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COLD CAMPING - Event Date: 18 Dec 2022

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hogone View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote hogone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: COLD CAMPING
    Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 6:33am
Just curious.  Plan on doing some cold weather camping in the next few months (likely negative temps).  Besides the water system which I obviously will not be using, are there any other direct negative affects/issues of the camper or other systems that one should be aware of?  jon
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Post Options Post Options   Quote furpod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 7:27am
Condensation is always an issue with winter camping.. keep a window ever so slightly cracked, and the FF vent the same, just a little bit. Like 1/32 of an inch is all it takes, to let the warm humid air find it's way out.
At those temps, expect to go through propane at a serious clip, AND be prepared for a frozen regulator. Below 32F we found a medium sized space heater did OK (if you will have hookups), until about 15F at least, that was our lowest in the Pod.
I have often wondered about the sealants reaction to being moved about at such low temps while towing, but, so far, have not seen any issues. We normally make a trip south and back during the winter and sometimes tow in the teens for a day or two..
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Post Options Post Options   Quote hogone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 10:24am
yup, i will have electric and have two small space heaters and the furnace (unless like you mention about the regulator).  should be able to blow the pod out!  will also have my -15 bag and obviously other gear.  the cream would be a blizzard to enjoy at the same time.Approve  jon
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 5:06pm
We've camped in the negatives a couple of times. Everything, and I mean everything moves a lot slower. Your slide will definitely be grumpy with you. As mentioned before, condensation will be a problem to deal with. In addition to keeping a window an vent cracked, try to avoid swings in temperature great than 10-15 degrees. This will help keep condensation at bay. 

Good luck, and keep a sense of humor!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 9:33pm
When it is really cold, you may prefer to keep the slide in. You will have less space to heat.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote hogone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2022 at 6:22am
true on keeping the slide in, but its pretty cramped without it open.  not worried about heating it with it open; have plenty of sources.  more concerned about what others have mentioned; regulator, slide being grumpy....jon
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2022 at 7:29am
If it is cold enough and you won't be able to get to a place to refill propane and/or you don't have shore power available, sometimes you might need to keep the heated space to a minimum and dress really warmly, Keeping the thermostat set lower might be needed also. This is from when we were in our RPod after our accident when we stayed in the tow yard over the weekend. We had a plug-in, but only a 15A outlet. We did not have an electrical heater. I did purchase a Mr. Buddy heater to use. It helped for getting dressed in the morning. Sleeping bags and blankets kept us warm enough at night. To conserve propane, I had the thermostat turned down to 55 at night and only (if I recall correctly), 65 during the day. We still went though a significant amount of propane.

That trip convinced me that if I really want to do winter travel, I need a winter-capable trailer. The RPod is really not a good choice for winter travel. To be sure, it is better than a tent, a pop-up with canvas, or a teardrop. The best one can say is that it is doable to winter camp in an RPod.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2022 at 9:21am
Been thinking about this a bit more. A lot of this stuff was basic for my wife and I since we have done a lot of backpacking and snow camping, but want to make sure I put it out there and not assume anything.

Condensation will be your enemy. If you get damp, you will be miserable. So follow all of the advice on mitigating condensation and also, stay away from cotton. "Cotton kills" as they say in the outdoor sports world. It absorbs moisture and does not wick it away thus chilling you. While it may be tempting to have nice, thick, soft flannel sheets on the bed, they will be horrible if they absorb condensed moisture from the air. We use a good micro-fiber sheet set from Costco. They work great and are brushed for warmth.
Also, using any water in the lines or holding tanks is certainly out of the question in these conditions. 

Kudos to you for wanting to give it a go. Winter camping is something we really enjoy mainly because not many people do it and it is a completely different experience from camping in the warmer seasons.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2022 at 10:08am
+1, no cotton. And layer, both golden rules from backpacking. So consider wearing a base layer, either  poly fleece is good or if you prefer natural fabrics, Merino wool, which is not itchy. We  wear them all the time in winter even at home. So much more comfortable and we can keep the indoor temps lower. 
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Post Options Post Options   Quote hogone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2022 at 6:23pm
Maybe Ill build a snow cave; all ya need is a good candle with a small vent on top of the cave (and a good bag/pad)........many nights in one of those.  coldest I have ever been in is 38 below (air temp).  lakes were popping and trees bursting!!  i appreciate all the advice.  spent many years in northern wisconsin and minnesota.  couple years ago pam gave me a trip to ely for a dog sled trip.  had a fast sled and yes they threw me off several times going around those curves!!  happen to hit that trip in a pretty good snow storm.  not a cotton guy at all.  again; thanks for the advice; more concerned about the pod surviving!!  Merry Christmas to all.  jon
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