How warm at night for "regular" camping?

[flyingbison]

What kind of overnight temps do you look for before you go camping with a regular 3-season tent? Earliest I've been out in the past was mid-May, but I'm itching to get started a little earlier this year.

 

[Alan Gage]

Never had anything but a 3 season tent and more often just a tarp and hammock. Spent many nights out with temps in the mid-20's. The warmth of your sleeping bag and pad is more important than your tent. Four season tent mostly comes in to play with snow loads and really windy conditions. Go for it.

Alan

 

[flyingbison]

Thanks - Exactly what I wanted to hear!

 

[BWCA66]

I agree with Alan, go for it. The pad is important. I use my 3 season tent in MN from the beginning of April through November. Also do a lot of camping in a hammock and I use that all year long.

 

[Guest]

Never had anything but a 3 season tent and more often just a tarp and hammock. Spent many nights out with temps in the mid-20's. The warmth of your sleeping bag and pad is more important than your tent. Four season tent mostly comes in to play with snow loads and really windy conditions. Go for it.

Same for me. I use a mostly mesh Hubba Hubba even in 20F temps and with a good pad and bag it is plenty warm. Even the Hubba Hubba did fine in high winds when guyed and anchored properly. Snow load is a different matter.

Someone (Willie I think) once posted the results of an experiment looking at tent warmth, comparing a mesh body tent with rainfly and a fully walled, zip closed window panels tent and fly. The difference was something like 5 degrees F, easily comfort overcome with a good pad and bag.

That is not surprising; how much of an R factor can a thin layer of nylon provide?

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Camped last weekend with temperatures in the high 20s F. I used a tarp with a small groundsheet as I like to be out in the open. I would have used my hammock but the site had no trees and I had the dog with me and like to keep her close- lots of wolves and coyotes. It got a bit drafty when the wind switched round 90 degrees but I survived.

A hat makes a big difference or even a balaclava so that you don't have to snug the bag up over your head.

 

[Canotrouge]

I think the real problem with some mesh/ 3 season tent, is when it is really windy, and lots of dust or snow get blown at you... Pick a sheltered area and you should be plenty good a even 10F... as long as you have the right bag and pad combination!!

 

[GearFreak]

As others have noted at this time of year pad and sleeping bag are more critical. I was out with BV and I used my Hubba Hubba just fine.

 

[flyingbison]

Thanks, all. I've taken a couple of days off of work for a 3 night trip at the end of April. Now I just have to decide where to go.

 

[deerfly]

No Title

Well, down around these parts we've been in bug net season and a 50 degree bag for about 3 weeks now

 

[wgiles]

Mid-Twenties is no big deal provided no storms or big winds. In calm conditions, I've seen an internal tent temperature of 45 F with an outside temperature of 32 F. My sleep system changes with the expected temperatures.