ARTIC PACK

Is the artic pack worth the asking money, the different companys ask for it? Can one be made and what kind of material
would work the best? What kind of R value can you get? I dont know if these questions have been asked in the past.

thanks for your input

paulie

I got it. Not sure on the R value on the stuff. I think I could have made it if I had the time and energy. There has been threads about it before, when I was researching in August 2009 I found several threads.

Does anyone have a photo of the artic pack? I have been wondering how yo make something for cold weather. What do they charge for the option?

Thanks

here are some basic pictures ...

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/artic_pack.htm

the option cost if you order the arctic package on a new camper is $ 475.00.

details on the material listed below ...


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Does anyone have a photo of the artic pack? I have been wondering how yo make something for cold weather. What do they charge for the option?

Thanks


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The Arctic Pack - Evolution III Fabric by Kimberly Clark
A 100% polypropylene nonwoven fabric (olefin fiber)
History
Italy began producing olefin fibers in 1957. The United States began producing olefin in 1960. Depending upon its chemical structure, olefin may be called polyethylene or polypropylene. It is also referred to as P2 for short.
Production
Olefin is produced in much the same way as polyester and nylon. The chemicals used to make olefin are melted and fed through a spinneret head (similar to a large showerhead) where it then forms a long fiber. The fiber then solidifies by some cooling process. Variations and additives used during the manufacturing process of fibers can alter the characteristics and end uses of the fibers tremendously.
Characteristics:
Aesthetics – The luster and texture of olefin can be modified to fit the end use. It is usually manufactured with a smooth texture and medium luster.
Good abrasion resistance
Dries quickly and carries moisture away from the skin
Resistant to degradation by chemicals, perspiration, mildew and weather
Stain resistant – Olefin is not affected by most chemicals; consequently, it is not easily soiled or stained.
Excellent strength – The strength of olefin can be modified to fit the end use.
Colorfast – Olefin holds its bright colors well and is resistant to fading. Carpets made of olefin have been proven to have fade resistant properties of almost three times the industry standard.
Lightweight – The low density of olefin makes it possible to manufacture lightweight products that are highly durable. Olefin is the lightest textile fiber.
Environmentally Friendly – The production of olefins leave very little waste byproducts or residue. Olefin is easier to recycle than most other fibers. Olefin, in its basic form, is made into packaging materials. These materials are easily melted and reused. Tyvek ProtectiveWear by DuPont is an olefin material that is 25% recycled. Because olefin is usually solution dyed, the environmental problems related to dye chemicals do not exist. Oelfin is actually beneficial to the environment through its use in erosion control fabrics.
Very low moisture absorbency – Waterborne stains are not a problem, due to olefin’s nonabsorbency.
Very low static electricity problems – This characteristic makes it an excellent choice for office furniture coverings, carpets and automobile interiors.
Good thermal retention - Lining made of olefin helps keep you warm by trapping the air in the space between the layers. On the other hand, olefin also keeps you cool in the summer.
Excellent Resiliency – Olefin recovers very quickly from wrinkling.
Excellent Shape Retention – The attractive appearance of olefin lasts for years.
Care
Eventhough olefin has a low melting point. This factor limits its use in apparel fabrics. Fabrics made of olefin should be spot cleaned or washed in warm or cold water. Olefin fabrics should be air dried or dried at low temperatures. If ironing is needed, a low temperature setting should be chosen.


