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Winter camping help

R
Apr 14, 2015
90
17
8
31
wisconsin
Looking to buy a toy hauler camper. Anyone have any experience with one? Hard to find any good info. Seems I'd be looking for a 4 season camper, but even then some people are saying that might not be enough. Thanks
 

blacklabel28

New member
Premium Member
Jan 17, 2015
68
4
8
Keystone Co
very few manufactured campers are comfortable in the cold we experience out at the trailhead. Artic fox, bigfoot, lance are a few you can look up tho but their price reflects it. I camp all winter in a deckover V nose enclosed that is insulated and has 2 furances, a shower, sink, and cots. And it still gets cold here and there.
 
R
Apr 14, 2015
90
17
8
31
wisconsin
very few manufactured campers are comfortable in the cold we experience out at the trailhead. Artic fox, bigfoot, lance are a few you can look up tho but their price reflects it. I camp all winter in a deckover V nose enclosed that is insulated and has 2 furances, a shower, sink, and cots. And it still gets cold here and there.

Did you build that v nose yourself? That was going to be next option was to buy an enclosed trailer, gut it, and build it how I'd like. Almost seems like a better option considering I will only be using it for winter camping. And probably cheaper after looking at the prices of the few you named.
 
J

Jaynelson

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
5,005
5,542
113
Nelson BC
The biggest consideration for using an RV in the winter is - do you want to use all of the water system and plumbing features? If it's just a couple nights, it's definitely easiest just to bring water jugs for drinking, cooking, etc....rather than firing up the whole system and trying to keep everything un-frozen. But if you're going to do this frequently or for longer stints, that might suck to not have running water, shower, etc. Summarizing/winterizing each time wouldn't be completely terrible...but a bit of a pain, and could you even find a sani dump to empty the holding tanks that time of year? Just thinking out loud

My travel trailer has an insulated floor, and a nice quiet furnace....easy enough to keep warm in cold temps. Cold nights and not wanting to use a ton of propane could easily be solved with a good winter sleeping bag. But I don't think I'd trust all the plumbing to stay thawed, particularly while driving. I don't know what extents the "4 season" campers go to in that regard. From what I've seen most of the RV's are built VERY similarly with regardless to appliances, plumbing, heating, electric, etc.
 
J

Jaynelson

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
5,005
5,542
113
Nelson BC
in bed camper.
Much less space to heat, tow any trailer u want behind.


Totally...and nothing hanging below/outside heated areas. Travel trailer is great with kids but I miss my in bed camper...better in cold temps and can bring it anywhere you can bring a truck. Plus the towing thing.
 

blacklabel28

New member
Premium Member
Jan 17, 2015
68
4
8
Keystone Co
there are so many options. I just use 7 gallon jugs mounted on a shelf and my sink just drains on to the ground. There is a vault toilet in the parking lot of camp at for #2's. My trailer does have a shower but I have only used it a handful of times. it uses tanks mounted on the wall pretty high up and a on demand water heater. Throw a AC drip pan on the floor and route it out a flap in the floor or just run it to the dovetail and voila your clean.
 

Prayn4snow

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 30, 2007
1,622
900
113
Upper Michigan & Alaska
in bed camper.
Much less space to heat, tow any trailer u want behind.


I traveled all over Alaska for 12 years with slide in campers. One was a BigFoot, one Alpinelite, the other was Northerlite which was basically the same maker as the Bigfoot. All were really nice, kept warm, dry and still pulled my enclosed trailers easy. I had a heated shop at home with in-floor heat that fit my truck, camper and trailer all at the same time so thawing it out wasn't a problem. I wouldn't recommend running water.
 
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