This Low-Tech Hack Keeps You Warm While Car Camping In The Winter, According To Reddit

When car camping in the winter, there are tons of small adjustments you can make that will drastically improve your ability to stay warm throughout the night. You can eat a nice hot meal before heading to bed, insulate your windows, and put extra blankets underneath you to keep in warmth. But your feet may still feel chilly, despite the many layers of socks you have piled on. Well, this is because you might be missing one very important layer.

According to u/sezit on Reddit, "If you put on vapor barrier socks (I just use plastic bags over very thin socks, so no plastic next to skin), then put on bulky warm socks, your feet will stay toasty warm." This user effectively DIYed a vapor barrier layer (VBL) for their feet. VBLs are impermeable layers that prevent moisture from escaping from your body, and can usually be pretty pricy. 

However, if you're in a pinch and prefer something a bit cheaper, plastic bags will do the trick. The user adds, "The vapor barrier needs to be at least halfway up your calf to really make a difference," so if you are going to try this out for yourself, make sure the bags can cover your leg up to your calf. Some options for this include bread bags or large plastic grocery bags. But how exactly does this work?

While this low-tech trick to stay warm seems like a weird solution, it actually makes sense logically. No matter how cold you are, your body will continue to produce moisture. When you are just wearing socks, the perspiration from your feet will escape through them, even if you aren't profusely sweating. This makes it hard for your feet to keep the moisture in, thus leading to chilly feet. However, if you sandwich a VBL, or in this case, a plastic bag, between your first sock layer and another sock layer, you should be able to have a much easier time keeping your feet warm.

If you're worried about getting too hot, don't sweat it. As u/sezit explains, "Your skin stops sweating when it reaches equilibrium, so your feet don't get swampy, just slightly humid. You won't even notice until you take off the vapor barrier." So the next time you set out for a winter car camping trip, be sure to bring along some plastic bags to keep your feet nice and toasty.