Biggest Camping Mistakes That STOP You From STAYING WARM!
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2024
- Cold weather camping should not keep you from enjoying the outdoors. We will be sharing 8 common mistakes that every camper owner tends to make in cold conditions and how to avoid them. We will be covering tips from condensation and moisture management to battery mistakes, heating systems, and clothing that gets the job done right. And for the gear junkies, there will definitely be some new camping gear you have never heard of before. Whether you're planning a winter camping trip or want to be prepared for unexpected cold snaps, this video is a must-watch. This video will help keep you warm and cozy but also help you safeguard your camper against the challenges of colder weather.
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I like this teardrop! It's well thought out for cold weather. On food: if you can't 'prep at home' most grocery centers have good prepreped meals and meal parts.
I thought you would like this one. Good point on the prepped foods at grocery stores. Now that we spend a lot of time in the midwest we get to see some new food. One of our favorite pre-prepped meals at the local grocery store always gives us a giggle. It is a seasoned steak, a potatoe, and a budweiser wrapped in plastic wrap on a styrofoam base.
That is funny! Have you tried it?
May was not impressed when I suggested it. Haha! I thought it was genius. @@jennstuart2031
Thanks for letting us geek out on winter camping Drew! Hope it helps get people out and about in all seasons. 😄
Jen and Chris, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. It was so fun to get to see your camping style and finally seeing the Topo 2's winter performance in action.
Thanks for your comment! I completely agree with you, winter camping is such a great way to enjoy the outdoors all year round. By the way, if you're looking for reliable power backup solutions for your camping adventures, I highly recommend checking out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It offers massive capacity and fast recharging, perfect for powering your devices and appliances in cold weather. Happy camping!
Winter camping is the best camping. You can camp small, camp big, and use the excuse that, "its winter".
Throw up an alcove on one side of the trailer and put the portable toilet and sink there. throw up an alcove on the otherside of the trailer with docking collar leading to the tent where you set up your wood stove, table, chairs. can even set up and alcove off that for a 2nd bathroom with bath. then walk around to the rear kitchen alcove.. spend days on site camping, fishing, hunting.
have the ice fishing holes in the alcove tent or... if you are really serious about longer stay ice fishing.. have an ice fishing "port" and collar in the floor of your tear drop. slide the matress back, open the cover, insert the collar, and set up your line.
Pro tip. When going to bed at night, and when the fire confirmed to be out, slide the solo or propane stove under the floor of the trailer. Get that residual heat into the structure around you.
I never would have even considered this. Thanks Mark. Another tip I forgot to mention in the video was adding a skirting around the trailer.
Thermal mass is useful. its one of the fun extra feature in the case of wood stoves with the "wing" 5 gal water tanks. those water tanks hold a lot of heat mass in them. So when the fire goes out, that water stays warm for a good while. Larger stoves, big cast iron stoves, stoves with lots of stone and brick.... take a long time to warm up... but once they are... even when the fire goes out they will keep radiating heat for hours.
look up russian stoves. they are a masterpiece of thermal mass
Ya, that 15 minutes of heat will really make a difference 😅
@@mr.monitor. its actually much longer then 15 min... and agian... thats a "small" thermal mass. if you are using a heavy cast iron stove, that thermal mass takes longer then thin steel. if you have fire bricks, thats more thermal mass.
@@jenniferstewarts4851 a solo stove or propane stove is far from a large thermal mass, which is what the original comment was based on, and are you going to move a stack of hot iron and bricks under your camper? Colossal waste of time and is not worth the benefit.
Oh this is gonna be a very handy video! I heard winter camping is the best because people dont really use the campgrounds!
The air is crisp. The skies are beautiful. The people are gone. The mosquitoes are resting. Bring more clothing, less "oils" on body(suntan, mosquitoes).
That is what we are finding as well. We used to only fall and winter camp off grid. But this year we did a lot of late season camping in campgrounds. The boys wanted to be right next to their favorite trout fishing holes. One campground in late October even had hot showers. Hot showers, just for us!
You said it perfectly!
So this is what a video is like with two people that know how to talk to a camera and have awesome winter camping tips. Unlike the one you did of that dork who lives in Jeremy Ranch. Love the sealed bag in hot water thermos trick. I am going to use that. No offense to the Topo one but this has to be the best model upgrade of any teardrop line on the planet...kudos to Escopod!
You did great by the way! My wife was saying how much she enjoyed your video. Our favorite comment was the "getting old sucks" comment. You had us both smiling there. You sound like us. When May and I saw the thermos trick we thought, yep we are adding that to our current camping style. We do something similar, but we have always done it in boiling water. Sounds much more efficient to throw it ini a thermos. When they first cut ties with the Topo 1 I was a little concerned. I really liked that trailer. But, now with where the industry is heading I can see they made the right choice. Obviously being a composite fan myself, I thought that was a good direction to go. But, just overall the trailer design is really setting the tone for future teardrops.
@PlayingwithSticks thanks Drew and that's nice to hear I made May smile! I like how they galvanize thier chassis and water tank being inside.
Yes, the companies that galvanize the frames really set themselves apart with such a simple decision.@@bartman1857
Great episode! I tried your electric blanket tip this winter and it worked very well, keeping the sleeping bag warm and heating my diy square drop as well. Love your channel.
So glad to hear you’re enjoying these episodes. So neat that you were able to build your own square drop.
Staying dry, out of the wind, and dressing in layers will keep you warm. We use to fix tarps around the fire to block wind & reflect heat. Great tips, thanks.
Winter camping and its solitude is our favorite!
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us Chris. We really appreciate it.
Thanks Drew! Great tips and winter can be a great experience if you are properly prepared. No insects, quiet and solitude! I love Escapods too!
