TCs and Strong Winds?

[LiveLifeNow]

How do popup truck campers perform while overnighting in windy conditions? Is there much noise, shaking and flapping caused by the soft sides of a popup subjected to strong winds, such as in the Southwestern deserts?

 

[Bosque Bill]

My FWC Fleet performed admirably one night camped near the canyon edge at Muley Point. There was no wind at dusk, so I thought I'd be OK and the view there is spectacular. In the night the wind rose and became strong and gusty, then stronger and harder. Each blast hammered my poor camper and my wits. I didn't see how it would survive. I entertained the thought that between bouts of wind I would lower and latch the roof, but realized if a gust caught the roof between up and down it would likely rip it off. So I stayed in my bed, wide awake for hours until the wind moderated and I was able to drift off. A scary experience, but the camper came through like a champion, and the morning was glorious.

 

[Stalking Light]

I've camped in some decent winds (45-55mph gusts) and although initially the camper movement (truck rocking) was a bit disconcerting I had no problems.

 

[Smokecreek1]

My FWC Fleet performed admirably one night camped near the canyon edge at Muley Point. There was no wind at dusk, so I thought I'd be OK and the view there is spectacular. In the night the wind rose and became strong and gusty, then stronger and harder. Each blast hammered my poor camper and my wits. I didn't see how it would survive. I entertained the thought that between bouts of wind I would lower and latch the roof, but realized if a gust caught the roof between up and down it would likely rip it off. So I stayed in my bed, wide awake for hours until the wind moderated and I was able to drift off. A scary experience, but the camper came through like a champion, and the morning was glorious.

Yep, that's about right. That first time you awake in the middle of the night in a major wind/rain or snow storm is part of the Pop-up learning experience ! Yet, in the almost 10 years of lot's of use and lot's of storms, each and every morning you wake up alive and the top is still on, so don't worry about, just have another drink and hold on !

Quick story though, the first time I had one of those experiences, me and my dog (an aust shep who liked it outside) were camped up at Eagle Lake (Calif) and were were hit with a major storm, super winds, lightning and lots of rain. Well a dept. sheriff I know lives across the lake from where I camped and watched the show thru some binoc's and said it was some show, so the next morning he came out to see if I was still alive! ------and he too was impressed (along with me) with how well the Pop-up with stood the storm. The dog however, had her view of inside living reinforced and only came in at night time only with encouragement! Now wait for your next great experience when your detectors go off in the middle of the night when your battery runs down and the world seem to end for that first time---maybe even the same night as the first wind storm!

Smoke

 

[hoyden]

Bosque Bill! I had the same experience up there at Muley Point! Ha! I spent half the night making my friend in Berkeley look up the incidents of campers getting blown over by wind. I was convinced that wind was going to blow my whole rig right off the cliff! It finally died down around 11pm or maybe 1am and I got some sleep (woke up to an amazingly beautiful post-storm morning too)

 

[craig333]

Yes, the first time is a bit unnerving but they're amazingly tough. The only time I was truly concerned was when lightning was coming down all around me. Wind and rain I can sleep through.

 

[DrJ]

I live in some serious wind areas camping around Southern Idaho and Wyoming.

The very first night in a real wind storm really scared me and I actually dropped the top down and just slept on the couch bed. But after that, I realized they do wonderful even in high winds.
I wouldn't want to be in a tornado and I'm not sure what the top wind speed it could handle.

But I can tell you that once I drove at 70 mph when the top popped up (I have really good lift assists!). There was no damage with it and I probably drove for a least a few miles before figuring it out.

 

[Cayuse]

I've been in storms with 50-60 mph gusts. There is a reason for carrying earplugs in the camper, they're not just for rude neighbors.

 

[hebegebe]

In heavy winds the the open roof latches become wind chimes The one object I would never own and I carry them with me!


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West

 

[Bosque Bill]

In heavy winds the the open roof latches become wind chimes The one object I would never own and I carry them with me!

This used to drive me crazy until I figured out I could lift the latches until they moved into the position of the detent on the side - you know where there is resistance - and leave them in this partially up position and no more rattling. I had to bend the side of one latch slightly as it was too lose to hold. Now I routinely raise them to this position any time there might be any wind at night.

 

[smlobx]

I have been in some big storms as well and all I can add is that it's better to be in a TC than a tent!

We camped in DV this spring in a storm that rolled in and many of the campers the next morning had damage. People came up to us to see if we survived in our Nemo Losi tent and with the exception of 1/2" of fine dust everywhere we were just fine but my wife did say to me " I will be very happy when we get our Hallmark!"

I just read an article in which some people put their jacks down when it gets really bad to keep movement to a minimum...

 

[naz4x4]

Anyone do the Overland expo near Flagstaff this year? That was pretty windy but it looked like most came through it in one piece.

 

[Stalking Light]

I was there but in the FWC space where there were some trees to break the wind. I didn't see any out in the field that had any problems, though.


Charlie

Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[hoyden]

I was also there, but up in a nicely tree-protected volunteer area across the road.
But the winds were bad enough that some presenter tents got uprooted, (and the ground was so soggy out in the field they couldn't put campers out there. )

 

[Durango1]

I've only had FWC's but it appears that their soft sides are a good more deal "taut" than competitors. (This may be due to the rigid lifting panels at each end.) But I know our hawk Flat Bed may be swaying on its springs due to high wind but the fabric panels aren't flapping. And yes, MUCH better than being in a tent!

 

[rotti]

...(and the ground was so soggy out in the field they couldn't put campers out there. )

Funny..."out there" that is where all the fun is or was.

 

[JaSAn]

I've lost two tents to wind mountaineering. Miserable nights/epic stories later.

My Grandby build has the bed down across the back. The two times I have been in high winds (60+, I think), I had advanced notice so I had the top down. Snug as a bug . . .

Was in mud like that camping in a tent once. Never again if I can help it (especially with a dog).

jim

 

[pvstoy]

I put wide rubber bands on the latches to quiet the wind chime noise.

 

[SunMan]

I put wide rubber bands on the latches to quiet the wind chime noise.

I Keep forgetting to add those to my kit. Thanks for the reminder.