Winter camping tents

For a backpack then North Face. I used them extensively for mountaineering throughout, Europe, Nepal and North America for more years than I can count and they never failed me even in some real crap.

I still have two of them stored away even though I don't climb anymore. One is a small, two-person type and the other is a dome mountaineering type. Easy setup. The downside is they are not cheap. Obviously, you have to take your boots off...

But, if you already know your location, why then not set up something more permanent (as suggested) and keep the tents as a backup? Tent living for a long duration isn't optimum to say the least...

 

there is the Hexayurt
Hexayurt construction - Open Source Ecology


some 4x8 plywood or foam board + 3in Gorilla tape = home sweet home. (for a while)
or build in advance

unfold on site, live in comfort

Chase after the "Hexayurt" on line and you will find 100s of variations - very popular at Burning Man

 

I got the Nemo Forte NEMO Forte 20 Sleeping Bag - Women's | REI Co-op

The reviews and company indicated that the bag is comfortably WARM at 20 degrees. It is not a down sleeping bag but down has its disadvantages when it gets wet. And plus I like how this one has gills you can open to use the bag in 50-60 degree weather.

 

in west Texas, we find this


PVC – West Texas

 

Now this is a hell'va good idea! Especially since you know where you are going. And when you get ready to leave you simply take the tarp with you, need more coverage then add another one. A bit chilly then enclosed the entire structure with plastic or heavy tarps even add some plywood if you can drive to the location. Weather can't hurt the structure and doubtful anyone can walk away with it. Plus you can build to any size required, maybe with forethought one might even be able to build it so you can extend it if desired in the future. Yeah, I like this a lot!

 

Everyone has given some awesome ideas.
I like that pvc house build that would work great

 

Considering that wind is a big issue I'd look into car camping variety dome tents. Get one that uses at least four poles. I have one I got from Costo a few years back and it's rigid as hell. Their current similar model is a "black out" style which I would personally avoid unless you want to spend all your time sleeping. I live in an area that can get very, very strong winds and it's dead solid. Roomy enough that we can use a queen size inflatable and no issues standing up - I think the roof is 6 1/2 feet in the center.

If you go with a tarp based structure then make sure you know the direction the wind will come and plan with that in mind. The more you stay out of the wind the warmer you will stay. Even with a tent plan to have the entrance/exit down wind.

Also think about cooking in strong winds. You will likely want something that will give a wind break id you are using a stove. This is where a tarp shelter for cooking and sitting can be very useful, where a tent can provide a warmer shelter for sleeping.

 

A big box of cling wrap

 

Tent decking! I spent enough time in Korea and Norway to really appreciate a nice solid raised plywood floor between me and the frosty ground, or as often in Norway the cold mud from melted snow and ice. If you're traveling heavy and have the space you could drag along some carpet. With good tent decking you can enjoy a level spot to set up a cot and get even further from the cold earth.
It'll feel like you never left home... until nature calls.

 

A home made out house composed of potty tent with zipper and plywood box and toilet top.

 

It's not the destination, but the journey that can be treacherous. I remember laying on my back in the middle of an icy trail in Norway wondering if somebody would find my body before I froze to the ground. The stars were amazing. I'd hit my head on the same comm wire hump that had caused me to slip, and if I'd followed SOP and woke somebody up to go with me I wouldn't be in this fix.
Nobody was coming along the path to step on me. Probably wouldn't be anybody active for hours. I watched a satellite pass by in the black and star flecked night sky. I decided I wasn't going to die on that trail to the head.

I finally got up and made it back to the heated head facility. Checked out the lump on my head and decided I was lucky. I sat outside for a long time that night watching the polar lights as they ripped and wavered on the horizon. They seemed to make sounds in my mind as they danced across the sky. I slipped silently back into the tent and into my nice warm sleeping bag, and I never went out alone at night in Norway again.

 

THAT is a steal.

 

While bringing in gear from the road I tripped on my own feet, only because I had not zipped up my boots and was walking side ways pulling a loaded 2 wheel cart.
Fell side ways and was aimed for the concrete walk way. Twisted just a bit and landed on my left shoulder and slapped my head down hard at my temple.
Knocked out for a bit, laid there, checked all over and wondered if I'd be found before dark.
Rolled over, said a few words and managed to set up.
Called for my wife in my head.
Slowly came around and suddenly my wife appeared.
She ask had I called her name?
Yes I said but only in my head.
Nice to be rescued!