Thank you so much Brad! I just had the world's most affordable iced cappuccino on you. Straight from everyone's favorite 7 Eleven. It is actually quite good. Here in Thailand the coffee from a 7 Eleven is actually quite legit. But, can be lost in translation quite often. This morning in the Thai language I orderd a hot cappuccino. The gentelman repeated my correct order to the next employee and a few moments later out came my iced cappuccino. Haha. I guess the universe and Brad wanted me to have an iced coffee this morning. As for the video. Another thing I like to remind people is that mid-winter camping in cold climates can be quite dry and predicatble. Meaning you don't have to worry about the muddy shoes or cold rain downpours. Like you said, if you are prepared winter camping can be quite pleasant because once you get comfortable with it, it can be more predictable than other seasons.
@@PlayingwithSticks Glad you enjoyed a nice “iced” cappuccino on me. Next time you should try ordering an iced cappuccino and see if it comes to you hot!!☕️😁
That is exactly what May said! Haha.@@jgrant4520
My Husband’s family Christmas Eve tradition that we have kept for our kids is to watch the Muppets Christmas Carol. We love this version!
Good cold weather camping tips. Condensation can definitely be an issue. The hardest thing for me is keeping my hands warm. As the camp chef, I do food prep year round. It is a definite time saver.
Hi Garret. Great to see you on here. It is hands for you and feet for me. My grandfather, father, and now me...we all have poor feet circulation. The biggest change for me was finding boots with wide toe boxes. Having that little extra warm air around your feet makes a big difference. And then when it comes to hands my biggest issue is dexterity. It is so harrd to find a good pair of gloves that are both warm and have dexterity. I tend to use both a mitten to keep them warm and then switch off to thinner finger gloves when doing camp chores. May and I are starting to do a lot more food prep. We have always made our own home meals for camping. Meanning, we used our family recipes. This last summer was the first time we relied heavily on a camp cook book. It was the one we mentioned in the video. They focus a lot on home prep. So we followed right along with the guidance and like you said, it really saves a lot of time and space.
I'm really starting to believe that most buy their shoes/boots too small. I've found that I can jump a full size on most boots and still not have them sliding around on my feet and giving me more room in the toe box. Makes my toes happy!! @@PlayingwithSticks
@@Yellow.Dog. I also find there are some brands that just make really narrow boots. Northface is a great example. They may have a lot of money for R&D, but it seems like nobody every truly uses them in the field.
I've been pretty disappointed with Northface in the last few years. I've been buying more and more Columbia. They've really upped their game in the quality department. Give Altra trail runners a go for summer use. Big comfy toe box. My wife calls them clown shoes! @@PlayingwithSticks
So cool! Love winter camping!
Yes, a winter camping fan! I find we are few and far between. Haha.
Great info, even though I'm definitely not a winter camper
Haha. Love it! Good seeing you. I love how you support us, even when it isn't your cup of tea.
This video is pure gold. I just swung by to watch it again. I love that there's a short cameo from my good friends, Sam and Cindy in there too!
Thanks again for great content.
this was really good. stay warm my friends and God bless.
Thank you for the insight really appreciate it
We love winter camping! If you set your mind, get over a few of those first few hurdles, like potential of behind cold, manage water, finding things to do around camp, you are blessed with a longer season, less crowds and no bugs.
I am quickly falling in love with the escapod trailers. You can tell the minds behind them are building a trailer that is build for adventure spirits.
Lots of great information here for winter camping.
We’ve certainly camped some in the bitter winter in our old Scamp 13’ trailer.
Luckily we had electric hook-ups, and were able to keep the trailer warm with a small space heater.
We recently purchased a small propane fire pit, and it has made a tremendous positive difference.
I’m very liking that Roam Annex Room for an auxiliary enclosed, heated living space.
Thanks for the tips.
I miss the scamp days. I often wonder how hard it would be to modify one to fit our family. There has been a number of times where I’ve almost bought a Burro trailer and then passed on it at the last second. And we couldn’t agree more about that propane fire pit. We have been using a collapsible one the last two years and while it’s really expensive, it’s been amazing to have.
That was such a fun and educational video. It was great to see the Topo 2 in the snow also. That you, guys!
Excellent video. 😊
I'll have to watch some of the other videos you refer to as well.
Where I live, late fall, winter, and early spring are prime camping time. The bugs are gone, as well as the sweltering heat.
Snow is not a consideration here. 😉
That is what we have found as well. In Alaska everybody moves on to hunting season. So we rarely see a camper around. Usually just the odd fisherman or two. And like you said, the bugs are a non-issue. Which in the summer at times they can be relentless. I can't remember where you live?
Very informative video. Thanks.
Glad to see you. Also good to hear you enjoyed the video.
Great tips - thanks!
Glad you enjoyed them Craig!
I so love your videos I want to do more winter camping so I’ll be hanging out with you guys for more tips and tricks. 😊
Another fun meal idea for cold weather is military MREs. As long as you have liquid water the flameless heater will work, and you can eat some of the items while the main dish is heating up. They're a little spendy, but they're decently filling and a huge hit with the kids.
Make sure you get the actual military ones... the humanitarian rations are cheaper but typically don't include a heater.
I don’t do winter camping but these are great tips. I do precook some meals when I camp and in my case I freeze them, this keeps the ice in my cooler longer in the summer months since I don’t have a tear drop but I tent camp.
Thank you for sharing this tip. Every time you post, it makes me happy. I love knowing that people are watching these videos and being a part of the community, even when they don’t have a trailer. I think a lot of the non-trailer owners bring a large percentage of tips and good conversations to the table. And I think that’s because they’ve learned to make do with less.
This was absolutely excellent.
Glad you enjoyed it! For some reason, the Internet thought nobody would be interested in it.
As always Drew, great tips and info. Thanks for passing them along to us.
Glad you enjoyed it. Also good to see you on here.
