4 replies to this topic

[Gojuice]

Greetings all,
First timer here. Glad to have found site. Am looking for an affordable used Granby or Hawk for my 97 Ford F-150. Will consider anything from shell up.
Going to Factory in next couple of days to take better look at construction and options.

My real question though is what are the realitys of winter use of a Four Wheel? I know everyone has there own comfort zone and mine is not that high, but I've had enough frozen water bottles in the AM! Snow loads on Top?
How does the H2O system hold up? Inside Temps versus outside? With and without Artic kit? Anybody used foam versus glass for Insulation?

Now I know from drooling over the posts and threads that you all have travelled to some remarkable spots and done lots of crazy adventures in your Four Wheel. Maybe I didnt dig deep enough, or I missed something but most folks talk about being comfy in their units at 20-30 degrees F. My main use of a truck camper is for the longer nights of Fall Winter Spring. And the temps in the Mtns or desert can dip down pretty far. Backcountry ski trips? A nice extended holiday desert trip? Overnighting in the Alta parking lot? You guys know what I'm talking about. I've got a nice custom camper shell and I dont mind crawling in the back of my truck at the end of a nice long summer day after cooking on my tailgate, but the 12-16 hour nights require a cozy spot to brew some tea, read, and have some standup room!

[paclow]

Check with Stan at FWC on used campers. He often knows of used campers for sale and can hook you up with the seller.....

Craigslist is an excellent source. Be patient and persistant! Check the web weekly. There are deals out there but you have to be ready to buy when the right camper comes up. I bought my 2000 Hawk less than 48 hours from the web posting and sent a check FedEX without ever seeing the camper.

Perhaps I got lucky.....Timing is everything!

Good luck!

[DirtyDog]

I've been very comfortable in my FWC in freezing temperatures without the arctic pack installed. The furnace does a great job of keeping the space warm. However, this was during the spring or fall at altitude and I don't think the temps got too much below 30. The arctic pack would be a good idea for real winter camping.

I have wondered about the water system myself. My pump froze and broke last winter while being stored at my house. I didn't properly drain it before winter. I am thinking that some kind of winterization of the pump would be necessary for winter camping, but I wouldn't know what to do.

[oly884]

I'm going to make a water system that is all inside (i have the shell) for exactly that reason.

As for performance in the winter, I'll get back to you when I go out this winter. We hit -20 or colder here quite a bit in the winter, so I'll be sure to let you know how it works out.

[paclow]

I went camping in Eastern Oregon last weekend. Temperatures hit just below freezing with a trace of snow on the ground Saturday morning. I set the thermostat to the lowest setting so that I would not cook over night. I was as snug as a bug in a rug without the arctic insulation package!