Category: Camping Tips

Last updated: 25 September 2026 · research-based guide

Wild camping is legal across most of Scotland, and on the Dartmoor commons in England where the National Park Authority permits backpack camping. Everywhere else in England and Wales, including the Lake District and Eryri (Snowdonia), you need the landowner’s permission to wild camp. Northern Ireland has no general right to wild camp either, so you need permission there too. Some national parks tolerate discreet, one-night camping high on the fells, but tolerance is not a legal right. A landowner can still ask you to leave.

This guide is based on research, not on trips we made ourselves. Each point was checked against the official sources listed at the end as of September 2026.

Please note: This is general information, not legal advice. Rules, byelaws, permit prices and camping maps can change, so check the official source for the area you’re visiting before every trip.

Wild camping law at a glance (2026)

Nation / area	Legal status	Where	Key conditions	Official source
England (general)	Needs landowner’s permission	Anywhere, only with permission	The CRoW Act 2000 access right does not cover camping	CRoW Act 2000, Sch. 2
Dartmoor	Legal without permission in permitted areas	Commons shown on the DNPA camping map	Backpack camping only, 1–2 nights, max 6 people, out of sight of roads and buildings, no fires	Dartmoor NPA
Lake District	Needs permission; “normally tolerated” if you camp discreetly	Above the highest fell wall, away from towns, villages and lake shores	One night, 1–2 tents, no fires, leave no trace	Lake District NPA
Wales (including Eryri)	Needs landowner’s permission	Only with permission	If you have permission, follow the Eryri Wild Camping Code: one night, 1–2 tents, no fires	Eryri NPA
Scotland	Legal under statutory access rights	Most unenclosed land	Lightweight, small numbers, 2–3 nights max, away from buildings and roads, follow the Access Code	Scottish Outdoor Access Code
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs camping management zones	Permit required 1 March–30 September	Designated lochshore permit areas	£4.50 per tent per night (2026), up to 3 nights per area	LL&TNP
Northern Ireland	Needs landowner’s permission	Only with permission	There is no general right to roam or to camp	Access to the Countryside (NI) Order 1983

England: permission first, almost everywhere

England’s main access law is the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW). It gives a right to walk on mapped “access land” such as mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land. Schedule 2, paragraph 1(s), excludes anyone who “engages in … camping”, and paragraph 1(e) excludes lighting fires. If you camp on access land without permission, you become a trespasser. Under section 2(4) you then lose your CRoW right to return to that land for 72 hours.

Off access land, camping without the owner’s consent is trespass. In most cases that’s a civil matter rather than a crime, but the landowner can ask you to leave. Byelaws on some commons, council land and National Trust land can make camping an offence, and police have extra powers in some situations, particularly when vehicles are involved.

Can you wild camp in the Lake District?

The Lake District National Park Authority is clear that wild camping is “technically not permitted without prior permission from the landowner”. It cannot give permission on private land, does not allow camping on its own land, and says camping in car parks or on verges is not allowed at any time.

The Authority also says discreet wild camping is “normally tolerated” if you camp above the highest fell wall, stay one night only, keep to one or two tents, light no fires and leave no trace. It warns that landowners “have the legal right to order you to break camp and move on”. Tolerance is an informal custom, and it doesn’t make wild camping legal.

Is England changing the law?

Not at the moment. No law extending wild camping beyond Dartmoor has been passed or introduced by the government as of September 2026.

• Labour dropped its pre-election pledge of a Scottish-style right to roam in 2023.
• In a House of Lords answer on 18 June 2025, the government said it “currently [has] no plans to extend wild camping as a guarantee in other national parks”. It said it would take the issue into account while it develops an access strategy.
• In May 2026, a Defra spokesperson pointed to new national river walks, the Coast to Coast national trail and the King Charles III England Coast Path. The government did not commit to Scottish-style access rights.
• A parliamentary petition to legalise wild camping in England closed in September 2026 with 239 signatures. That was too few to get a government response.
• Campaigners, a cross-party parliamentary group (APPG) and the Campaign for National Parks have proposed wider access or wild camping trials. These are proposals, not law.

