Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

[steveski]

This is exactly what I need. Fits my truck. Basic, used, etc.

https://www.tufport.com/2020-short-box-t76

That is awesome.

Hopefully you aren't ready to buy, post something like that someone is going to buy it out from under you!

[MagnificentUnicorn]

That is awesome.

Hopefully you aren't ready to buy, post something like that someone is going to buy it out from under you!

Fortunately you can buy the same one brand new for just a little more.


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[jhyatt]

Trying to tap the knowledge base here...
Last summer I cruised around sleeping next to my subaru in a tent and biking every day and it was rad.
I sleep in the outback sometimes in the winter but generally end up at a friend, home, or cheap motel.
This summer my 3 kids want to drive west with me. middle and 2 high school, oldest should be able to drive by then. Our biking abilities range too much so I am thinking we will day hike, do a 1 week backpack trip, and some touristy stuff like rafting. Then I will probably spend August solo cruising around when they are with their mom. Another piece of the puzzle is that next Spring 2021 I am taking a sabbatical and can work remote. Like totally remote, but will have 2 weeks on/off with kids. I'm trying to figure out which of these options would be best. Driving from new england. Please don't start in on covid. I am aware of it.

1. Just drive the outback. Roof box, hitch box. we have family car camping stuff already. stay in a motel once in a while. splash out on some new car camping comfort items and some fun but pricey activities like rafting and guided fishing. But it will be tight in the vehicle.

2. light camper trailer like a hiker camper. I hate towing. I have a boat. I do have room to store it in the woods behind my house.

3. Blow like $40k of savings on a clapped out camper van. I don't want to borrow money for a van. It's tough to find a decent van that has 4 seatbelts, sleeps 4, and is not YUGE. My ideal vehicle is one I have spent time in: 4 captains chairs, the front ones swivel to the back to a table. little/no kitchen (no sink or whatever, just a cooler), no shower or toilet or anything. Sleeping 4 is a challenge. I am keeping my eyes open but it's tough in this market. And I am not totally psyched on owning and dealing with another vehicle.

4. Ideas?

I just bought my 2013 outback a year ago with 25k on it, up to 50k now. If I was close to getting a new vehicle I would look at a truck and 4WC type setup. Maybe I would if something perfect showed up...

I don't want a full blown RV

[Full Trucker]

Regarding chains & vans... I'm in a 2004 Sprinter (yeah yeah, I know... scourge of the fucking Earth) and have been having good luck with a set of Blizzaks and 300lbs of sandbags in the ass end of the van. I haven't been in any deep-deep snow, but it seems to be going well when it gets slick and snowy out. I have a set of chains I have yet to use, and will be carrying a pair of off-road recovery traction boards I have on my trip to JH/SLC this weekend just in case. If you 2WD van guys aren't adding weight for traction, it's worth a try. It's made a big difference in my van... went from losing traction on anything that even thought about being slick to perfectly driveable.

Sleeping nice and stealthy in parking lots.

Attachment 362180

Always kinda wondered what your grocery getter looked like... I saw a lifted Previa or some such nonsense in the lot at Loveland once and wondered if it was yours. If I see your rig, I'll leave you a note or knock on the window to say hi.

We keep our fresh water system functional in winter without any trouble. The Chinese diesel heater is under the sink and pulls its intake air from around the big fresh tank. The black and grey tanks are another story....

This... is a good idea.

Have you had much trouble with the Chinese diesel heater at elevation? Ours seems to have a limit of ~10k for wanting to work. Maybe I'll do a search in this thread...

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/ct...277958116.html

So sexy.

Swoon.

[climberevan]

.

Have you had much trouble with the Chinese diesel heater at elevation? Ours seems to have a limit of ~10k for wanting to work. Maybe I'll do a search in this thread...

Swoon.

I haven't spent much time over 8k ft since getting the heater, but I did spring for the blue LCD controller, which has an altimeter and supposedly auto adjusts for altitude. Mine has been really reliable. There is a VERY active FB group, where you'll likely find all of the answers.

