Winter camping in Sportsmobile

[snorkel54]

I was also set on Sportsmobile for the exact purpose. We rented a VW camper for a weekend that there just wasn’t enough room for us (Me, Wife, 5 yr old, 3 yr old) if you get caught in a storm and really need to hunker down. I still lust after SMBs and if were the 2 of us we’d have one but with the family we are toasty warm in the snow with this.

Very nice. What camper is "this"? Hallmark K2?

[billwilson]

I have had 5 rigs
vw panel
sleeper slide in
cab over slide in
westy pop top
Current SMB with Cruiser hard top

lived in a ski area at 8,000 feet for 10 years
lived in mexico for 10 years, traveled coast to coast (car not camping)

Just spent two weeks in Southern Utah in my hard top SMB
over christmas, lots of rain and snow

Pop top - loose heat / will not retain heat / can insulate, but not effective
but hey, get a mummy bag ...
- putting up with a snow load, possible problimatic
- putting down with snow/ice on canvas...not ideal

Hard top - we have the stock suburban furnace
warm and toasty at all times for my wife who needs it hot

IMHO - hard top is the way to go

Roadblock- daily driver
HOWEVER, 3 miles daily driver with less mpg vs Family Comfort?

I am pretty sure if wife and kids are warm, dry and happy, you will get them into the rig more often........

[alaskaboy]

Just asking, but how are you gonna get all the prerequisite ski gear in there. 4 pairs of skis, ski boots, regular boots, all-weather gear etc.. I would think four people would be tight in temperate, let alone, winter climate. On the other hand, very cool rigs and I guess you could rent a locker as soon as you get there.

[Saline]

Just asking, but how are you gonna get all the prerequisite ski gear in there. 4 pairs of skis, ski boots, regular boots, all-weather gear etc.. I would think four people would be tight in temperate, let alone, winter climate. On the other hand, very cool rigs and I guess you could rent a locker as soon as you get there.

We store a large amount of stuff in our rooftop cargo carrier, including a fire pit.

[davidv]

Very nice. What camper is "this"? Hallmark K2?

Yes, a '09Hallmark K2 on a '08 F250. In -9 degrees we held 70 degrees inside just fine, but would need a back up bottle of propane to do it for multiple nights. With a snow load I'll lift 4 to 6 inches of the fluffy stuff, but any more 5 minutes with a push broom will fix.

[Roonie]

I have camped many times at the ski mountain with my family of 4 and a dog. I put the skis in the ski rack on top or in the cargo carrier. We put all bags in the front seats and hang the gear from the ceiling to dry overnight. I personally wouldn't want any bigger except maybe an EB van rather than our RB. Make sure it has a built in heater is the best recommendation!

[etbadger]

We have had a few nights down to -17f. We have a diesel fired furnace that put out plenty of heat, but even with that running and keeping the core air about 70f the issues we found were:

-Around 10-15f or so the floor still gets to be pretty chill, (easily solved with insulated carpet & down booties), but can freeze interior waterlines on the floor.

-With the canvas pop-top, the cool air coming off the canvas walls can make quite a curtain of cold breeze that would prompt us to close the top at ~0f. Much colder and the plasticized canvas and vinyl windows become too stiff to fold up anyway (and perhaps might crack?).

-If the dash vent is left open, a breeze from the front can blow in and cool things down quite a bit in just a few minutes. Some ventilation is good, but with windows you can control it a bit better.

With the pop-top down and furnace on even the coldest nights were quite comfy though.

-Erik

[DKB2GO]

I'm looking at buying a Sportsmobile or similar rig for family of 4. We do a ton of skiing. How warm is it in there if I had the top up sleeping 4 parked at my favorite ski resort parking lot?
Im notworried about summer camping but need an all year camping rig for 4
And a 4x4 rig for snow and sandy beaches for kayaking
Any winter campers out there who can offer advice before I buy?

My initial thought on this matter goes to what is likely to be the predominant weather condition under which you'll use the vehicle - warm or cold. It seems, like me, you want to have the flexibility to use it in both conditions. However, how long of a duration are looking to use it? Will it be for a weekend or are you thinking of using it for a week at a time? Withstanding cramped quarters and a chilly night may be fine for a weekend away to ski but could prove to wear on you if it was for a longer duration. Intended use, including weather conditions, is my point.

You may want to look at a Voyager top.

[Trail Monkey]

my diesel furnace in my RB50 SMB with penthouse top has no problem keeping the truck warm and comfortable in very cold conditions.

however also keep in mind that you will need your plumbing to be winterized "drained" as the standard SMB plumbing install includes some piping and flat plate below the truck in unheated area. It is possible to move those items into the truck and then run the diesel furnance when away from the truck skiing to keep the plumbing warm. of course this is a commitment you would need to maintain in freezing temps (or drain out)..

just wanted to add this to help you think the process thru...

[Loco-Nomad]

I have camped many times at the ski mountain with my family of 4 and a dog. I put the skis in the ski rack on top or in the cargo carrier. We put all bags in the front seats and hang the gear from the ceiling to dry overnight. I personally wouldn't want any bigger except maybe an EB van rather than our RB. Make sure it has a built in heater is the best recommendation!

Okay, this rig is just bad azz!!