You may also see online claims that changes to the Vagrancy Act have “legalised” wild camping. They haven’t. Nothing in that legislation creates a right to camp on someone else’s land.

Dartmoor: England’s legal exception

Dartmoor is the only place in England where you have a legal right to wild camp without asking the landowner. The right comes from section 10(1) of the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, which gives the public “a right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation”.

In January 2023 the High Court ruled that this wording did not include camping. The Court of Appeal reversed that ruling later in 2023. On 21 May 2025, in Darwall and another v Dartmoor National Park Authority [2025] UKSC 20, the Supreme Court dismissed the landowners’ appeal. The court held that camping is a form of “open-air recreation” and that “on foot and on horseback” describes how you get onto the commons, not what you may do once you’re there. The right is still subject to the Authority’s byelaws.

In practice, that means you need to follow the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s rules:

• Only camp in permitted areas. These are shown on the official DNPA camping map. Plenty of Dartmoor land, including enclosed farmland, is not included.
• Backpack camping only. Bring a lightweight tent and kit that fits in a rucksack you can carry, and stay “one or two nights max”.
• Stay out of sight of roads and buildings, use a small tent that blends in, and keep groups to no more than six people.
• No open fires or BBQs. Take all litter home. Bury poo and toilet paper under at least 15 cm of turf, which means carrying a trowel.
• Avoid disturbing wildlife, especially during lambing and the bird breeding season (1 March–31 July).
• No sleeping in vehicles. National Park byelaws don’t allow overnight stays in vehicles at the roadside or in car parks.
• Check the military firing programme. Some camping areas overlap live-firing ranges. Check the Dartmoor firing programme on GOV.UK before you go.

Wales: permission needed, including in Eryri

Wales has the same CRoW Act framework as England, so camping on open access land is excluded unless the landowner agrees. The Eryri National Park Authority says “wild camping is not permitted anywhere in Eryri without prior permission from the landowner or farmer”. It adds that camping in car parks or on roadside verges “is not allowed at any time”. The Authority owns little land, so it can’t give consent on farmland, forestry, National Trust property or open access land.

Eryri recommends official campsites or hostels. If you do have permission, it asks you to follow its Wild Camping Code:

• Camp high, away from houses and farms.
• Pitch late, leave early and stay one night only.
• Use one or two tents at most, with no groups.
• Light no fires and use no disposable BBQs.
• Go to the toilet at least 30 m from water and paths, and bury waste at least 15 cm deep.
• Move on without argument if the landowner asks you to.

The same principle applies in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and Pembrokeshire Coast national parks and across the rest of Wales: get permission first.

Access reform has been discussed in Wales for several years. Outdoor Alliance Wales has called for trials of expanded wild camping on some Welsh Government land. No change to the law has been made.

Scotland: a legal right, with responsibilities

In Scotland, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives statutory access rights over most land and inland water, and those rights include wild camping. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, maintained by NatureScot, explains what exercising the right responsibly means. It covers “lightweight camping in a tent, in small numbers and for no more than two or three nights in one place”. Under the Code you should:

• Use small tents and camp well away from buildings and roads.
• Avoid enclosed fields of crops or farm animals.
• Pee at least 30 m from lochs, rivers and burns. Bury poo in a shallow hole and replace the turf, or bag it and carry it out.
• Take away all belongings and litter, and leave no trace.
• Remember that access rights don’t cover motor vehicles, so they don’t cover camping in a campervan either.
• Use a stove. The Code’s guidance says never to light an open fire during prolonged dry periods, or in forests, woods, farmland, on peaty ground, near buildings or at heritage sites, and to follow local advice and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service wildfire warnings.

