Camping this time of year through to Winter

[Borris]

Hi All,

We got our T6 Cali Ocean a week or so ago and haven't slept out in it yet. We were thinking to go out this coming weekend in it (x2 Adults, x2 Kids under 7). We previously had a T5 camper but it had no pop top or diesel heater. We only camped in Summer and sleep x1 adult & 1 kid in the van and the x1 adult and kid in the drive away awning.

Being new to the Cali world and pop top/diesel heater, my question is, i presume camping this time of year is fine? Will we need a cover to go over the pop top this time of year to stop rain/wind and keep warm? Also, what other must haves would we need for this time of year? Apart from levelling blocks/ramps, i can't think of anything else.

Camping all year round is fine. The one think I would recommend though is either an external or internal liner. I have no experience of the external thermal variety but have fitted two Brandrup Iso-top internal liners. They are brilliant, expensive but brilliant. You will find it keeps the van warmer, darker and draught free. Also if the canvas gets wet, this gortex inner liner provides an excellent barrier keeping everything dry. Just fit it once and forget it. No need to get out in the rain and fit someting, just stop and put the roof up.

 

[slidingaround]

Useful to keep Canvas dry, if you cannot dry it at home.

Comfortz VW California T5 SE, T6 & T6.1 Ocean ‘Cali-Topper’ Roof Cover - CampervanBits

Comfortz VW California T5 SE, T6 & T6.1 Ocean ‘Cali-Topper’ Roof Cover - For the California SE and Ocean Electronically Operated Roof.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Can be fitted permanently and left inside when roof lowered. BUT canvas Bellows still needs to be dried.

Brandrup Iso-Top V roof insulation for the T5/T6/T6.1 VW California Ocean/Coast with Electric operated pop-up roof - CampervanBits

Brandrup ISO-TOP Mark V for the electrohydraulic operated aluminum pop-up top of the VW T5/ T6 / T6.1 California Ocean/Coast/Beach/Comfortline

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thanks, I can dry it out at home on my drive, assuming there are not days of constant rain. Based on that would the internal one be better? Does the external one keep out noise more?

 

[Diane sims]

Hi All,

We got our T6 Cali Ocean a week or so ago and haven't slept out in it yet. We were thinking to go out this coming weekend in it (x2 Adults, x2 Kids under 7). We previously had a T5 camper but it had no pop top or diesel heater. We only camped in Summer and sleep x1 adult & 1 kid in the van and the x1 adult and kid in the drive away awning.

Being new to the Cali world and pop top/diesel heater, my question is, i presume camping this time of year is fine? Will we need a cover to go over the pop top this time of year to stop rain/wind and keep warm? Also, what other must haves would we need for this time of year? Apart from levelling blocks/ramps, i can't think of anything else.

Slept for a week in the alps last March. Even had 20cm snow one night. Slept in the roof with the heating in low. No topper. Very cosy!!

 

[slidingaround]

Slept for a week in the alps last March. Even had 20cm snow one night. Slept in the roof with the heating in low. No topper. Very cosy!!

Wow, good to know

 

[5i1ver8ack]

We use ours throughout the year. No topper. Just very good sleeping bags in the winter, reserving the duvets for the warmer weather. And we rarely use the heater throughout the night, just getting it to come on a couple of hours before we get up.

But it depends on what you're used to. We don't have any heating on at home overnight. We're used to camping in small tents, or no tents.

 

[bvddobb]

[...] Brandrup Iso-top internal liners. They are brilliant, expensive but brilliant. [...] Just fit it once and forget it. No need to get out in the rain and fit someting, just stop and put the roof up.

Borris' last argument is extremely valid! However, there is only so much space under a closed roof: if you have a thicker than standard mattress (like we have), the roof will no longer close properly with the internal liner.

So, for winter camping we have propane gas bottles, we have isolated the back of the cupboards, have a heating carpet on the floor and we have been using our topper in combination with the parking heater at its lowest and the hose contraption to direct hot air to the top tent for years of heavy winter camping, now. All very snug, even on the Polish/Belorussian border or in deep Sweden or in the high Alps, all in December/January.
A special winter sleeping bag is OK but only works during the night (or when you cuddle up in it), our set up keeps the van nice and toasty 24/24, and we just use our summer duvets all year round.

