Your Winter camping tips?

[WelshGas]

I also use these for ventilation and security.

 

[kave]

I also use these for ventilation and security.

View attachment 114903

Bought and tried them but way too little ventilation for us so I sold them and bought two for the mid side windows instead.

 

[66tim99]

View attachment 114902

different version t6 and t 6.1

Regenprotector schuifraam links T6.1 - VW Campershop

Regenprotector voor de schuifraam van de California T6.1

vwcampershop.nl

Thanks. Do you use one (or two?) and are happy with it/them?
Does it fit like the fly screen?

 

[Kemper-van]

On our Beach with one leisure battery the heater can run for two days, fridge usually more than cool without beeing on so only heater and smartphones require energy.

wow, heater on for 2 days with the single beach leisure battery? Impressive! I only manage 1 night with my Beach leisure battery, even when new.
Would have loved to keep it on longer, but after 1 night it always indicates “low battery”. The only other electricity ise is charging smartphone & compressor fridge.

 

[ejmoore]

For me the correct sleeping bag for the season is the most important. A good 4/5 season bag makes life nice and toasty. My suggestion would be something like the Alpkit Skyehigh 900. Warm down to -11c. It means having the right sleeping bag for the season. One bag will obviously not be suitable for all temperatures. I have 3 different bags for various seasons/conditions.

We use good-quality 3-season down sleeping bags, and take a lightweight duvet to put over the top if it's very cold. We always sleep in the pop-top, so no need for extra ventilation! We have an external cover (Calicap Mütze) that keeps the wind/rain/snow(!) off if necessary, but it doesn't do much for insulation by c 05:00 when the temperature has generally equalised with outside. We camp all winter, but we've only once left the heater on overnight - that was in a ski resort, and we were nice & toasty. Usually a hoody & warm leggings, and a hot water bottle, are enough, with a good sleeping bag.

 

[Roger Boeken]

Thanks. Do you use one (or two?) and are happy with it/them?
Does it fit like the fly screen?

Very thight fit, we made fly screen ourselves on inside with some velcro strips . You cannot close side window completely when installed. We only have left side sliding window. Good ventilation, in all weather conditions.

 

[Pitstop Penny]

We have just had a couple of days in the van with night temps down to freezing point. We have a Polar Technologies pop top cover and windscreen cover, these worked well but still a few concerns (in no particular order). This led me to thinking what experience/ advice to others have?

With nice thick duvet we were plenty warm during the night without heating on but cold nose n ears.

In the morning there was a fair amount of condensation on the plastic section of the roof above us. Also condensation alone the bed frame sides and the roof section of the hinge end. Anyone else get this? How do you deal with it?

The windscreen cover stopped all condensation and made it more comfortable to sit in the pax seat without cold draughts. Also we could have the windows cracked open a little bit more (50mm or so)

How do YOU remove condensation? we use a micro fibre cloth but tbh it tends to splash more water around than it removes haha. I’m wondering about one of those portable glass vacuum cleaners?

It was cold enough that when I tried to open the kitchen window it was frozen solid, the condensation on the glass was ice too.

I have tried leaving the heating on but either too noisy or starts to run batteries down a bit quick. I wonder if the heating would be best left on minimum to keep chill out but stop cycling on and off all night?

When opening the cupboards under the sink/cooker ……. Crikey, cold air came out!

None of this is a real issue, 1st world problems I s’pose. I just I’d start the thread topic as it’s getting colder out now.

Of course…….just realised the answer is probably NOT to camping in the winter……. but we can’t help ourselves!

We’ve camped in minus three and just keep the diesel heater running, and sleep downstairs. I love it! Love a winter camping trip. With a cosy pub nearby.

It’s the damp conditions I struggle with. Where to hang and dry wet clothes? Where to put muddy boots? How to dry it all? It drives me insane and has me dreaming of living in warmer climes.

I do love a cold, crisp winter camp though.

 

[apreading]

This is really good - lots of ventilation and built in bug screen. The metal feels secure enough to leave van parked with it in too. Its really expensive though: https://www.cmccampershop.co.uk/product-page/vw-t5-t6-t6-1-sliding-window-vent-factory-glass-only

We just have one on kitchen side as its in perfect place to vent steam from the kettle as well.

 

[66tim99]

This is really good - lots of ventilation and built in bug screen. The metal feels secure enough to leave van parked with it in too. Its really expensive though: https://www.cmccampershop.co.uk/product-page/vw-t5-t6-t6-1-sliding-window-vent-factory-glass-only

We just have one on kitchen side as its in perfect place to vent steam from the kettle as well.

An alternative for less than half price
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/your-winter-camping-tips.47220/post-664909

 

[apreading]

An alternative for less than half price
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/your-winter-camping-tips.47220/post-664909

Alot smaller/less vents and from what I read above, no built in bug screen though. And looks like plastic so not as secure if leaving the van presumably?

 

[66tim99]

Alot smaller/less vents and from what I read above, no built in bug screen though. And looks like plastic so not as secure if leaving the van presumably?

Yes to all that, but does let more light in. I have thought something like these could be useful, when cooking in the van in the rain. But in the end I can crack the cab windows and use the ventilate function in the rain, even if I'm out. If not raining of course I can use the fly screens and just open the window.
In the end I wonder if they are a solution looking for a problem.

 

[apreading]

Yes to all that, but does let more light in. I have thought something like these could be useful, when cooking in the van in the rain. But in the end I can crack the cab windows and use the ventilate function in the rain, even if I'm out. If not raining of course I can use the fly screens and just open the window.
In the end I wonder if they are a solution looking for a problem.

I like that mine blocks some light, because I dont want to put the blinds down on that window otherwise it would block the vents. The window to the left is slightly obscured too from the outside because it has two layers of glass covering it with the slider fully open. I can further block visibility from the part not covered by the vent if I have the glass cover for the cooker open also, but rarely do when not cooking.

Do you have wind deflectors on the front windows? I have thought about them, so that I could crack the front windows also, but since I had one of these side vents I have never had condensation yet.

Before I had it, demisting the front windscreen in the morning would take literally FOREVER...!

For the record, many of the nights I sleep off grid and with the top down. With top up, I would imagine condensation is not much of an issue.

 

[66tim99]

Do you have wind deflectors on the front windows?

Yes I had them fitted from new by the dealer. They are useful, but do get obscured by my windscreen cover, so suppose aren't fantastic at ventilating at night. As you, I don't suffer from condensation, but we do have the top up often. I think if I was off grid more, especially park4night pub car parks, I think your metal version would be the choice, but if I was on campsites, cooking in the rain I think I'd go for the perspex and close the blinds at night - you'd still get some airflow except on very hot nights.

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

I’ve recently been using a mattress pad heater that uses my inverter and is max 50 watts at max power. It averages about 25 watts. Works great for me if I don’t want to use the diesel heater.


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