@@PlayingwithSticks I wish you, May, East and Rye a very merry Christmas (regardless of the hot weather)
@kebeaux6546 Thank you. Same to you. This year we are trying to be more intentional with Christmas. It can really escape you when you’re in a warm climate.
@@PlayingwithSticks Hey Drew. I’m making good use of my “teardrop camper” hoodie. Definitely helps with my slick noggin.
Sending “cool head vibes” your way my friend.
Booyah 👊🏽 😁 👍🏽 🇺🇸
Hope to put this to good use soon. Moved to VA and excited to have a much longer camping season…as in nearly year round.
YESSSSS!!!! That is what I like to hear. Your climate should be perfect for year round. And what I find is that in warmer climates people can get a little soft. So what you and I consider a nice day, they consider too cold to go out camping. So my bet is that you will have a lot of room to roam. I rember twice as a kid going down to Florida with my family and utilizing a water park on a "cold" day. To us it was like a beach day, but all the crowds were gone. I couldn't understand where everyone was as a kid. My mom had to explain to me that for Florida this is a cold day. Now, living in Thailand I completely understand. There are some mornings I actually wear a puffy jacket here in the motorcycle. All that Alaska weather wears off pretty quickly.
@@PlayingwithSticks I'm pretty okay down to the upper 20's especially when there's a dog with me. Warm pjs, a beanie, 20 degree bag and a good blanket. I'm good. Something about that cup of coffee on a chilly morning is just great. It's not fun having a fire on warm nights, but wonderful in cooler temps. I do want to create some sort of block for the doors on the Bean as they get very cold...though my fluffy dog used it to regulate her temperature. If she got too warm she would roll close to the door. We are close to being settled in and finished with various travel. Then I'm out to the woods. One problem in Florida is that no one owns the right clothes for chilly temps. House are not set up for it either so you never feel warm anywhere. One cold front where it stayed in the low 40s for two weeks was pretty rough. My uninsulated crawlspace sent that 40 degree air through my floor. As did the jalousie windows. My house was well ventilated. :P
Yep, those doors. They really are the culprit. But, neat to see the glass half full comment about your four footed friend. That makes a lot of sense. I run hot naturally, so I also find myself gravitating to the doors when May has the heat cranked. @@CinkSVideo
Nice to see you again, Drew...
Well, brief glimpses of you, anyway. 😀
Haha. Yes, brief, but I bet you could sense me behind that edit. My fingerprints were all over the edit.
Hmm, another useful thing for winter camping is "bed warmers" heated matress pads... they lay down under you and you can manually control the temp... they are wonderful and don't draw a lot of power.... things are great if you are just camping for 1 or 2 nights with a smaller power supply... or several nights if you have a large power array.
i also notice they do not use snow skirts. there are lots of different kinds, and many make their own but essentially, its a skirt that will go around the tear drop, staked to the ground and tight against the frame below the door. this prevents wind, cold air, snow, from getting under the camper, providing an extra level of insulation and protection, as well as preventing snow from getting under it and cusing problems when you are trying to pull out... and don't have ski's on your tear drop.
I thought you would mention the snow skirts. You have mentioned them before. It was actually in the video script. I don't know if I missed it in the edit or it was missed in the filming process. Glad you brought it up.
@@PlayingwithSticks Look up - IDOOGEN Mount Pro Vehicle Docking Shelter Tent P3 L Size Compatible
and T@B Trailer Pop-Up Tent by PahaQue| Teardrop Shop
LOL... Anything like this could have a stove jack added likely, and a heat shield set up and poof you have an interior heated alcove with wood stove that you can cook on.
We get our Escapod in a couple days! Its maiden camp will be a winter camp. Done plenty of that it a RTT or ground tent., so this is gonna be LUXURY! Can’t wait!
Woot woot! Congratulations and welcome to the small camper club. You did your research well with that trailer.
Escapod!🎉🎉
Yes, they are really pushing the industry with this design. Love seeing a truly 4 season camper.
Is it safe to wrap a skirt around the bottom of the trailer and place a propane heater under the trailer? Basically, floorboard heat. Right now we use a 100-watt space heater on a battery, which gives us about 2.5 hours of some warmth, but it's not up to the task when the weather gets below about 25F.
I just realized we forgot to mention skirting. We had it in the talking points, but we either forgot to film it or I accidentallly overlooked it on the cutting room floor. Good point on the skirt. That is a big factor in winter camping. As for safety with the heater, I am not sure. But, just a skirt in general will make a big difference. That and insulating the floor of your trailer. A lot of folks just use those puzzle piece gym mats on the floor and find it makes a big difference. You sound like us. We either go fully mummy bag and consider it a survival trip. Or we primarily use the electric blanket and then the 100 watt space heater for a little extra heat right before bed, maybe once in the middle of the night, and then again when we wake up. Thanks for sharing all this David. These are the types of comments that are invaluable for the community.
I actually use the same electric blanket camping that I use on my bed at home. I run it from my inverter if I am away from shore power. At just 150 W, it doesn't draw down my batteries much. 😊
I don't know if you ever saw our electric blanket video. We put our favorite blankets head to head. They all have their own benefits. But what we liked about home blankets was that they heat up the fastest.
@@PlayingwithSticks I probably saw it, but I'm old and forgetful! 😀
😆
Great video not a big fan of those solo fire pits. Not enough heat. Lots of great ideas, I use many of them. I hope your family is doing well and you're not working too hard. Life is but a journey not a race. Much love to you and your family
Two videos ago, someone highlighted their solo stove. Since then I’ve come to realize that people either love them or hate them. Nobody seems to be in the middle. I’m going to have to get my hands on one someday. I do like the idea of the really small ones though. Something you can huddle over and make marshmallows. I appreciate the journey, not a race comment. That’s something I need to be reminded of daily. Even when it comes to the Thai language, I find myself getting frustrated. May has to remind me that it’s a journey. I feel so blessed to have friends like you on here that I haven’t even met in person. Yet, you know exactly what to say when I need to hear it.
