3 tarp in pack poncho removed. Allows a larger set up around the fire
7 heavy duty survival blanket goes in. I can line the dd tarp with it to bounce warmth into my sleep area

There's more but i'm intrigued do others swap kit around? Or just stick to tried and tested year round load out?

 

[Wayne]

I have a variety of skeeping bags depending on the season to use. Not got cold enough for the warmest one yet.

I am switching over to the lined trousers for extra warmth when teaching. Standing around whilst others do the work.

I’m now taking a reserve kit bag with extra warm clothing hats and gloves in case folk get cold.

I may even dig out the hand warmer.

Switched head torches now for my rechargeable and now bringing the Tilley lamps to cope with the long cold evenings.

 

[Man of Tanith]

I have a variety of skeeping bags depending on the season to use. Not got cold enough for the warmest one yet.

I am switching over to the lined trousers for extra warmth when teaching. Standing around whilst others do the work.

I’m now taking a reserve kit bag with extra warm clothing hats and gloves in case folk get cold.

I may even dig out the hand warmer.

Switched head torches now for my rechargeable and now bringing the Tilley lamps to cope with the long cold evenings.

I use handwarmers (those gel filled ones you click to activate) as a sleeping bag warmer.
For standing around i wear the finnish army wool combats although i need to do a little repair job on em.
Need to reassess lantern options so im not reliant on head torch/battery powered stufd

 

[Broch]

My kit list hinges more around what I'm doing rather than the season. I have a complete list of all kit which I select from for a particular trek or outing. In the UK I may need some winter gear in summer if a) the forecast is bad and b) I'm going high up. It forces me to make value judgements each time I load up. So, for example, we took thermals last May when we were trekking because the forecast was cold - just as well; it snowed!

I've not got the luxury of a whole shed for my kit so the annoying part is finding the odd bit of kit on the master list that I've not used for a while.

OK, I don't do that for a camp down in my wood - but then I can walk back if I've got it wrong

Cheers,
Broch

 

[Man of Tanith]

My kit list hinges more around what I'm doing rather than the season. I have a complete list of all kit which I select from for a particular trek or outing. In the UK I may need some winter gear in summer if a) the forecast is bad and b) I'm going high up. It forces me to make value judgements each time I load up. So, for example, we took thermals last May when we were trekking because the forecast was cold - just as well; it snowed!

I've not got the luxury of a whole shed for my kit so the annoying part is finding the odd bit of kit on the master list that I've not used for a while.

OK, I don't do that for a camp down in my wood - but then I can walk back if I've got it wrong

Cheers,
Broch

I've spent quite a while several hours drive away from where i live the last couple of years which has motivated me to develop a comprehensive and efficient kit load out ( i dont wanna tempt the fates but i "think" i have it nailed now) especially as in that situation i can't rejig it.
As for the shed well...... i now have to fit or cull all the random gubbins i have gathered in the last decade... not sure i am keen to begin but pretty certain my folks will be glad to finally get it out of theirs!

I get where you are coming from regarding activity influencing choices more than season and its certainly another consideration

 

[John Fenna]

Tilley hat swapped in favour of M43 hat
Wool blanket instead of canvas sheet to line my bed
Wool Buff for bed hat
Home made/designed Wool shirts instead of Poly cotton or cotton
Heavier 5.11 trousers
T shirt under my wool shirt
Extra home made warm layers in the bag
Stainless steel waterbottle to use as a daytime drinks bottle and hot-waterbottle in bed (unfrozen water for the morning brew)
Down sleeping bag used as a quilt

The real cold weather kit has yet to be deployed:-
Merino thermals
Sheepskin hat to sleep in
Gloves
warmest boots
Blanket coat (see my avatar)
Blanket Cloak
Wool trousers

 

[MartinK9]

Summer top and under quilts swapped out for winter ones.

The next Northwood Meet I'm going back to my roots, Camp cot, Army artcic bag, Andywink Tarp and Optimus 45.

 

[TinkyPete]

Yep time to swap kit out, more wool less cotton in kit plenty of Two-Dogs to choose from. Warm down 3 season bag and my Jerevn bag. Woolly hats and gloves and wristlets.

I have been looking at my old-timey kit and now have a mica candle lantern. Also got my paraffin lamps ready; wick and Tilley.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Yep time to swap kit out, more wool less cotton in kit plenty of Two-Dogs to choose from. Warm down 3 season bag and my Jerevn bag. Woolly hats and gloves and wristlets.

I have been looking at my old-timey kit and now have a mica candle lantern. Also got my paraffin lamps ready; wick and Tilley.

I tried a jerven bag years back and wasnt hugely impressed. It may of been pilot error though.

