Hey y'all, I'm relatively new to backpacking, but I've been on a few trips thus far (a little over 50 miles). Me and my girlfriend usually hike late season around July-August, but this year we wanted to take two trips, one in the early season and one in the late. Last trip, we ended up sleeping under a blanket in our ponchos because we were ill prepared for the cold. Since we are hoping to hike in May, I assume it will be much colder. We don't really know many others who backpack, so I was wondering what kind of gear we should need for colder weather? We are both currently in college and money is a bit of a hurdle, so cheaper/MacGyver-ish solutions are much appreciated! x'D
We currently have:
Two self-inflating bed rolls
A blanket
Two ponchos
Shorts, t-shirts, and socks
And I was thinking of filling our water bottles with hot water for extra heat during the night or getting some form of sleeping bag, but those can get a bit pricey.