Winter camping accessories

[SimonB]

If you are on a campsite and have an EHU then a small electric heater is a good idea https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/kampa-diddy-ceramic-fan-750w-1500w-heater-me0524 Why use your diesel on the van heater, use one of these instead. You are paying for the electricity you might as well use it.
Use the van heater to get the whole van hot enough and then use the electric one to keep it at a comfortable temperature afterwards.

 

[davidgmo]

I have just bought a 1 metre long MYLEK 1/1.5kw silent convector skirting board heater which has a nice digital temp display and timer cut-off and low, medium and high settings. And it has a remote control too.

It will actually fit under the bed on the cabinet side but may make the bed too warm so I will either position it ontop of the fridge/cooker or between the seats. Alternatively maybe with the top up align it along the front of the front seats when turned round so that it also heats directly up through the pop up hatch? At least for travelling it will store under the bed alongside the cabinets easily.

Have tried it in the house and it keeps a room toasty warm and cycles on and off to maintain temp

Interestingly I found Amazon was £20 more than the price I found here:

MYLEK Low Height Remote Control Electric Baseboard Skirting Heater

The Ideal Heater for Conservatories Keep cosy in any part of your home while reducing your heating bills with this slimline baseboard heater! Ideal for...

www.hygienesuppliesdirect.com

 

[mojo doug]

What are the must have accessories fro your winter in snow camping with your Cali?

Please share links of the products

General Grabber AT3 tyres

 

[Julesa]

I agree

asking me to measure my standard pop top is a deal breaker for me

Apparently the pop tops are made elsewhere so there are variations. I would recommend waiting for a VW show where Rainbow are exhibiting & they measure the van for you

 

[Highlands]

If you are on a campsite and have an EHU then a small electric heater is a good idea https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/kampa-diddy-ceramic-fan-750w-1500w-heater-me0524 Why use your diesel on the van heater, use one of these instead. You are paying for the electricity you might as well use it.
Use the van heater to get the whole van hot enough and then use the electric one to keep it at a comfortable temperature afterwards.

Just picked this oil heater up from Home Bargains. Cheap as chips at £14.99

Daewoo 800w Mini Oil Filled Radiator small compact portable heater

Daewoo 800w Mini Oil Filled Radiator at Home Bargains

www.homebargains.co.uk

 

[Craig Morrison]

it's funny to read that no1 has recommended the heater snorkel for the top bed

Is there an actual one you can buy that doesn’t cost the same as an Ocean? Iv made one myself using tumble dryer vent hose but not the best

 

[Sunstoner]

Apparently the pop tops are made elsewhere so there are variations. I would recommend waiting for a VW show where Rainbow are exhibiting & they measure the van for you

I drove down to their base in Milton Keynes to have them measure up just to be sure.

As above, poptops arent standard size.

Whilst there the owner had said that poptops can be out by upto 6cm hence why measurements are needed for the snug fitting poptop cover.

 

[66tim99]

Dehler DFN - das Feuernetz (mobile Feuerstelle)

Dehler DFN - das Feuernetz (mobile Feuerstelle) Unser Feuernetz ist eine tragbare Feuerstelle und eine brandneue Möglichkeit ein Feuer vom Boden entfernt zu betreiben. Darunter liegender Rasen wird meist nicht beeinträchtigt,...

www.spezial-depot.de

This looks great, to enable a fire anywhere. For Brits they are available for £13 here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B4F9VDZ/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

 

[Baldrick]

Brandrup Isotop poptop internal insulation. A bit of a nightmare to fit mind, but keeps it warmer in winter, cooler in the summer. We don't regret the purchase despite the the eye watering price tag.
There's about 5 different versions btw

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

 

[Baldrick]

Is there an actual one you can buy that doesn’t cost the same as an Ocean? Iv made one myself using tumble dryer vent hose but not the best

£7 mini hose from Amazon. Fitted using a recommendation from somewhere else on the forum - small enough to keep in the ‘Van, easy to fit, just bend the bottom round until it’s snug

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QNZZRP7/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_p6PUFb87Q5AF6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Heating upstairs

Toppers are great for improving the heat loss upstairs. We have a Pucer cover and love it in winter, having used below zero Celsius. Nevertheless, there can still be quite a significant heat imbalance between upstairs and downstairs when running the overnight heater. This only matters if you’re...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thread and pictures here

 

[sapto]

What are the must have accessories fro your winter in snow camping with your Cali?

