W is for wind chill...

[compilerbitch]

Well, last night wasn't fun. I don't know if my tent wasn't up to the job, or my sleeping bag, or both, but I froze. I was wearing several layers, two hats (yes, layers on my head), a scarf, gloves and really thick socks inside my sleeping bag (which is rated to -20C), and I found myself getting colder and colder. I dozed off a couple of times, but when I woke up shivering I realised that, whilst I wasn't actually hypothermic at the time, I would be if I got any colder, so I got up (this was about 2.30am/3am, I don't remember) and went to the mess tent in camp which has a diesel-fired stove. I then spent the next couple of hours huddled next to it, then I eventually fell asleep for a while.

What I *think* happened was, the design of my tent is basically pretty bad -- it seems to assume relatively little wind, with precipitation falling more or less vertically. However, last night it was basically raining horizontally, and since the outer fly doesn't seal against the ground, wind (with rain in it) just blows under it. The inner tent is fully enclosed, but the fabric is not waterproof beyond about 4 inches above the ground, probably to ensure enough ventilation in warmer climates. I am going to attempt to rig something more effective later -- I can probably get away with taking a few garbage bags and duck-taping them around the edge of the fly sheet, then weighting them down with rocks to make a seal around the base of the tent all the way around. It won't be pretty, but last night was horrible, so...

Oh, and the army cot I got from Polar Shelf broke too, so I wasn't a happy bunny. I've asked for another one to be sent out on the next Twin Otter, hopefully today.

Comments

[taimatsu]

Can you rig garbage bags padded with something as an extra blanket thing too? I hope your plan works.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

If push comes to shove, I'll ask for a new tent to be sent out from Polar Shelf and I'll sleep in the comms tent until it arrives, but I'm not quite (that) beaten yet.

[fluffymark]

Gosh, me too! :(

First time I went to the arctic was camping, and the tent I had wasn't really up to the job. We had to fix up the tent with large rocks to fend the wind off. Somewhere I have a lovely photo of doseybat sitting on an arctic rock, busily sewing up all the holes in the tent.

I hope it gets warmer for you. Cold is bad and evil.

[vanessapyjamas.livejournal.com]

Ouch sympathy, being too cold at night whilst camping is one of my least favourite things so being too cold in a very very cold place sounds very sucky indeed.

What sort of tent are you using? A good mountain tent should be designed to withstand pretty strong winds, it certainly shouldn't be letting you get cold from underneath. Also does cot mean campbed? I find campbeds generally make me colder and prefer to sleep on a thermarest with all my spare clothes piled on top of it. Although that may be a stupid idea if there is cold air getting in at ground level.

But you have duct tape and duct tape can solve 90% of the world's problems so I'm sure tonight will be better!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Obviously, the design of your sleeping bag might be different but I've read that you shouldn't wear clothes (except for breathable underwear) inside high-tech sleeping bags because they rely on body heat to keep you warm and if you're wearing clothes you're completely negating that effect. I'm sure your companions will have better advice.

Something different, but related to your current situation: When you have a minute, could have a look at this post by undyingking who is wondering about the pronunciation of "Arctic". Cheers!

[(Anonymous)]

I find a thermarest is warmer than a camp bed. Camp beds let the wind go underneath you so you're getting cold from all directions. If you do want to use a camp bed, then you probably need a thermarest on top of the bed, as otherwise you'll only have the squished bottom of the sleeping bag and the canvas of the bed between you and the outside - the squished side of the sleeping bag doesn't keep warmth in much at all, and if it's a normal army style bed, they don't have any insulation either.

Is it a down sleeping bag or an artificial fibre one? If it's a down one, then when they get wet they lose much of their warmth, so you have to be very careful about getting them too wet either from the outside (damp / rain etc.) or from inside (sweating lots).

You might get good advice if you posted on http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/

Also, one of the posts says something about sleeping naked inside a technical sleeping bag - this link
http://www.psychovertical.com/?maximisingwarmth
seems to sort of back it up - as long as your bag is rated down to the temperatures you're sleeping in. Personally I tend to wear a fleece or similar, but often have it open. That link has lots of other good advice too, like doing a bit of exercise just before bed to make sure you're warm to start with, and making sure you're eating well.