Loch Lomond camping permits

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park has Camping Management Byelaws that apply from 1 March to 30 September every year. They create camping management zones along popular lochshores, covering less than 4% of the park. Inside these zones you must either stay at a campsite or buy a permit for a designated permit area. The Authority’s permit page, updated in August 2026, gives these terms:

• Permits cost £4.50 per tent (or motorhome/campervan) per night. You need one for each tent.
• You can book up to three nights in one area, up to four weeks ahead.
• Tents can arrive from 1pm and must leave by 11am.
• Organised youth groups such as Duke of Edinburgh and Scouts can apply for free permission.
• The byelaws also cover irresponsible fire-lighting, including collecting firewood. Breaking them can lead to a report to the Procurator Fiscal and a fine of up to £500.

Outside the zones, or outside the March–September season, normal Access Code rights apply.

Northern Ireland: no general right to camp

Northern Ireland has no Scottish-style access legislation and no general right to roam. The Access to the Countryside (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 lets councils secure access to open country, but according to DAERA that power has never been used. Access mostly depends on public rights of way or the landowner’s consent. Wild camping therefore needs the landowner’s permission, and that includes popular areas such as the Mournes and the Sperrins. DAERA consulted on outdoor recreation access in 2021 and announced an Outdoor Recreation Action Plan in July 2026. No Bill that would create camping rights is currently progressing.

How to wild camp responsibly

These habits come from the Dartmoor, Lake District, Eryri and Scottish codes, the Countryside Code and Leave No Trace principles. They’re the etiquette landowners and rangers tend to tolerate, but they don’t replace permission where the law requires it.

• Arrive late, leave early. Pitch in the evening, pack up in the morning and stay one night, or two to three in Scotland.
• Camp high and out of sight. Stay well away from houses, farms, roads, lake shores and popular paths.
• Keep it small. One or two tents is ideal. Dartmoor’s upper limit is six people. Choose tents in muted colours and keep noise down.
• No fires or disposable BBQs. Use a stove on a stable, non-flammable surface.
• Human waste: go at least 30 m from water and paths, and bury it at least 15 cm deep with a trowel, or bag it and carry it out. Always carry out toilet paper and sanitary items, because animals dig them up.
• Leave no trace. Carry out everything you carried in, including food scraps. Don’t dig drainage trenches or move rocks.
• Protect water. Don’t wash with soap in streams or lochs.
• Respect wildlife and livestock, especially from March to July when ground-nesting birds are breeding and lambs are young.
• Leave politely if asked. If a landowner or ranger asks you to move, pack up without argument.
• Don’t sleep in the car. Roadside and car park sleeping is banned by byelaws on Dartmoor and not allowed in the Lake District or Eryri.

What to pack for a wild camp

Wild camping means carrying everything you need, and packing out everything you bring. Our hiking and camping gear checklist covers the full list. The essentials are a lightweight, low-profile shelter (our research-based round-up of the best backpacking tents for 2026 will help you choose), a sleeping bag and mat suited to the season (see what temperature sleeping bag you need in the UK), a stove and fuel, a trowel and bags for waste, a head torch, a water filter, and a map and compass. UK upland nights can be cold even in summer, so read our guide on how to stay warm in a tent before you go.

Wild camping FAQ

Is wild camping legal in the UK?

It depends on the nation. Wild camping is legal on most unenclosed land in Scotland under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. In England, it’s legal without permission only on the Dartmoor commons where the National Park Authority permits backpack camping. Everywhere else in England and Wales, and throughout Northern Ireland, you need the landowner’s permission.

Can you wild camp in the Lake District?

Not legally without the landowner’s permission. The Lake District National Park Authority says wild camping is technically not permitted without prior permission. It is normally tolerated if you camp above the highest fell wall, stay one night, keep to one or two tents, light no fires and leave no trace. A landowner can still ask you to move on.

What are the wild camping rules on Dartmoor?

Following the Supreme Court’s May 2025 ruling in Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority, you can backpack camp without permission on the areas shown on the Dartmoor National Park Authority camping map. Stay one or two nights at most, keep groups to six people or fewer, stay out of sight of roads and buildings, light no fires and leave no trace. Check the military firing programme before you go.

