is it ever pleasurable to camp in super hot weather...

[doublebanzai]

another newbie question - and for me, super hot is 90 to 100 degrees..... i'm just wondering about how much insulation you look for, or whether the a/c is on all the time, or whether solar is a requirement... i don't have a camper or anything yet - i'm checking it all out. I am leaning to a popup, not a hard side......

i'm out in california - i guess how i've dealt with plain old camping at this point is just to go to altitude in hot weather, but i've only been in tents........ wondering if a TC allows one to weather the hot temperatures or not.. the space in a TC seems like that would be problematic? thanks...!

 

[BrianG]

My wife and I have sleep in our Hawk when the OAT's were in the 90'S with high humidity and it wasn't a problem, but, we cooled down with a shower before going to bed and used the fan most of the night, to bring a breeze over the bed area. We were really surprised how nice it was. We have the variable speed fan upgrade, it keeps the noise low and amps down. Without the upgrade it still works fine.

 

[Vic]

I'll second the fantastic fan - does a great job of cooling down - and if you are out in the country or desert out of the heat island it can cool down pretty good at night. Pop-ups have a great amount of windows so lots of possibilities for cross-vent when the evening breeze comes up. A/C pretty much requires a generator or hook-ups and I've never had a rig with A/C so I can't comment.

 

[Stalking Light]

I live in the southeast and often end up camping in 80/80 weather (80 degrees, 80% humidity). Can't say it is always pleasant but with a fantastic fan over the bed it is tolerable. When the humidity drops and it's 60-70 at night it's comfortable.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

You wouldn't find me camping in those kind of nighttime temperatures. I keep my bedroom at home set at 60*.

cwd

 

[doublebanzai]

is a hard side or soft side better in heat? i'd assume the hard side is more insulated, but less window area? i would guess the soft side is better in heat; the hard side better in cold?

 

[Bad Habit]

When it's hot, really doesn't matter hard or soft, once the inside temp gets elevated, not much you can do to bleed off heat unless you have an A/C (and associated generator/shore power).

We had the dubious enjoyment of visiting elderly in-laws in a retirement community in Palm Desert a couple of years ago in September. Because of their stringent no street parking requirements, we were put back in the RV parking area which turned out to be the back part of one of the Golf Clubhouse parking lots. Because we were a new thing to the security people, they had to examine the truck, etc. every hour because we might have been some sort of invasion force of youngsters or something. Luckily that ended when the grounds crews started showing up at 4:30am. When we (tried) to go to bed, the digital thermometer on the the thermostat was still blinking because it wouldn't read over 99. In the AM it was still about 90, not one of the most enjoyable nights, not a big fan of the desert in summer..

 

[MarkBC]

If your only experience with camping in hot temperatures is with a tent then a camper will feel much more comfortable in hot weather.
A tent -- in my experience -- becomes a sauna/oven even whenever the sun is on it, even when the free-air temperatures aren't too hot. My FWC -- even with minimal insulation -- is much more tolerable, with the windows and door open.

On a recent camping trip in Big Bend N.P. I was able to take an afternoon nap in the camper when the outside temperature was 95F. I did have to sleep down on the couch, where it was cooler, rather than up on the cab-over bed...but still tolerable.

That said, I personally make a point of avoiding high temperatures when camping, where possible. That's what "up" and "north' are made for.

 

[doublebanzai]

If your only experience with camping in hot temperatures is with a tent then a camper will feel much more comfortable in hot weather.
A tent -- in my experience -- becomes a sauna/oven even whenever the sun is on it, even when the free-air temperatures aren't too hot. My FWC -- even with minimal insulation -- is much more tolerable, with the windows and door open.

On a recent camping trip in Big Bend N.P. I was able to take an afternoon nap in the camper when the outside temperature was 95F. I did have to sleep down on the couch, where it was cooler, rather than up on the cab-over bed...but still tolerable.

That said, I personally make a point of avoiding high temperatures when camping, where possible. That's what "up" and "north' are made for.

lol........ yeah.......... makes sense!

 

[Esus]

If your only experience with camping in hot temperatures is with a tent then a camper will feel much more comfortable in hot weather.
A tent -- in my experience -- becomes a sauna/oven even whenever the sun is on it, even when the free-air temperatures aren't too hot. My FWC -- even with minimal insulation -- is much more tolerable, with the windows and door open.

No doubt! With an awning outside and a fan inside, it's a big step up.

For me, I'm rarely just sitting at camp during the day anyways. It's usually significantly cooler at night

 

[JaSAn]

I deal with 90º/90% a few times a year. This is what works for me:
A powered roof fan is huge. I can create a fair breeze inside the camper with the fan and select windows open.
A 12 volt portable fan that you can direct is a big help.
I sleep down, so I am not up by the roof where the air is hottest.
I have a breathable mattress (open cell foam with 3/4" cotton topper) that helps. I sweat with memory foam.
I keep well hydrated.
I park the camper in the shade whenever possible. This poses a dilemma with solar. If you camp in hot weather a lot and have shade available a portable solar setup is worth considering.

As stated above, A/C + remote camping requires a generator ( or a very large watts/amp-hour 12V system) which limits you to camping far away from others or if near others, those who will tolerate generator noise.

jim

 

[UHAULER]

I used to live in the Sacramento Valley and can't imagine wanting to camp anywhere near there in the scorching summer, always headed up in the mountains. Camping for me is about beautiful scenery and nice weather.

 

[flinchlock]

June 24, 2012, we camped in our ATC Cougar in Las Vegas so we could pickup my stepdaughter at the airport the following day.

That night is was 108F and the swimming pool was locked up tight!

The next morning, my wife said, "Do you use the shower in the restroom?"

So, HELL NO!!!!!

After leaving the airport, we went north on US15 and found a Nation Park (I think) that was at 10,000 feet and dropped down to 32F at night.