Hunting out of a travel trailer.

[Prairiekid]

For those of you that use a travel trailer to hunt out of in October and November, how do you find it for heat. I’m talking about your typical three season trailer, obviously not using any plumbing. Is the propane furnace adequate? Do you end up with a lot of condensation?

[moniaw24]

I have done it in the past, you will burn a lot of propane, the inside of your trailer will sweat constantly, your batteries will last a day running the furnace all day and night... not ideal but you can make it work

[Stinky Buffalo]

I've done it; the propane furnace's adequacy really depends on the size of the furnace, the type of the furnace, the trailer's insulation and the size of the trailer.

Other factors are the length of time that you plan to be out there, and how cold it is outside.

If your furnace is fan-driven, you need to ensure that your batteries will last. The furnace fan is the biggest load in that situation.

For late-season hunting, the best I've had was when I stay in my friend's truck camper. The furnace requires no power, and we just need to ensure that enough propane is on hand. Being a small space, it warms up quickly. Condensation is definitely an issue! We keep a window/vent cracked open.

I also use my trailer - an older 18.5-footer, and I camp comfortably in the fall with it. I can run the furnace for days when boondocking with my current battery setup. I can also hook up solar panels to help slow down the drain on the batteries. I use LED lights and I disconnect the radio, so that saves on power. The batteries only run the lights, furnace and charge our phones.

In colder weather, you'd be looking at running a generator to top up the batteries. And a properly-sized one could help with the block heater on your vehicle in case it gets REALLY cold.

In future years, I'm gravitating more towards a cargo trailer setup with a wood stove (and of course the proper safety equipment). Much lighter and more versatile than a travel trailer (I don't need the fancy furniture etc.)

[Sooner]

We always went out in mom & dads 19ft camping trailer. It had a gravity feed furnace and it was full bore all the time below -10. Moist heat so windows have condensation and as mentioned, damp feeling inside.


Depending on your furnace, Gravity, get a fan to move heat & air off the ceiling and down to the floor. Forced air, as mentioned, your going to go through battery power so bring a Genny. And when you shut it down for the season, all that condensation will freeze.


If its not -10 or colder, you should stay quite comfortable. Dads was old, a 76, so anything colder and the furnace ran all the time with help from cooking during the day too to keep it warm. We had good sleeping bags so not a problem.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Sooner

We had good sleeping bags so not a problem.

Oh, that's a great point! I bring my super-warm one, no matter what.

A couple of winters ago our propane ran out right before the coldest part of our trip...

[makin tracks]

put in a wood heater if you can,

[big zeke]

The bro and I hunted out of his arctic model TT several times. In Nov the daytime highs meant the furnace only ran at night. A 2800W genset was fine to run everything all night. During the day roof vents were cracked to release condensation but in the morning you could feel the moisture in the air. A couple 30# bottles would be fine for a week or more.

Something to be said for putting your boots on, walk 15 mins to your stand and drag a deer back all by sunrise. Tempted to shoot a coyote from the doorstep, lots of opportunities.

Would do it again in a heartbeat.

[Jack fish hunter]

Condensation is a definite concern

[Prairiekid]

Thanks for all the replies. It helpful to get some real world feedback. The travel trailer would be a 15’ so not big. But as you guys know -20 can be pretty normal in November. I have considered a wall tent but I’m worried either it or some gear will get stolen.

I do have a 6*14’ enclosed,it has 1” rigid foam on the sides and 1.5” on the roof. I have considered a diesel heater, would the condensation be any different? I have considered a wood stove but they always seem so expensive and it sounds like you have to feed them all night…

[glen moa]

You could use a buddy heater to help.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Prairiekid

Thanks for all the replies. It helpful to get some real world feedback. The travel trailer would be a 15’ so not big. But as you guys know -20 can be pretty normal in November. I have considered a wall tent but I’m worried either it or some gear will get stolen.

I do have a 6*14’ enclosed,it has 1” rigid foam on the sides and 1.5” on the roof. I have considered a diesel heater, would the condensation be any different? I have considered a wood stove but they always seem so expensive and it sounds like you have to feed them all night…

The diesel is dry heat. Different system, look into it. Wood or diesel is way better than propane. Number one problem I’ve had isn’t cold, it’s drying out gear.