Do you need a permit to camp at Loch Lomond?

Yes, if you camp in a camping management zone between 1 March and 30 September. Permits cost £4.50 per tent per night in 2026 and can be booked for up to three nights in one permit area. Outside the zones, or outside that season, normal Scottish Outdoor Access Code rights apply.

Is wild camping legal in Wales?

No, not without the landowner’s permission. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 excludes camping from the right of access on open access land. The Eryri National Park Authority says wild camping is not permitted anywhere in Eryri without prior permission from the landowner or farmer.

Plan your route with our free trail guides app

Once you know the rules for the area you’re visiting, plan the walk itself with the free Peak Outdoor Guide UK trail guides app, and check how long it will take with our walking time calculator.

Sources

• UK Supreme Court: Darwall and another v Dartmoor National Park Authority [2025] UKSC 20
• Dartmoor National Park Authority: Camping map
• Dartmoor National Park Authority: Camping and backpack camping code
• GOV.UK: Dartmoor firing programme
• Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 2 and section 2
• Lake District National Park Authority: Wild camping
• Eryri National Park Authority: Camping and wild camping
• Natural Resources Wales: Open access land
• Scottish Outdoor Access Code (NatureScot): Camping
• Scottish Outdoor Access Code: Open fires and BBQs guidance
• Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park: Get a permit
• Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park: Camping Management Byelaws
• Access to the Countryside (Northern Ireland) Order 1983
• FactCheckNI: What rights do the public have to walk in the countryside? (September 2026)
• GOV.UK / Natural England: The Countryside Code
• Hansard (House of Lords): Wild Camping, 18 June 2025
• UK Parliament petition: Legalise wild camping in England (closed September 2026)
• The Guardian: Defra statement on access rights (2 May 2026)
• Campaign for National Parks: Wild camping in national parks

Quick answer: for most UK camping from late spring to early autumn, choose a sleeping bag with an ISO comfort rating of about 0°C (around +5°C is enough for lowland campsites in high summer). For year-round use, winter camping, or camping high in the hills in spring and autumn, aim for a comfort rating of −5°C or lower. Met Office 1991–2020 averages put typical UK overnight lows between about −1°C (Braemar in winter) and 13°C (Oxford in July), and it gets roughly 0.5–0.65°C colder for every 100 m you climb.

Last updated: 25 September 2026. Research-based guide: see how we research.

This guide is built from official data rather than guesswork: Met Office climate averages for six representative UK locations, the ISO 23537 sleeping bag standard, the ASTM F3340 sleeping mat standard, and published guidance from UK and international outdoor retailers and brands. Below you will find what the ratings mean, a month-by-month table of typical overnight lows by region, how season ratings map onto real temperatures, and how to pair your bag with the right mat.

Sleeping bag temperature ratings explained

Most reputable sleeping bags sold in the UK carry temperatures tested to ISO 23537-1, the international standard that replaced the older European EN 13537. Both use a heated manikin in a climate chamber, dressed in a single base layer and placed on an insulating mat, to measure how much heat the bag holds in. The result is three numbers:

The gap between the numbers matters. Comfort and limit ratings on the same bag are often several degrees apart, and many brands headline the limit rating because it looks warmer. If a listing gives only one temperature, check which one it is. If it gives no ISO or EN rating at all, treat the figure as a manufacturer claim rather than a tested result.

Remember that the lab test assumes near-still air, dry insulation, a base layer and an insulating mat under the sleeper. Pitch in the wind, sleep on thin foam or crawl in wearing damp clothes and the same bag will feel colder than its label.

What about tog ratings?

Tog is used for duvets and baby sleeping bags. It is not the standard for adult outdoor sleeping bags, so a “tog” figure on a camping bag cannot be compared fairly with an ISO comfort rating. For camping, always look for the ISO 23537 or EN 13537 comfort temperature.

