Pop-up bed in windy conditions

[Lifeinavan]

Hey all, currently spending my first weekend out in my new cali and the weather is going to be quite windy tonight. How's the pop-up bed in those conditions? Any chance it might break?

 

[Archie]

Looking at the forecast tonight I'd sleep downstairs with the roof down if you can.
The electric roofs are pretty sturdy especially if you point the low end into the wind, but it can be very noisy (especially with a roof cap) and the fabric will no doubt get soaked as well if there is rain with the wind.
I haven't heard of any actually breaking in strong wind but others may be able to advise of their own horror stories!

 

[Hotel California]

The bed is ok , the roof can take up to 100 km/h wind but cathing sleep is very hard with the roof up . The canvas flaps in the wind makes it hard yo sleep . If windy we close the roof afther dinner and sleep downstaires

 

[briwy]

Take it down if it's really windy and be careful.
We lowered our roof the other night after the wind got up sideways on to the van and despite having the bungee cord on the strengthening rib folded outwards instead of inwards and was trapped in the rear pantograph and the passenger side didn't lower fully. As it was dark we didn't see this until the morning. Fortunatley no damage and we raised the roof fully and lowered it again OK.

 

[MattBW]

Im also in the closed brigade, I've had broken hinges on my old camper in high winds, best bet is to keep it down for safety and for a quieter night.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Is it worse than sleeping in a tent in same conditions?

 

[barry]

We've slept upstairs in very strong winds indeed a few times - with the wagon's bum to the wind.
We've had no structural damage but quite a bit of rocking and rolling.
The noise has been very high and much worse than in a tent in similar conditions.
Principally because of the flapping of the canvas against the bars.

Once outside York, once on Skye (Kinloch, Dunvegan), once Outer Hebrides (Horgabost, Harris) and once Summer Isles (Port A Bhaigh). The last three were in strong Atlantic west-coast gales and not really unexpected. The first one was totally unexpected and damaged a lot of stuff around York, November 2010.

Ear plugs would be the solution I guess!

 

[DM]

We slept upstairs last night in Yorkshire in a fairly strong wind - forecast was 40mph. We made sure the tail was in to the wind. I was very impressed. The new canvas is very taught and there was very little noise. I guess the canvas will stretch in time and it will probably be a bit noisier. Also no fear taking the roof down. I've got a bellows bungee which kept it under control.

 

[Freeley]

I'm a pretty heavy sleeper but can't sleep at all up there when it's windy. Partly because of the noise and also because I worry about potential damage - for some reason it always sounds worse then it actually is.
It's a real faff having to retreat downstairs in the middle of the night so we always keep an eye on the weather forecast and plan accordingly.

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[GrannyJen]

The roof is quite sturdy in high winds,

My nerves are not.

If I know it is going to be very windy, over 50mph, then I sleep downstairs and dependent on the forecast also lower the roof. I do this because for me the most hazardous moments are not with it being windy with roof up but lowering the roof in strong winds.

 

[kave]

So, when first glass of wine have been consumed I explain to my kids they have to sleep sitting, or outside in a small tent instead of in the Cali?

 

[Freeley]

Yep though if I had kids I'd probably make them do that anyway. Toughen them up from the beginning!

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[GrannyJen]

So, when first glass of wine have been consumed I explain to my kids they have to sleep sitting, or outside in a small tent instead of in the Cali?

The spartans just used to throw their kids a blanket and told them to sleep outside.

We spoil them too much these days

I threw my kids two blankets.

 

[Alfokla]

So, when first glass of wine have been consumed I explain to my kids they have to sleep sitting, or outside in a small tent instead of in the Cali?

As I travel mostly alone so I have no experience with that.

But I read in the French California forum a very charming holiday diary from criticakouatique of their family trip to Island. For those who read/understand French I can heighly recomend it (a few hours of pleasant reading with beautiful pictures) : http://www.t5calif.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4649
3 children: the youngest (5) sleeps on a stretcher above the front seats, the other (9 and 11) in the roof. During the Island trip they had to lower the roof for several nights due to the wind. Then the doughter (9) sleeps with the parents in the bed downstairs and the eldest on the floor in front of the bed.
So apparantly it is all possible in a Cali....

 

[CaliAdventure]

We had the roof raised for cooking this w/e and then lowered it to sleep downstairs...I think It probably sounded worse than it was but we knew we wouldn't sleep without worrying. The rocking was a bit disconcerting too so all in all down felt a better decision. We made sure we were bum to the wind so to speak otherwise it's like the wind hitting a great big sail!!

