Pop Up Soft Side Campers in the Winter

SidecarFlip wrote:
So long as no ice appears on my cold coffee, I''m good.

...hah hah...gotta love that. Here it is (my office, in late spring):



...I have all my "gear" for winter, summer (in North America), and jungle camping...lots of kit (including a portable raft).

On edit:

...I have an extreme Arctic-grade parka, too (I've worn it at -42F, with wind-chill -58F). Thick coyote fur hood (synthetics are useless in these temperatures)...its a Woolrich (these parkas were designed specifically for Alaska pipe-line workers, decades ago). I've also got a 100% fur trapper's hat, too (to go with the parka when it's down to below -30F-- it costs nearly the same as the jacket LOL)....

silversand wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
Many decades ago, when I was an Eagle Scout, I slept many a night on the ground in my tent in the middle of nowhere in snow storms and never gave it a thought because I was always prepared (like a good scout) and like a still good scout, I'm prepared now too.

...Venturer Scout here....from waaaay back (Canada). I hear you. I've slept in open-front tents at -31F for entire weekends....cooking, trekking, etc...the motto is: challenge :D

On edit:

....that said, I use our Outfitter Caribou (8-foot floor pop-up) after season (just before winter/late fall) and spring (late April) as my "office" on our property "camping area" in the forest. In this part of the World, we have feet of snow at times during fall and spring, but I'm out in my camper office morning to night (0800 till 1630) 5 days a week, till camper goes into winter storage. Most times, it is ~33F daytime high...~14F early morning. I run an 1100 watt electric heater, and no problem (even with 12+ inches of snow on the roof). The only thing to guard against, is cold advection when I sit beside my non thermopane (single-pane) window.

I still own and have purchased some very serious cold weather gear. My mummy bag is good for 15 below (f) and my down parka is Arctic rated. Use my bag in the camper and keep the heat down. So long as no ice appears on my cold coffee, I''m good.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Many decades ago, when I was an Eagle Scout, I slept many a night on the ground in my tent in the middle of nowhere in snow storms and never gave it a thought because I was always prepared (like a good scout) and like a still good scout, I'm prepared now too.

...Venturer Scout here....from waaaay back (Canada). I hear you. I've slept in open-front tents at -31F for entire weekends....cooking, trekking, etc...the motto is: challenge :D

On edit:

....that said, I use our Outfitter Caribou (8-foot floor pop-up) after season (just before winter/late fall) and spring (late April) as my "office" on our property "camping area" in the forest. In this part of the World, we have feet of snow at times during fall and spring, but I'm out in my camper office morning to night (0800 till 1630) 5 days a week, till camper goes into winter storage. Most times, it is ~33F daytime high...~14F early morning. I run an 1100 watt electric heater, and no problem (even with 12+ inches of snow on the roof). The only thing to guard against, is cold advection when I sit beside my non thermopane (single-pane) window.

I read that article to and it was very interesting. On the subject of the roof has it been known to freeze up so that you can't raise or lower it?

ISBRAM wrote:
New TCM story on cold weather camping in a Hallmark popup.

http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-lifestyle/hallmark-ski-house-hits-slopes/

Is that you per chance? I read the article earlier this week (I'm subscribed). with great interest.

Thing I wonder about is getting the tent down with all the snow and ice on it. Of course it's stiffer than an old dried out shoe too.

New TCM story on cold weather camping in a Hallmark popup.

http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-lifestyle/hallmark-ski-house-hits-slopes/

COboondocker wrote:

tmartin000 wrote:
Yes, I had a Palamino Bronco.

There is a HUGE difference between a Hardside camper with Filon and structure vs a tent in a box. People, get real here. It's not all about a mutual admiration society!

The guy wants the truth.

Seriously? There's a huge difference between a Palamino and an Outfitter/Hallmark. Our outfitter juno 10 has been in single digits with windchils well below zero. We kept it 67 inside, used water and plumbing as we would during the summer. Furnace cycles just slightly more often than it did in our hardside. It's possible to be warm and comfortable in a popup in the winter, just maybe not in a Palamino.

A Palomino works too. Haven't done any below zero stuff, but I'm not adverse to it. One thing I do do is I cut Reflectix bubble-foil-bubble sheets to fit the upper tent area. Works real good at keeping it toasty inside. My plumbing probsably would not be an issue either. It's all inside the heated space. The black and grey dumps might be an issue. I had heated tanks on my Lance and had the dump valves freeze in the winter before.

Actually, the only time my inside head gets used is when the wife is along. I do my 'business' outside. The DW has to have privacy.;)

tmartin000 wrote:
Yes, I had a Palamino Bronco.

There is a HUGE difference between a Hardside camper with Filon and structure vs a tent in a box. People, get real here. It's not all about a mutual admiration society!

The guy wants the truth.

Seriously? There's a huge difference between a Palamino and an Outfitter/Hallmark. Our outfitter juno 10 has been in single digits with windchils well below zero. We kept it 67 inside, used water and plumbing as we would during the summer. Furnace cycles just slightly more often than it did in our hardside. It's possible to be warm and comfortable in a popup in the winter, just maybe not in a Palamino.

ok then

Now, I don't want to be camping in my Palomino Backpack I(which has Filon sides btw) and about 2 feet of tent above it, in 2 feet of snow because I usually motel it in the winter anyway, but I've cold weather camped in it (last fall / early winter with no issues at all. I did run through some propane (it has 2 tanks) and I dry camped because I wasn't about to deal with frozen pipes but other than a heat on the cooktop PTA bath in the evening, it was pretty comfortable.

Not a motel by a long shot, but I want to stay on my property up north to 'commune with nature'....lol

My opinion is, cold weather camping in a pop up has some limitations and certainly brings out your 'pioneering skills', but it's very doable.

If I'm not out west hunting this fall and early winter, I'll be camping again in Northern Michigan in my popup.

I don't need any 'admiration' from anyone. I just go do it and I'm pushing 70 so I'm no spring chicken.

If you use your head for something other than spacing your ears apart and exercise some common sense (a rare commodity today), colder weather camping is very doable in a pop up truck camper or even a pop up pull behind tent camper.

Many decades ago, when I was an Eagle Scout, I slept many a night on the ground in my tent in the middle of nowhere in snow storms and never gave it a thought because I was always prepared (like a good scout) and like a still good scout, I'm prepared now too.