Most people love to camp. Many of them taking to the road to spend time in the outdoors at any time of the year. Some have huge, luxurious motor homes (like Class A motorhome or fifth wheel) with all the bells and whistles. While others have RVs that offer most of the comforts of home.

While these types of RVs provide the warmth you need during the winter months, what about pop up campers? Are they suitable for camping in winter? Lets figure out all points concerning the use of pop up or tent trailers in winter.

Are pop up campers warm in winter?

Although summer camping means plenty of sunshine and requires relatively few preparations, it takes a lot more to plan a winter camping trip. Pop up campers are not great in winters due to the lack of very good insulation.

A canvas on the roof may not be highly insulating and thus there will be cold air leaking inside. Thus, during very cold weather it can become difficult to camp in a pop up camper.

Having said this, you can still use a pop up camper in winter but with certain preventive measures.

If it’s snowing you obviously will have a very bad camping experience with pop ups. They aren’t like hard sided travel trailers or other big RV’s like class B or class C. Pop up camper provides very basic amenities and limited space. They are the modest forms of RVs.

On top of its lack of insulation, they may not even include heating. And this will make it further difficult for you to camp in them during high cold winters.

To summarize, pop up campers or tent trailers in general are not very warm. You may have to try extra hard to keep them warm.

However, there are lots of things that one can do to keep them warm. We will see many of these things below.

How to keep pop up camper warm in winter

To make sure that you have an amazing winter camping trip, you must take steps to protect yourself from the elements.

Your outdoor experience should be full of fun and enjoyment. So do all you can to stop those icy cold nights from ruining your exciting camping experience!. There are a few things that you can do to keep your pop up warm, such as below.

• Make sure that your camper is designed to hold the heat inside. Try different insulating materials and protect the camper from cold air leakage from outside.
• Small leaks will waste precious warmth and cause a severe drop in the inside temperature, so check that your tent trailer is fully insulated.
• Install extra lining around the door, as well as plastic sheets on the windows.

These steps will make sure that the heat always stays inside your pop up.

Although you can use a heater to warm up the space inside your camper, there are several other things you can do to keep warm. For example, investing in down comforters and electric blankets, which do a wonderful job of keeping the body warm on those icy nights.

Removing moisture from your pop up

After a night-long sleep, the air in your camper will be full of moisture. It is a perfect recipe for mold-growth, which can be extremely damaging to your health. Keep the moisture at a comfortable and healthy level by always using a dehumidifier.

There are several other things that you can do to keep the moisture at healty level. Use lowe cost product like damp rid that will absorb extra moisture. Do not dry wet clothes inside your pop up camper.

Can you really use a pop up camper during winter?

Yes you can but with the proper preventative steps to make sure that your camper will keep you warm and cozy.

You can use it even in the coldest of winters, as long as you customize it in ways that will keep the heat inside. Some ways you can prepare for your winter trip in your pop up, include:

1. Find out about the terrain you are going to

Part of the fun of camping in a pop up is not knowing about your destination, whether it’s outin the middle of a redwood forest, or at a beach somewhere. However, when you are planning a winter trip, it is best to be safe, rather than sorry even more so if this is your first trip during the cold months.

Check the weather reports regarding your destination and familiarize yourself as much as possible with the surrounding area.

2. Make sure to have emergency access

While making a trip in a pop up is exciting, you don’t have to do it alone, especially if you run into some sort of trouble. Before you leave on your trip, make a note and keep it handy at all times.

3. Take warm stuff

Make sure that you pack lots of blankets and cold-weather clothing to help you ward off those icy cold winter chills. Pop ups have plenty of creative storage spaces, so take more than you imagine you might need, bearing in mind that you will be unable to hang wet laundry out to dry like you would normally do.

