First Night Away

[Blackbrogue1962]

Just back from my first night away in our new Cali picked up from EV in Crawley last week. A complete success and delighted with every aspect of the van. Having driven it home from Scotland last week I had already appreciated what a relaxing and comfortable drive it was. However, cooking and sleeping overnight in Glencoe really opened my eyes to the flexibility of the vehicle as a camper and the opportunities it will provide. I think my standout observations were:
- Despite not having a hook up, the fully charged batteries easily kept everything going through the night.
- My teenage son slept upstairs in the standard poptop. I kept the heating on at Level 2 overnight and both of us were sleeping in 3 season sleeping bags. I was comfortably warm, whereas he needed an extra quilt - though we both slept well.
- The VW comfort mattress was more comfortable than I’d expected, though I think I’ll need a topper before my wife joins me when the weather improves.
- With 2 occupants we managed well without an awning, although a smaller ’porch’ style awning is likely to be an early purchase.
- Condensation was not an issue at all which came as a surprise - possibly due to the ventilation from having the roof elevated.
- Camping in a Cali is fun - all the enjoyment of living in the open but with a guarantee of being warm and dry.

Very grateful for all the advice that I’ve picked up from this forum prior to buying the Cali. Really looking forward to exploring the UK and beyond in the coming years. It’s the perfect retirement present!

 

[lohr500]

We've ordered ours in the same colour . Can't wait for it to arrive.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Level 2 we find is about right for winter camping; that’s with a three year old up top and us below. An insulated wrap helps to normalise the top and bottom temperatures as otherwise the downstairs is significantly warmer than upstairs.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Glad you had such a good first experience! For porch type awning, if you want something quick to deploy, and not a driveaway type, look at something like an Outwell Fallcrest tarp. We use this to cook under, act as a rain shelter, and dry towels off.

 

[chockswahay]

I must be the weird one! Level 2 heat barely keeps the cold away....... we need 6 or 7

 

[ThomasHJ]

I must be the weird one! Level 2 heat barely keeps the cold away....... we need 6 or 7

Hmmm... that doesn't sound right. I'm the type that's always cold and freezing. I'v spend nights in the van at -5c by myself. Slept downstairs with the roof open and still the temparature was warm and cosy with the heater at setting 3 out of 10. Perhaps the heater in the T6.1 difference from the one in the T5.1?

 

[RockinNRollin]

I find level 4 is more appropriate if sitting up on the bench; sleeping bags etc. are more insulating so level 2 is fine when in bed.

 

[chockswahay]

Hmmm... that doesn't sound right. I'm the type that's always cold and freezing. I'v spend nights in the van at -5c by myself. Slept downstairs with the roof open and still the temparature was warm and cosy with the heater at setting 3 out of 10. Perhaps the heater in the T6.1 difference from the one in the T5.1?

Don't get me started!

 

[Hawthorn37]

With a good duvet (PJs, vest and socks), anything above 2 or 3 gets too warm for us when we’re sleeping downstairs. Upstairs, the heater may as well be off, because even at 8 the heat doesn’t seem to rise. A woolly hat is needed sometimes! To keep condensation at bay, we tend to set 2, and crack open one of the front windows depending on wind direction.

 

[PopsEllsDaisMollMegs]

Couple of things from me:

1. I go away for two weeks at a time and don’t use EHU - the battery lasts fine (fridge on the whole time)
2. I camp in the french alps in winter with the heater on level 2 (maximum) - the outside temp can get as low as -10c. Any more than level two and it gets uncomfortably hot whilst sleeping - heating at 6/7 sounds like something is wrong to me.

hope this is helpful.

 

[ParachuteMan]

Ref the awning, you could wind it out about 1m and put guy ropes on. That gives some shelter with not much risk of blowing away - unless its gale force x. I’ve done that on quietish nights.

 

[sidepod]

Any heating, driving, sleeping, at home - “surface of the sun”. Nothing else works.

 

[Musket]

We just got back from Keswick and our first two nighter (did an overnight at a pub when we bought it in November.)

We had an electric hookup so used an 800W fan heater that is very small and was bought on Amazon Black Friday for a ridiculous £7.60. I’m an electrical engineer so stripped it down etc to see if it was safe as the price gives doubt…, seemed so. Tested ok, power was consumed as advertised and it tripped when I knocked it over.

The Cali stayed toasty warm with it and despite the low power its thermostat did keep kicking in, despite the crunchy frosty grass outside.

We did put the awning out, with a weather guy rope as well and so far, so good!

 

[StevoC]

I must be the weird one! Level 2 heat barely keeps the cold away....... we need 6 or 7

Same for us.

 

[Musket]

We tried out our new Cali when we collected it in late November and found that 2 on the heater was fine with outside temperature giving a slight frost that night.

A few weeks ago, early January we went to the lakes for two nights. I’d bought a small 800W fan heater for using with hook ups. It was only a no name Amazon jobby but being an electrician originally, I did test it etc and was happy.

Very happy. Just a small fan heater on half power and we were toasty. Heavy frosts outside too.

 

[Roger Boeken]

I must be the weird one! Level 2 heat barely keeps the cold away....... we need 6 or 7

We never ever kept heating on overnight even at temperatures as low as -5°C.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Typically we have either the diesel heater or a small Kampa electric heater on until bedtime, then switch off the heating until morning. Heat doesn’t get up to the pop top (and we don’t fancy the ducting gadgets) and downstairs we are warm enough in duvets (and maybe a woolly hat!). We also crack open the drivers window. It keeps the condensation down. It’s fun being self sufficient when it goes sub zero outside !

