How to Keep Your Water From Freezing at Camp

The first time it gets below freezing on a camping trip, a lot of people learn the hard way: the water jug on the picnic table is a block of ice, the bottle in the car is frozen solid, and there's no coffee until something thaws. A few simple habits fix that.

01Bottles

• Bring the bottle to bed. A sealed bottle inside your sleeping bag (or in the foot of it) won't freeze. Use a sturdy bottle with a lid you trust.
• Fill it with hot water. A bottle of hot water in your bag is a heater for the first hours of the night, and it's liquid in the morning. Only do this with a bottle made for hot liquids, and make sure the lid is tight.
• Store bottles upside down. Water freezes from the top first. Upside down, the ice forms at the bottom of the bottle instead of around the lid, so you can still open it.
• Insulate them. An insulated bottle, a thermos, or an old wool sock over a bottle all slow the freeze.

02Big water jugs

• Keep them in the car or tent overnight instead of out on the table.
• Wrap them in a sleeping bag, blanket or cooler. Yes, a cooler keeps things from freezing too.
• Don't fill them all the way. Water expands when it freezes and can split a jug.

03Water filters

This one costs people money. Many hollow-fiber water filters (the squeeze and pump kinds) can be damaged if water inside them freezes, and you often can't tell by looking. Check what your filter's maker says. If it says to keep it from freezing, put it in a zip bag and keep it in your sleeping bag at night and an inside pocket during the day. If you think it froze, follow the maker's directions, which usually mean replacing it.

04Campers and RVs

Water lines, hoses and tanks can freeze and crack. If you're camping in a trailer when temperatures drop below freezing, disconnect and drain the outdoor hose overnight, and keep the camper's heat on. At the end of the season, see winterizing a camper or RV, step by step.

05Drink anyway

In cold weather, people drink less because they don't feel thirsty and don't want to leave the tent at night. But being dehydrated makes it harder to stay warm. A warm drink before bed helps on both counts. See camp stoves in the cold for getting water hot when it's freezing out, and dress right with layering for cold-weather camping.

Photo by FotoRieth on Pixabay.

Related: Fall Camping: How to Stay Warm When Nights Drop Below 40