Keeping warm at the campfire isn’t usually a problem in the summertime. However, for those of us who like to camp during the shoulder seasons and winter, cooler weather often prevails. The weather may be warming up now that it’s spring, but it’s still chilly at night! Here are some tips and tricks that will help you keep warm around the campfire.
Reflector and radiator
There are really two different ways to get the most from a campfire’s heat: radiation and reflection.
- Reflector. A shiny reflective surface will cause the heat from the fire to bounce back or reflect toward you. A common windshield sunshade is an example of a reflector. You can position the shiny sunshade so that it stands behind your camp chair. As the fire’s heat waves move away from the fire, the sunshade will catch and reflect the heat onto your back, keeping you warmer. You can also position the reflector sunshade behind the fire to reflect the heat waves toward the front of you. The downside to reflection material is that once the campfire is extinguished, it no longer reflects the heat waves.
- Radiator. Radiation materials need not be reflective or shiny. Instead, radiation materials consist of any substance that can absorb and hold the campfire’s heat. It will then radiate heat back to you, even after the fire is extinguished. Radiation material may be made of wood, stone, or other materials—most of which are difficult to move and/or store in an RV. However, if you boondock and your location has accessible wood, stone, or bricks, these radiation materials will continue to give off warmth long after the flames have died down.
- What we do: We carry a large-size sunshade when RVing. It’s easy to store because it folds up flat. It’s also lightweight and easy to transport. During the hot summer camping days, the sun shield sits in our truck’s windshield to protect the dash and reflect heat away from our vehicle. In colder temperatures, we use the sunshield as a campfire reflector. Once the campfire dies out we generally head back to the RV anyway, so we seldom need radiation materials. (Hint: A mylar emergency blanket would work similarly to the reflective sunshade.)
Heated camp chairs
- Yes, these really exist. Often quite pricey, these battery-operated “heat seats” will help keep you warm around the campfire. Be sure to read the chair’s description carefully when ordering online. Some of the chairs can be heavy and difficult to carry. Battery packs are not always included in the price of the chair and, as always, you’ll want to consider customer reviews before making a purchase. Here is an assortment to choose from.
- What we do: We’ve considered purchasing heated camp chairs, but the not-so-great reviews and cumbersome weight have prevented us from buying—at least for now. The high prices are prohibitive and alternative ways to keep warm around the campfire suffice for now.
Double camp chair
- It’s a campfire loveseat! You can find many different double chair manufacturers on Amazon. Not only will a campfire loveseat allow you to sit together, but your combined body heat will help keep both of you warmer than sitting apart in your own chairs.
- What we do: We have the Kelty brand loveseat, as pictured. We’re happy with the quality and comfort. When we sit together and add a comfy blanket, we are never cold.
Heated blanket
- Look online to find a wide variety of small, heated blankets and throws that are battery-powered. The obvious benefit of such a cover is that you can adjust the temperature to your personal preference. If we were considering such a purchase, we’d make sure to buy a blanket that features rechargeable batteries.
- What we do: If temperatures are cold enough to require a heated blanket, we will snuggle up in our RV rather than attend the campfire gathering.
How do you keep warm around the campfire during cold weather? Tell me in the comments below.
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My new wife used the reflective “space blanket” on our Honeymoon at the Gulf State park Beach in Alabama in March of 2023. March in Texas is eighty degrees, but March on that beach was forty six degrees with a howling wind. However, spring break students in bikini’s and shorts from Wisconsin, Michigan and Up State New York that the weather was just right.
When we were first starting out camping (in a tent and motorcycle) we were young (40’s) and didn’t worry about staying warm. Perhaps our liquid antifreeze helped. As we have gotten older, the cold hurts more. We have more room to carry new essentials. We now use a portable propane fire pit (no burn zones are prevalent), and more blankets. I bought two heated throw blankets last year and find them wonderful.
When it’s cold at night around the campfire, we just get a 1/2 shovel full of hot coals & put them under our chairs. But be careful to not use too much! We’ve been doing it for a lot of years & not had an issue!
Snoopy
What helps me is lots of layers PLUS my darling husband will put embers under my chair. As well, I have an old metal colander that goes over the embers so that I can put me feet on top of it.
Going inside is my favorite though and putting the Buddy heater on!
In the cold outdoors Thermacare Heatwraps work wonders and last a long time. You may have already used these to soothe an aching lower back. But they work very well to keep your core warm in cold conditions!
There are generics that don’t seem to work nearly as well so I always stick with the Thermacare brand. You can get them at most any pharmacy.
Thank you, Gail! 🙂 We continually move around the campfire to avoid being in the path of the smoke. So, we actively sit around a campfire during the shoulder seasons. I really like the way you answered each theoretical solution with what you and DH do. Thanks again, safe and sunny travels, and happy Easter! 🙂
Camp chairs in cold weather are heat sinks — all your body heat just falls down through the seat. We solve that by folding throw blankets into thick pads and lining the seat with them. It makes a remarkable difference in how much warmer you stay around the campfire!
I don’t mess with a campfire often. I have a Kelty chair and wrap up in a puffy blanket or take along the low down Kelty loveseat, and the dog can help keep me stay warm. I’ve got a 12 volt throw I could plug into a Jackery, but haven’t bothered.