We’ve come to the realization that, while other nomads are chasing those perfect 70°F (20-25°C) temperatures, we actually like to have a couple weeks of snow and winter a year. Even though it doesn’t make living in a van with kids and a dog much easier, or less chaotic. Well, at least most of us do.
We went into this build knowing (and accepting that) for once, and moving on from the single-pane windows in our trailer it could only get warmer in the van.
Snow camping is fun and everything, but stuff does get wet, it does get cramped in there, the kids need forever to get ready to go outside and you will need to monitor the weather or at least be stocked up on supplies for a while.
Insulation
With the trailer we went the long and exhausting way of building a thermal barrier with insulation boards. It took forever, and then there were those single pane windows which kinda maybe a little bit made all that work unnecessary and over the top.
So this time around we opted for an easier solution, one that doesn’t require a respirator to work with (or worries about fumes for the kids) and still keeps us warm in those sub-zero temps. The only option that fit all those points was sheep’s wool. Plus, it helps with moisture control. I like not worrying about mold (see also: Wood Stove).
It was fairly easy to install, basically just tie a string between the ribs and stuff the wool in there. And the kids could “help” with the install which made it even more…never mind, they “helped”.
Now, after a couple combined weeks in the snow and cold, how did it perform? Honestly, I’m not sure I can say that. We haven’t frozen to death yet (yay!), but the van is about 50% windows, which lets a lot of the heat out (boo). We’ve only recently upgraded to window covers, and they do help with keeping the heat in. The main part of concern are the wall where the water tanks are and the wall where I sleep (because the other side has the big window and the kids wall are lined with books). And those have been performing well, in that the water tanks haven’t frozen yet, and I can comfortably sleep without freezing to the wall.
Wood Stove
We’ve had the Tiny Wood Stove in our old trailer and it kept us warm in below 0 temperature without issues. For the van we decided on the lighter Dwarf 3kw lite. Mainly for weight reasons and because we don’t need such a beefy heater for a smaller space.
Honestly, I wish it would keep the heat longer (like the regular Dwarf 3kw does), but with the compressed logs we manage to get a nights heat out of it. Since I get up early to work it’s even less of an issue. And it puts out more than enough heat to keep us Tshirt comfortable in the van with snow and freezing winds outside.
We still get most our fuel by foraging, but we do buy compressed logs for nights and whenever we stay in the desert or national parks (because you can’t forage firewood there). I ordered a bigger order the other day and ACE made a processing mistake and when we got there they told me my “pallet was just around the corner” and well, inside the van we can generally store firewood for 2-3 weeks depending on the temperatures. We can, however, not store 16 packages of pres-to-logs, speaking from experience.
We also use the stove to dry out snow gear on our DIY railing on top, and to help with moisture in general to prevent mold and, since we’re living in a vehicle, prevent electrical issues while we’re at it.
We’ve had a couple cold nights in the van, but we’ve not been “freezing pipes” cold yet, thanks to keeping it warm with the stove. I believe the coldest we’ve had was about 8°F (-13°C).
Tires and chains
Before we had the first real snow fall with the van we upgraded the tires for a little bit more off-road capabilities. We already damaged one of our „off-road“ stock tires with all the National Forest roads we’ve gone down on. Now we roll on BF Goodrich KO2 and they’ve made all the difference (and are well worth their money).
We also carry snow chains, one for being prepared in case we need it and two because it’s the law in some states to carry chains in 2WD cars. They are stored in our magical handbag.
Kids beds
By design the kids have the coldest sleeping location in the van. They also have the warmest whenever it’s hot outside. That’s why we installed a fan with outside air inflow for the hotter (Florida ) days. In the winter we have a couple more steps to make sure they’re warm.
First of all the basics: they have hot water bottles, warm pjs and sleep in their 30°F rated sleeping bags. You know those stupid expensive bedding you can zip up? Yeah, we just used their backpacking sleeping bags with their mattress in the bag. Works just fine, keeps them warm and keeps Sam from falling out of bed. In the summer they have lighter blankets if they don’t want the sleeping bags.
Their walls right next to their bed is lined with thousands of books. Basically paper insulation (in addition to the wood and wool). They also have drawers with all their stuff under their beds, so they have some insulation between the bed and the floor.
We added a little fan to our Tiny Wood Stove that transports some of the heat to the back and into their little cave. With our layout the stove had to face the front, which is great for working during cold mornings but we have to make sure the heat is transported back at night. On super cold nights we used an additional fan that pushes the warm air down to them.
Snow gear
It would be pretty fun to go through all those preparations and not enjoy them. So while we don’t carry a sled or a snowboard (frequently asked for), we do have snow gear for us and the kids, including jackets, snow pants, tons of gloves and decent snow boots. We also store those in our magical handbag.
Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something after clicking one of these. There will be no additional costs for you, but maybe some fancy ice cream in our future.