 

Have slept in tipi's with liners, tents, domes, brush shelters, a lot of other things. If you are going to be there for a few days and may be back, the old time shacks built by woodsmen and loggers can not be beat. 10 by 12 feet or so, larger for multiple people, insulated floor, walls, ceiling, limited number of openings, doors and windows, and highest r values you can find, and a chamber pot. Cot to keep you off the floor and a real stove. Hard to beat a real stone chimney to hold heat and keep you warm when the stove goes out. Seems to have worked out for at least a few thousand years and kind of beats re inventing the wheel.

If you want it to be portable, a well built small travel trailer or pick up camper with a properly vented propane or kerosine heater is the way to go. I know that if everything goes totally sideways. a bivy bag and a good sleeping bag may well save your butt, but until then, I, the dog, and the wife intend to sleep warm and dry if at all possible.

This site has some interesting ideas. Small Cabin - Plan, Build and Enjoy your Small Cabin

Information on solar power is a little dated, can get 100 watt or better panel for less than 15 watt a few years ago and it makes it possible to use solar with limited backup storage for higher demand things when the sun is shining, like water pump and storage tank. Don't run pump at night, use tank, and if no sun for a few days, may have to fire up genset for pump.

 

You can expand the temperature rating of your sleeping bag by adding a sleeping bag liner, I like the silk ones for weight to warmth ratio, adding one to your kit will also extend the life of a high use bag, as you can just wash the liner and save the life of your bag, sleeping bags decrease slightly in efficiency every time they are washed, but they are also less effective when they get dirty, so a liner is a good investment. I figure an additional 10* from a silk or heavier fleece liner. 5* extra if it is a cheap cotton Ozark Trail style. Another pro of a silk liner is that it will still retain warmth when wet, where a cotton one will make you miserable. Some people don't like the "sticky" feel of silk, I generally sleep in full coverage thermals and socks so I don't notice it.

An even better investment for your above mentioned "bugout enroute" would be a good quality bivy sack. You can spend a chunk of money on an OR alpine bivy that is basically a coffin sized 4 season backpacking tent, or $20 for an SOL that is mostly a glorified space blanket. SOL has a middle class breathable version that I really like, SOL Bivvy Sleeping Bag (Green) | Red Cross Store

You can figure an additional 10-15* from one of these depending on how you sleep, plus additional wet weather protection. The down side to the cheapest bivys is that they collect ALL the sweat/breath moisture condensation from your body and it will leave you with a wet sleeping bag even though it didn't leak. So I see a sleeping that will retain warmth even when wet as an essential.

Use the bivy inside a tent for extra warmth, or just roll up in a tarp if you are on the move.

I thruhiked the Appalachian Trail with the homemade version of this set up, I don't know what the coldest temperature I encountered was but I had one night where my Nalgene froze solid INSIDE my sleepingbag. I was sleeping in full ski pants down jacket that night with chemical hand warmers at my feet, between my knees and in my armpits. A warning on the hand warmers, you will randomly get ones that get hot enough to burn bare skin, so keep them outside your clothing. You can also get over heated in your sleep and wake up sick, so discover your setup's personal tolerances to use them before just walking off into the Wilderness with handwarmers as a key component. I freeze over nothing so I have all the above and a 15* bag, plus a layer of heavy fleece clothing and a down jacket, and if it is actually cold (<15*) I will spread my rain jacket over myself inside bivy sack as well.

 

Oh, I forgot the most important thing.
Buy this. https://www.enwild.com/therm-a-rest...nLE-lMCjEjQcGj7SfI2imYNrUOCP_rBhoCLzIQAvD_BwE

I almost choked on the price, but I have not regretted it. It has the highest available r-value, minuscule weight, packs down super small, and has withstood a solid year of pretty heavy abuse. I also like that it comes with a pump sack, it takes about 12 sack fulls of air to inflate. My husband also uses one, we have never had them lose air, infact if the air you inflate them with is cold, they will warm up as you sleep on them and get tighter, sometimes uncomfortable so, I have let air out in the middle of the night once or twice no joke.