The solo stove is nice for the flame but it doesn't generate a lot of heat other than the visible flame area.
I'd really like to see you do a coffee do dads and whatnots. I think that would be fun. Although I don't use my French Press as often anymore. Just too messy. I traveled 6200 + Mi on my last trip visiting my son, his wife, and my new granddaughter. Didn't film much of anything but I had a great time seeing a lot of things. Kids all grown up moved away allow me to be able to be a little bit more free these days. The kids love camping in the outdoors all of them. That's what life is about, and the smell of wonderful roses along the way.
A little on the pricey side. Okay, a lot on the pricey side, but I find my Brutrek french press eliminates a bit of that mess. I love all the coffee do dads. I try at least 3 new coffee systems every season. I'm still finding it hard to beat the simple aeropress. The only reason I don't make a video about all the do dads, is because I feel like there are many great videos out there on this subject. With this channel I try to only tackle topics that I don't see covered often or in the depth I would like to see. Or if something really changes my camping style, then I can't help but make a video on that topic. Your last trip sounds great! Glad you are finding more time. I must admit I miss some of my solo travel trips. I get about 3 or 4 short solo trips a summer now. Nothing like the bachelor days. Haha. I have found with time I film a lot less on my adventures. As the boys grow I find much less need to film. Why film when there can be FISH ON! But, I do try to capture a few moments here and there.@@sierramantrvlnus
I really like your videos. You can tell a lot of thought and a lot of editing went into the production. And your topics are always fantastic. And fish on is an awesome reason to always set down the camera. 60 and single! Also, I've been wondering about your little special project you've been working on, with two wheels and a tongue. Hahaha!
I really appreciate the kind words. And I love your description of two wheels and a tongue. I don't know if that was purposeful. But that was a pretty funny cheeky way to describe a unibody trailer. Unfortunately with the passing of Charles, this trailer will be pretty hard to bring to life. The final composite work I would be capable of doing. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would be functional. However, there was one major piece that was left unfinished. And I mean MAJOR. And that was the closeouts. Imagine the complexity of a "simple" closeout system with rain gutters and proper seals. That is way above my ability and probably the ability of most. That is not only going to take some creative thinking, but also some really good understanding of composites.@@sierramantrvlnus
Hi drew
Winter camping, my fav... i've spent weeks in a tent in the winter... up north.
they talked about firepits propane pits, check your local regulations. some places state you can not have any type of fire, that is not enclosed in a fireplace with chimney. and to that i say... sure, set up a camping stove outside if you like, load it up with fuel put up a chimney and have that going outside. You don't need them inside, though you can if you want, but they still give off a good amount of heat.
Alcoves, we've posted about this in the past, the ability to dock a camper to a larger tent, use an alcove, what every, just to give you that extra free space. in a heavy snow storm, having a nice tent to relax in, then retreat back into the trailer when you want is wonderful. While they are using a buddy heater here, some cases you can use the campers own heater to heat the alcove as well.
Diesel heaters - i've talked about them a few times, they require a small amount of power so you WILL need a battery/solar generator... but their draw is very very low once they the glow plug is warmed up. And their fuel use... in many cases 5 gall will last you 8 days... of constant non stop running, 24/7... (for those who are in large tents, using it as their primary heat source, or in small cabins.
Now wood stoves can also be used in larger alcoves. you can often set a smaller one up and it will not only heat the alcove but the trailer.
Every time I think I have talked myself out of a diesel heater, you say something like "5 gallons will last you 8 days running 24/7." Then I am back to being all ears again. I like your solution for the fire bans. I havent heard that one yet. And an onboard heater that heats the tent makes a lot of sense to me. Remember our video where that company in Utah utilized this for both the annex and the RTT. What was their brand name? Okay, going to look it up. Was it Xpedition Trailers? I am getting them all confused right now. By the way, I always looking forward to your comments. Great seeing you on here.
@@PlayingwithSticks ok going with 5kw 17000 BTU (overkill, thats good for about 600 square feet or a small cabin). thats 3.0432624 per day, running at max power 24/7... good for heating a cabin at -40c.
at its lowest consumption rate... 1.14122328 gal per day. And thats still likely going to be to hot for a small tear drop LOL.
I have a Kelty Backroads and like it. Sometimes I put it on the side, sometimes in back. Maybe I need two. At only 11 or 12 pounds, that would be OK.
🎉 Im definitely sold on Kelty shelter and as I mentioned in the prevideo chat.. As for everything elso, KUDOS!.. Being from Indiana I know a little about winter camping, "tent winter camping"!! I think the coldest Ive camped is -5 and thats in the woods here in Indiana too.. When in the Boy Scouts we used bails of straw to help underneath insulation for the tent, but that's a tent... I definitely like the Topo 2 and its 4 season but the price, oofff😳. I'd have to toy with one to sale me on it! But on the flip side, I'm still sold at the Intech Luna Rover and simplicity, plus cost.. HOWEVER, I do like that heater system🤔😏.. But I'm sure I'LL Hoobilly a way to stay warm as I have in the past.
As for water, like your past video Drew, upside down is best as temps fall singular 🥶!! I always used Nalgene bottles in my sleeping bag with heated water in them as bag heaterupers, plus you dehydrate as fast in the winter too and you have sipping night water!! AND, and I have to think about my better half, as we're watching the video, she says "uhh no.." 🤣🤣..
