A MUM has revealed a clever camping hack that she swears keeps her family warm when sleeping out in tents, even during really bad weather.
One of the main things that puts people off camping trips in the UK is the unpredictable weather, with rain seemingly just as likely as sun, even during the summer.
However, there are ways to avoid the cold, even during a chilly night, as long as campers know how to prepare.
One person who showed how she stays snug while camping with her kids is Instagram user Hannah West.
In a video she shared online, she revealed that the key to staying warm was to not only wrap up in plenty of layers, but also to sleep on top of plenty too.
Instead of just lying on an inflatable mattress or camping airbed, as most people usually do, she included a silver space blanket, foam mats and then a soft wool blanket, all underneath her mattresses.
Then, on top of those, she included sleeping bags and pillows.
She claimed this setup provided all the warmth needed for a good night’s sleep, adding that she felt it was more important to get the heat from below rather than on top.
In the video, she said: “We just tested this out on our recent camping trip.
“First up, I popped a silver survival blanket [down] as a base.”
At first, Hannah was worried this was going to be “really crinkly and annoying to sleep on,” but claims the other layers on top of it meant that they “didn’t notice it at all”.
She continued: “After that, I placed these foam mats down. On top of that I added a blanket and these self-inflating double mattresses that we use.
“On top of this, I placed sleeping bags and then lastly I placed the cub blankets.”
Hannah claimed that while “even just laying on this setup” it felt like warmth was “coming up from the ground”.
Her kids loved the setup too, she explained, adding: “And the boys were so warm on this camping trip, despite the awful weather.
“Someone commented on my last video that you always need to have as many layers under you as over you. It seems even more important to have more under. Who knew?”
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
Other campers agreed with her hack in the comments, with one saying: “One blanket below you is worth two on top, which is why the under insulation is so much more important.”
Another wrote: “Definitely more under than over, foil blankets are super useful.”
A third added: “This set up looks unreal.”
Hannah’s hack is just one that she swears by, while other camping experts insist on other precautions to avoid disaster on their trips.
Included in that is Kathryn Berta who owns a campsite with her husband Alan.
She insists on a “dry run” before going camping, just to make sure all her gear is up to scratch and won’t let her down on her trip and that she knows how to use any new equipment.
She told Reader’s Digest: “This is one of the best camping tips you’ll ever learn.
“I’ve seen too many campers show up with brand-new camping gear and equipment still in the box and have absolutely no idea how to use it.
“I’ve also seen seasoned campers who’ve forgotten the tent stakes because they haven’t checked the bag since the previous season.”
Meanwhile, this is how you can avoid making everyone hate you while camping.
And these campsite etiquette mistakes are some of the worst you can make.