Please share links of the products

And now please give us some hints where you're going [mention]ddgp [/mention] ? Sound like you're going to do some adventures and I for sure look forward to see some pics

 

[LCD]

I agree

asking me to measure my standard pop top is a deal breaker for me

I measured mine last weekend (ok that was an honest attempt at least). It's
very awkward, especially the roof length as it needs to be low enough for you to reach. I am too wondering how specifying the exact model is not enough

 

[Sunstoner]

I measured mine last weekend (ok that was an honest attempt at least). It's
very awkward, especially the roof length as it needs to be low enough for you to reach. I am too wondering how specifying the exact model is not enough

The measurements are needed because the poptops on Cali's are not the same size. They have different measurements. They vary very slightly but enough so that measurements are needed. As odd as that is to get ones head around.

 

[Highlands]

Decided not to bother with that faff and ordered a Pucer screen at less than half the price

 

[LCD]

The measurements are needed because the poptops on Cali's are not the same size. They have different measurements. They vary very slightly but enough so that measurements are needed. As odd as that is to get ones head around.

I get it, i really do. But I am pretty sure my 'performed measurement' will off by few cm at least. Fingers crossed the cover won't be too small.

 

[andrejab1]

We have a poptop cover, however we prefer to sleep downstairs in winter (since we use a thule case on the roof for skis, poles and ski boots. We sleep in parkinglots of lifts (sometimes you can use the toilets there, otherwise a shovel and forest do the trick) or just random parkinglots.
We take water for cooking and drinking in large jugs, it does not freeze, but if really low temperatures were forecast we'd store it in the cooler In which case I'm not sure we'd be able to use the gas cooker either...

What I find very useful - and haven't seen it mentioned above - is the insulating panels we have cut from the insulating silver thermal roll, which we slide behind all of the blinds. It's amazing how much heat you retain using those. Cheap and very effective.

 

[Azteccamper]

Apart from the van, for personal use everything Merino or silk....

Base layers, first layers and mid layers .... me personally it's all merino, then down jacket over the top...

Merino hat, or skull cap for beneath a helmet,

Slik scarf, silk lined gloves, double layer merino socks.

I do not like synthetic fabrics next to the skin, nothing breathes quite like natural fibres, not even coolmax, and nothing self-regulates quite like merino. My only requirement is animal welfare, non-mulesing wool. I find the van can be draughty places with lots of temperature gradients from downstairs snug under bed, a great arctic chill when the bed is lifted and then the trek outside if using campsite facilities ....

Try www.sportpursuit.com for some good merino deals.

 

[Sunstoner]

I get it, i really do. But I am pretty sure my 'performed measurement' will off by few cm at least. Fingers crossed the cover won't be too small.

This is how I felt about it too so thought as its only a couple of hours away Id drive down and get them to do it. That way I know its spot on.

Hopefully yours will do the job fine too!

 

[LCD]

This is how I felt about it too so thought as its only a couple of hours away Id drive down and get them to do it. That way I know its spot on.

Hopefully yours will do the job fine too!

Lucky you

 

[Sunstoner]

Lucky you

Indeed

 

[Elly Swanson]

I measured mine last weekend (ok that was an honest attempt at least). It's
very awkward, especially the roof length as it needs to be low enough for you to reach. I am too wondering how specifying the exact model is not enough

There can be quite a lot of difference between vehicles, even within the same models and you wouldn’t want even a couple of cm canvas exposed to get wet. I agree though, it’s very difficult to measure it.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Decided not to bother with that faff and ordered a Pucer screen at less than half the price

That’s my thinking too. We have an internal isotop, which is great but think maybe a pucer will give an extra bit of insulation/protection:

1. to keep the van cooler in summer, reflecting the sun
2. to keep rain off the canvas
3. to give a bit of extra heat retention in really cold conditions

shame it doesn’t have windows.