So, you see from this thread: there is no one solution! There is a whole continuum from doing nothing and just use a good sleeping bag, to our somewhat extreme winter set up. Each to his or her liking. So, the best approach is: don't invest too much up front, just try, and add measures incrementally until you are comfortable with your set up, somewhere on this continuum!

 

[slidingaround]

Borris' last argument is extremely valid! However, there is only so much space under a closed roof: if you have a thicker than standard mattress (like we have), the roof will no longer close properly with the internal liner.

So, for winter camping we have propane gas bottles, we have isolated the back of the cupboards, have a heating carpet on the floor and we have been using our topper in combination with the parking heater at its lowest and the hose contraption to direct hot air to the top tent for years of heavy winter camping, now. All very snug, even on the Polish/Belorussian border or in deep Sweden or in the high Alps, all in December/January.
A special winter sleeping bag is OK but only works during the night (or when you cuddle up in it), our set up keeps the van nice and toasty 24/24, and we just use our summer duvets all year round.

So, you see from this thread: there is no one solution! There is a whole continuum from doing nothing and just use a good sleeping bag, to our somewhat extreme winter set up. Each to his or her liking. So, the best approach is: don't invest too much up front, just try, and add measures incrementally until you are comfortable with your set up, somewhere on this continuum!

Thanks, great advice.

 

[MattBW]

I will back up Borris. We have the ISOTOP upstairs, really makes the van very cosy and transforms it in winter, also helps the heat from the heater downstairs stay in the poptop making it work less hard. The normal canvas wicks heat away with even a small breeze. A topper of some kind is a win for us but we love the isotop.

Screen cover also helps and reduces condensation over the standard "curtains".

If you're on hookup then something like a Kampa Diddy or I have a Kampa Cuboid will do the trick without using any diesel. We have the larger cuboid and it kicks out a fair amount of heat. If you don't like fans then a oil filled radiator can be good although we found them good at taking the edge off but not good at making it warm.

 

[Wycoller]

No kids but we always sleep up top all year round. We use the external topper from the club shop. Definitely warms it up and no need to worry about touching the bellows. We use the diesel heater, but on hook up use a small 1kw fan heater. These are invaluable. Much colder upstairs but we leave a heater on very low if below freezing. Warm duvet or sleeping bags essential.

 

[Keith Smith]

We have a single bed electric blanket which we put on an hour before going to bed. We don't run it overnight so it will run from the inverter if we are not on hook-up. Makes an enormous difference getting into a warm bed.

 

[maxandcali]

I will back up Borris. We have the ISOTOP upstairs, really makes the van very cosy and transforms it in winter, also helps the heat from the heater downstairs stay in the poptop making it work less hard.

Do you leave this up when you lower the roof, and if so have you ever had any issues with it folding away? Any reason why you chose this over an external insulater (which I presume protects the bellows from frost etc)?

Thanks!

 

[Calimili]

The HUGE advantage of the Isotop is that it remains permanently there. Nothing to set up, nothing to put away.
I believe people are over concerned with regards to the bellow. This concern seems justified by the experience of people with older models. As far as I understood from 2018 a new , better fabric is used which is really waterproof.
I have a 2019 model, and I can assure you the tent up there is 100% waterproof. After a weekend of 3 days constant and often heavy rain, I had to close the roof while it was still raining. I could only open it to let it dry 4 days later. The mattress was NOT wet or even moist, and even the fabric of the tent itself seemed almost dry.
This is the reason why it is very unlikely that I will ever consider an external protection.

 

[maxandcali]

The HUGE advantage of the Isotop is that it remains permanently there. Nothing to set up, nothing to put away.
I believe people are over concerned with regards to the bellow. This concern seems justified by the experience of people with older models. As far as I understood from 2018 a new , better fabric is used which is really waterproof.
I have a 2019 model, and I can assure you the tent up there is 100% waterproof. After a weekend of 3 days constant and often heavy rain, I had to close the roof while it was still raining. I could only open it to let it dry 4 days later. The mattress was NOT wet or even moist, and even the fabric of the tent itself seemed almost dry.
This is the reason why it is very unlikely that I will ever consider an external protection.

Thanks! How do you think it would be — lowering the roof — if it were to snow or in frosty freezing temperatures overnight?