Month-by-month: typical UK overnight lows and the bag you need

The table below uses the Met Office’s published mean daily minimum temperature (1991–2020 averages) for six climate stations that represent popular UK camping areas. That is the average of each night’s lowest temperature over 30 years. Individual nights regularly fall several degrees below average, especially on clear, still nights, so our recommended comfort ratings sit comfortably below the coldest regional average for each month.

Typical overnight low = Met Office mean daily minimum temperature, 1991–2020 averages, for the named climate station. *Princetown figures are approximate: they are Met Office 1981–2010 normals (station at 453 m), as the current Met Office averages page for Princetown resolves to a coastal station and is not representative of the moor. Recommendations are our research-based guidance, not part of any standard.

How to read it: find the month you are going and the area closest to where you will camp. The “campsite / valley” column suits pitches at roughly the height of these stations. If you plan to wild camp on a ridge, a summit plateau or a high tarn, use the “plus height” column. On any trip, a bag that is slightly too warm can be unzipped; a bag that is too cold means a long night.

How much colder is it higher up?

Air temperature falls with height. The Met Office’s regional climate summaries give a decrease in mean temperatures of about 0.5°C per 100 m, and the international standard atmosphere uses 0.65°C per 100 m. In dry air the rate can approach 1°C per 100 m, and the British Mountaineering Council warns temperatures can drop by 1–2°C for every 100 m on the hill. As a working rule:

• Camping 300 m above a valley station: expect roughly 1.5–2°C colder on average.
• Camping 600 m above it: roughly 3–4°C colder.
• Camping 900 m above it: roughly 4.5–6°C colder, before any wind chill.

One exception: on clear, calm nights, cold air can drain into valley floors and hollows, so a sheltered valley pitch can occasionally be colder than a slope above it. Braemar’s cold averages partly reflect its position in a Highland glen.

If you are still choosing a route, the free Peak Outdoor Guide UK trail guides app lists heights for popular walks, which makes it easier to judge how much colder your camp spot will be.

1 to 5 season sleeping bags: what the ratings mean in the UK

Season ratings are a retail convention, not a standard, so one brand’s “3 season” can be warmer or cooler than another’s. Guidance published by UK retailers and brands such as Alpkit, Blacks and The Great Outdoors magazine broadly agrees on these bands:

So, 2 season vs 3 season for the UK? A 2-season bag is fine for lowland campsites from June to August. A 3-season bag with a comfort rating around 0°C is the better single choice for most people, because it covers spring and autumn, upland pitches and the Scottish summer too. Our round-up of the best 3-season sleeping bags for 2026 compares comfort and limit ratings side by side.

If you only buy one bag and camp mainly in England and Wales from spring to autumn, a comfort rating of 0°C is the sweet spot. If you camp in Scotland, sleep cold, or want to camp into November and from March, look closer to −5°C comfort.

Your sleeping mat matters as much as your bag

The insulation underneath you gets crushed flat by your body weight, so most of the heat you lose into the ground goes through your mat. A warm bag on a thin mat will still feel cold. Since 2020 most major mat brands have tested to ASTM F3340, which measures thermal resistance (R-value) in a standard way so you can compare mats across brands. Higher is warmer.

R-values are additive: a closed-cell foam mat under an inflatable mat adds its R-value to the total, and also protects the inflatable from punctures. This is a cheap way to turn a 3-season set-up into a colder-weather one. Because the ISO bag test puts the manikin on an insulating mat, pairing your bag with too thin a mat means you will not get the warmth the label suggests.

Wind chill, damp and the other things ratings don’t cover

The Met Office’s “feels like” temperature accounts for wind and humidity because wind strips away the thin layer of warm air around your body; it notes wind chill can make conditions feel 3 or 4 degrees colder. Inside a well-pitched tent that effect is much reduced, but a draughty pitch, an open door or a bivvy on an exposed ridge will cost you warmth. The UK’s damp air also matters: moisture from breath and condensation can slowly reduce the loft of down insulation over a multi-day trip, while synthetic fill generally keeps more of its warmth when damp.