ARTICLE # 2

Olefin Fiber
(Polypropylene) (Polyethylene)
Olefin Staple Fiber
Olefin Filament Fiber
Olefin Carpet BCF Filament Fiber
Olefin Film Fiber
Polyethylene Fiber - (Spectra) more
First U.S. Commercial Olefin Fiber Production: 1958, olefin monofilaments for various specialized uses; 1961, Hercules Incorporated, textile grade multifilament polypropylene
Current U.S. Olefin Fiber Producers: American Fibers and Yarns Company; American Synthetic Fiber, LLC; Color-Fi; FiberVisions; Foss Manufacturing Co., LLC ; Drake Extrusion; Filament Fiber Technology, Inc.; TenCate Geosynthetics; Universal Fiber Systems LLC
Federal Trade Commission Definition for Olefin Fiber: A manufactured fiber in which the fiberforming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of ethylene, propylene, or other olefin units, except amorphous (non-crystalline) polyolefins qualifying under category (1) of Paragraph (I) of Rule 7. (Complete FTC Fiber Rules here.)
Basic Principles of Olefin Fiber Production — Olefin fibers (polypropylene and polyethylene) are products of the polymerization of propylene and ethylene gases. For the products to be of use as fibers, polymerization must be carried out under controlled conditions with special catalysts that give chains with few branches. Olefin fibers are characterized by their resistance to moisture and chemicals. Of the two, polypropylene is the more favored for general textile applications because of its higher melting point; and the use of polypropylene has progressed rapidly since its introduction. The fibers resist dyeing, so colored olefin fibers are produced by adding dye directly to the polymer prior to or during melt spinning. A range of characteristics can be imparted to olefin fibers with additives, variations in the polymer, and by use of different process conditions.
Olefin Fiber Characteristics
o Able to give good bulk and cover
o Abrasion resistant
o Colorfast
o Quick drying
o Low static
o Resistant to deterioration from chemicals, mildew, perspiration, rot and weather
o Thermally bondable
o Stain and soil resistant
o Strong
o Sunlight resistant
o Dry hand; wicks body moisture from the skin
o Very comfortable
o Very lightweight (olefin fibers have the lowest specific gravity of all fibers)
Some Major Olefin Fiber Uses
• Apparel: Activewear and sportswear; socks; thermal underwear; lining fabrics
• Automotive: Interior fabrics used in or on kick panel, package shelf, seat construction, truck liners, load decks, etc.
• Home Furnishings: Indoor and outdoor carpets; carpet backing; upholstery and wall coverings; furniture and bedding construction fabrics
• Industrial: Carpets; disposable, durable nonwoven fabrics; ropes; filter fabrics; bagging; geotextiles
General Olefin Fiber Care Tips
o Most stains on fabric can be readily removed by spotting with lukewarm water and detergent.
o Bleaches can be used if needed.
o If fabric is laundered, it should be line dried or tumble dried with gentle heat or no heat. Olefin dries very rapidly.
o Do not iron. (For specific instructions, refer to garment's sewn-in care label.)




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Stan,

Is the artic pack in addition to the existing material, or is that an option in place of it? Thanks

Stan is there any R Value to the artic Pack or just more layers?

If you've been in/own an FWC you will see the velcro runner that encircles the interior of the camper near the ceiling. This is where the Arctic Pack affixes to the existing fabric and becomes an additional layer of protection.

They are made very well. You'd have to be a tip-top sweatshop kinda guy on top of his game to sew one of these up as nicely as they come from FWC. (IMO)

Then again...there are some crafty guys (and gals) here who never cease to amaze me with the mods they come up with....

stay warm

mtn

Once upon-a-time I was going to fabricate one out of moving blankets from Harbor Fright. I don't think it would be too difficult the difference being that with OEM you get a thinner fabric so you can close the top with the arctic pack still attached. Then I decided not to camp in freezing weather.

When we were on the White Rim last October we did get snow but were very toasty with the Heat Buddy and sleeping bags. Of course it was only in the high 20s. Thats about my lower limit tempwise.

The arctic pack option would be in addition to the "pop-up" soft sides of the camper that are already there.

It just velcros in place, it can be left in place all the time, or it can be removed as needed. When it is installed, the camper roof can still be raised and lowed for traveling without having to remove it.

It is not a very complicated addition, but it does help keep the camper warmer in cold weather (below freezing temps).

It works much like a dual pain window. A single pain of glass in your house can let cold air inside quickly. If you install dual pain windows so there is an "air barrier", it can help slow down the cold air from coming inside as quickly.

Hope this helps.


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Stan,

Is the artic pack in addition to the existing material, or is that an option in place of it? Thanks






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Dear Paulie,

I own an "Arctic" Pac from ATC and I use it all the time, although I'm still not sure it's worth what I paid for it.

As for R value, the Pac has very little, but as Stan says when it is installed, it provides an inch or so of dead air that does seem to keep the camper warmer.

Interestingly, I have also often used the "Arctic" Pac in the summer. On sunny, summer days the dark-grey material of the pop-up sides can get very hot. If I open the pop-up's windows to the screens and leave the installed Pac's window-flaps closed, the interior stays noticeably cooler.