 

[scottk]

I made up the ducting for ours and it works well. Store it in the small drawer under the bench and only for winter when not on hookup. We have 2 duvets - a 10 tog and a 4 tog. Use the 10 tog when cooler and put the 4 tog under and vice versa for summer. Option to use both if it’s really cold.

 

[Blackbrogue1962]

Just back from another couple of nights away in Deeside. Slept in the pop top with outside temp around 2-3C and heater left on at 2 down below. My sense was that the heat coming up from below took the edge off the cooler tent-like environment of the pop top. I was certainly warm and comfortable in my Alpkit Pipedream 400 3 season sleeping bag. While I have no experience of the older bellows, I was surprised by how much light was kept out by the much commented upon new bellows canvas (I have the 04S). I also appreciated the ventilation in the pop top and the more comfortable bed/mattress. I’m waiting for a 58cm Duvalay topper to compliment the one we bought for my wife who sleeps downstairs, but suspect I only really need it on the downstairs mattress. Continue to be really impressed by the Cali and absolutely no regrets at all with a slightly impetuous purchase!

 

[Hawthorn37]

Just back from another couple of nights away in Deeside. Slept in the pop top with outside temp around 2-3C and heater left on at 2 down below. My sense was that the heat coming up from below took the edge off the cooler tent-like environment of the pop top. I was certainly warm and comfortable in my Alpkit Pipedream 400 3 season sleeping bag. While I have no experience of the older bellows, I was surprised by how much light was kept out by the much commented upon new bellows canvas (I have the 04S). I also appreciated the ventilation in the pop top and the more comfortable bed/mattress. I’m waiting for a 58cm Duvalay topper to compliment the one we bought for my wife who sleeps downstairs, but suspect I only really need it on the downstairs mattress. Continue to be really impressed by the Cali and absolutely no regrets at all with a slightly impetuous purchase!

We use duvalays upstairs and downstairs. Both add to the comfort and fit both situations

 

[RockinNRollin]

We wouldn't bother leaving the heating on if it was just us, but with a 3 year old in the pop-top who has a tendency to cast off his sleeping back at 3am, it means we all can sleep better! Level 2 will yield a consistent 16 deg C or so near the front of the bellows (where I hung my bluetooth datalogging thermometer), even if it's below zero outside. As per my previous post, there's a big difference between what's comfortable in bed and what's comfortable sat on the seat. Level 5 gets the van very toasty, the higher levels must be for reptiles.

 

[CamperFam]

We wouldn't bother leaving the heating on if it was just us, but with a 3 year old in the pop-top who has a tendency to cast off his sleeping back at 3am, it means we all can sleep better! Level 2 will yield a consistent 16 deg C or so near the front of the bellows (where I hung my bluetooth datalogging thermometer), even if it's below zero outside. As per my previous post, there's a big difference between what's comfortable in bed and what's comfortable sat on the seat. Level 5 gets the van very toasty, the higher levels must be for reptiles.

Your kid actually sleeps up there?! I've been trying for years with no luck! The kids are determined to sleep downstairs with Mum; meaning I have a bed all to myself, and she's wedged between them on the smaller downstairs bed

 

[RockinNRollin]

Your kid actually sleeps up there?! I've been trying for years with no luck! The kids are determined to sleep downstairs with Mum; meaning I have a bed all to myself, and she's wedged between them on the smaller downstairs bed

He's a bit of a Tasmanian devil for the first night away anywhere, but usually after 30 minutes of patience testing he settles down. Yes, we're lucky I know! The only thing is when he wakes up at 6am, we have to get up too otherwise risk him attempting to climb over the net himself . . . which wouldn't end well.

 

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

We just got back from Keswick and our first two nighter (did an overnight at a pub when we bought it in November.)

We had an electric hookup so used an 800W fan heater that is very small and was bought on Amazon Black Friday for a ridiculous £7.60. I’m an electrical engineer so stripped it down etc to see if it was safe as the price gives doubt…, seemed so. Tested ok, power was consumed as advertised and it tripped when I knocked it over.

The Cali stayed toasty warm with it and despite the low power its thermostat did keep kicking in, despite the crunchy frosty grass outside.

We did put the awning out, with a weather guy rope as well and so far, so good!

Do you have a link to that heater ?

Thx,
Stefan.

 

[roblpmedinburgh]

View attachment 118030
Just back from my first night away in our new Cali picked up from EV in Crawley last week. A complete success and delighted with every aspect of the van. Having driven it home from Scotland last week I had already appreciated what a relaxing and comfortable drive it was. However, cooking and sleeping overnight in Glencoe really opened my eyes to the flexibility of the vehicle as a camper and the opportunities it will provide. I think my standout observations were:
- Despite not having a hook up, the fully charged batteries easily kept everything going through the night.
- My teenage son slept upstairs in the standard poptop. I kept the heating on at Level 2 overnight and both of us were sleeping in 3 season sleeping bags. I was comfortably warm, whereas he needed an extra quilt - though we both slept well.
- The VW comfort mattress was more comfortable than I’d expected, though I think I’ll need a topper before my wife joins me when the weather improves.
- With 2 occupants we managed well without an awning, although a smaller ’porch’ style awning is likely to be an early purchase.
- Condensation was not an issue at all which came as a surprise - possibly due to the ventilation from having the roof elevated.
- Camping in a Cali is fun - all the enjoyment of living in the open but with a guarantee of being warm and dry.

Very grateful for all the advice that I’ve picked up from this forum prior to buying the Cali. Really looking forward to exploring the UK and beyond in the coming years. It’s the perfect retirement present!

Level 2????!!! There is some German guy who did tests for the temperature. I think 5 is 19 degrees. Then again I was thinking of going in my new beach with my 20-year-old son. Maybe I will try him at level 1 upstairs!!