How to Choose the Right Blanket for Your Camping Trip

Camping is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors. Toasting marshmallows around the campfire, snuggling up under the stars at night, immersed in nature with not a care in the world. It's an annual summer tradition for so many families.

What about taking a camping blanket with you? Do you even need camp blankets? Should you choose wool, or a down puffy blanket, or a cotton one? We'll answer a few frequently asked questions, so you can make an informed decision about which outdoor blanket is best for your next camping trip.

How do I make camping more comfortable?

The comforts of home don't have to be left behind when exploring the great outdoors. If you're car camping, as opposed to backpacking or tramping, then you can afford to pack a few more home luxuries. A good sleeping mat is key, something with good insulation that is easy to inflate is perfect. This is also where a camp blanket is a wonderful addition and brings the best in home comforts to the outdoors.

Camp chairs and a table will make life easier and more comfortable. It's not always necessary to tote a dedicated camp chair along. Bring some lush pieces from home, like your Sheepskin Stones, or a sheepskin rug placed just inside your shelter for feet on chilly mornings.

How do you stay warm in a tent?

When bedding down to sleep in your outdoor shelter it's important to have an appropriate sleeping bag with a temperature rating that accounts for the lowest night time mercury reading. Thermal layers will serve you well - clothing items like merino wool and synthetics like fleece, which trap body heat, are good options. Woolen products are a top choice for outdoor adventuring since this amazing natural fibre has so many incredible qualities.

A camp blanket can provide additional warmth when placed underneath, or on top of, your sleep area. Depending on the type of blanket, you could use it like a sheet or liner inside your bag to really get cosy. Camp blankets will provide additional warmth and a wonderful element of luxury to your camping experience.

What do you sleep on in a tent?

A good sleeping mat is key when camping. Not only for comfort in general, but also for warmth. For many summer camping spots, a large comfy air mattress is adequate. But for cooler temperatures it might be lacking in insulation from the cold ground. In this case you'll be better equipped with an insulated mat from a reputable outdoor brand. It's also the perfect opportunity for a blanket.

A camping blanket with a water resistant backing, like some picnic blankets, can offer an element of cosiness to your sleeping environment when placed on a tent floor. For optimum comfort, you could bring a sheepskin for this purpose - arrange it under your sleeping area and add a camp blanket. Heaven!

How can I increase the warmth of my sleeping bag?

One of the best ways to achieve extra warmth is to use a liner. This handy piece of gear acts like sheet inside your sleeping bag. Not only does it provide a nice bit of snugness and bumps up the temperature rating, it also keeps it clean. This is particularly important for down options that can be tricky and cumbersome to wash.

There are many liners and materials to choose from. Here's a quick list to help you choose:

• Merino: You simply can't go wrong with wool, in any form, for anything! A merino liner will provide additional insulation, trap heat, breath well and is stretchy enough to offer wonderful comfort to boot.
• Cotton: A good option for children, who can be hard on gear. It's okay for adding warmth, but can be bulky - a great car camping option.
• Silk: Soft and luxurious to the touch and is a good compact, lightweight liner that will add a few degrees to your sleep set up, while keeping it clean.
• Microfibre and other synthetics: Many microfibre liners have technical features mimicking natural fabrics; For example - hollow core fibres to trap your body heat that can boost temperature ratings of your bag by several degrees.

What are some essentials for camping?

Whether you're planning a minimal, lightweight camping weekend away, or heading to your annual family summer camping sprawl at the beach, you'll still need some key essentials for your time outside.

1. Tent
2. Sleeping bag
3. Sleeping mattress
4. Camp chair
5. Cooking supplies
6. First aid kit
7. Water bottle
8. Pocket Knife
9. Appropriate clothing

Although a camping blanket is not an essential item, it is always nice to have one with you while camping. Don't forget your sunscreen and a hammock.

Do you need a blanket with a sleeping bag while camping?

