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  1. #351
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    here and occasionally there
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    1,564
    A friend of mine and i were discussing the possibilities of taking a Toyota Highlander Hybrid and converting it to a winter camping machine. If it is possible to access the battery back to run a small ceramic heater (dry heat) it might eliminate the dreaded moisture buildup while keeping the interior warm. A few solar panels and the occasional jaunt around the block might be enough to keep the batteries well charged

    Any hybrid car experts around that can chime in to the feasibility?

  2. #352
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Moose, Iowa
    Posts
    7,926
    I am no hybrid expert but I think Toyota only utilizes 50 percent of the hybrid battery or something like that so that it is never fully discharged and never fully charged. This is to preserve the battery life. Your idea would be gobbling up battery life if you run them down (you would). Using batteries for heat seems like a bad idea to me except maybe using a cheap deep cycle battery for an electric blanket.

  3. #353
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    shadow of HS butte
    Posts
    6,397
    This moisture thing is a real PITA. Especially when it's snowing and the bumming potential is at its highest.

  4. #354
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    5

    Sleeping in the car in the winter?

    I glued reflective foam insulation sheets (look like drywall) to my wood platform- was fantastic.

  5. #355
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    5
    Quote Originally Posted by smallies View Post
    Condesation is going nowhere with our without those.
    Agreed. Hence a thick synthetic fill blanket to cover everything.

  6. #356
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    793
    2 people n a dog died sleeping in a van in the GM parking lot in chamonix.

  7. #357
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    shadow of HS butte
    Posts
    6,397
    slight thread drift…

    how do people deal with wildlife when sleeping in the car for extended trips in bear country? seems like having any food inside is a bad idea.

  8. #358
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    2,274
    I don't worry bout it too much here in montana and I camp in truck in bear country pretty much every weekend. I leave my cooler (bearproof) outside and anything else goes in cab. We have two dogs with us and sleep with spray and a pistol near our heads. I have actually had a griz come to back of the truck and put his paws on topper glass. Funny thing is neither dog woke up and we both thought the other one was moving around so we didn't know till next morning when I saw the giant paw prints on dusty glass. I guess if you're worried about it than hang all your food, which can be a ton of work if not impossible. From what I hear any food in vehicle in say cali is a strict no no with those black bears. But generally in greater Yellowstone the bears prefer to steer clear of people. Sorry for long winded response.

  9. #359
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    shadow of HS butte
    Posts
    6,397
    Quote Originally Posted by lifelinksplit View Post
    I don't worry bout it too much here in montana and I camp in truck in bear country pretty much every weekend. I leave my cooler (bearproof) outside and anything else goes in cab. We have two dogs with us and sleep with spray and a pistol near our heads. I have actually had a griz come to back of the truck and put his paws on topper glass. Funny thing is neither dog woke up and we both thought the other one was moving around so we didn't know till next morning when I saw the giant paw prints on dusty glass. I guess if you're worried about it than hang all your food, which can be a ton of work if not impossible. From what I hear any food in vehicle in say cali is a strict no no with those black bears. But generally in greater Yellowstone the bears prefer to steer clear of people. Sorry for long winded response.
    Thanks for the reply, I should have mentioned I'll be in the Adirondacks, so I'll be dealing with pesky black bears.

  10. #360
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Bay Area
    Posts
    175
    How does everyone stop condensation build up when its snowing outside? Cracking the window or sun roof just asking for the car to fill up. Kitty litter?

  11. #361
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    da hood
    Posts
    1,118
    Quote Originally Posted by 2clue View Post
    How does everyone stop condensation build up when its snowing outside? Cracking the window or sun roof just asking for the car to fill up. Kitty litter?
    It takes heat AND ventilation to offset condensation. Small spaces make it even more difficult. Reflectex on the windows helps, cracked windows helps more.

  12. #362
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    1
    Any ideas on how to keep a laptop from freezing to death?

  13. #363
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    2 hours from anything
    Posts
    10,732
    Quote Originally Posted by 2clue View Post
    How does everyone stop condensation build up when its snowing outside? Cracking the window or sun roof just asking for the car to fill up. Kitty litter?
    Never been that big of a problem for me if solo but I imagine that a bucket of dessicant would work a lot better than kitty litter.

  14. #364
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    752
    Avalung, bag outside the window.

  15. #365
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    10
    Has anyone used mr heater portable buddy in the car? Any tips what I should take care in case that I would need to use it? I am planning a road trip to Canada soon and it looks that there is -15 F in Banff.

