As many of you contemplate your first winter/snow camping trip, you are probably stuck in the rut of where to get special winter gear. Since your early trips should be to a place with an easy retreat, you may violate a whole bunch of rules that will keep you alive if you are much further afield. Like you can wear cotton sweat pants, wool/cotton blend long underwear and 3 hoodies. If your "summer bag" is rated above 30 degrees you may want to double up another light sleeping bag, or if it is rated maybe 20 degrees you can sleep comfortably in it wearing your sweats, at maybe 10 degrees depending on your personal metabolism. By wearing a large piece of your insulation inside your sleeping bag, you are covered in the event that you have to get out of that warm bag and go out into the cold. The caveat being - do not go out and get wet and then jump back into your sleeping bag - wear rain shells if you have to go out into the rain.

Insulated bibs aremaybe the first piece of winter clothing to get - to compliment your winter coat - making a uniform thickness of insulation over your whole body. A huge coat and no leg insulation isn't the same...
Jim