Make sure you are sleeping on foam not air mattress, it’ll go flat in the cold.

Three season is gonna suck in November. Been there done that. I think you’d be happy beefing up your enclosed insulation and running a diesel heater.

Stuff will get stolen anywhere you can drive to. Just keep the gear to a minimum. Don’t be the guy who leaves an extra $5g gun, optics, $100 bottles, etc etc. just food water and sleeping bag in the trailer.

[Penner]

Done it several times. Grunted it out one year into -30C for 4 days -15C for the rest of the hunting week. Propane furnace with 2 electric space heaters to help minimize the moisture running a genny the entire time we were in the trailer. Couldn’t use the indoor plumbing for obvious reasons. Moisture was a battle. Burnt 2 tanks of Dino fuel each day for the generator and thru 2 40lb’ers for the week for the furnace and cooking. Electric heaters maxed out generator so had to unplug them if using anything else in the trailer that drew power other than the lights.

Most trailers run single pane glass. Bought some plastic window film I believe during our 2nd year and had film on all of the windows made a huge difference in keeping the glass clear even during the crazy cold trip.

A small air tight wood stove I imagine would be the cats azz for heat if a guy could make that work.

Side story: CO monitor likely saved us the 1st year our group trailered it. We had the genny running what we thought was a safe distance away from the trailer but the wind changed direction overnight and fresh air for the furnace (genny was on the same side of trailer as fresh air intake) ended up sucking in some of generator exhaust. CO Alarm went off middle of the night and thankfully so, all of us jumped out of bed with headaches (not from the boozing) took a few moments for us to catch our bearings but instantly knew what was going on. Big lesson learned that night.

[daveyn]

we hunt out of a TT every year well into November. Furnace is off during the day and off all night. it gets down to below zero at night but a good sleeping bag and its no problem. Turn the Gen on in the morning and get the furnace running 15 minutes before you get out of bed and the place is wall about 10 degrees and warming up. We use a supplemental heater thats a little larger than a big buddy with the tank outside of the trailer. turn it on in the morning to take the chill off and turn it on in the evening when we get back until the furnace can catch up. Takes about 20 minutes to get over 20 degrees inside.
Turn off the supplemental heater and the furnace manages until bed time.
Batteries aren't really an issue as everything is turned off during the day and at night.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Prairiekid

I do have a 6*14’ enclosed,it has 1” rigid foam on the sides and 1.5” on the roof.

Honestly, that's the direction I would go. A lot of heat is lost because of the single-pane windows in an travel trailer, so your enclosed trailer would reduce that. Maybe look into insulating the floor, though (several different methods can be found on YouTube). A cold breeze blowing underneath your trailer robs you of heat quickly.

Originally Posted by 3blade

The diesel is dry heat. Different system, look into it. Wood or diesel is way better than propane. Number one problem I’ve had isn’t cold, it’s drying out gear.

Agreed, that seems like a safe, cost-effective and efficient option for that application.

[Fwee6]

Originally Posted by glen moa

You could use a buddy heater to help.

Carbon Monoxide monitor is an absolute must.

Hear stories every year in the winter of guys sleeping out on the ice and dying from running Buddy Heaters without any ventilation or monitors. The silent killer...

[thumper]

As mentioned above, if you've got a good sleeping bag, you don't need to run the heat all night, or during the day when you're away. We never even needed a heater! Just make sure that you can reach your propane stovetop burner from bed! Make up your coffee percolator before you go to bed, and snuggle down for the night. In the morning, pop your head out and fire up the percolator, retreat back into the bag and when the coffee's ready, your campers just the right temperature! Keep your burner on low (with a window cracked open) and a little battery fan will circulate the warm air well enough for your morning preparations, or evening meal & card game.

I was always too nervous about waking up dead - to leave a propane furnace on all night!!!

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

For late-season hunting, the best I've had was when I stay in my friend's truck camper. The furnace requires no power, and we just need to ensure that enough propane is on hand. Being a small space, it warms up quickly.

My truck camper would get STUPID hot in there even when it was right cold outside. I could easily winter camp in that thing and Ice Fished for the weekend out of it many times.

We were forever cracking windows and roof vents to let all the excessive heat out. Don't know if it was just my camper or all of them are like that but cold was never an issue in that camper. Mine was an Okanogan, '83 or '84 model.

