It doesn’t have to be the end of camping season with a bit of planning and the right cold weather camping gear the snowy mountains can be a great place to snowshoe ski hike and even camp to set yourself up for a successful winter camp out you’ll want
Selecting the best winter camping gear in the back country can be difficult as it requires more and slightly different gear than a summer backpacking trip and you’re in for a cold wet and all-around experience.
It’s also dangerous to be unprepared while outside in the cold weather.
We cover all the gear you need for your winter camping expedition, from essentials like a tent and sleeping bag to extras you don’t want to forget, because the newest gear makes it easier than ever before to stay both warm and dry.
There are a few of the best pieces of winter camping gear that will keep you safe and comfortable, and make your camping trip an unforgettable experience.
1. Msr’s All-in-one Snowshoe Kit
The all-in-one snowshoe kit from msr has all the tools you’ll need to get out and into the winter. It’s packed with innovative technologies and features msr’s evo trail snowshoes with high strength msr poles and a full-featured carry bag.
It will allow you to explore your local trails behind the cabin or deeper into the snow covered wilderness. The best-selling evo trail snowshoes boast msr’s unparalleled traction for superior grip and confidence. The glove friendly binding of the evos deck makes it easy to use and it fits a wide range of boot sizes for comfort on short hikes or long hikes.
The msr’s dynalock trail poles are made from high strength aluminum. We didn’t skimp on the carry bag because it came with easy and secure locking to back you up with every step and a full range of adjust ability.
It is designed for easy transportation and storage and has a place for pools outside that are resistant to the effects of the snowshoes. The kit offers ultimate in grab-and-go convenience with easy access and a pocket for small items, it’s also perfect for lunch stops or snack breaks.
2. Jetboil Flash
The new jetboil flash shaves off an entire minute off the previous model’s boil time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds, that’s right, the new model shaves off an entire minute off the previous version’s boil time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds. That means you can now boil 16 ounces of water in just 100 seconds.
The base plate on the new flash is made of aluminum, which means it’s an ounce lighter than the previous models, and it’s also easier to connect to off connection than the older model.
The new flash has a heat indicator that tells you when the water is hot so you don’t waste any fuel, and it also has a color indicator that changes for safety and fuel efficiency.
It still comes with a one liter ring cooking cup and insulated cozy but it’s also been updated with a more ergonomics design and an improved lid for better fit and function.
It’s got a drink through lid with a built-in strainer and the bottom cover doubles as a measuring cup and the flash also has a reliable push button igniter and it puts out 9000 btus of power.
The new flash will let you boil 10 liters of water with just one of these 100 gram jet power cans, there are also new flash cozy color options for 2018, including carbon black matrix jet cam and wilderness, and you can choose from the new flash java kit which you can see right here.
If you’re looking for the world’s fastest and most efficient backcountry cooking system, you just found it with the new flash, it’s compatible with other accessories like the hanging kit pot support, flux ring frying pan and pot and utensils.
3. NEMO Tenshi 4-Season Mountaineering Tent
The award winning expedition tent from Tenchi is designed to keep you comfortable and secure in high exposure areas.
The alpine warrior in a two-person model is equipped with our unique stat anchoring system, which offers unparalleled security for explorers.
If you want to take your expeditions to the edge designed with an efficient shape to balance livability with fluid lines tenchi is extremely stable in windy conditions.
The most reliable weather protection is provided by tenchi’s 40d osmo waterproof nylon ripstop fabric, which is incredibly strong.
An extra large vestibule at the front gives you plenty of storage space to protect your gear from the elements and a clear window provides visibility and bad weather conditions.
A large front door offers easy access and the rear window is large enough to be used as an escape hatch in emergencies, as well as being large enough to have a condensation curtain on the inside of the tent.
Tenchi’s unique sleep tight anchor transfer system provides a convenient and direct method of transferring an anchor into the tent when it is pitched on a ledge.
Premium aluminum dac featherlite poles add strength and stability to tenchi’s overlap external pull structure. The completely external pole configuration is intuitive for an ultra fast setup saving valuable time in extreme weather and a generous amount of pole clips and gatefold carabiners ensures tent integrity during the harshest conditions.
During high winds, the shock cord stake points allow flexibility to evenly distribute stress in the frame, keeping material safe while on the mountain.
With gear pockets there’s ample interior storage for essentials and on those dark nights light pockets allow you to turn your headlamp into a tent lantern through light diffusing fabric for greater visibility especially at night.
If your expeditions take you to the furthest edges of the earth, tenchi is a shelter of choice to keep you secure and comfortable in high exposure areas.
4. BioLite HeadLamp 330
Introducing the Biolite Headlamp, You’ll forget you’re wearing it if you don’t use the biolite headlamp, it’s ultra thin and has a 3d slim fit construction that makes your hands free light wildly capable and so comfortable you will forget you’re wearing it.
The 3d slim fit construction is based on three dimensions of a perfect fit, a flush front and smart fabrics that integrate the electronics directly into the band.
To create an ultra thin front that sits flush on your forehead with no bouncing by reorienting the battery to the back, we keep the weight off the front of your face reducing slippage and creating a more natural fit.
The entire headlamp has a fabric that keeps you cool and dry and is only 69 grams in weight. The ability to control the light through easy dimmability is one of the features of the headlamps.
You can ditch the battery swaps and power up with the biola energy ecosystem if you want, with one-handed articulation, you can move your light with you without any disruptions.
5. NEMO Tensor Alpine Ultralight Mountaineering Pad
The most technical pad series we’ve designed can be found in two size configurations. A quieter warmer and more supportive sleep is offered by this elite mountaineering pad.
There is a premium luxury feel with features like our soft yet durable 20d polyester, and our new zero profile multifunctional valve for micro adjustability and quick deflation, at a tiny pack size, despite its minimalist weight.
Three inches of ultra-light comfort and extreme warmth and packs down to the size of a water bottle are what the new tensor alpine provides.
Designed for unparalleled stability and weight distribution space frame baffles are engineered to keep the top and bottom layers connected with low stretch fabric trusses supporting your body evenly to avoid that waterbed feeling.
The spot welded baffled design allows insulation layers to be interwoven and suspended within the pads air space, eliminating that crinkly potato chip bag sound.
Our super plush polyester is made from threads that are treated with a pressurized air process that takes care of the fibers before they are woven into fabric ensuring a quieter night at base camp.
The efficient new pump sac of the tensor alpine reduces the amount of water entering the pad and makes it easier to inflation at high altitudes.
Regular mummy measures 72 by 20 inches and long wide expands to a footprint of 76 by 25 inches, weighing a mere 17 and 24 ounces.
Premium insulated pads with three layers of ultratech thermal mirror suspended metallized film provide extreme warmth and packability with a minimum temperature rating of negative 20 degrees fahrenheit.
For those looking for the ultimate in warmth and stability on extreme weather adventures, the tensor alpine series is for you.
In conclusion, if you’re planning to go out in the snow, I highly recommend you carry some of the items mentioned in the list. They’ll take care of the basics and make sure you’re prepared for whatever conditions you encounter. If you don’t want to invest in the whole kit, it’s worth considering one or two of the more practical items like the headlamp or stove that could easily come in handy when the time comes. And don’t forget to check out the video at the end, which will provide a few ideas for what else to pack. Happy Winter Camping!
Hi, my name is Taras Kulakov and I’m a knife enthusiast. I have been collecting knives for over 30 years and I’ve owned literally thousands of different models over that time. My goal with this site is to share some of what I’ve learned about knives. You can find more info about Taras Kulakov here.
