What Clothes To Sleep In While Camping? – Perfect Guide

Sleeping outside has health benefits! If you don’t believe us you might take a look at the facts. Here are 5 benefits of sleeping outside.

Well, this shows regular campers and hikers are in the best of their health. Talking of health, good sleep is the most necessary and relaxing activity to look forward to at the end of the day. No, this is not a guide on how to get sound sleep while camping, we have another article on that topic.

Comfort is the crucial luxury we all want to seek while sleeping, clothes play a major role in making you comfortable while sleeping, especially when you sleep outside in a bag.

Using sleeping bags depends upon when and where you go camping. The weather decides the number of clothes you would require while camping. Clothes provide an extra insulation layer from the outside temperature and trap your body heat inside your body.

You are fine with just normal pajamas you sleep in at home if you are an RV person. If you are a backpacker then you have to think about controlling the weight of your backpack and pack wisely.

We are here to solve your problems with What Clothes To Sleep In While Camping? And to break some myths maybe.

Let’s get started, shall we?

What To Wear In A Sleeping Bag?

“Humans spend 1/3rd of their lives sleeping.”

That is why we should never compromise our sleeping time and comfort. We talked about weather will decide that what should we wear while sleeping in a sleeping bag.

We have a guide to guide you according to the climate of your campsite.

1. Normal Chilly Nights

These are the days when the weather is just fine all day long but as soon as night falls the temperature starts to fall. That is temperature dropped more than you predicted.

• Sleeping bags already comes with warm insulation to your body from the ground, and prevents heat flow from your body to the ground.
• Wearing a full sleeves t-shirt and pants will give you enough warmth for the night.
• Do not wear too many clothes as this will isolate your core from getting warm from the sleeping bag.
• Wear hats/beanies and socks to keep the extremes of your body warm.
• Keeping your head and feet warm is important as this is the area from where you lose most body heat.
• Choose your socks wisely, the fit of the socks should not be too tight as it will hamper your blood circulation in your legs which will go cold easily.
• The fabric of the clothes in use also plays an important role in keeping you warm. Fabrics like cotton will get cold after getting damp from your sweat.
• Fabrics like wool or polyester are preferred, as they will keep you warm even after they are damp.
• There are socks and hats specially designed for camping.

2. Snowy Cold

Keeping yourself warm during the brutal winters of the US can be a mammoth task. You can suffer from hypothermia if you were not smart about your clothes enough. It’s always better safe than sorry.

• The main goal should be trapping your body heat inside your body.
• Sleeping bags are not that efficient at midnight (unless it’s an electrical one).
• Layering will help you with keeping your core warm.
• There is no hard and fast rule for layering yourself during winters. Layer as much as you think is required for you.
• You can be as layered inside the sleeping bag as you were outside of the sleeping bag.
• You can always increase or decrease your layers on the clothes if you feel too hot and sweaty. Trust me the last thing you want on a winter night is sleeping with sweat.
• Increasing the layers would not hurt you in a sleeping bag, just not too much to sweat.

The layering can help until the sleeping bag and your clothes are not compressed down. You can lose a ton of heat because of conduction through the ground.

The layers will be of no use, therefore don’t leave your sleeping bag on bare ground.

3. Moderate temperature

According to me, this is the best time of the year for camping or outing. The spring or autumn time, when it is not too cold or not too warm.

• You are just fine a normal t-shirt or boxer/ long underwear.
• This will be a base layer of warmth.
• You can add socks for extra warmth if you want to.
• The sleeping bags with 30 degrees label will provide you the warmth with the base layer.
• Just ensure to wear breathable material and stay away from sweat.
• Wear fresh dry clothes.

4. Hiking season

If you are from the hiking community then you will have to think about the weight of your backpack and the clothes you will require for the hiking trip.

• Carrying separate clothes just for sleeping is the right idea but it is not a practical idea.
• It will just increase your bag weight.
• Here is a trick or a thumb rule to follow: Sleep clean, hike dirty.
• You can think of wearing the same clothes you want to go hiking in the next day.
• A t-shirt, lightweight pants, long underwear, gym shorts, or sweatpants are preferred for sleeping and hiking as well.
• It is important to change clothes before going to sleep.

Sleeping Naked In A Sleeping Bag Is A Myth?

To answer your question, YES it is a myth. Whoever told you to do so does not care about you or either has never been to a camping trip and definitely not slept in a sleeping bag. You should not take advice from them.

Insulation is the only way to stay warm while sleeping outside.

The absence of clothes will be the absence of a base layer of warmth. Putting on clothes will only add up the warmth.

99% of the situations that might occur while you are sleeping during camping, you would want to face them with clothes on.

Wildlife emergencies like an encounter with a bear or a bugler can happen anytime. Trust me, this is the last thing you want, to face them naked.

What Not To Do While Sleeping In A Sleeping Bag?

These are the list of don’t while sleeping outdoors in a sleeping bag.

• Avoid wearing ill-fitting clothes like tight socks or pants with tight elastic bands. This will hamper the blood flow in your body parts and it will lead you to feel cold even faster.
• Don’t wear damp or moist clothes.
• Damp clothes will compromise the insulating power of your sleeping bag.
• Don’t sleep in the clothes you cooked in. Wondering why? Check out our article on how to keep bears away from the campsite for the answer.
• Too much layering will harm you as it breaks out sweat and it will make you cold at night.
• Avoid sweating in the sleeping bag. Decrease the layers if needed.
• Changing clothes is very important before sleeping because the clothes you wear all day long is already sweaty and damp.
• Always change into fresh and dry clothes.
• Don’t leave your sleeping bag multiple times at night. The sleeping bag also loses heat faster than it gains.
• When you leave your sleeping bag, the temperature drops very quickly.
• Never leave your sleeping bag unattended, as some crawling friends may visit your bag for warmth. Check our article on how to get rid of snakes during camping.

FAQs

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you with clothing problems while sleeping on a camping trip. Think of it in this way- warmth and health are more important than fashion clothing while you are outdoors.

You do not want to get hypothermia while on camp and destroy all the fun you could have when you are healthy. I think adjusting according to the climate is the key to your sleeping comfort.

If you have any good suggestions or new ideas you are free to use the comment section. We would love to hear those.

Check out our articles and guides on our website.

Until the happy camping!