Side note: I really don't understand all of the hate on RVs. Sprinters are no longer even a little stealth these days, and neither is anything else, really. If you're going to be obviously sleeping in a vehicle, why not be comfortable? We have a real freezer, an oven, plenty of water, and a huge comfy space to hang out in warmth. Total length of my class A is 22 feet, so we can park in regular spots. The extra width and height is where the spaciousness comes from.

Best of all, RVs are cheap. You can still get a decent older one for under $10k, and the savings will buy you a shitload of fuel. You can tear out whatever crap cabinets you don't need, or tear out all of them and start over, like I did. The walls are vertical, the floor is flat, and it's already insulated, so building is easy. Insurance for RVs is also super cheap.

Downsides are no 4x4 and few of them are ready for winter, but with the $40,000 you save you can get a Chinese heater and figure out how drive with chains. Or, shit, you could get a CRV and tow it for accessing snowed in parking areas.

[rod9301]

I vote for the Subaru and camping.

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[muted]

Side note: I really don't understand all of the hate on RVs. Sprinters are no longer even a little stealth these days, and neither is anything else, really. If you're going to be obviously sleeping in a vehicle, why not be comfortable? We have a real freezer, an oven, plenty of water, and a huge comfy space to hang out in warmth. Total length of my class A is 22 feet, so we can park in regular spots. The extra width and height is where the spaciousness comes from.

Best of all, RVs are cheap. You can still get a decent older one for under $10k, and the savings will buy you a shitload of fuel. You can tear out whatever crap cabinets you don't need, or tear out all of them and start over, like I did. The walls are vertical, the floor is flat, and it's already insulated, so building is easy. Insurance for RVs is also super cheap.

Seems really smart to me. Sprinter vans don't seem smart for anyone besides a couple with no kids, and even then it's stupid expensive.

[AdironRider]

No one gives a shit about your janky class a on the gram tho.

[rod9301]

I vote for the Subaru and camping.

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[Iowagriz]

Subaru and camping - but with stops at a small cabin every once in awhile to spreadout and refresh. Think KOA Kamping Kabins or similar. Good base camp for multi-day riding, kids might even get a pool.

I've done multi-day guy trips to Moab, Fruita and Spearfish by basing out of the cabins. It is nice to get a shower and place to spread out the gear to dry out, repair, repack, etc.

[doebedoe]

RVs are cool for certain uses. Trucks with campers are nice for others. Sleeping in a "stealthy" vehicle (Subaru, minivan, suburban, etc) good for others.

I don't think most people in Sprinters give a fuck about stealth.

If I was living out of one for weeks/months on end-- an already built full-size van or Class A would be obvious choice. Or hardsided truck camper.

[climberevan]

No one gives a shit about your janky class a on the gram tho.

Solid point.

[powdrhound]

I am enjoying the extra space. The Sunrader did me well for over 170k miles, but real engine power and Li-on powered heat has been a real upgrade. It handles way better than I had hoped

Stealth was never an option before, anyway. The dogs ensure that.



And my lady got her walk-around bed.

[Full Trucker]

I haven't spent much time over 8k ft since getting the heater, but I did spring for the blue LCD controller, which has an altimeter and supposedly auto adjusts for altitude. Mine has been really reliable. There is a VERY active FB group, where you'll likely find all of the answers.

Thanks, that's helpful. I have heard tell of a very active Facebook group... I just try and avoid teh Facebooks completely if possible. I'll check there if/when I do have really concrete questions.

Side note: I really don't understand all of the hate on RVs. Sprinters are no longer even a little stealth these days, and neither is anything else, really. If you're going to be obviously sleeping in a vehicle, why not be comfortable? We have a real freezer, an oven, plenty of water, and a huge comfy space to hang out in warmth. Total length of my class A is 22 feet, so we can park in regular spots. The extra width and height is where the spaciousness comes from.

Best of all, RVs are cheap. You can still get a decent older one for under $10k, and the savings will buy you a shitload of fuel. You can tear out whatever crap cabinets you don't need, or tear out all of them and start over, like I did. The walls are vertical, the floor is flat, and it's already insulated, so building is easy. Insurance for RVs is also super cheap.