I really need to work out some sort of lantern,ive got an uco one but it doesnt seem all that effective and i cant say i am too keen on lugging an oil one about with me

 

[mousey]

I'll go along with Broch, I have a basic load = water bladder, waterproofs, hammock, tarp, stove & billy can, mug tea coffee a little food, jerven bag, which doesn't change. I'll take that for an overnighter or just a walk through the woods or playing in the park/ at the beach with the kids etc, then depending on exactly what / where / when I'm going / doing I add more stuff to that - mostly more food and insulation.

 

[Lithril]

The bulk of my kit stays the same it's generally just swapping in a different sleeping bag and then a few more layers for warmth. I'd still bring my thin merino hat but I'd probably throw in a larger warmer one as well. I'd add an extra jumper and probably some thicker trousers, my actual kit in terms of shelter, cooking etc doesn't really change a great deal.

 

[sunndog]

I tried a jerven bag years back and wasnt hugely impressed. It may of been pilot error though.

I really need to work out some sort of lantern,ive got an uco one but it doesnt seem all that effective and i cant say i am too keen on lugging an oil one about with me

You looking for a lantern in between a candle lantern and tilley lamp size?
I have two uco's and a coleman northstar petrol job....both are great in there own way but i wouldn't mind something in between too

 

[Man of Tanith]

You looking for a lantern in between a candle lantern and tilley lamp size?
I have two uco's and a coleman northstar petrol job....both are great in there own way but i wouldn't mind something in between too

Yeah about that
Seen anything suitable?

Or its gonna be several candle holders o reckon

 

[sunndog]

I did see some mini tilley type lamps once but never found any for sale.
I don't like the multi candle uco's. The most practical option i know of would be the butane gas lamps. Not sure how long a little cylinder lasts though

 

[Bishop]

Winter changes invariably mean the bergan comes out to play with me especially if I am in the high forest. Heavier sleep system with larger shelter and oddly enough sometimes packing a regular paraffin (wick/storm) lantern. The smell is an acquired taste but I find the light is oddly comforting (as well as useful) as the blackness creeps closer and when my hot water bottle goes cold in the night I can swap it over for the warm one sitting over the lamp.

 

[RonW]

Well, most of my kit changes.
It'd be easier to list what doesn't and that would be cookingset and knife/hatchet.

 

[Wander]

I don't go camping so much now so there'd be no changes there.
Clothing goes without saying, but there are changes to what goes in my pack.
I find there are two main things that change when winter gets here.
Firstly, I change from a gas stove to a meths stove. The meths is more reliable and consistent in cold weather.
Secondly, due to the general lack of rain, I find I am less likely to take a tarp with me. Therefore, contrary to what many may think, I find my load gets lighter in winter.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I'm out tomorrow for a solo overnighter on my permission. Am really looking forward to being able to kick back and listen to nature. I'm taking up a couple of those coconut shell fatball feeders for the birds with the hope that I can entice them in for a few photos. I have also had my trail cam rigged up near a game trail for the last week so it'll be interesting to see what that has captured.

In terms of kit transition; I'm hammocking this time so my kit remains much the same throughout the year - DD 3X3 tarp, Woodsman hammock (from UK Hammocks) and DD Underblanket (usually keeps me warm well into the freezing temps). The main change is my sleeping bag. I've swapped out my 1 season snugpak bag for my 3 season Alpkit synthetic bag with a comfort rating of -5. I'll save the brit army arctic bag for when things get seriously Baltic.

I'll also pack some extra clothes such as my long johns, cheapo down jacket and possibly my softy trousers (they're not in the bag for tomorrow though). The only other thing I'm planning to take tomorrow is my Feuerhand paraffin lantern, I've never taken it on a backpacking trip before so it'll be interesting to see if it becomes more a hindrance than a help as it swings around on the back of my rucksack!

If I'm ground dwelling in my bivvi bag then I'll pack a CCF mat as well as my 3/4 length self inflating mat. and the same clothes as mentioned above.

My axe tends to come more often in the colder months to split down any damp logs. And finally, the cook kit remains much the same and is generally determined by the food that I plan to cook.

 

[MikeLA]

Buffalo SP6 Comes out (my favourite coat)
Might renew this to a new one or a mountain shirt unsure which one yet ?

Everything else is just layered except for my arctic issue mitts use in the car first thing in the morning as well

 

[snappingturtle]

Not winter camped for a long time, but forays out for wood mean's the pimp coat comes out (Swedish army leather coat) winter boots and gaiters thin roll neck and maybe body warmer or fleece fingered glove or fingerless if not too bad an wool hat and jeans, the gaiters come to the knees and the coat stops there too I'm mainly moving so along with my main stay of tools an pack a thermos of the black stuff