Personal factors are the biggest variable of all. The ISO comfort rating is based on a standard woman precisely because many people, and women on average, sleep colder than the limit rating assumes. If you know you feel the cold, go one step warmer than the table suggests.

6 practical tips for choosing and using a sleeping bag in the UK

1. Buy on the comfort rating. Compare bags on their ISO 23537 or EN 13537 comfort figure. If you sleep cold, choose a bag whose comfort rating is a few degrees below the lowest temperature you expect.
2. Plan for the coldest night, not the average. The Met Office figures above are averages. Check the Met Office mountain forecast before you go, which gives temperatures at summit level as well as in the valleys, and add the height adjustment for your pitch.
3. Match your mat to your bag. Use an R-value of about 3–4 for 3-season UK use and 4.5 or more for frosty or winter nights. Stack a foam mat under an inflatable one when it gets colder.
4. Pitch out of the wind. Choose a sheltered spot, face the door away from the wind and avoid obvious frost hollows on still, clear nights. More ideas are in our guide on how to stay warm in a tent.
5. Use layers and a liner to extend a bag’s range. Dry base layers, a hat, warm socks and a liner all add warmth, so a 3-season bag can stretch into colder shoulder-season nights. Manufacturers’ warmth claims for liners are not ISO-tested, so treat them as a bonus rather than something to rely on.
6. Keep your insulation dry and lofted. Store the bag uncompressed at home, keep it in a waterproof liner or dry bag inside your rucksack, and air it out whenever you can. Our gear checklist covers the rest of your sleep system, and if this is your first trip, read how to plan your first overnight backpacking trip.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature sleeping bag do I need for the UK in summer?

For lowland campsites in June to August, a bag with an ISO comfort rating of around +5°C is usually enough, because Met Office 1991–2020 averages put July overnight lows at about 13°C in Oxford. For the hills or the Scottish Highlands, choose a comfort rating nearer 0°C: Braemar’s average July low is only about 9°C, and clear nights and altitude push it lower.

Is a 3 season sleeping bag warm enough for the UK?

For spring, summer and autumn, usually yes. Retailer guidance generally puts 3-season bags at a comfort rating from about 0°C down to −5°C, which covers most UK nights from April to October. For winter camping, high camps in early spring or late autumn, or if you sleep cold, you will want a 4-season bag or extra layers and a warmer mat.

Should I go by the comfort or the limit temperature rating?

Use the comfort rating. Under ISO 23537 (which replaced EN 13537), comfort is the temperature at which a standard woman sleeps comfortably in a relaxed position. The limit rating is the temperature at which a standard man, curled up, is just not feeling cold, so it assumes a warm sleeper. The extreme rating is a survival figure only and should never be used for choosing a bag.

What tog sleeping bag do I need for camping in the UK?

Tog is a duvet and baby sleeping bag rating and is not the standard used for adult outdoor sleeping bags. For camping, look for the ISO 23537 (or older EN 13537) comfort temperature instead. As a guide, aim for a comfort rating of around +5°C for lowland summer camping, 0°C for 3-season use and −5°C or lower for UK winter or high camps.

What R-value sleeping mat do I need for UK camping?

Look for an R-value tested to ASTM F3340. REI’s guidance is under 2 for warm weather, 2 to 3.9 for cool weather, 4 to 5.4 for cold weather and 5.5 or more for extreme cold. For most UK 3-season camping, around R 3 to 4 is a sensible target, and R 4.5 or more for frosty or winter nights. R-values add up, so a foam mat under an inflatable adds warmth.

