Car Campers Use This Unexpected Trick To Stay Warm On Chilly Winter Nights

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

It might sound counterintuitive, but the easiest way to stay warm and dry while car camping in winter is to crack a window or two. That little sliver of ventilation prevents condensation and humidity from building up inside your car. Successful winter car camping takes extra planning and the right gear, but what you gain is the freedom to enjoy cozy overnights on a thrifty road trip, better chances of catching a glimpse of the northern lights, and uncrowded national parks. Airflow not only keeps you dry — and thus warm — so you can get a full night's rest, it also keeps all your clothing and gear dry so you can hit the slopes, trails, or road in good spirits.

Once you've determined you're parked in an area that allows car camping, open the window or pop the moonroof just a bit. It increases interior air circulation and allows some air exchange. This might sound a bit too breezy, but letting your moist breath escape the car is key. One human exhales about 4.5 ounces (a quarter pound!) of water vapor in an eight-hour sleep sesh. Add your sleeping buddy or a fur baby, and you're looking at a lot of humidity inside your car. When that warm, moist air hits cold air or surfaces like car windows, it cools, reaching its dew point. That process creates condensation. Meanwhile, moisture on your skin, clothing, and bedding conducts heat quickly away from your body. This effect is why so many people feel like a damp cold is worse than a dry cold. So in the end, you're doing yourself and your car camping partners a big favor by rolling down the window just a bit. How much? Well, that's open to interpretation.

Cracking the window sounds simple enough, but Reddit threads suggest the hack can use some customizing depending on the weather, your preferences, and the age of the rig. Newer vehicles tend to be better sealed and may need more venting than older vehicles. One Redditor on r/carcamping said a one-inch opening works for them when it's cold, while another warned that this trick only works if there's some air movement. YouTubers Chris and Emilie use a small portable battery bank-powered fan in their Honda Pilot (a technique also recommended on r/carcamping). You can also score a little airflow from your car's vents (if they're mechanical): Set them to receive outside — rather than recirculated — air before you call it a night. 

Some experienced car campers suggest cross-ventilation helps with airflow, especially if there's a breeze. On the other hand, if there's precipitation or fog, cracked windows may let in more moisture than they let out. The best solution for that is to install rain guards prior to your road trip. Besides rain and snow, bugs are another potential intruder with cracked windows that can be solved by DIYing some mesh window covers, or you can buy interior window covers, which also add a little privacy.

There are other winter car camping tricks to keep things warm and reduce humidity in the car. include loading up on warm food and beverages, using dessicants like Camco dehumidifier moisture absorber pellets, and blasting the heat just before bed. And of course, you want to bring the essential gear for winter camping: Dress in insulated layers and use sleeping pads or mattresses rated for winter camping. Look for R-values above 5 for pads and mattresses and sleeping bags with ratings adequate for the forecasted lows (it will say it on the bag).