Sleeping in the car in the winter?

[livefreeordie]

So i stumbled upon this thread and thought it was pretty cool.
figure i would chime in as well

a few years ago during our senior year in high school, my friend and i wanted to live in a car. well we just kept brainstorming and the idea took on a whole new level. living in your car is freedom, but we also didnt like the idea of sleeping in my mazda pos car from like 1988... we decided to go with a bus, for the room. and for the added bonus of having a diesel engine we could run on vegetable oil.

although i cant find any pictures of it in winter conditions, i did spend many many nights in it during freezing temps. buses are cold and drafty so we used lots of blankets and lots of sleeping bags to cover the windows and ourselves. other then that i was fine every night... plus we had two 100watt PV panels that ran an additional heater, which kept us fairly warm. it was a dually and rear wheel drive, so deep snow was kinda sketch. we did have to chain up often and just take it slow... we never got stuck or stranded due to weather though

here are some pics of one of the best road tripping machines! it started from an idea, and im glad we followed through... our longest trip was from NH to CO to UT then to tahoe... it cost us 200$ in diesel total!



elliott and his bus, you can see the roof rack, which had a 60 gallon vegy tank, pump, PV panels, grill, and bikes



Me in front of my bus, agian you can see the rack



the bus with the parts bus, putting it all together



riping out the seats, and doing all the fun sawzall work

i know i have pics of the inside, just have to find them... for those that are wondering the whole project cost us $4000. $2000 each
there was a lot to the bus and i didnt even start to describe the modifications we made! but inside the bus included bunk beds, shelves, tables, seats, added in passenger seat, fuel tank, heater, hammock, lights, and loads of other stuff...

[livefreeordie]

i forgot to mention one thing. vegetable oil congeals at like room temp.. so running a vegetable car in the winter is extremely difficult. we had to heat the whole vegy fuel system... very well, and make sure it was strong enough so that if it did freeze, we wouldnt have leaks...

[Ski to Be]

That is an awesome setup. The bang for the buck value of an old school bus is hard to beat

[_Aaron_]

^^^^ pure win right there LFOD

What happened to said bus?

[livefreeordie]

it currently resides in colorado at my friends house, because i cant keep it at my apartment in tahoe. its ran into some problems recently but she'll be fixed up soon enough.

[Powaholic]

Not really winter, but last weekend the whistler parking lot got poached.

[livefreeordie]

so i still cant find any pics of the bus during winter use... sad really.. i know i have some, but i have so many pictures they seem to be lost, oh well they will turn up

here are a few more pictures however

the outside of the bus


the other side, the green stuff on the stairs is astro turf.. we used that instead of carpet because it doesnt stain (important w vegy oil) and can be hosed down.. you can also see the fuel tank on the back of the roof, and the solar PV panels on the front


inside, work in progress


heres one i found of the inside completed.. very messy at this point. but you can see the bunk bed, storage, food, and other shit.. plus my friend elliott is watching his computer in the back

[Leftyt]

I ski bummed for two months this winter in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico just wondering around chasing the storms.
I have to say the 97 AWD Chevy Astro makes a pretty strong winter camping ride. I had several nights below 0F and really never had any problems. I put 9000 miles on the van had a few mechincal issues that I had to fix but all and all a Astro makes a pretty great ride.

[Leftyt]

Oh and the Astro van looking totally stock on the outside except a spare tire remount on the back door made it easy to sneak around and crash in different places. It was also really easy to get wifi. Just roll up anywhere make breakfest in the van and check out the weather report.

Oh I miss that trip already!

[mtl_ripper]

this thread is so full of WIN.

Thanks guys I just got stoked from, what normal people would consider odd, thinking about sleeping in a car in winter.

This forum rocks.

[haydukelives]

some good ideas on van conversions

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/howtoconvertavan.html

[That was Pontus]

Figured I'd throw some photos up of the current state of my truck camper. This is version 2. I won't bother with any photos of the round one. It worked for living in on a 4 month road trip up to Inuvik and back again however it was pretty rough. Just a basic plywood and 2x4 bedframe that sat on top of the bed rails. Gobs of storage underneath the bed, no way to get to any of it and no headroom.