AS a side note I've learned in past that Indiana state parks in the winter time, you can camp in any camp spot, you just pay for the electric because there's nobody else there, well almost nobody 🤫😁.. So a small ceramic heater can help in those electrical spots as well as your mentioned "electric blankets". I could go on, but wont. LOL.. Thanks Again Drew for the video... Hoobilly
Hey my friend! Tent winter camping. People think I am crazy for trailer winter camping. I think people are crazy for tent winter camping. Haha. To me tent winter camping is more about pushing yourself and survival skills. More of a fun game than a relaxing experience. But, I bet others find it relaxing. I say this because I have found that people see my winter camping in a teardrop as survival and not warm cozy fun. Love how we all have different perspectives on the same activities. I'm really excited to hear you narrowed it down to one trailer for you. Aluminum and composite construction, that beautiful window, ample room to move around inside. These are all prime components for a great 3-4 season camping experience. That window is going to need an insulated cover for that condensation, but other than that you are pretty ready to go right off the showroom floor. And those come with gas heaters now right? I'm always forgetting what comes with the newer Intech models. Great advice on the upside down water. I need to use nalgenes more. I am still old school and bring along the rubber bottle. You don't want to drink out of that. Haha. This fall we stayed at our very first electric campsite. We were so excite to use it as a fishing basecamp and then transition into a warm teardrop with that electric heat. But, in the end it was a little anticlamtic as it didn't get that cold and we never used the electric heater. But, just knowing we could was pretty neat. Thank you for sharing all your little tricks. This is why we make these videos. It is the comment section where we find the most value.
Hey Drew.. I believe the heater is an electric fireplace, but the Flyer series is propane. I was thinking of getting a Discover model, but I dont like the tipout beds! Then a found the ATC Sto 350 Adventure Trailer, but I knew I'd be tempted to stay inside and thats not camping!.. Plus there's the math of towing (weight-vs drag-vs- mpg, etc..), thus the Luna. I think the only recent change is they went with a 5lb LP tank for the stove and thanks not a big deal for me being that I can cook with fire, gas or electric (airfryer/3qt instapot).. I prefer cooking with fire if applicable , so I can use cast iron, its easy to clean! Of course you guys have that Skottle, hows that working? I dont if anyone ever tried this but using reflectix under your mattress to help reflect body heat works. I've used those "Sportsman Blankets" for years abd they work!! There the same ones Nasa used in the early days of the space shuttles and they can be used as emergency shelter too.. As for the Luna's window you mentioned earlier. Like the lady you did a video on who had one with two dogs, I'll put Reflectix on the outside, but inside too! And maybe a light cotton or nylon fabric to line the inside of the Luna to help insulate along with your heating pad method..?..
As for outside I have my Gazelle G6 Deluxe 12x12 shelter, the Lightspeed Shower Shelter, a Coleman popup canopy and the SlumberJack Roadhouse along with other camping gear, so yeah, Im ready....
Hoobilly
I'm glad I asked you. It was the Flyer series I was getting it confused with. I remember now, at Little Guy trailers in October they were showing me the updated propane on the Flyers. I like that ATC. It reminds me of the converted cargo trailer we were shooting for. We ended up just going track system and 2X4s for the bed and bunk. Those fold out couches and murphey beds were quite expensive. Okay, if you have an airfryer you have to try camp cookies! Mark from Bean said we had to take out his air fryer and try making cookies. So fast, so incredible. Kind of dangerous that you can get fresh cookies that fast. I warn you, if you are not disciplined don't try it. Haha. May and I still use the Skottle 90% of the time. We are pretty sold on the concept. Lately it hasn't been a skottle though, but a Southwest Disc. But pretty similar. I do miss that the skottle is a little less concave. That video clip of the couple with the reflectix. I don't know if you caught that in this video today? They are using the reflectix under the bed. I think the same way as you described it. But they were focused more on stopping cold air from coming up from below. Reflecting the body heat makes a lot of sense as well. I can tell you and I have very similar camping gear tastes. We have practically the same tents and your awning is very similar to our Nature Hike awning. @@thevideostump46239
As to the other reply, I've narrowed it done to the ATC 1412 Ultra Lite or the Luna Rover. But we'll see what comes out in 2024.. I have definitely considered a Bean, even the new Stock model, but think like your video, the Stalker would be a better cost effective choice.. NOW that being said, I'm really excited about the Bean Squared too, but how much?!. AND you can thanks Mr Harling for that recommendation, but I think there needs to be a "1980's Tipper Gore Parental Advisery" on that!🤣🤣🤣 LOL.... I'll look at the Southwest Disc, don't forget there is the Carolina and the Oris Cooker too.. But like the trailers, it'll come down to price of the complete package in the end.. That and my wife is Latino, so whatever she likes best, lol.. The Full ORIS system at Walmart is $359.00 as I type. Yeah I think you and I are definitely on the same page on gear or at least the same chapter, lol.. I think the only thing I have that's not newer is my 25yr old Triangia Kettle and my Sierra Designs Mega Lite sleeping Bag. Everything else got sold off on Ebay or given away to be replaced with updated and lighter stuff. I just wish I'd of kept that First Need I had years ago, now their 3 times as much, lol..! Back when I motorcycle camped I even had a TimeOut Deluxe Camper, but now I just want to drop anchor and be done with minimal set up, so...
As before, Merry Christmas to you all Drew@@PlayingwithSticks Hoobilly
heat - all heating systems have their pros and cons... but they all share 1 "con" Fuel. Fuel is a finite quantity.
The second part is "set up/break down time". external heaters, require time to set up, and some may not be usable easily inside the tear drop.
Wood stoves - require transport of fuel to some area's, BUT in emergencies you can often scavenge wood locally.
Propane heaters - require large propane tanks, put water vapor into the air, but can with little prep be quickly set up and even used inside the camper in an emergency with the windows open.
Diesel heaters - require diesel a fuel that isn't common to other systems such as your cooking, systems, though strangely may be common to your wood stove. external units may require piping routing around so may require set up.
