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Freeway_Flyer_0's avatar
Jan 22, 2020

4 season camping

Helping my daughter look for a trailer. Looking for a true 4 season unit. We went to the RV show last weekend in Tacoma, and she is impressed with the Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV. Intended use will be the Washington Coast in the winter, and also at the local ski areas, in addition to the usual better weather camping. She can buy new, but I have suggested she look for a used unit. The 2020 Arctic Fox 25W is her current favorite. Whatever she ends up with, she would like to keep the overall under 30 ft. Can you folks suggest any other brands or lines to check out?
  • MFL wrote:
    The brands you looked at are likely best choices for her intended use...Jerry


    I've never owned a 4 season RV, but my lengthy research into them tells me Jerry is right. fwiw, of course.
    Let us know what she gets and what she thinks of it after a winter of use!
  • Definitely check out Arctic Fox by Northwood Mfg., in La Grande, Or. They have been making 4 season RV's for years.
  • If price is not a concern, and since you're in the northwest, you may want to check out Bigfoot. I think they are a step above the others mentioned. I finally got to look at one first hand last week. VERY well built and stout. And very ready for extreme weather.
  • Escape trailers Chilliwack BC - 4 NW season capable. (going to rain, light rain, wet rain, wet snow).
    Talked to an owner last week. They had used theirs which was spec’d for cold weather at -10F no freezes.
  • Winnebago also now makes a line of trailers with 4 season capabilities. I’ve liked what I’ve seen in that line as well and would suggest she look at those too.
  • Dick_B wrote:
    IMHO there is no such thing as a 4-season camper, ie. one that can be used in the dead of winter. It's not a house.
    One option might be to buy a 3-season camper and rent a cabin for the really cold times and locations.


    Dick, the weather is different here in the winter than in IL. Way warmer in the areas that the OP is talking about.
    All the coastal areas are rarely below freezing in the winter. Weather hovers in the 40s most of the time. And the Cascades at the ski areas are only just enough colder typically to turn the rain into snow.
    In all my winter mountain outings in the Cascades in the last 8 years, we ski and snowmobile, I can think of 2 "cold" days, like zero or single digits in the morning and far more days where the snow turned to rain or vice versa during the day. RVing at the ski hills or snowparks is fairly common and popular out here due to the generally mild temperatures.
  • IMHO there is no such thing as a 4-season camper, ie. one that can be used in the dead of winter. It's not a house.
    One option might be to buy a 3-season camper and rent a cabin for the really cold times and locations.
  • The brands you looked at are likely best choices for her intended use, but I've no experience with them. My FW is a 4 season, but in reality, I'd not want to use it much below 20 degrees, for an extended time. Mine is well insulated, with good plumbing protection. IMO, no matter the model, keeping warm is not as big an issue, as moisture control. An experienced Winter camper, willing to go to the trouble, can likely do this. I think it may work for her along the coast, but trying to tow it to, use it at the higher elevation, colder temp ski areas may not be best choice for her.

    Jerry