Joe

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Eep, hope you are able to have warmer nights soon! What's the upcoming weather outlook?

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Hope you are warmer tonight! Camping in that sort of conditions is *not* on my list of life skills. Sounds like you know a fair amount about what you're doing -- the immediate theories about how to improve things for example -- so I hope that all works out.

[doseybat.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Did water make its way inside the tent? And how warm have you been during the day?

[x-mass.livejournal.com]

1. can we ship you something better?
2. what have you currently got?
3. if we can get you something better do we ship direct or via ames?

[pinguhateseng.livejournal.com]

Gah, coldness in tents is baaaaaaad. I support the comment about extra clothing though: it could actually be negating the effect of your sleeping bag. But it seems that the tent is the real issue here, hopefully world-saving duct tape should help deal with it.

I know this will sound werid, but do you have a hot water bottle (or a bottle that will withstand hot water being in it?) handy? You can put it in your sleeping bag for a while before you plan to get in. It might help get you off to sleep and then your own body heat should keep the bag going.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

The large rocks technique seems pretty popular here actually. My tent has large rocks on top of all of the stakes, and the stakes are HUGE compared with the usual kind that come with tents as original equipment -- like 4 times the size of a railway spike.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

I'm sleeping on a thermarest on top of a camp bed. This combination is both comfy and warm when it works -- hopefully there will be a Twin Otter later today with my replacement camp bed on it...

And yes, duct tape. Oh yes, duct tape.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I tried wearing a bit less last night and it seemed to work fine this time, so maybe there is something in what you say. Mind you, it was as cold but far less windy, so conditions were somewhat less horrible.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

I am using a thermarest on top of the cot, which works pretty well. And yes, food makes a huge difference here -- I can go from feeling like a block of ice to perfectly OK just by eating a plate full of stodge. Stodge is far more enticing here than it is in California. Funny, that...

I am pretty sure my sleeping bag is artificial fibre -- it's a North Face Snowshoe. When there isn't a subzero, 98% humidity howling gale blowing through my tent it works great...

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

Today is warm and sunny (for arctic values thereof), so I've been wandering around with only 3 or 4 layers and no rain gear.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

Yes, last night was much better. Hopefully I'll get a chance to fix up my tent while this better weather holds...

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

Things got a little damp, but no actual rain or snow got in. During the day today I've been warm. Yesterday not so much, except when I was out on the ATV because the physical effort kept me warm.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

Shipping something here is enormously expensive -- don't even think about it. As it happens, my tent is usable with some modification, so it's not so bad, and like I've mentioned, I have the fall back of sleeping in one of the work tents or having a tent sent out from Polar Shelf in Resolute on the next plane if my mods don't work.

*Next* time, of course, I'll know exactly what to look for in an arctic-capable tent.

(for reference, low roof, dome or teepee shaped, not too large, flap all the way around the edge that can be weighted down with rocks, poles on the outside so you can guy it down more effectively, fly sheet that goes down to the ground, inner compartment that is fully seam-sealed. Big enough to take a big thermarest on top of a big camp bed and leave enough room for Stuff.)

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

The hot water bottle thing is a great idea -- I am intending to fill my water bottle with hot water tonight and just use that. Someone else here recommended it earlier today, oddly enough, and said that it really helped her.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

oh boo! I'm sorry that the tent is such a dud. Have you tried the little handwarmer and footwarmer doohickes? I think you ahve enough for 2/3 of your days.

[fluffy-angel.livejournal.com]

I guess you've worked out how to keep warm by now, but anyway...

I have great trouble keeping warm at night when camping. I finally succeeded at the last event by using two sleeping bags both rated for 3 seasons - in June! I left the outer rectangular one open nearly to the feet so I could throw it off if I got too warm, but only had to do that on one of the three nights.

I do have really weird body temperature control though :}

Anyway maybe a second sleeping bag or blanket around your sleeping bag may help, your main sleeping bag is probably pretty efficient at insulating but the blanket/2nd bag should help cut down drafts.
Or maybe use it as extra padding between you and the cot.