Downsides are no 4x4 and few of them are ready for winter, but with the $40,000 you save you can get a Chinese heater and figure out how drive with chains. Or, shit, you could get a CRV and tow it for accessing snowed in parking areas.

No hate from this guy, a van is just what we ended up with. We had a pop-up truck camper before and I owned a 22' hard sided travel trailer way before that, the van works for us for a bunch of reasons. One of those reasons is we found a good deal and spent not very much money on an already built-out older Sprinter... more than $10k but quite a bit less than 20. And it's the most fuel efficient vehicle we own.

Seems really smart to me. Sprinter vans don't seem smart for anyone besides a couple with no kids, and even then it's stupid expensive.

Well I'm half of a couple with no kids, so this checks out.

No one gives a shit about your janky class a on the gram tho.

There's a hashtag for everything, broheme. #classalife #dieselpusher

RVs are cool for certain uses. Trucks with campers are nice for others. Sleeping in a "stealthy" vehicle (Subaru, minivan, suburban, etc) good for others.

I don't think most people in Sprinters give a fuck about stealth.

If I was living out of one for weeks/months on end-- an already built full-size van or Class A would be obvious choice. Or hardsided truck camper.

Pretty much yes to all this... different stuff works for different people. I'm definitely not worried about stealth. And if I were living in it, something different would be in order.

[b0ardski]

I am enjoying the extra space. The Sunrader did me well for over 170k miles, but real engine power and Li-on powered heat has been a real upgrade. It handles way better than I had hoped

Stealth was never an option before, anyway. The dogs ensure that.



And my lady got her walk-around bed.

this^

[singlecross]

First night of my ski season camping in the lot. Filled out a simple form with the resort and was told to make myself at home. How refreshing as opposed to hiding out and sneaking around.

[Norseman]

Post approved.

[jhyatt]

I vote for the Subaru and camping.

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You voted twice!

[alpinevibes]

No one gives a shit about your janky class a on the gram tho.

Right?

My parents just bought a new 28’ Class A as their first RV and their first retirement splurge. They’d started with wanting a Eurovan-sized “van,” then wanted a sprinter, then class B, then C and ended up with an A....

I drive a buses as part of my job and said the A was going to be “that much bigger” despite having a similar footprint to a bloated B or most C’s. We’ll see where their heads are at in a year or two; will they want bigger or smaller?

[Kopi_Red]

I haven't spent much time over 8k ft since getting the heater, but I did spring for the blue LCD controller, which has an altimeter and supposedly auto adjusts for altitude. Mine has been really reliable. There is a VERY active FB group, where you'll likely find all of the answers.

Side note: I really don't understand all of the hate on RVs. Sprinters are no longer even a little stealth these days, and neither is anything else, really. If you're going to be obviously sleeping in a vehicle, why not be comfortable? We have a real freezer, an oven, plenty of water, and a huge comfy space to hang out in warmth. Total length of my class A is 22 feet, so we can park in regular spots. The extra width and height is where the spaciousness comes from.

Best of all, RVs are cheap. You can still get a decent older one for under $10k, and the savings will buy you a shitload of fuel. You can tear out whatever crap cabinets you don't need, or tear out all of them and start over, like I did. The walls are vertical, the floor is flat, and it's already insulated, so building is easy. Insurance for RVs is also super cheap.

Downsides are no 4x4 and few of them are ready for winter, but with the $40,000 you save you can get a Chinese heater and figure out how drive with chains. Or, shit, you could get a CRV and tow it for accessing snowed in parking areas.

My thoughts exactly.

[carlh]

Crash test videos will show the biggest drawback to the class A. Hopefully when we are back in Seattle I can have my trailer up in lot 3 but it obviously won’t be getting there if it is puking.

[doebedoe]

Saw this on my run today....sick.

[~mikey b]

[jackattack]

Saw this on my run today....sick.

I’d say.

[LiamW]

man, it's so hard to get a good sleep in RV
but if you come to ski for just a couple of days it's worth it 100%