early spring and late fall camping

[HDBiker]

So, Here I go again with yet more questions. I am sure people have gone camping in the early spring and late fall. How does that work out in the pop up? Do you end up freezing or do you actually stay pretty warm in one? Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks

[KyDan]

Two things you need.
Flannel sheets
Down comforter or down sleeping bag opened up as a comforter.

Without supplemental heat it can be as little as 10 deg warmer inside than outside.
If it's 30 in the morning it might only be 40 in the trailer!

You don't mention heating so I'm assuming you want to know what to expect
without heat.
IF you have electric hook ups where you're camping that changes everything!
You can use an electric space heater or you can run your LP furnace!
You can be as toasty as you want to be.
Keep in mind the LP furnace blower motor is a battery hog so you are limited to
how much you can use it if you are boondocking on battery power.
I'm sure others will have suggestions.
We love spring/fall camping! The CGs are much less crowded and there's something
about the crisp fall air in the morning that just gets my blood pumping to be outside!

[trudinator]

We camped for over 20 years in a tent and went early spring/late fall. We always took an electric site so we could run our small electric heater. The key though, is to warm yourself from the bottom - get a heated mattress pad. Laying on an electric blanket will also help. You'll be surprised how toasty it keeps you.

[10x]

Here in Florida, you will need AC.

[HONDAMAN174]

Did thanksgiving at Williams, AZ & Grand Canyon this past year. Ran the furnace and extra heater as stated before. Had heated mattresses and blankets- so used a ton of power - lol. Got down to 24 at night. Kept furnace and temp right around 50-55 and was wArm. If you plan trips in colder weather, need to think about your water supply and water tanks. We had CG water supply and hose never froze up but I don't think anything around our camper froze either!😝

[GalsofEscape]

We do alot of early spring late fall camping with our popup. As it has heated mattresses, we stay nice and cozy even when we once had an issue with the furnace not coming one - and it got down into the 30s that night (suspect an issue with the propane as had just switched tanks and did not have a good gas flow, which seemed to work itself out when it warmed up that morning.) I now do bring an electric room heater to supplement and save propane.

[HDBiker]

I am reading a lot of people have electric heaters. I am guessing the little buddy propane heaters are not popular?

[Sargent's Fox Hole]

Just remember, cold outside + heater inside = condensation on inside of canvass.

[GalsofEscape]

Originally Posted by HDBiker

I am reading a lot of people have electric heaters. I am guessing the little buddy propane heaters are not popular?

I would be cautious with a propane heater, they need proper ventilation and are usually labeled for outdoor use.

[tanddc]

The Little Buddy propane heater is labeled for indoor use when using a small disposable propane tank. Yes you do have to have proper ventilation when using but it is not hard in a pop up. We bought one for tent camping and kept it with the pop up but an electric heater is much more conventient when the hookup is there. Plus those small tanks never lasted the night. Those Buddy heaters are pretty nice. They have tip over protection and will shut off if the O2 gets too low.

[ependydad]

We tent camped for a good 25 years without electricity in early April and late October at a state park in Pennsylvania. Go into it expecting it to be cold, hope for chilly and be shocked if you get warm weather. :-) It's never been awful cold- occasional freak occurrences of snow and temps in the 30s but we've also seen 65 degree days and 50s at night.

We have found that 2 sleeping bags are required unless you spend the money on a really good 0-degree bag. We sleep in one and throw the other over top of you. If you can sleep with your head/face covered- all the better. I usually sleep with a beanie/hat and a warm shirt and then "whatever" for my bottom + feet.

When we camped in a pop-up, still had no electricity and no furnace and did things the same way.

This year we had electricity and my pops/his wife took a space heater into their tent.

Finally, dress warm - each person has their own plan for how to manage being outside in the cold (we literally use the tents for changing + sleep and are outside for the rest of the weekend- eating, socializing, etc.). My philosophy is that I add extra clothes before I'm cold and try to stay ahead of it. My sister says she'd rather get cold and feel warm with the extra clothes when she finally has to.

[RenFaire Camper]

Two of Texas main renfaires are early spring and late fall I've tent and popup camped at both. I used the Little Buddy propane heater they have a low ox senser so are fairly safe just use common sense and make sure a window is cracked open. It normally kept the camper around 70 with the outside temp in the mid to high 30's. I used a sleeping bag with a couple of extra blackets and never really felt cold.

[ependydad]

(Hijack alert)

RenFaire Camper - your screenname alone makes me jealous. I haven't been to a ren faire. in YEARS!

[bradnailer]

We live in Texas and unless you like to spend a lot of time in the river or lake during the summer, spring and fall camping is the best where temperatures are milder. Of course you have to prepare for everything as the weather is subject to change quickly.

However, we spend a week in the hill country in the spring and the fall and love it. Summers, we head to Colorado.

[mTn_biKer65]

Our last hybrid had heated mattress which were worth there weight in gold in lower temperatures. With the mattress's keeping the beds warm there was a lot less reliance on the furnace which in a hybrid comes on way to often when the temperature drops.

We have a rear bed slide now which can still get a little cool so we bring along an electric blanket to make sure we're ready if the need arises.

[HONDAMAN174]

I do use a little buddy for the lack of noise and Have it right next to co2 detector with no issues. Use on low only.

[Renosky]

We live in Idaho and went camping in early May in our Flagstaff 24d and it got down to 22 degrees. We have heated mattresses and heavy blankets on top and ran our furnace halfway on the control and kept really warm. Noses got a little cool but slept fine and had to take socks off because they were sweating.

[jeeplj8]

Two years ago we were out in our pop-up on a night where it dipped to 26 degrees. It was only around 40 during the day. Our's had heated mattresses, which I am convinced made more difference than anything else. We had 2 small electric space heaters and the propane furnace. We were comfortable all night. However if you rolled over in your sleep and put your arm, or anything else, on the canvas, you knew it was COLD out there.

[HONDAMAN174]

Yep- make quick work when using the bathroom!

[dkb74]

Originally Posted by 10x

Here in Florida, you will need AC.

Haha... I was thinking the same thing!

For cold nights, socks make a huge difference in keeping yourself warm. Other than that, I got nothin'. I left the cold behind years ago!