First camp this weekend..... and...

[CaliGem]

..... this ️


Any advice much welcome. Also, how much wind will be ok for the pop top?

TIA

 

[Amarillo]

300 + nights in the Cali and never felt the need to close the pop top in high winds.

Force four and above you will need to guy your wind out awning (good idea anyway)

Force five and above you will be wanting to wind in your wind out awning

Force six and above and any driveaway awning will need to be packed away.

I expect the pop top would be perfectly safe up to force ten.

 

[T6 CFO]

..... this ️


Any advice much welcome. Also, how much wind will be ok for the pop top?

TIA

View attachment 44016

Dropped mine once when I was expecting high winds and made for a more peaceful nights kip. In any case rear end facing the wind , the pointy bit


Mike

 

[DrJuanKerr]

I've camped in Snowdon when the gales were so strong it was hard to walk in a straight line. Apart from the bang-bang-bang of the canvas hitting the pop roof framework I felt safe. The roof was fine in the morning

 

[Velma's Dad]

It can feel a bit unsettling and noisy being up on the top bed on a windy night, with the buffeting. So if you'e unsure, you could make up the downstairs bed so you can de-camp in the middle of the night if you decide you want to, without shunting stuff around in the dark. (But obviously be hugely careful when dropping the pop-top in any kind of wind to avoid getting canvas caught in the mechanism.)

 

[CaliGem]

I have the bungee cord which I'm sure will help too in that case. The only problem is that there are three of us so it may end up cozy downstairs

 

[pjm-84]

Dropped mine only once due to a midge invasion.

 

[GrannyJen]

Dropped mine in Scotland 2015. Didn't fancy it in 90mph + winds

Normally if it's not forecast above 50mph I'm happy.

 

[TripleBee]

As for wind, it can take some beauforts. As for rain, when it keeps raining with hard wind, the rain might come through the canvas (if you have the T5). Don't know about the new T6 tents. It looks more like "plastic", so it might be more waterproof.
If you care about water coming through the canvas, buy a roof cover, but that will make more noise with heavier wind, but also keep the wind from entering in the top.

 

[Perfectos]

Advice: get out and enjoy what ever is thrown at you, not heard of a Cali parting with its roof yet !

 

[TripleBee]

Just go camping and find out what suits you best.
You can ask advice, but in the end it is all up to you.
We are not going to say what you must and must not do, we only say how we do it.

 

[Taff Tenor]

Great advice guys as 40 mph and heavy rain planned in the Peak District tomorrow so hopefully if the pointy end can be orientated well enough, we’ll be OK

Taff T

 

[Perfectos]

Funny thing wind has a tendacy to move !

Prepare, prepare and enjoy whatever, learn, repeat ( with learning applied) repeat

 

[DrJuanKerr]

... drink copious amounts of wine. You wont have a care in the world

 

[Wobble’s Mum]

You’ll be fine. We’ve dropped the roof a couple of times in Scotland, but to be honest I’m sure it would have been fine.

It’s noisy, so best to kip downstairs and drop it if you’d struggle to sleep.

Try to put the back of the van into the wind if you can.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Taff Tenor]

I’ll have a topper on so dropping it at 3 am in a gale doesn’t appear to be an option .....wine though?

 

[TripleBee]

Wine or beer, doesn't matter, you can stay put and wait till you are sober again enough to drive.
If you drank too much and got in your 'normal' car they can arrest you, but if you get into your California, what can they do? You are not going to drive, but sleep?
Anyone had this experience yet?

 

[Blue Juice]

Wine or beer, doesn't matter, you can stay put and wait till you are sober again enough to drive.
If you drank too much and got in your 'normal' car they can arrest you, but if you get into your California, what can they do? You are not going to drive, but sleep?
Anyone had this experience yet?

Have the seats turned round so there is no doubt you are camped up and not about to drive off. Common sense officers will know there is no intent.

 

[Perfectos]

Just make sure your so drunk you cant answer any of the police questions !
(Joking)

 

[Bonnie]

Hi,

I dont actually drink but I shall keep an empty wine bottle handy so I can say Ive drank it if I get asked to move.

 

[TripleBee]

Hi,

I dont actually drink but I shall keep an empty wine bottle handy so I can say Ive drank it if I get asked to move.

Then just make sure you are parked somewhere you may sleep overnight.

 

[Taff Tenor]

You’ll be fine. We’ve dropped the roof a couple of times in Scotland, but to be honest I’m sure it would have been fine.

It’s noisy, so best to kip downstairs and drop it if you’d struggle to sleep.

Try to put the back of the van into the wind if you can.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Bloody awful weather with non-stop rain and 50 mph winds up in the Peak District last weekend but worth the effort. Put the pointy end into the wind (several times as the wind changed from WSW-W-WNW) and had the awning up with ropes attached and anchored but bottled it at around 40 mph as that appeared to be the limit. We slept up top and sure 'Herman' rocked and rolled a bit but with the help of a decent red and some ear plugs, all was well in the end. Roll on summer (please).