Maybe it could be marketed as the "Sahara" Pac for those scorching days. What do you think, Stan?

Hope this helps.

Is the artic pack worth the asking money, the different companys ask for it? Can one be made and what kind of material
would work the best? What kind of R value can you get? I dont know if these questions have been asked in the past.

thanks for your input

paulie


What is comfort worth? We thought it was a lot of money and delayed getting it. But we notice a big difference with it installed.
One might get as good an effect with a lot of aluminized bubble wrap but that might be a bit a bit of a struggle. Worth trying if the money is tight.

I just went out and tried our inflateable thermarest on the insides of the camper....You know the ones you used to use when you tent camped??

They fit in there pefectly! I think there is enough fabric on the corners of them to sew on a small piece of velcro to keep them in place up top, then tuck them in between the cushion and the wall at the bottom..I only have two, so will only be able to "pac" the bed area..who knows, it might work.. Certainly better than rolling over into a frozen piece of plastic canvas!

Hey TT,

I use my old thermarests and ground pads under the camper's foam mattress to keep the cold from seeping through, but putting them on the walls might work too.

I used 1/4 inch foam backer board for behind vinyl siding beneath my bed and it worked quite well. When I replace my board in the cab area I am considering using two sheets of luaan bonded around quarter inch foam backer. It will be awhile before I do it, but an option anyway.

Yo, Jim,

For sure the stock soft-foam mattresses do not provide enough underside insulation in very cold weather. As mentioned above, thermarests and hard-foam ground pads give 1/2 inch or more of very good insulation and fit well between the mattress and the plywood in the over-cab bunk area. Plus, even in summer, they greatly improve the comfort level of the mushy stock mattresses. I leave them in place even with the pop-up down.

Your use of 1/4 foam construction insulation under the mattress sounds like a good idea too. Do you use one or two layers? Could the foam you use work on the pop-up walls as well, as TT suggests? What size is the stock 1/4 inch foam cut to? Is it stiff enough to stand on its edge? I have an "Artic Pac" but even more insulation behind it might not be a bad idea.

Also, I've often noticed that the floor of the camper is very cold even with a heater on. Would your 1/4 foam work on the floor on top of the vinyl and maybe under a carpet? Or would it possibly work between the camper floor and the truck bed? What would it be like to walk on?

Just trying to stay warm.

I think I read about someone putting a 1" sheet of construction foam between the camper and the truck bed as extra insulation. Barko also insulated a bunch with reflectix and I wondered if you couldn't supplement the Artic Pack with a layer of reflectix. You might have to take it off and roll it up to lower the top, but it doesn't weigh much and might make it warmer.
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1687/page__fromsearch__1

Man, if you need that much insulation you're camping too cold Only thing I've done is install carpet tiles (expensive indoor/outdoor stuff I got free) on the floor.

My camper did not have any plywood over the frame under the upper bunk mattress so I filled it with foam. The foam I am speaking of is 1/4 inch fanfold for beneath vinyl siding on a house. I just cut three layers to fit between the frame rails. On the floor I have a 1/2 carpet pad and carpeting. Toasty, I just used it deer hunting, the temps were in the teens. Nothing fancy, just an old FWC on a 1990 Blazer. I sure it will garner some attention up here in Michigan this summer

I built my own arctic pack with reflectix insulation from home depot. It's two layers on each side of the camper, about 24 x 110" or so if I remember correctly. I edged it with metallic plastic ducting tape (matches perfectly and sticks great) and the panels just tuck up into place and roll up pretty small when not in use. I can store them between the kitchen cabinet and the front wall of the camper where the fire extinguisher is. I also made a one layer piece for the front window and another for the big side window. Total investment was around $50 and the difference is literally night and day. I'll probably add some velcro someday when I get bored, but it all holds together just fine as it is.

With two layers the R value should be about 10 or so. When compared to nothing at all (bare pop up sides,) that's a pretty worthwhile upgrade IMO.

Is the artic pack worth the asking money, the different companys ask for it? Can one be made and what kind of material
would work the best? What kind of R value can you get? I dont know if these questions have been asked in the past.

thanks for your input

paulie


Well, One Ton, we know you bought a FWC but did you also buy the "Arctic Pac"?


Also, anyone following this thread should scan through this one on Refectix brand insulation:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1687/