Cabin insulation for winter camping

[Marine7]

Find the closest surplus store or hit Ebay , and look for the new military 3 piece sleep system! Best sleeping system I’ve ever used!! ..... and I’ve used hundreds!! Has green “light weight” bag, which snaps into the black “ cold weather” bag, which then snaps into the Gortex “outer” bag. I’ve slept.....no kidding, ON a snowdrift ..... on top of a mountain, outside Bardefuuss, Norway for days on end.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

FIgure out a way to hang a blanket up and block off the cab from the sleeping area in the back. This would decrease the area you are trying to keep warm and stop heat from dissipating out the front windows and windshield. Also lots of insulation underneath you. Think of all the cold air constantly circulating under your rig or truck bed at night which is made of steel. This is why it's normally warmer to sleep on the ground in a tent even in snow. I don't even try sleeping in my rig in the cold, I safe that for the summer months.

 

[izzyandsue]

Could you make something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008JFW6BY/ref=psdc_376284011_t2_B00F3EZPM6

Using material like this?:
Cool Shield Thermal Bubble Roll - 48" x 125', 3/16" S-9911 - Uline

I imagine creating like a igloo (rounded) shelter on the back of the truck, with rear seat removed. Add a small opening for computer fan on one side to circulate air and just might work to keep heat in. When not in use you could roll it and stow it. Could be cheap and effective.

Otherwise a good winter tent with a good Mr. Heater and plenty of propane works for me.

 

[Pancake Donkey]

Would a dehumidifier or damprid work to remove the condensation and moisture?

 

[SHREDwagon]

Howdy ya'll,
I do a lot of camping with my 80 and sleep inside..... Interior is stock besides that, still have carpet etc. Any insight is appreciated.

How many consecutive nights?

My experience from 15 years ski touring:
- 1 night max out of a quality down bag before drying and 2 nights before it wets out and is near useless. This includes changing into dry thermals before going to bed.
- 4 nights max on multi-day ski tours using a quality ~32 deg synthetic quilt (katabatic) over a quality -20 to -30 deg down bag (WM). The synthetic will absorb condensation as you have moved the dew point out further and the down will maintain loft.
- anything past 4 nights and you will have to wear or use a vapor barrier in your bag.

OK - on to "car camping" and camping at trailheads or ski hills:
- You need DRY heat to cycle. Butane / propane produces condensation as a by-product of combustion and so is useless in a car. Webasto/ Espar AIR heater (not hydronic) is the solution. I've used mine for 6 years and have only had issues around 14k to 17k feet (Ecuador). 2 fuel pumps in series is a cheap fix for altitude. Buy one with a thermostat, if you're serious.
- To cycle less, you need insulation including the windows. R10 Reflectix or Trucool is cheap and easy to install behind panels. You can trace friction fit window cut-outs, but synthetic insulation with loft is ideal. Made my own, but fabric and hydrophobic insulation is $$$.

I have had a blast touring in my 80 for 3 weeks at a time in winter with the above set-up. It works in all climates, including coastal.

 

[jaymar]

I camp year-round in all conditions from -15 to 115.

My solution: Wiggy's sleeping bags -40* system (dual bag) and some Thermarest foam mats in a tent with the down-wind windows -open- to cut down on condensate.

Sleeping in your cruiser in sub zero conditions is going to result in serious frost/condensate -everywhere-, including inside the dash, carpets, headliner, etc... A few sub 20* outings sleeping in your cruiser will result in your cruiser smelling like a wet dog. The condensing moisture is from your breath and perspiration.

Alternatively, if you have to sleep in your truck, open the windows a bit to allow ventilation and double up the sleeping bags AND foam mats. Once you're in a good sleeping bag the highest heat transport from your body is to the ground where the insulation is compressed. One or more layers of closed cell foam mats makes a world of difference.

Don't use blow-up mats in the cold. PV=nRT. As the air in them gets colder (from ground contact), it's volume decreases, which results in your lying on the ground, which sucks heat from your body, which makes you cold.

Cold weather camping is a lot of fun - but can be dangerous if done wrong. The key is to use insulation to keep your own heat in. Heating your environment to be comfortable with less insulation is not a reliable solution. An unreliable solution is a dangerous solution.

IMHO YMMV

Another point about Wiggy's bags – – they can be compressed between uses. The military mashes them down with hydraulic presses, vacuum packs them, and stuffs them in pilot survival kits. They can stay that way for years, apparently with no effect on insulating qualities once opened up. So anything you can do unassisted to mash it down and make it small, ain't gonna hurt…

 

[mtntoys]

Curtains around the windows, a 12V blanket and webasto with a auxiliary battery make winter camping enjoyable. We use the 12V blanket to preheat before going to bed and the webasto to warm everything up in the morning. Weather tech vent visors are nice so you can crack the widow in bad weather.

My webasto setup...
The heater core outlet goes to the webasto inlet. The webasto outlet is “T” to the heater core inlet on the 1HZ and to a valve to the heater core inlet. This allows the Webasto to heat either the engine and heater core or just the heater core. The rear heat switch (rear heat was removed) is wired up to run the dash blower motor on medium speed off the aux battery. The webasto is also wired off the aux battery. It’s awesome having heat in the truck while camping/sleeping without running the engine. I plan to swap over a flat plate heat exchanger for a shower from my 4runner. That’s what the 2 plugged T fittings will go to.

 

[Marine7]

If all the above fail..... How about a Hooker?! Cheap, warm, and portable!!