  16. #366
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Quote Originally Posted by lazyhiker View Post
    Has anyone used mr heater portable buddy in the car? Any tips what I should take care in case that I would need to use it? I am planning a road trip to Canada soon and it looks that there is -15 F in Banff.
    I use one in my van. I always keep windows cracked on either side for cross venting. And never use it while sleeping. Works a charm. I have the normal size model (not the lil buddy) since it is less tipy and I have a dog running around. Get a CO sensor (cheap from amazon). In serious cold sometimes I need to run the van for a few minutes before the pilot wants to light up. Could also be the altitude since I'm over 10K most nights.

    Get some good sleeping bags, a vapor barrier, a boiled-wool army blanket over top and a piss bottle. Heat up a Nalgene of water for you sleeping bag before going to bed -- warm when you get in and some non-frozen water in the morning. Spend time in bars to get dried out after skiing. But don't drink so much beer you have to get up in the middle of the night.

  17. #367
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    385
    Stagg chili with eggs is a good fuck it stay warm dinner. Cayenne and coarse garlic powder is good for ya too.

  18. #368
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Ottawa
    Posts
    801
    Quote Originally Posted by 2clue View Post
    How does everyone stop condensation build up when its snowing outside? Cracking the window or sun roof just asking for the car to fill up. Kitty litter?
    What about window deflectors? Crack the window an inch, but still have coverage from precip.

  19. #369
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Golden
    Posts
    3,379
    Quote Originally Posted by johnnyg82 View Post
    What about window deflectors? Crack the window an inch, but still have coverage from precip.
    These work awesome on the Cherokee camp nights. And in summer when raining.

  20. #370
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    3,581
    Quote Originally Posted by lazyhiker View Post
    Has anyone used mr heater portable buddy in the car? Any tips what I should take care in case that I would need to use it? I am planning a road trip to Canada soon and it looks that there is -15 F in Banff.
    I opted to get a catalytic heater (Olympian Wave). More expensive, but more efficient, and rated for higher altitude. I used window deflectors and kept a window open a little. I didnt die, or feel bad at all, and yes I did sleep with it on. I did have a CO monitor just in case, but it never made a peep.

    The catalytic models don't like dust, which is probably their biggest downside other than cost. But that shouldn't be a big issue on a ski trip.

  21. #371
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    266
    I am considering making a tent for the back of my subi. Can't seem to find anything but sarcasm when I asked this question as it's own question, so I will try here.
    Want to know weather to build it out of Sunbrella like material or Silnylon. Sunbrella is clearly the strongest since that is what dodgers and biminis for boats are made out of. But it is bulky and I worry about snow sticking to the fabric. This is a concern since it has to store inside the car durring the day and I don't want my tent making my car into a petri dish for mold. Silnylon seems light and prone to tearing around the corners it has to mold to, to make the tent tight.

    Any feed back?
    Last edited by snojones; 03-18-2017 at 05:37 PM.

  22. #372
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    shadow of HS butte
    Posts
    6,397
    as long as the whether is dry you should be good to go with the sunbrella material

    why does it have to be stored inside the car…?

  23. #373
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Tahoe
    Posts
    16,124
    did you even bother sending Rontele a private message?

    FWIW I lived in my subaru for two months with two dogs. I don't see why a tent is necessary. I am in the middle of a month of living in my jeep (with two dogs up until today). The tent just seems like a hassle unless you have the type that goes up when you open the hatch. It will also remove your ability to crash in MANY ski area lots.
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  24. #374
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    266
    It has to go into the car so I can lock the car up during the day when I am skiing. The tent will go on the back of the car, enlarging the interior space. I do have one of the doors that open up, but I have built a platform that extends the bed to be long enough for my 6' 2" frame to fit. This will leave the rear hatch propped open and unless I can make a suitable tent to close it I suspect quite drafty. My local area has a season pass for camping in the lot so it won't be a big deal if the subi looks odd. However thieves are always around, so I have to be able to lock the car up while I ski, which means moving the tent to the inside of the car.

  25. #375
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Tahoe
    Posts
    16,124
    another option is the seat extender. It's typically used to give more leg room to taller people (making the seat go back farther) but I believe it can also be used to make the seat go farther forward. Could be just the thing so you can sleep with the hatch shut.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECVH24A...sert-amazon-20
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

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