What to Pack for Your Dreamy Winter Retreat

Girl blows a handful of snow from hands and towards the camera.

What to Pack for Your Dreamy Winter Retreat

Heading for an outdoor retreat to a cabin in the woods or to a beautiful, snowy campground is a wonderful way to stay active and find some serenity during the colder months.

While you might think that time outdoors in the winter can be hazardous, you really just need to be prepared for the elements.

There are plenty of perks to enjoying a winter retreat including the lovely scenery and seasonal activities like ice fishing or snowshoeing.

Before you start packing your bags for your well-deserved winter trip, here are some of the things you need to consider.

Clothing

If you’re looking for the best in stylish and functional thermal wear, then you have to try Heat Holders thermal socks and check out their selection for the best in thermal base layers and accessories.

The socks, in particular, are incredibly important for your trip and you want to have items that will keep you warm for different activity levels.

When you’re being active you should shed some layers to keep from sweating and during the night you might want to bundle up a little extra to sleep well.

There are different levels of warmth to consider when buying thermal gear. You can expect Heat Holders socks, in particular, to be three to seven times warmer than cotton socks.

It’s actually wisest to avoid cotton when packing for winter camping or your winter retreat — cotton isn’t good for wicking moisture, and if it gets wet, you’ll get cold even faster than if you were wearing nothing at all.

On the topic of keeping your feet warm, the footwear that you bring is incredibly important. Depending on the level of activity and outdoor time you might be experiencing, you need warm and waterproof boots. This helps with support and grip.

Don’t go wearing multiple pairs of socks either! If your boots are too tight you’ll lose circulation instead of keeping your feet warm.

Winter Camping

Does part of your winter retreat include some time camping? If you’re going to be enjoying the outdoors with some bold winter camping, then there are plenty of essentials you should bring with you.

Your campsite is your home base and there are some items you absolutely need to set up a good site.

Be sure to bring a small shovel to clear out the snow. If you dig out space for your tent, you ensure that some of the surrounding snow will protect you from the wind.

Be sure to bring a four-season tent with you and a tarp to cover the items you’ll be leaving outside so they don’t get buried in snow or damaged overnight.

Winter camping can be beautiful, although tough to deal with, especially when it comes to food prep. This is especially true for morning coffee and hot chocolate!

Make sure to bring a portable gas grill with you if you’re spending time out in the woods during winter. You won’t have the normal supply of firewood to go around!

Sleeping

If you’re going to be sleeping outdoors, then on top of a reliable sleeping bag you need a foam pad to rest on.

A foam pad underneath your sleeping bag adds warmth to your sleeping experience and it’s versatile enough to double as a seating pad that won’t get soggy in the snow.

As for your sleeping bag, you should have one that is rated for -15°C to -40°C and you can include a sleeping bag liner for some extra warmth.

What to Pack for Your Dreamy Winter Retreat