I bring this up because of storms, and 2 key considerations
1- at the camp site a storm could dump snow cutting you off and preventing you from leaving your site quickly or safely. OR a storm could stay longer and force you to stay "dug in" at the site longer. While extra food for a trip is something a lot of people carry... even if its just Ch'itsuh and pilot bread (looks at drew innocent)... Extra fuel to last extra days at a camp site is much harder. Again, wood for a stove you can scavenge... but extra propane, given a buddy heater chews though about 1L every 3 hours, you may find yourself looking at your little 5 pound tank wondering it its really enough. upgrading form a 20 to a 30 pound bottle might by you an extra 30 hour buffer of heat.
2- in transit problems. Road closures are a killer, every year people die due to being stuck in their vehicles without heat, waiting for a rescue, or get into problems waiting 12-18 hours after a snow storm for ploughs to re-open the road. being able to retreat into your teardrop, turn on the heat, and wait may be the best option, but again, the question of fuel comes in... and you can't set up a wood stove on the road to easy.. for tha tmatter you may not even be able to set up your galley. but it may be your best "shelter" and if you have a built in diesel heater or propane heater, likely you can wait... that said... again, fuel is the issue.
itn both cases, you might want to carry not just hours, but a few days worth of extra fuel. just to be safe.
I have a question. I’m considering buying a new trailer however can’t seem to decide on what one. I have decided it’s either the Topo2 or blackbean. Any suggestions to help make this decision. I think I like the topo2 construction the best but when it comes to features and headroom its the blackbean
It’s a tough choice. I tell people to just take the trip to Salt Lake and get inside both of them. I believe even Escapod will maybe pay for part of your airfare or give you some sort of discount. If you end up buying their trailer, I saw that on their website the other day. Unless I just was dreaming that. Haha. In my opinion, both of these trailers are at the top of the market. Normally, when people ask me which trailer I prefer, I can give an easy answer of one over the other. But it’s not so easy with these two manufactures. They’re both incredibly well-made, beautiful, and designed to last. I think the escapod has a slight edge in the off-road department just because it is a little less tall and has less protruding fenders. Meaning, it’s a bit better on tight trails. The bean has a little advantage in terms of cabin space and overall comfort due to that extra head height and use of more wood accents in the cabin.
Hey Drew, what ya think of that Kelty Backroads shelter tent?
Absolutely love it! I actually made an entire video about it. But, I am not sure what I want to do with the video. It is basically 3/4 finished.
@@PlayingwithSticks post it! I'd love to see it. I'm on the fence about it. Great reviews on Amazon. But bad reviews on REI
Every winter I live in winter. LOL... Dang sure I don't want to go camping in it. When I do take off for a winter trip it's someplace warm like Arizona.
😂That is exactly how May feels most of the time. And she doesn't even go out to break the ice or split wood. But, I get you if you have the opportunity to flee south, why not!
Have ARB Awning on Subaru Crosstrek & Room to attach. Being able to stand up to dress is a huge benefit. I wear "inside slippers" inside & put boots in box. Wipe dogs paws before going in also. I also use it with pop up tent to shower, potty inside. Mr Buddy keeps room warmish, Solo stove outside. All cooking done in room. Perfection. Condensation? Window gutters/covers & cracked windows. I can also run USB fan to move air. Never issue. Lowest temp I’ve camped is Moab@20°F. Not ready to tow anything yet & my towing weight is minimal. Great Video. Great tips. Get Outside!!
Love these tips! The USB fan makes a lot of sense. For some reason I have never considered that. Love hearing that these tips can work with anything weather you are car camping or tent camping. Thank you so much for sharing how you camp. I love getting a little insight into how others do this.
At 44 seconds there are black PVC tubes near the annex room. What is that? A weighted guy line?
I saw that too. I assumed those were weighted guy lines as well.
Morn'n Drew.. agreed on the trailer skirting.. Ive found while out with the wife, that Jo-Ann Fabrics carries bulk materials that could be used for that application!!$.
Ok for a "deep and serious thought" question because of this video🤔..
"IF" you were thinking of buying a made teardrop camper that would last you the rest of your life, with everything you would use/need. What would you choose? BEAN, ESCAPOD, INTECH Luna, VALIANT, Camp-Inn, Aero, etc.. Now here's the catch.. Your late middle-aged, still working, may retire in 15yrs or less. Wont do anything crazy yet, but want one that could handle the rigors of the road and trail, or at least in the Mid-West 3-4 season starting out..!? Of course maintaining it, but almost living in it when aplicable. 2 people, pulled with a light to 1/4 ton truck (V6-V8) with shelters, bikes, etc... Go--
Hoobilly (Mark)
Love the deep questions. That is tough. My initial thought is buy a Scamp, Casita, Burro, or Uhaul traiiler. The beauty of these is that they have been on the road for decades. So they have a proven track record. But you said teardrop specifically. That gets a bit tougher. With all of these time will tell. For sure I would narrow it down to the composite builds. Then I would look at which builds are the most simple. Essentially the least amount of seams and moving parts. That would probably be Escapod and Bean. And I would be looking at their more budget oriented models. Typically less to go wrong in the long term. And also I would remind myself that all of them are essentially beds on wheels. So don't go breaking the bank. But from there I would look at price. Both of them are roughly $30K and above, unless you go with Bean's new Stock model. Which means no galley. If the thought of $30K hurts, I would reconsider the moving parts and look at a well built out Runaway camper. They are composite, simple, and the square shape has a couple of advantages over a teardrop shape. You definitely get what you pay for. Not as robust, not as insulated, seams, and not as cozy inside. I think Intech makes a good trailer as well. And because they are not designed for true offroad travel, they are able to use an aluminum frame. Which I think in the long term is probably better than a steel frame. Steel frames are best for true offroad due to the stress on the frame. You will see in future videos that I am chaging my tune a bit on teardrops. There is a new awning out that sets up and tears down in less than 5 seconds. It has me reevaluating all the campers I said I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Haha. So ask me this question again in a year. I want some time next summer to test out this awning with trailers that don't have a galley.