This time around I opted to stick with the bed widthwise across the box. I'm pretty lazy and don't feel like pulling a camping unit out every time I want to use the box and this style lets me utilize the box better I think. Different strokes for different folks however. So yea, this time a made a 2x4 frame that partially sits on top of the wheel wells. I avoided throwing in a centre support on the bed frame by countersinking some serious heavy duty screws into the deal there. Probably gonna add a bomber bracket to it one of these days here.

Anyways, putting on the plywood top I cut out some access panels to get to tools, fluids, chains, tow straps, etc... Those steezy wooden beer crates came courtesy of the folks and are perfect for holding fluids and junk. Spare tire is easy to get to now, versus being stuck way in the front corner behind rubbermaids and shit.

I've got big ol' plywood chuck box for the coleman stove and kitchen crap that I can just throw in there whenever. Probably gonna add a roof vent to help cut out on the condensation from me, the stove, etc...

Ceiling insulation (not in the photos) is just some reflectex spray glued and duct taped into permanency for this particular topper. Other than that (and the stove), no heating. I've concluded through various reads on here, the Exped forums, etc. that it's just a hudge hassle and would make me look like a nancy-ass ski bum. So winter sleeping bag it is. And seeing as I live on a futon (free, on Kijiji ), the mattress issue is sorted. The curtains are some cheap ass stylin' beach towels. Thanks mom.

To justify the POW sticker and being mounted on a 1980 3/4 ton, I scored a 60W solar panel setup off, again Kijiji. Thanks to me being dumb and leaving it outside on a particularly windy day, it's now a 30W set up. 115amp/hour RV battery will get charged before every trip and will be more than adequate to pump up 2-way radios, the cell phone, camera and other small shit.

I'll be leaving the bbq at home, guess it'll suffice until I'm employed and can afford an XP and a 1-ton.

[AvisAustin]

That's nicer than my apartment... bigger too...
I'll even share some smoke and hand tied flies for it.

American Education Services
American Education Source

[Slaag Master]

i am trying to figure out a way to stay in canyon (little cottonwood canyon) all winter - but the deep snow makes it very hard - may have to move into the fringe of the valley - anyway any vehicle looks good to me.

[skiingisnice]

Google winter camping for lots of tips and 1) wear a hat 2) wear dry, clean clothes 3) fill a nalgene/ water-bottle with hot water from somewhere and put it between your legs (femoral artery) 4) use a pee bottle so you don't have to leave your car 5) as many sleeping bags and duvets as you can fit! (get compression bags to store them) 6) eat lots before bed (carbs) 7) sleep in down vest (ebay) 8) down everything... (coat: ebay) 9) layers 10) "Do dry large articles of clothing in sleeping bag overnight. Too much moisture will wet the bag insulation and make you cold." 11) stay in bed to eat breakfast 12) go to bed warm (jumping jacks) 13) roll moisture out of your bag each morning and keep it open to dry 14) Enjoy! (?)

[skiingisnice]

Very extensive site: http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/winter/wintcamp.shtml

[diggy]

Anyone use a portable generator with an electric heater to heat their truck bed/van?

I'm thinking about getting a little Honda 1000 watt generator to power some kind of electric heater in the bed of my truck. What would be the best type of sub-1000 watt electric heater to use?
Electric Blanket/ heat pad?

Preferably something with a fan that would move air around and dry out the canopy.

I've used portable propane heaters but they release moisture which I'm trying to get rid of in the wet PNW.

[Slaag Master]

when you are ready to upgrade move into the garage - helps keep you tuned for cold temps and the microwave for a midnight snack is great - not to mention zero cost - who has the heart to charge for staying in their garage

[jon gaper]

Anyone use a portable generator with an electric heater to heat their truck bed/van?

I'm thinking about getting a little Honda 1000 watt generator to power some kind of electric heater in the bed of my truck. What would be the best type of sub-1000 watt electric heater to use?
Electric Blanket/ heat pad?

Preferably something with a fan that would move air around and dry out the canopy.

I've used portable propane heaters but they release moisture which I'm trying to get rid of in the wet PNW.

you can get a 12v electric blanket and skip the generator. i run one off a second battery or one of those car-battery chargers for my dog if it gets really cold.

are you sure that the moisture isnt from you exhaling?

[bobole]

This is my first year of college and I am planning on taking advantage of some time off this year....
I want to get to several ski areas this year, Jackson, Targhee(college season pass for 199?? hell yea)Maybe big sky.
I am no noob to sleeping in the car during the summer, but during the winter I have had some bad experiences using my old half inflatable therma and my 35* sleeping bag during colder late fall and early spring trips. I am also a pretty wild sleeper so the typical mummy bag sucks for me.