Well, you don't need a blanket with your sleeping cocoon, but a camping blanket is a fabulous camping accessory that can increase the warmth of your bedding, in addition to providing a luxurious element to your outdoor experience. Not only that, depending on what you choose, it can keep you toasty while sipping your coffee on a frosty camp morning and provide a little warmth to your chair when gathering around the fire.

What is a camping blanket?

A camping blanket is, quite simply, a wonderful addition to your camping set up to add some luxury and keep you warm during your outdoor adventures.

Camping blankets come in a broad range of sizes and are available in a multitude of fabrics. Woolen blankets, down blankets, cotton, fleece and other synthetics can all make for a great camping blanket.

What is the best blanket for camping?

The best camping blankets are ideally those that are easy-care and can withstand a little dirt and moisture.

There are many different types of camping blankets and you don't necessarily need a dedicated outdoor blanket - it could be your favourite sheepskin throw from your bed at home. The best camping blanket for you, is really down to personal preference and what your needs and wants are.

A woolen camping blanket is a top favourite since this wondrous natural fibre is breathable, water resistant, windproof and repels dirt and dust.

For synthetic (think fleece) and down/ feather options, reputable outdoor brands like Rumpl and Kelty are worth a look. The Bestie Blanket by Kelty has often been touted as one of the best camping blankets available by outdoor enthusiasts. It's a compact, lightweight, synthetic puffy blanket and packs down easily in the stuff sack provided.

If you're more inclined towards natural materials, like us, then a woolen blanket is likely your best camping blanket choice. It could be a sheepskin, a tightly woven felted style, or a snugly merino option.

What material is warmest for blankets?

We like woolen blankets. At the end of the day natural insulation properties are always nicer and indeed, more effective. There are several options available - sheepskin and tightly woven felted ,or boiled woolen items are exceptionally durable and hardwearing. They offer incredible cosiness and weather resistant qualities.

Another great blanket option and one that is lightweight and compact is a puffy, down blanket with a good fill rating and high loft, which will be luxuriously warm and toasty. When used in conjunction with a woolen blanket, this set up could replace your traditional sleeping arrangement.

How does a wool blanket keep you warm?

Woolen fabrics are armed with endless natural properties. It's a very clever and effective insulator and with its complex structure will keep you warm in the cold and cool in the warm. Sheepskin is especially thermally efficient and with care, there's no reason you can't enjoy the lushness of sheepskin while camping.

Is fleece good for camping?

Fleece is a great alternative to a wool blanket for camping because it is warm and lightweight, although not as durable as the latter option. Fleece does have one advantage within synthetic options in that it's often treated with a water-repellent treatment and has a good warmth to weight ratio, which lends itself well for outdoor activities. It's also very affordable and easy to throw in the washing machine.

Is fleece warmer than wool?

Wool has superstar qualities, is wind resistant, water resistant and also remains effective and warm, when damp. It repels dirt and dust, is a sustainable choice and also flame resistant. Overall it's a much better bet than human-made materials in most situations.

Fleece sometimes feels warmer than wool to the touch, but only initially before the woolen fibres do their thing and trap the warm air to radiate warmth.

Are wool blankets good for camping?

Yes, absolutely! A wool camping blanket is an excellent choice for a camp blanket (and outdoor clothing) because of its breathability, water and wind resistance and dirt shedding ability.

Woolen products like camping blankets provide great warmth on cold evenings, are very durable and will add a wonderful touch of homely class to any campsite. Natural fur type materials not only insulate but also regulate body heat.

Are wool blankets waterproof?

Wool is water resistant, not necessarily waterproof. However, it's a fabric that will remain effective when wet. The naturally occurring lanolin on the wool fibres acts as a water repellant, which helps keep woolen your blanket drier, longer.

How much do camping blankets cost?

The price of a camping blanket will depend on the size, material type and whether you want it to be machine washable or hand-wash only. Some camping blankets will be true lifelong investments that don't have to be stored away solely for camping, while others might be dedicated camping pieces of gear that get pulled once or twice per year.

Whether you're buying merino, sheepskin, down puffy's or synthetics like fleece, you won't regret the lushness that a camping blanket brings to your outdoor home away from home.