Sources

• Met Office: Oxford location-specific long-term averages (1991–2020)
• Met Office: Buxton long-term averages (1991–2020)
• Met Office: Keswick long-term averages (1991–2020)
• Met Office: Capel Curig long-term averages (1991–2020)
• Met Office: Braemar long-term averages (1991–2020)
• Met Office: historic station data (Oxford; Braemar also used to cross-check)
• Princetown climate table (Met Office 1981–2010 normals)
• Met Office: North East England climate (temperature change with altitude)
• Met Office: Wind chill factor
• Lapse rate (ICAO standard atmosphere)
• British Mountaineering Council: British weather on the hills
• EN 13537 / ISO 23537 temperature ratings
• ISO 23537-1:2022 sleeping bag temperature rating explained
• Mountain Equipment: sleeping bag temperature ratings explained
• REI: how to choose a sleeping pad (R-value bands)
• ASTM F3340 sleeping pad R-value standard FAQ
• Alpkit: how warm should your sleeping bag be?
• The Great Outdoors: how sleeping bag ratings work

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Jackery used IFA Berlin (4–8 September 2026) to unveil its next generation of portable power: the Explorer Plus v2 series and a fridge-specific backup unit called FridgeGuard. The flagship home-backup unit is already on sale, but the portable models campers actually want aren’t buyable on Amazon yet. So the question that matters is simple: buy now, or wait?

Everything below comes from Jackery’s published announcements and show coverage, not our own bench test — we’ve compared the claims so you don’t have to.

What Jackery announced

Explorer 1000 Plus v2. Roughly 1kWh of LiFePO4 capacity with up to 1,800W of continuous output — enough to run a camp kettle or induction hob. Jackery quotes over 6,000 charge cycles before capacity drops below 70%: charged daily, that’s well over a decade of use.

Explorer 2000 Plus v2. Around 2kWh, expandable with add-on battery packs — buy the station now, add capacity later instead of replacing the whole unit.

HomePower 3600 Plus. The ~3.5kWh flagship (3,600W output, expandable to 21kWh), aimed more at home backup than campsites — relevant if your power station has to do double duty in a power cut. It’s the first of the new generation to go on sale: the HomePower 3600 Plus listing is live on Amazon.

FridgeGuard. A slim 1,024Wh unit (expandable to 2,048Wh) built to keep a refrigerator running through an outage — 800W continuous, under-10ms switchover, quoted at up to 15 hours of fridge runtime. Not a camping product as such, and currently a Costco exclusive rather than an Amazon listing.

What it means for the current models

A new generation announced usually means one thing for buyers: the outgoing generation gets discounted. The current Explorer line already covers most campers’ needs — same LiFePO4 chemistry, same long cycle life. If you don’t need modular expandability, the value pick right now is very likely an outgoing model, not the new one.

Wait or buy? The decision in one table

You are…	Do this
Weekend car camper (phones, lights, camera batteries)	Buy the outgoing Explorer 1000 v2 and watch for discounts
Family basecamp, electric cooler or longer trips	Outgoing Explorer 2000 v2, or the expandable Explorer 2000 Plus if you may add capacity later
Want the newest modular platform	The portable v2 Plus units aren’t listed yet — wait; we’ll add links when they’re live
Mostly worried about power cuts at home	The HomePower 3600 Plus is live now (solar bundle here)

Where to check current prices

• Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1070Wh / 1500W) — check current price on Amazon
• Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (2042Wh / 2200W) — check current price on Amazon
• Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus (expandable to 24kWh) — check current price on Amazon
• NEW — Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus (3584Wh / 3600W) — check current price on Amazon

We’ll update this post with the portable v2 Plus models’ listings and confirmed specs once they go on sale.

Planning the rest of your basecamp? Start with our best camping stoves guide and gear checklist. We research and compare — we don’t claim hands-on testing. See our Disclosure.

Peak Outdoor Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Being cold at night is the number one reason people give up on camping. It’s almost always fixable. Here are nine proven ways to stay warm in a tent.

1. Insulate from the ground first

Most heat is lost into the cold ground, not the air. A sleeping pad with a good R-value matters more than a warmer bag — double up a foam pad under an inflatable one in cold conditions.

2. Match your bag to the temperature

Check the bag’s comfort rating, not its extreme rating, and add a liner for extra warmth. See our sleeping bag picks.