I was thinking instead of spending money on lodging, I just sleep in the car.
Now down to the actual questions:
I have an isuzu rodeo and I can lay comfortably comfortably but the flooring is uncomfy as hell. I was thinking about getting one of those suv inflatable mattresses to sleep on. Will this lose a bunch of heat though??
I was thinking about getting one of those big canvas sleeping bags. It is rated to 0* so i know I won't get too cold in it, i will throw some other sleeping bags in too for extra warmth.

What is the maggots collective thoughts on this???


Or you could just make this easy and somebody in jackson, Driggs and bozeman could offer up some floor space.

It sounds reasonable to me. You can also use some warmers that can last about 10 hours. They are usually in small packs but I am sure that you can find bigger size. I used it already and was satisfied.

[Spats]

I've used portable propane heaters but they release moisture which I'm trying to get rid of in the wet PNW.

The moisture is from your body. It'll condense in the vehicle no matter what heat source you use. That's how the police can tell when someone is sleeping in their vehicle: the windows are fogged up.

[diggy]

you can get a 12v electric blanket and skip the generator. i run one off a second battery or one of those car-battery chargers for my dog if it gets really cold.

are you sure that the moisture isnt from you exhaling?

I know most of the moisture is from exhaling. And wet gear. Just saying the propane heater doesn't help things.

Also considering the battery charger, 12v electric blanket option. But really my problem isn't being cold as much as keeping things dry after a few days sleeping in the truck. It's usually pretty comfortable with a zero degree bag and reflectix on the windows.

I'm thinking that using an electric heater with a fan or blower could really keep it dry on the weeklong trips when it's storming. Right now I usually idle the truck motor and dry stuff out in the cab before going to sleep in the canopy. Then start the truck again in the morning to thaw out the boots.

[riokarma]

Great thread. Lots of good info in here. While I've never done it this occurred to me while reading; if skiing on area why not take advantage of locker rooms. It seems like we are all hell bent on drying our gear in the bar and sub-zero trucks. I've never done it and I have always found a way to cram into frozen boots or dry my gear otherwise. If you're gonna post up in one area for a while why not just rotate your gear/boots out of a locker in a heated lodge?

Here is my set up...uncompleted. Their are two center panels that are removable for taller items (coolers, bikes, etc.) as needed while keeping two "bunks" available or one big platform if not.

[hutash]

Propane heaters put out a lot of water, after all the break down products of combustion is CO2 and H2O ( and CO if mot completely combusted, so always use a CO monitor if use a Buddy Heaters or the like.

[Alaskan Rover]

i want one of these

Damn...that thing is deluxxx!! Who needs a house when have something like this!

When I was in Dawson City, Yukon, I met a guy who lived in his 1964 Chevy Suburban. The guy had a wood-stove in the back with a full flue and stove-pipe up to the roof. He said the rig was toasty warm even when it got down to minus 54 degrees. Knowing those stoves quite well, I believe him. He traveled around from town to town in the Yukon and Alaska selling his carvings.

You don't really need heat though, unless we're talking sub -20 temps. Key is a good mummy bag rated to -20, and preferably a gore-tex sleeping bag cover over that (or the more expensive 4 season expedition bags incorporate a gore-tex outer shell....these bags cost a bundle, but will last a lifetime of hard use!) It will retain escaping heat, but allow vapor from your body to pass through without condensing.

Throw in a good polyester bacalava over your head and face and you won't even notice the cold. Don't bother with a beanie, they just come off anyway.

Don't make the mistake most people do and wear too many underclothes. With a well-designed bag, your body-heat radiating into the down gives you your heat...and in turn, the down will further insulate your body...it's like a "heat synergy". Wearing too many clothes in bag just destroys this process.

From lots of experience parking-lot camping at various parking lots for climbing and skiing...the absolute BEST parking lot camper is a windowless commercial van!! Partition off the front seat area from the cargo area, and there would be no light seen and there would be no windows for the fucking overly suspicious cops to peer into with their goddamn flashlights at 3:30 AM in the morning!! And that is worth it right there. Nothing worse than being rousted up by a pimply-faced cop at 4 AM the day before a climb and told to move on!

But damn, that 4x4 rig above sure looks inviting!!! I think it says: "Earth Roamer", but not positive.