RIGHT ON.. Yeah with the price of cargo trailers being pushed by DIYer's even and materials are up as well.. So a teardrop seams feasible at most.. Yeah everything is up even smaller campers/square-teardrops too! Im looking to take (Lord Willing of course.. 😇)a pre-retirement loan out of my 401K and just buy one. Like you you said once in your Bean video, buy once, cry once.. And this last summer I ran into someone with a Runaway who got tired of a big travel trailer. So he and his with camp out of that now!.. Funny thing is they were swallowed up by a sea of RV's too, lol.. But the camp with friends so... Im going to look again at the Runaway again, and way out what you said too.. Maybe the Luna Rover is the way to go, it is simplistic and functional for my needs..
To be continued. Hoobilly
I agree I think the Luna Rover strikes the right balance. It’s minimalist, but still has some of those creature comforts plus the off-road package. We knew a guy in Alaska who had one and he really enjoyed it. And then just talking to Sheila last summer about her base model, Luna she was over the moon about it. No pun intended 😂
Hey Drew, afternoon.. I love the part where you show Shelia how she can dim her reader lights, lol.. I've watch that video, as others, just for ideals. But that's still funny no mater how many times I see it🤣.. So I've narrowed it down to two campers, because I just found out my wife is slightly claustrophobic, so that definitely changes things!! Therefore, the two I will look at closer in 2024 as I approach the buying stage. Of course the Luna Rover, no pun on my part there🤪😇.. And the other will be a ATC Plan 350-ultra lite travel 1412 trailer. It's an all aluminum cargo (toy hauler) "NO Wood" trailer. Although I don't want all the add-on's, the floor and walls have a R7 closed cell foam insulation. The ceiling as well with a R14.. And yes, I considered the Bean too...
I've researched everything I can find on the web, even talked with Rich Schnippel owner of Encore RV's (yes, he''ll answer the phone, lol..) and asked questions on a model I've considered (the ROF16RB), but found the ATC trailer to be close to under half the weight, so no brainer for me and my V6 Tacoma.. My dad told me once that if you ever tow anything, never tow more than half your tow capacity, because in the long run, you'll pay for it in engine and tranny repairs!.. We had a 450 Windsor bored in a 78 Ford F150XLT to haul Belgium horse's, lol... Yeah you get 2-3 of them in a trailer and they get to moving around, oh boy! So I'm gonna stick with my current two for now and see what comes out in 2024 but for towability/price.
Drew, Merry Christmas to you and the Family and everyone out there in the PWS's community...
Hoobilly
Here’s a winter camping tip. Get a 1000 to 1500 watt generator to run the teardrop. 1:25 Then install under floor heating.
Thank you! Love the advice.
The Topo 2 is beautiful but too expensive for my budget
Yes, that is the tough thing about a great trailer today. The price tag.
Solar in winter is pretty much useless. My 100w in spring and summer months draw 60-90 watts. In winter it draws 5-20 watts. Prepare to have an alternate source of power. Jackery and other solar generators become bricks in winter after discharge. In my experience with a 1000watt solar generator I am only able to stay out no longer than two to three days. It mostly just used by my refrigerator. We use electric blankets for sleeping in our roof top tent.
Solo Stoves push all of the heat straight up, they don’t radiate heat to the side at all. I would go with a fold up fire pit like the Snow Peak one. I wouldn’t run an annex shelter, the wind will snap those poles in a heartbeat, I would run a Gazelle Gazebo or Clam Gazebo staked and guyed out. Plus in a hurry you can take off and don’t have an annex connected to your trailer. Never know when a Yeti is going to show up and you need to exfil asap. IMO the Truma Combi is garbage. I had one in my Taxa Outdoors Mantis, its now in a landfill, I use an on demand propane heater, you can use it when you need it, then quickly clear out the water and put it away. Also the combi system means that if it goes out you lose TWO systems, not just one (which is what happened to me in a winter situation). Campgrounds are not closed during the winter, I am currently camping right now in a National Forest campground and it’s mid December.
We been getting a lot of comments about solo stoves lately. People either are all for them or feel just like you. Thanks for the suggestion on the Snow Peak fold up fire pit. I wonder if there is a budget version out there that is similar? Interesting comment on the annex. I haven't heard anyone mention this before. I could see the gazelle or clam being a great option for this. We use them often in warm season camping, but I haven't used one in the cold yet. I do like the idea of being able to tear out of camp without dragging a room or awning. I have heard great things about the Truma. But, In October I met with a trailer manufacturer and dealer of many small campers. And he said in terms of field repair they are a nightmare. Basically he said they were just too complicated. He suggested keeping it simple. Good point on losing both systems if one goes down. As for the campgrounds, I agree some are open. But definitely not ALL. We camped in a mountainous region late October and the entire State Park shut down all their campgrounds, minus one. And the next region we went to all the State Parks campgrounds had been closed since October 15th. Even the tough Alaskans close down all their State Parks. Well, I shouldn't say all. I find for some reason Bird Creek campground along the inlet seems to stay open every winter. No fees or mainteanance of any sort. Basically just an open gate and nobody seems to get kicked out. I think they do this to ensure people can get to the public use cabins that are in there. Thanks for sharing all your thoughts. I really appreciate it.