 

[MattBW]

Do you leave this up when you lower the roof, and if so have you ever had any issues with it folding away? Any reason why you chose this over an external insulater (which I presume protects the bellows from frost etc)?

Thanks!

It's left in permanently, with my Beach it does make folding the roof down a little more involved but nothing significant. We have had to get a bellows bungee (recommended anyway) as we cant see if the roof is folding correctly from inside anymore.

I chose it because it was often reported on here to be the best and a major factor for me was that it wouldn't need storing inside the van when not in use.

I think internal or external they work the same really, they provide an air layer of insulation. The ISOTOP is convenience, fit and forget but at a price, the external ones are best bang for buck but do need storing somewhere in the van when not up. It all comes down to which factors are most important to you I guess.

I have been editing my install video this week to give folks an idea.

 

[Alibee]

We camp regularly in autumn/spring, with either kids or us upstairs, without a topper but never below freezing.

Like some others here we have a 4" flexible hose that I clip to the heater grill and run upstairs. This heats the coolest part of the van overnight and those downstairs benefit from the residual heat. We generally use our home duvets and haven't had any issues with cold.

We went down the heater tube route as it was both cheap and completely/easily removable for summer. Here's hoping the T7 has a variable control to route some of the heater air up top!

 

[maxandcali]

Like some others here we have a 4" flexible hose that I clip to the heater grill and run upstairs. This heats the coolest part of the van overnight and those downstairs benefit from the residual heat. We generally use our home duvets and haven't had any issues with cold.

Do you have a photo of this tube/redirecting set up by any chance please? I'm sure I've seen someone on here post theirs in the past, but for the life of me can't find it now.

 

[Calimili]

Thanks! How do you think it would be — lowering the roof — if it were to snow or in frosty freezing temperatures overnight?

I have no experience yet, but the snow will not stick to the walls of the tent as they are vertical. I don't think a bit of frost with be an issue either, in case I can always give it a gentle shake so some of the thicker ice will fell down.
I certainly wouldn't want to try removing an external cover in the snow and store it wet.

 

[maxandcali]

I certainly wouldn't want to try removing an external cover in the snow and store it wet.

Very good point. Thanks again.

 

[bvddobb]

I have no experience yet, but the snow will not stick to the walls of the tent as they are vertical. I don't think a bit of frost with be an issue either, in case I can always give it a gentle shake so some of the thicker ice will fell down.
I certainly wouldn't want to try removing an external cover in the snow and store it wet.

Well, snow on the tent is not the biggest problem. The scissors completely snowed/iced in and frozen stiff are (here's experience speaking...). Never had that again since our topper.

If the topper or outside windscreen cover are really wet we put them in one of those big blue IKEA bags that we keep folded away in the van specially for such occasions. Just put the bag behind the cabin seats, and drive off. No issue, topper and screen will come on again in the evening to dry (or get wet again...).

 

[Alibee]

Do you have a photo of this tube/redirecting set up by any chance please? I'm sure I've seen someone on here post theirs in the past, but for the life of me can't find it now.

There was a whole thread on it but I can't find it despite numerous searches. Must have been archived off, which is not ideal for trying to find useful content!

Will take some pics next time I'm in the van, perhaps the moderators can find the thread in the meantime?

 

[MattBW]

There was a whole thread on it but I can't find it despite numerous searches. Must have been archived off, which is not ideal for trying to find useful content!

Will take some pics next time I'm in the van, perhaps the moderators can find the thread in the meantime?

Should still be available somewhere, we rarely delete anything.

 

[threetone]

Check post #3 in this thread

 

[Alibee]

Check post #3 in this thread

That'll do the trick, although I was looking for an even longer thread from a couple of years ago.

I used this tubing from this vendor, works well:

Combi Flexible Duct Hydroponic Ventilation Extractor Fan 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" | eBay

Aluminium foil inner layer.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[maxandcali]

Check post #3 in this thread

Ah perfect, thanks.

This is the thread for anyone else: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/heating-upstairs.31650/

 

[Amarillo]

I certainly wouldn't want to try removing an external cover in the snow and store it wet.

Shake it to get the worst of the snow and wet off. Fold into the bag. Stow with the picnic chairs.

We have the roofless topper. I have no direct experience of the full external topper, but looking at the fitting videos it does seem that the roofless topper is easier to fit, and packs smaller so easier to stow with the chairs.