[Hogie135]

We hunt middle of November in a camper every year. You go through a bit more propane and there is some condensation but its usually not an issue and we're always warm. We cover all the windows with that reflective insulation rolls you can get (not sure what its called).

[stc77]

We have been hunting out of a travel trailer for years. No issues. We let the furnace run all night...toasty warm. We bring a generator to run when we get back to the trailer after being in the woods during the day. We usually end up watching a movie while eating our dinner and packing up lunch for the next day. Never had any issues with condensation, and our gear always dries just fine, no problems at all. Just put one of those luggable loo buckets with a good quality garbage bag liner, in the shower to use as our toilet, and no need to go outside in the cold until the morning.

We used to use the big alaknak outfitter tent. Got tired of the setup/takedown time and switched to using a trailer instead. No regrets, and has been a lot of fun and much warmer.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

My truck camper would get STUPID hot in there even when it was right cold outside. I could easily winter camp in that thing and Ice Fished for the weekend out of it many times.

We were forever cracking windows and roof vents to let all the excessive heat out. Don't know if it was just my camper or all of them are like that but cold was never an issue in that camper. Mine was an Okanogan, '83 or '84 model.

Oh for sure... In the camper we would keep the furnace on quite low, otherwise we'd cook ourselves out - especially if we were running the stove as well. Plus we like it a bit cooler for sleeping in general. We'd keep a window cracked as well as a vent, which allowed for fresh air (which is vital when sharing a confined space with Yours Truly) as well as allows the moisture to vent a bit.

Originally Posted by Hogie135

We cover all the windows with that reflective insulation rolls you can get (not sure what its called).

That's a really good idea! I think it's called "Foil Insulation" or sometimes "Bubble Foil". Home Depot has it: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/cat...nsulation.html

[lyallpeder]

I did it one year. But driving it on salted roads, down logging roads and getting a dump of snow out there made it not ideal. I turned the furnace on for a bout 20 minutes just as we were getting up and going.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by lyallpeder

I did it one year. But driving it on salted roads, down logging roads and getting a dump of snow out there made it not ideal. I turned the furnace on for a bout 20 minutes just as we were getting up and going.

Right, that's another aspect. RVs are relatively fragile to start with; I suspect that cold weather hauling would cause an increased degree of wear and tear.

[roper1]

Hunted out of an 8' truck camper for years. Bare bones LQ in a stock trailer. Wall tent my fave but less mobile. Any trailer with slight heat source. As mentioned, please crack a window for safety's sake. Have fun!

[calgarychef]

I think a wall tent with wood stove is the warmest and driest. I put a diesel heater into my insulated cargo trailer last year and it was warm and toasty at -20. If I had a holiday trailer I’d seriously consider adding a diesel heater, they put out a ton of heat for not much fuel burnt. They do recirculate the inside air though and condensation is what it’s ..

[lyallpeder]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Right, that's another aspect. RVs are relatively fragile to start with; I suspect that cold weather hauling would cause an increased degree of wear and tear.

To be fair it was a 24 foot class C, not exactly a rig rocket. Now that I’m hunting out of my truck bed, camp is darn comfortable!

[Unregistered user]

Been doing it for years with a rusty old c class meth lab. Little buddy helps when real cold as does an electric running off the gunny.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Unregistered user

Been doing it for years with a rusty old c class meth lab.

LOL! I swear I've actually seen one like that out where I often hunt. I was amazed it got back in there, but when you aren't worried about scratches and dents, well, that opens up a lot more opportunities!

[Unregistered user]

^ Buddy, it was probably us, when we get lazy we chain 'er up and you would not believe what that old thing will go thru. Unfortunately, this season will be its last, I've pushed my luck beyond the brink. But yes, OP, it is doable. ,Give 'er!

[densa44]

Heaters, generators, very cushy indeed. A good sleeping bag, leave your wool socks on for as long as you are there. If you have any water in the trailer that is not frozen (not hard your body heat keeps the trailer warm) the guy who got the short straw, gets up turns on the stove and boils water for coffee. More than enough heat for keen duck hunters. Oh BTW this is another use for a good dog, mine always slept with me!

[thumper]

Oh ya - traction pads, chains and a jack-all !