The wind hit us the moment we stepped out of the treeline. Below, the Hocheifel stretched out in every direction — rolling hills painted in rust and gold, the kind of autumn panorama you don’t forget. It was late October 2023, and I’d driven out to western Germany to meet up with Bernd from Rheinland Outdoor and Flo from Naturabenteuer for an overnighter. None of us had been to this particular spot before, but sometimes the best camps are the ones you stumble into.
Setting Up Camp#
We found our spot on a ridge with a view that made us all stop talking for a moment. Just wind, fading daylight, and an endless horizon. That’s when you know it’s the right place.
I pitched my DD Tarp 3x3m in an A-frame setup — nothing fancy, but with the wind picking up, I wanted something stable. Underneath, I rolled out the Bundeswehr-Unterlegmatte “Elefantenhaut” and my Exped Synmat UL on top. The combination isn’t the lightest sleep system out there, but on cold ground it makes a real difference. Bernd and Flo set up their shelters nearby, and soon we had a proper little camp going.
Before the light faded completely, we collected dead standing wood and processed it with the Terävä Skrama 240. That thing eats through dry hardwood like nothing else — a few batoning rounds and we had enough fuel sorted for the evening and morning. There’s something meditative about firewood prep when there’s no rush, just three guys working in comfortable silence while the sky turns orange.
Dinner with a View#
The fire came to life quickly. For dinner, I threw steaks into the Vildmarks pan — the large one, which is perfect when you’re cooking for a group. The cast iron gets properly hot over open flame, and the sear on those steaks was exactly right.
We ate sitting on logs, looking out over the valley as the last light disappeared. Simple food, great company, ridiculous view. Hard to beat that combination.
Temperatures dropped fast once the sun was gone. I was glad I’d packed the Helikon-Tex Alpha Tactical Grid Fleece — it’s one of those layers I grab almost automatically for autumn trips now. Not bulky, but it traps warmth effectively, especially under a wind layer. The night got properly cold and gusty, with the tarp flapping now and then, but I slept well enough in my Carinthia TSS Inner.
Morning Warmth#
Crawling out of the sleeping bag into a cold, windy October morning isn’t anyone’s favourite moment. But coffee fixes most things. I fired up the Bestargot Titan French Press — titanium keeps it light in the pack, and the coffee it brews is miles ahead of instant. While that steeped, I made a spicy bean pan for breakfast: canned beans, onions, a good amount of chili, all cooked down in the Vildmarks until it was thick and bubbling. Flo and Bernd came over with their mugs, and within minutes we were all warm from the inside out, talking about the next trip before this one was even over.
That’s the thing about overnighters like this. You don’t need a week in the wilderness. One night, good people, a solid fire, and a view — that’s enough to reset. The Hocheifel surprised me. I’ll be back.
Gear Used
Bundeswehr
Elefantenhaut - German Army Ground Sheet
Exped
Exped Synmat UL
Carinthia
Carinthia TSS Inner Sleeping Bag
DD Hammocks
DD Tarp 3x3m Camo
Opinel
Opinel N08 Carbon Knife
Stabilotherm
Hunter Pan XL
Hydrapak
Hydrapak Seeker 3L Water Bag
Bestargot
Bestargot Titanium French Press
Light my Fire
Titanium Spork
Terävä
Skrama 240
Helikon-Tex
Helikon-Tex Bergen Backpack
Helikon-Tex
Alpha Fleece Jacket
UF Pro
P-40 All-Terrain Pants
Lowa
Renegade GTX Mid
