Air conditioning needed?

fla-gypsy wrote:


Looks like Long key State park? Nice

Exactly right, good eye!

2001 trip

2002 trip

2005 trip

Great campground, I'm ready to go back.

Depends on where you will be using it. Here, folks even air condition tents, because we can have daily highs over 100 F for 2-3 months without a break, and when it gets that hot it is because we are stuck in a mass of humid Gulf air, so temperatures seldom drop below the dew point at night, maybe 10-15 F below daytime. We don't sell many popups down here because of this. What the popup is about is a tent-like camping experience, and closing up the tent to blow in cold air negates that experience.

But I grew up in Michigan, we didn't air condition our houses, cars, travel trailers, or tents (before the 1960s). We went camping all summer, "hot" usually meant just over 80 F, and it usually cooled 15-20 degrees at night. Doing without A/C while camping, however, meant camping in the shade, or staying outdoors most of the day. Park your RV (or set up your tent) in the open sun, it can easily heat up to 20-30 F above outdoor temperatures. Of course a popup, you just leave it open.

smsmith wrote:
Thanks for the wonderful advice. Looks like we will be looking for a pop up with AC.

Good choice

2manytoyz wrote:
Back in 95, when I bought a new Coleman Popup, they stopped offering the smaller Mini-Mach A/C unit in Florida as it couldn't keep up with the heat load. The only model offered was the 13,500 BTU model. That's what we had on ours.

If camping in the South, with no shade, it's still not enough A/C to keep up with the heat coming in through the tenting above the beds. I bought some reflective blankets at Sportsman's Guide, and attached them to the bunks with clothes pins. That made a huge improvement.





Have fun!

Looks like Long key State park? Nice

I recall one VA summer many years ago on one trip we actually left and went home until the temps came down a bit. We could tolerate the low 90's (and we were then in our 30s) but 100 did us in. Yes, we're a bunch of wimps, but if we have the technology to stay comfortable, I'm all for it.

Thanks for the wonderful advice. Looks like we will be looking for a pop up with AC.

It can also be used to block outside noises, too.

We used ours on several occasions when we were near other campers that decided to stay up most of the night drinking and playing cards outside. Turned on the fan on the A/C unit since it was only 60 or so and it drowned them out pretty well.

Back in 95, when I bought a new Coleman Popup, they stopped offering the smaller Mini-Mach A/C unit in Florida as it couldn't keep up with the heat load. The only model offered was the 13,500 BTU model. That's what we had on ours.

If camping in the South, with no shade, it's still not enough A/C to keep up with the heat coming in through the tenting above the beds. I bought some reflective blankets at Sportsman's Guide, and attached them to the bunks with clothes pins. That made a huge improvement.





Have fun!

When we had a Coachmen pop up I added an AC and it made a world of difference and made the trips a lot more enjoyable.

DW and I put a unit on our Jayco after getting the okay from the dealer (who said they had the okay of the manufacturer). That was the start of a very horrible nightmare. That trailer holds the record for the least amount of time we've owned a trailer (2 months - our first trailer lasted us 21 years). Trailer had an electric roof which wouldn't lift after installing the air conditioner. Will never trust a dealer after that one, so make sure you have written warranties to what is covered and what is not.