Sleeping downstairs was interesting though...flipping uncomfortable (although the dog loved curling up with us).

CJ

 

[ejmoore]

Three nights in the Isle of Wight last weekend, the windiest place in the country! First night, not too bad, slept up top. Second night much more windy, put the roof up but slept downstairs, ok but very noisy. Third night (Sunday), extremely high winds forecast, and 106mph gusts at the Needles (near where we were camping), didn't dare put the roof up at all, slept downstairs, very noisy and van blowing about all night. I was also woken up by a larger motorhome nearby having to turn round (with headlights on) to face into the wind.
However, last year in the Isle of Man it was very windy (though not hurricane force) and we slept up top every night, with a wrap-around* on, and it was fine. Didn't fancy struggling to put it on in a high wind though - it was tricky enough in a breeze.

 

[Trailertrash]

Hey all, currently spending my first weekend out in my new cali and the weather is going to be quite windy tonight. How's the pop-up bed in those conditions? Any chance it might break?

I could have written this post...... We took delivery and went straight to Tintagel where 65KPH winds were forecast. Download the BBC weather forecast ap...on your mobile. It will give you accurate forecasts and wind speeds. Do not risk it at anything approaching 60KPH. It is not worth the risk.

 

[shudycamps]

Ahree

We slept upstairs last night in Yorkshire in a fairly strong wind - forecast was 40mph. We made sure the tail was in to the wind. I was very impressed. The new canvas is very taught and there was very little noise. I guess the canvas will stretch in time and it will probably be a bit noisier. Also no fear taking the roof down. I've got a bellows bungee which kept it under control.

Agree, we just spent an over night in Tournon, France with 40mph wind and admit to trembling finger on lowering of the roof. The husband stood outside and watched to make sure everything looked ok. Lowered fine and big sigh of relief.

 

[shudycamps]

As we are on roof lowering subject, aside from fitted sheet on mattress, how thick of an extra topper could be laid on top of mattress and still lower the roof? 4mm?

 

[road-runner]

I can close my 2k6 t5 california comfortline pop up roof with a 3mm thick comforter, dunno if this info may help you.

 

[shudycamps]

I can close my 2k6 t5 california comfortline pop up roof with a 3mm thick comforter, dunno if this info may help you.

Thanks Road Runner. I think I might be brave enough to try it now.

 

[Skylark2.0]

We've braved a lot of high winds.
We have a tall teenager with us so we need to use the pop up.
We've done 70 mph gusts but the storm on Islay last summer was outrageous.
Constant winds at 80 mph and horizontal rain (blew straight through my high quality cagoul).
We got the roof down with one 6 footer on each side holding the fabric in. We tried to squeeze the van in behind the toilet block but didn't make any difference to the wind so drove off to find a b&b which saved our bacon.
Scene of devastation the next morning at the
Glad we bailed....

 

[GrannyJen]

We've braved a lot of high winds.
We have a tall teenager with us so we need to use the pop up.
We've done 70 mph gusts but the storm on Islay last summer was outrageous.
Constant winds at 80 mph and horizontal rain (blew straight through my high quality cagoul).
We got the roof down with one 6 footer on each side holding the fabric in. We tried to squeeze the van in behind the toilet block but didn't make any difference to the wind so drove off to find a b&b which saved our bacon.
Scene of devastation the next morning at the
Glad we bailed....

I had high winds in Scotland in January and February 2015 and had to sleep with the roof down. I can only imagine what it must have been like with it raised. I think I would need to be on valium for the next 6 months.

Sounds like a monumental experience.

 

[Skylark2.0]

I had high winds in Scotland in January and February 2015 and had to sleep with the roof down. I can only imagine what it must have been like with it raised. I think I would need to be on valium for the next 6 months.

Sounds like a monumental experience.

We were so glad to escape from the wind and rain when we finally found a b&b that would take us. It felt like luxury and a huge relief to have escaped the storm. We're lucky a kind lady helped us out by ringing around other land ladies for us while I dripped all over her kitchen floor...

 

[DM]

We were so glad to escape from the wind and rain when we finally found a b&b that would take us. It felt like luxury and a huge relief to have escaped the storm. We're lucky a kind lady helped us out by ringing around other land ladies for us while I dripped all over her kitchen floor...

Hebridean hospitality Can't wait to get up their with our van.