3. Layer smart — but don’t overdo it

Dry base layers and a hat trap heat; too many bulky layers compress the bag’s insulation and make you colder. Keep a dedicated dry set of sleep clothes.

4. Eat and hydrate before bed

Your body needs fuel to generate heat. A warm drink and a small fatty snack before sleeping genuinely helps.

5. The hot-water-bottle trick

Fill a leakproof bottle with hot water and tuck it near your core or feet inside the bag — a classic for a reason.

6. Vent to fight condensation

Crack a vent to let moisture escape; a damp bag is a cold bag.

7. Cover your head and neck

A beanie and a buff dramatically cut heat loss from your head and neck.

8. Warm up before you get in

Do a few jumping jacks to get blood flowing, then climb into the bag already warm rather than waiting to warm a cold bag.

9. Pick a sheltered pitch

Camp out of the wind and off low, cold hollows where cold air pools. A good tent and site do half the work.

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More researched gear in Top Picks · beginner know-how in Camping Tips · plan a trip with our Trail Guides.

Gear that makes these tips easier

• Hot-water bottle trick: the classic bottle is a Nalgene 32oz Wide-Mouth. It’s rated for boiling water and won’t cross-thread in the dark. Don’t use an insulated flask for this, because it keeps the heat inside instead of warming your bag.
• Head and neck: a stretch neck gaiter like the Buff Original EcoStretch doubles as a beanie and blocks the draught at your bag’s opening.
• The right bag: we compared warmth, packed size and value in our best 3-season sleeping bags guide.
• A warmer shelter: see our best backpacking tents guide for tents that pair well with a cold-ground setup.
• Light for late-night faff: our best headlamps for camping beat a phone torch every time.

Check current prices before you buy. We research and compare gear rather than claiming hands-on tests.

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Camping for the first time is exciting, but it’s easy to forget the small things that make or break a trip. Use this checklist to pack with confidence — nothing essential missed, nothing unnecessary weighing you down.

Shelter & sleep

Tent (with poles, stakes and a footprint), sleeping bag rated for the season, a sleeping pad for insulation and comfort, and a small pillow or a stuff sack filled with clothes. See our best tents and best sleeping bags.

Kitchen & water

Stove and fuel, lighter and backup matches, a pot, a spork, a mug, biodegradable soap and a cloth. Bring a water filter if you’ll rely on natural sources, plus a bottle or reservoir.

Clothing (layer up)

Moisture-wicking base layers, an insulating mid-layer (fleece or down), a waterproof jacket, a hat, gloves for cold nights, and sturdy footwear. Avoid cotton — it stays wet and cold.

Light, tools & safety

A headlamp with spare batteries, a first-aid kit, a multi-tool or knife, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a power bank. Tell someone your plans and expected return.

Food

Plan simple meals, pack a little extra, and store food securely away from wildlife. One-pot meals and no-cook lunches keep things easy on your first trip.

Final tips

Arrive with daylight to spare so you can pitch camp unhurried, practise setting up your tent at home first, and start with a nearby campsite before committing to remote backcountry.

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More researched gear in Top Picks · beginner know-how in Camping Tips · plan a trip with our Trail Guides.

Gear to get you started

• Shelter and sleep: start with our best backpacking tents and best 3-season sleeping bags guides, both written for first-timers. A packable pillow like the TREKOLOGY Aluft 2.0 is the cheapest comfort upgrade on this list.
• Kitchen and water: stove options are in our camping stoves guide. A Nalgene 32oz is the buy-once bottle, and our water filters guide covers safe options away from taps.
• Clothing: layering is covered in our rain jackets guide; add a Buff EcoStretch neck gaiter for serious warmth per gram.
• Light and safety: the Petzl Actik Core is a popular rechargeable headlamp (more in our headlamps guide), the Surviveware Waterproof Premium first-aid kit is organised so you can find things with cold hands, and an Anker PowerCore Lite 10000 keeps your phone alive.

Check current prices before you buy. We research and compare gear rather than claiming hands-on tests.