Whether you are new to the camping scene or bugging out from a natural disaster and just don’t know any better, a $30 sleeping bag will NOT get you comfortable through the night!  Many of us are used to 7o+ degree homes with cozy beds and layers of blankets.  We are not familiar with protecting ourselves from the cold damp ground, unpredictable weather, or relying on our body heat to keep us comfortably warm.  In emergency situations like Hurricane Sandy and Katrina many people “bugged out” to shelters.  When these shelters ran out of resources (like cots to sleep on) they had to turn people away.  Hotels were full!  In times of need, people without homes have erected tent cities in city parks or on vacant land.  Wherever you plan to “bug out” (a relative’s home, an emergency shelter, a tent city, etc.)  having a survival sleeping kit provides you more options and may make the transition easier.

Survival Sleeping Kit

These are the items I keep in my Survival Sleeping Kit so that I can be comfortable and warm when sleeping somewhere other than my home:

1. Tent

Anything you can do to protect yourself from the elements like rain, wind, snow, etc. will be a vital tool in surviving a recreational outdoor excursion or an unexpected evacuation from the comforts of your home.

Frugal Substitute:  Build your own shelter using the materials from mother nature or use a cardboard box

2. Cot

My husband won’t go camping without a cot.  Cots are essential for sleeping warmly through the night.  They separate you from the hard, cold, damp ground. Sleeping on the ground is a great way to lose body heat through the night.

Frugal Substitute:  Make a sleeping mat out of plastic grocery bags.  – It’s not a cot but a sleeping mat is a good alternative. 

3. Sleeping Bag

The challenge with sleeping bags is there is the 3 seasonal bag (like the one you see below) and then there is the Mummy sleeping bag for the winter.  Who wants to purchase and stash two sleeping bags for each person in your household? Not me!  The next items listed in this article turns my 3 seasonal bag into an all season bag.

Frugal Substitute:  If you have a big back pack slip your feet and calves inside then cover the rest of your body with whatever clothing or blanket covering you do have.  

4. Wool Blanket

Wool is a great insulator.  This is a key element to any sleeping kit!  Wool absorbs your body heat and it minimizes air flow which lessens the potential of losing body heat through the night.  It takes a little longer than other fabrics to warm up but does a better job keeping you warm through the night.

Frugal Substitute:  Use crumpled newspaper as insulation.

5. Emergency Blanket

This is the most advanced emergency blanket on the market.  It reflects 90% of your body heat and is multi-functional.  It is also very durable! On those wickedly cold nights wrap this around your body, in between your Under Armor and Wool Blanket.

6.The Right Clothes

Coldgear Under Armor traps warmth without adding bulk, transfers sweat away from the body, has a fast-drying exterior, and prevents the growth of odor causing microbes.  I also wear three pair of socks to bed (top layer-wool socks). Under Armor is great for camping because you can wear it all day under your clothes then at night take off that top layer and instantly be ready for bed.  Depending on how cold it is you might just sleep fully clothed. Click on the picture below for more warm clothing ideas.  If you are interested in how to roll your clothes up with socks like you see in the picture of the sleeping kit, (click here).

7. Hand Warmers

My hands are usually the last to warm up when I’m cold.  These are great for warming up hands or warming up a sleeping bag.  Sometimes it is painfully hard to wait for your bedding to warm up.  These can start the process before you even get into bed.

 Frugal Substitute:  Fill up a thermos with hot water and tuck it into your sleeping bag. 

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