Tips for using your pop up in winter

Temperature is one of the biggest concerns for most people when camping in winter. Although pop up campers don’t offer much protection against the cold, if you plan properly – well in advance, you’ll be fine and able to enjoy your trip to the fullest. For instance:

1. If you have propane, then buy enough to last the entire trip.
2. If the propane tanks are outside, then buy covers for them to make sure they work properly in the cold temperatures, since propane tanks tend to malfunction when exposed to the elements.
3. Make sure that you warm up the inside of the tent trailer before you open it, so that the windows don’t crack from the cold.
4. When shutting down your pop up, do the same as above, but in reverse – prevent the windows from cracking by warming up the interior first.
5. If your pop up has a roof ventilation port, open it slightly to prevent a condensation build-up inside. Although this will reduce the amount of some of the warmth inside, it will be a whole lot better than having water dripping on you when you’re asleep!
6. Buy insulation hoses to protect from any outside water lines from freezing up.
7. If you plan on camping often during winter, then buy skirting to stop the cold and wind from getting underneath your camper. Although it won’t offer complete protection, it will minimize the cold air that would otherwise seep in under the pop up when the temperature drops and keep the inside air warmer.
8. Provide an additional insulation layer over the canvas areas of your camper by using a pop up gizmo.
9. Placing an extra mattress on the floor will provide insulation from the cold air under the camper.
10. Make sure that the heater is functional before setting off on your trip.
11. The cold is bound to affect the sewage system in your pop up, so use a composting toilet. Apart from it being environmentally-friendly, it will also stop the solid waste from freezing up and damaging your camper’s sewage system.
12. Stock up on hot chocolate, stews, soups, bottled water, extra batteries, firewood, as well as extra-warm sleeping bags or hot water bottles.

Tips to heat a pop up camper without electricity

Lets check out some ways you can actually heat a pop up camper without electricity or shore power.

1. Get a wood stove: This is based on fire and will produce some smoke but very minimal. You however need to be careful about fire.
2. Use portable heater: Battery powered portable heaters can work inside pop up campers. There are lots of such heaters that you can buy online. Since they may not produce great amounts of heat, make sure you limit their use. You also get portable heaters that run on propane.
3. Solar heaters: You can buy such solar kits that harness the sunlight, and give back direct heat, or provide heated water. For a small pop up camper you may try with something basic that isn’t costly.

Other tips while trying to heat a pop up camper:

1. Keeping your gas tank at least 1/2 full at all times is one of the most essential things you can do to make sure that you stay warm and safe during your winter trips.

2. Cold temperatures can reduce your gas supply. So, simply take it for granted that some of it will have evaporated during the night. Plan in advance and make sure that your gas tank is never close to empty, especially when temperatures drop below freezing.

3. Power lines, including those that your pop up might be hooked up to can be knocked over during heavy winter storms, so come prepared for these situations and stock up on heat induction items, lanterns and extra candles.

Kind of RV for a very cold winter

If you are planning a winter camping trip, then make sure that the camper you are considering buying is certified for all four seasons. By doing this, you will know for sure that it is well insulated, with additional precautionary measures designed to keep you warm during the cold winter months.

Check Amenities : It might be a clever idea to invest in all the amenities you need, if you know you will be spending lots of time in your RV. A Class A RV packed with luxurious will be best suited for any kind of camping may it be winter or high heat summer.

Four Seasons RV : Pop up camper as we saw may not be the ideal one to camp in the winter even though you can still go ahead. So what kind of RV is best suited for all seasons? A luxurious RV may not really be four seasons. So, be sure to check all things in the RV type you choose to buy.

Get clarifications : Just like any other major purchase you make, do some research. Ask as many questions as possible. Make sure that the camper you are planning on buying suits all your needs perfectly.

Also, tell the salesman if you plan on making winter camping trips with your RV. So that he can show you exactly which ones would be ideal for camping in the colder months.

In conclusion

The main reason why people enjoy camping, is because they get to spend some time in the great outdoors. Most of them choosing to make these trips during the warmer months of the year.

However, you can spend time in your pop up at any time of the year. As long as you make proper preparations well ahead of time and stock up on everything that you need. Yes, it does take a little more effort to camp in winter in your pop up. But, the rewards are many. And as a bonus, you get to see a side of Mother Nature that not many people are lucky enough to see!