Camper Advice Please

John, Pillar, I've got to ask. Are you two retired?

I'm only 22!

This is my roof tent. €49.90 Euro from Decathlon. Erected in 2 seconds. |Folded away in about 30 seconds once you can remember how its done. Can be used on the ground or on the roof of a 110. And can be thrown in the back of the garage when not in use. My concern about camping in the Alps during the Autumn/Winter would be the cold. Can get very cold during the night.

How do you hold it down to the roof rack?

Re the cold - it's just a matter of the right sleeping bag. I've always found that sleeping in a vehicle is colder than in a tent. Of course, most campers have heaters, but that's another expensive installation in a conversion. I've never been keen on roof tents, purely down to the exposure to any winds and the faff when you need a pee in the middle of the night. Maybe you can just pee off the roof!

Heh I knew that pic would come up.

zeaphod said:

Re the cold - it's just a matter of the right sleeping bag. I've always found that sleeping in a vehicle is colder than in a tent. Of course, most campers have heaters, but that's another expensive installation in a conversion. I've never been keen on roof tents, purely down to the exposure to any winds and the faff when you need a pee in the middle of the night. Maybe you can just pee off the roof!

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A funnel and garden hose.............
Maybe myself and my good lady are just odd but I don't find I need to get up and pee in the middle of the night yet.

Might just be an "over 50s" thing

As far as sleeping bags and cold nights are concerned, when the temp really starts dropping I feel better off with two reasonable ie; 3/4 season bags rather than spend an arm and a leg on one very high spec bag. There is greater flexibility in just how much bag you need to zip up, and each day swop the bags over so the sweaty one is then on the outside (after you have tried to dry it during the day). Makes the pee dash more interesting than it needs to be though.

Comfy mattress, duvet and a warm woman.......

If it's cold two....














Duvets

frog hopper said:

As far as sleeping bags and cold nights are concerned, when the temp really starts dropping I feel better off with two reasonable ie; 3/4 season bags rather than spend an arm and a leg on one very high spec bag. There is greater flexibility in just how much bag you need to zip up, and each day swop the bags over so the sweaty one is then on the outside (after you have tried to dry it during the day). Makes the pee dash more interesting than it needs to be though.

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That's called the layer system and is exactly how we would do it. We have 3 sleeping bags, a light, middle and really thick that is always teamed with a gore tex outer, and a silk inner- optional.

Pillar said:

How do you hold it down to the roof rack?

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A tie off point on each corner. Easily done.

mikescuba said:

A tie off point on each corner. Easily done.

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Do you have confidence in the design in high winds?

mikescuba said:

A tie off point on each corner. Easily done.

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What on earth is going on with that tree ?

I bought a four seasons mummy type sleeping bag which I can't get on with. I find it too cramped. I have a thick comfy mattress, I use the sleeping bag to sleep on to keep the cold from coming up and a nice warm single duck feather and down duvet.which seems to work for me.

Pillar said:

Do you have confidence in the design in high winds?

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No problem in high winds. the sprung tent polls around the base of the tent squeezes in between the roof rack, that alone would nearly be secure enough. Coupled with tie down on each corner its well secured. Most times I don't even bother with the corner tie off's. It worked in 50 mph + winds in Marseilles.

I'm impressed! What about a mattress is the roof rack not uncomfortable?

ER1C said:

What on earth is going on with that tree ?

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Cork tree I think

The tree was a cork tree, we were staying in a cork forest. We though it prudent just in case it flooded or we needed to recork the wine.

I'm with Mike, his roof rack tent worked exceptionally, he did get lost on a no 2 trip one night, but that was just funny. I'm scared of heights so we have a large popup tent.

Pillar said:

I'm impressed! What about a mattress is the roof rack not uncomfortable?

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I fitted a type of wooden decking across the roof rack. For the Morocco trip I used 1/4" inch marine ply but that wasn't strong enough . It did provide some shelter from the sun. I then used a decking type of wood which is a bit heaver but much stronger I also have a foam mattress, about 4" inches thick which does the job.

The roof rack has been off the Landy and just left in the garden, it needs a coat of paint which I will do before the winter sets in. But it gives you some idea.

Pillar said:

I'm only 22!

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Then how can you afford to spend many weeks and occasionally 7 months at a stretch camping? You sound like one of my sons!