Ok now under 50 degrees (f). Starting to feel it! (vents, thermal underwear)

[riffraff]

Last night it got down to 50 degrees and I'm not gonna lie.. I was cold as hell. Not QUITE ready to get a little buddy heater but have a few questions.

First, I'm concerned about staying stealthy.. but also staying warm. I've continued to leave the front 2 windows cracked about an inch for ventilation. I was doing that also with my fan-tastic fan (opening it about an inch, not turning it on) since I was worried about too much moisture build up, making the front windows fog up like crazy. Is this something I should keep doing? Seems like the cold air was coming right through, which it was to some extent.

The curtain I'm using to divide the cab from the back area of my van does not quite reach the floor (short about 4 inches) and I still have some parts that are not insulated (mostly the roof and back corners). I'm also still putting a fold-out sun-blocker in the windshield which may help obscure any fog/moisture build-up but it's soon going to look out of place (nobody is going to use one of those things in the winter!)

Should I keep the front windows vented? I'm guessing the foggy windows will get worse as it gets colder. Argh.

Second .. OK OK I'm ready to get some Thermal underwear! I did a quick search online and saw a variety of tops & bottoms. A lot of it looked like athletic gear. I was a bit unsure as to what to order. I could try Target or Walmart but I may need 3x size as I'm on the "Big" side of "Big & Tall".


I did some "fixes" to my blanket by securing it to the bed frame better using these plastic tarp clamps and eye screws. Will see if that works better tonight (blanket kept falling off the bed, partially because where I park is quite uneven) I'll post pics of what I did if anyone's curious.

 

[highdesertranger]

layers think layers. the more layers you have the warmer you will stay. I like thermal tops but not bottoms. what I find that works good is sweat pants with bdu's as over pants. this coupled with wool socks and high quality gaiters and I am good to the single digits. indoors cotton will work just put on layers. highdesertranger

 

[Bela's Mom]

Yes, layering is important. Also, if you are going to buy thermal underwear, may I suggest that you look at Academy or another sports store. They sell thermals in different weights for different temperatures. I have some medium weight ones that are very comfortable and very warm. Under some sweat pants/shirts, I would bet you sleep very comfortably.

 

[Iggy]

It is getting chilly. It's gotten down to 43° one night. My van is uninsulated and has several air gaps leading outside. So I haven't been leaving my roof vent or windows open at all. Haven't had any condensation problems inside because the temperature and humidity are similar inside and out. Until it hits freezing, I don't worry about any slight condensation.
I agree with high desert ranger on the layering and everything else. Except for the gaiters, I don't know what those are. Sound like fisherman's boots. I also have two different stocking caps, one light and one heavy, that I sleep in at times. Or I wear a hoodie to bed. I have a shaved head. If I let my hair grow a day or two, the cap is velcroed on at night with the stubble. The Lil Buddy is near my bed to turn on in the morning.
My ex-girlfriend would often wear footie PJs to bed even when warm. I think that was because I was usually more amorous than her at night. That's partly why she is my ex.

 

[riffraff]

Thanks - I'm going to break out the sherpa as another layer tonight, although it's supposed to be warmer than last night. There's a couple places I can check around here. I usually hate to sleep with any kind of shirt on as it creates circulation problems for me (numb fingers, hands, etc).. but at 3am the cold & my blanket falling off the bed made me put the shirt back on. I was able to get back to sleep then.

Hoping the thermal stuff won't be restrictive and cause circulation problems. There's a few places around here I can check to see if they have something in my size. Mel Cotton's is where I got my fanny pack and they had a lot of adventure/sporty type stuff. Would be nice if I didn't have to get something delivered from amazon, etc.

---

also might invest in a ski mask =)

 

[rvwandering]

Fleece blankets do a great job of trapping your body heat. Some people even use them as a bottom sheet too. Top the blanket will a down comforter. Sometimes we even put a heavy blanket on top of the comforter to weigh it down and keep it in place.

A divider curtain that blocks all of the air between the cab and the back of the van will help you stay warmer and also keep the your windows from fogging from your breath as you sleep.

 

[Suanne]

To stay warm when sleeping, I make sure I'm well insulated above, below and over my head. Below I use real sheep fleece (wool) and a 3.5" Thermarest-type pad. I also have flannel sheets. Although my bed is cot-size, I put a king-size down comforter over it. If it's real cold, I triple fold the comforter. If it's kind of cold, I double fold the comforter. Otherwise, I use it as a single layer. Over my head I also wear layers, as needed -- a stocking hat and/or a hoodie. I've slept very comfortably in below-freezing weather and have not needed to wear any restrictive clothing. It's just getting up a O-Dark-Thirty that gets me every time

 

[riffraff]

I'm not sure what to do about the cab divider. I basically just have magnet hooks across the top where I hang the blackout curtains from (sideways). They are mostly for privacy, I don't think they're really good at being a temperature barrier since there is a lot of space (4 inches at the top and at the bottom) that aren't covered. I could try to do a velcro solution... I'd have to sew one half of the velcro to the curtains and probably get another curtain and have them go lengthwise instead of sideways to avoid uncovered parts.

Looking forward to seeing how well the blanket stays in place tonight.