@@PlayingwithSticks There is a budget version of the snow peak (I think king camp or kings makes one, its a budget Australian (but made in china) companies, however you get what you pay for, if you want one that will last you a lifetime, I would go with the snow peak. Their grilling grate add on is kind of garbage (it will rust easy), not sure why they didn’t go with a stainless steel on that like the rest of the system is. The Fold-up gazebos with the walls and a Buddy Heater connected to a 20LB propane tank will turn a cold rainy 30 degree day into a 65 degree shelter with tons of room (if you go with a 6 sided version). My truma was under warranty, but it was going to take them 6 months to get it repaired, and I had to take it to an authorized dealer to remove it for the warranty to be honored (and no one is an authorized dealer). I am putting in a Propex heater system, I considered a diesel heater, I have used them in several builds, but they are not as reliable as a propane system for several reasons that I wont get into here. The think about winter camping is if you are on a long trip, and something fails, you need to be able to field repair, and a lot of these “cool” systems like the truma are just to complicated, and no one in the U.S. works on them.
That makes a lot of sense now. The dealer said the warranty claims were a nightmare. Thanks for sharing this. And like you we settled on a Propex as well. @@PrestonGladd
Please say, "Hi," to May and the boys for me. 😊
They say hi. They are actually next to me this time when I got your messages. We are packing the boys up for school. We decided to send them to school three days a week for 1/2 days to improve their Thai. They are loving it!
adding vodka to you water tank will keep it from freezing. 10% to 20% 80proof will do the trick for most unless you're in the artic
I love that you are mentioning this! In the next video release or maybe the one after that, we actually have a guy in the video who went up near the Arctic Circle and the temperature dropped quicker than he was expecting, and he had to run to the local liquor store and fill his tanks up with vodka. They didn’t have a trash outside, so he brought the bottle back in empty. He said the look on the salesman‘s face was priceless 😂
things you learn from watching TopGear along with popping a viagra for altitude sickness LoL
@@PlayingwithSticks
Great video, I learned a great deal!
But if she said "Toppo Two Voyager" even ONE more time... Step by step, inch by inch...... LOL
Let me offer a tip of my own: When using a Solo Campfire fire pit (I own a smaller Ranger model), always keep the wood below the top lip of the fire pit. The manufacturer states this ensure the most complete burn of the wood - AND - the least amount of smoke.
😂 I didn’t even notice. Usually I pick up on these repetitive phrases pretty fast because I hear them over and over and over while I am editing. Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated. I hope to be able to try out a solo stove one of these days.
@@PlayingwithSticks I was just having fun with it. I didn't mean to sound critical. The video was great! As always :-)
I didn’t take it that way at all. We get quite a lot of comments around drinking games within playing with sticks built off of repeat phrases 😂 I just thought it was funny that I didn’t even notice it this time. I think Jen always does a good job of sharing useful information while still sneaking in the sales jargon in a way that doesn’t feel too salesy. I think I may have just invented that word. Glad you’re enjoying the videos though. This is why we keep making them.
She and Chris not" Her and Chris....
Haha. That is the midwest language coming out there. I have tried to remedy it my entire adult life. It isn't going anywhere. But, I do appreciate the help. Baby steps...
Easy… you wouldn’t say ‘her went to the store’… So ‘she went to the store’. Therefore ‘she & Chris went to the store.’
@@HedyB exactly. Logically it actually makes a ton of sense to me. But unfortunately language is cultural. Where I grew up this is actually the correct way to say it. Now a lot of people are going to say that is not correct. The correct way to say it is she and Chris. But I’ve done a lot of studies on this and linguist would say that languages are formed in pockets. And unfortunately, my pocket decided not to follow the rules. At first I thought it was just my family. I moved away from my home region and people were calling out my poor grammar left and right. I couldn’t believe that my family had modeled such poor grammar. Then maybe 20 years later, I went back home. It went beyond my family, beyond my hometown, even into the entire state. And I thought to myself, oh no, this is going to be a hard habit to break. So all that to say, even though what you’re saying completely makes sense it’s like a huge battle in my head. There is this natural concrete pathway to my native language, and even logic has a really hard time overriding it. And now that I spend a majority of my day, learning Thai. That even slips into my grammar from time to time. I’m in trouble 😂
I want you to know how much I appreciate ‘Playing with Sticks’. After doing lots of research & then finding your channel, I bought my own Teardrop. I’ve travelled from my home, Grand Bend, Ontario, on Lake Huron, to Kelowna BC, twice, and also down to Brownsville, Texas. Next summer , out West again & then a winter 3 month adventure of the SW States.
And I’m 73 years old!
Wow! You have put some good miles on that trailer. I love hearing stories like this. Thanks for the kind words I appreciate it. It’s inspiring to hear what you’re doing in your 70s. I don’t know if you’ve caught it in some of our videos, but I often make reference to my grandparent’s travels. What they did in their 70s is really what has inspired me to live my life the way I do. And I can tell just by this comment you live in a very similar way.
The amount of ads RUclips is pushing on this video is absurd. Makes it unbearable. It's really hard to watch your favorite RUclipsrs.
We noticed that as well. We got an ad right after the intro. That has never happened to us before. I’ve noticed for me as a viewer I tend to watch videos in different niches outside of camping. I don’t notice a difference there because in other niches people have manually added their own ads for years. In the camping niche channel owners, just allow RUclips to place them automatically. Now that channel owners don’t have a choice of ads or not and more ads are being placed. I think people are noticing it more in the camping videos. It’s a bit more obvious now. Because in the past they had less ads compared to other niches. Sorry for the negative experience. Out of curiosity are you watching on a TV? We have noticed a lot more ads on the TV viewing experience.
That’s why l pay for Premium
@@PlayingwithSticks Watching on my phone. I wouldn't mind so much if the ads represented a real pay for RUclipsrs, but it's not the case either. Thanks man, sorry for the rant.
I appreciate the comment. I am always interested what the community is seeing on their end. @@pretor706
Took two minutes to say wear a long jacket. Wtf.
That’s those attention spans that everybody’s talking about lately. I’m guilty of it as well.