 

[Luisafernandes]

I'm not sure what to do about the cab divider. I basically just have magnet hooks across the top where I hang the blackout curtains from (sideways). They are mostly for privacy, I don't think they're really good at being a temperature barrier since there is a lot of space (4 inches at the top and at the bottom) that aren't covered. I could try to do a velcro solution... I'd have to sew one half of the velcro to the curtains and probably get another curtain and have them go lengthwise instead of sideways to avoid uncovered parts.

Looking forward to seeing how well the blanket stays in place tonight.

If you look at my build, I used two pieces of 1/2 plywood with foam and Reglectix in the middle, including the door. It blocks out the light, gives me privacy, and it's a weather barrier.

 

[peacetara]

I learned from Suanne I think, but for windows, I use felt fabric I bought @ walmart, I use a dark green, and I doubled it over, and it blocks ALL light, and it works really well for keeping the windows from losing all my heat.

My cab divider is a cargo van door wall, works really well!

The little buddy heaters work well , but don't help you much when you are sleeping.

With Love,
Tara

 

[akrvbob]

My key to staying warm at night is a down comforter. Mine is actually what they call a down alternative but man it is amazingly warm. I got it at Kohls but you can get them anywhere.

Don't buy a cheap one, spend the money and get a good quality one and you will be glad you did.
Bob

 

[66788]

Just wait until it drops below 30 degrees. I recommend the Olympian catalytic heater, if used properly it CAN be used all night. (read ventilation instructions in manual)

It will be cold at night at the RTR also...

 

[akrvbob]

The Olympian can be used safely at night while you sleep. I did it for 6 years in Anchorage, Alaska.
Bob

 

[Terry]

I don't know where you people have been but why doesn't anyone use a sleeping bag any more. When I used to travel ln my van for work, I had a great sleeping bag that kept me fine as low as 19 degrees. Kept a camping stove and lighter within reach to get warmed up in the mornings and I lived like a king.

 

[LeeRevell]

I don't know where you people have been but why doesn't anyone use a sleeping bag any more. When I used to travel ln my van for work, I had a great sleeping bag that kept me fine as low as 19 degrees. Kept a camping stove and lighter within reach to get warmed up in the mornings and I lived like a king.

And those old castles were drafty and mighty chilly!

 

[Bela's Mom]

Blankets, comforters, sleeping bags...all great. But I want something warm on my body when I crawl out from under the covers during the middle of the night!

 

[Harleyrider]

UnderArmour and wool. Layer to trap air between your clothing. Military surplus outlets sell garments, blankets, bags,etc. You can purchase all sorts of military surplus geared toward keeping the body warm.

 

[Iggy]

About fastening up the curtains, I bought black felt material that I get a tiny bit of light thru. I put Velcro on the ceiling, and because I had no access to a sewing machine, I used a heavy duty stapler to fasten Velcro to the felt. Probably not a good idea long term but the staples have all held for the last year.
I have a sleeping bag that I carry in addition to my sheets and blankets, but it feels restrictive. I roll around a lot at night. So if it gets real cold, I unzip the sleeping bag and lay it on top of my blankets. I carry the sleeping bag mainly for if I have company in my van that I shouldn't be snuggling with, ie my sister, niece, someone who could crush me, etc. Then I usually sleep on the floor in the sleeping bag and let them have the bed.

 

[Stargazer]

For sleeping warmth and comfort, one word: Fleece! To me, sleeping bags are too restrictive and just the word "wool" makes me itch. I found a great blanket at Bed, Bath and Beyond (pricey but it was on sale) that is a layer of Thinsulate sandwiched between two layers of fleece. Almost too warm until it gets below freezing. Target also sells a double layered fleece blanket that works just as well. Again, it isn't cheap but it's worth the price. Both are available online, too.

As for your curtain, closing those gaps will help. After trying different things, I ended up doing this. I bought two pieces of corner molding, the plasticized stuff that bends easily, and cut them to fit the width behind the front seat. I placed them side by side in such a way that it created a channel (like a gutter?), I glued a piece of fabric along the bottom of the channel, the entire length, so the fabric hangs down over both edges. It's like a double sided valance. I then screwed it to the ceiling. I used a shower curtain spring tension rod that just fits up inside the channel/valance. Bought the inexpensive thermal blackout curtain at Walmart, rod pocket type, slipped it onto the rod, cut the length at the floor. No sewing required as the fabric doesn't fray. The valance covers that little space above the rod that lets light leak through because of the curve of the ceiling.

For the sides, I did sew velcro down both sides of the curtain and glued and screwed the other Velcro strip to the plastic (in my van) walls, from the ceiling to about a foot above the floor. This was a time-consuming project but it is completely 100% light proof, easy to open and close by just drawing to the side behind the driver's seat, and keeps the living space much warmer (5-8 degrees?).

On all the rear windows, I have two layers of reflectix with a space between them, and the curtains I made are double fabric, made in such a way as to completely block light. They work great but that was A Project which I hope never to face again.

Block those windows! That seems to be the best cure against cold. As for venting, I don't, unless the Mr Heater is running. Now and then I do get window condensation, but that's just gonna happen. Keep a rag handy to wipe them off if it gets too bad.

Best wishes and Stay Warm to all, as another winter approaches.

 

[riffraff]

Thanks to everyone for their setups and suggestions. I'll keep the windows shut for now and keep trying to get the cab sealed off better. It's a lot harder to do improvements inside the van with the bed in there, etc. Glad I got a lot of it done before I started to full-time.