I, like roughly half of the country, got pummeled by the winter storm that swept across the country this past weekend. Here in Oklahoma snow began falling Friday evening and took a break for most of Saturday before wave two arrived. Estimates were all over the place and we may have set a new record for one-day snowfall amounts in Oklahoma City, but out where I live we only got about 8″ or 9″ — which, trust me, was enough.
Compounding the issue is that at least here, we’re not expected to get above freezing for the next eight days. That means what’s here on the ground will stay. The good news is that they sand (not salt) the major roads here; the bad news is, I’m about three miles from a major road. Fortunately I live in Oklahoma and the majority of my neighbors own four-wheel drive pickup trucks so as they make their way out over the next few days they’ll trample a path through the snow that the rest of us can take advantage of.
On more than one occasion people have asked me to make videos regarding how to stay warm in a van during the winter. I often get imposter syndrome regarding questions like these. As a part-time vanlifer, I feel guilty admitting that my personal solution is to “go home.” That being said, I realize that is not a solution for everyone (either by choice or by circumstance) and so if the information could help someone, I guess putting it out there wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Of course the question of how to stay warm in a vehicle as been answered a thousand times and while I don’t necessarily have any new solutions to bring to the table, I do have my own opinions and experiences I can share. And while I do plan to make a video regarding this topic in the near future, jotting down my thoughts and ideas here couldn’t hurt. If I miss something obvious on my list, let me know.
HEATERS
Off the top of my head I can think of multiple types of heaters: diesel, propane, and electric. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Diesel heaters are I think the easiest and least-expensive solution to operate, the downside being they require permanent installation that typically involves drilling holes in the floor of your van for air intake and exhaust. Propane heaters like the Mr. Buddy heater require the purchase of one-gallon propane bottles and cost slightly more to operate, but they don’t require installation and are (for all intents and purposes) safe to operate within a closed space. Electric heaters require large amounts of electricity to run for any length of time. Even small desktop heaters can use up to 500w of electricity per hour with larger ones requiring 1,500-2,000 or more. Unless you’ve invested several thousands of dollars into a battery system (or plan to run a generator), electric heaters usually can’t be used for long.
HEATED GADGETS
Inside my van I have at least four things I can think of that I use on cold overnight camps. First up are a set of electronic hand warmers. They’re USB rechargeable, heat up quickly, and will keep your hands warm on the lowest setting and downright burn them on the highest. I also have a pair of USB rechargeable ski gloves. The gloves are so warm that I rarely need to turn on the heating element, but when you do prepare to have sweaty palms! Those ski gloves were expensive and a little overkill, but work great. I also have a 12v heated blanket in the rear of my van. The less expensive ones (like the one I bought) don’t have removeable electrical cords, which can make them difficult to wash. On the lowest setting mine uses around 50w/hour so even an eight hour sleep only uses 400 watts of power. As an emergency backup I have some of those single-use thermal gloves that warm up when you open them.
BLANKETS/SLEEPING BAG
After my first winter camp I immediately bought a 0-degree sleeping bag from Amazon. When I’m not using it I roll it up and use it as a (big) pillow. I also keep a comforter and a quilt my grandma made in my van. The more layers when it’s cold, the better.
CLOTHING
The less skin you have exposed, the better. From head to toe, when it’s super cold I wear a winter hat, a shirt and a hoodie, gloves or mittens, jeans, long johns, wool socks, and boots. Obviously each item is negotiable depending on the temperature. For Christmas I got some gloves that are not only textured but also allow you to use your smartphone while wearing them. They’re my new favorites.
DESPERATE MEASURES
While I don’t own one, they sell hot water warming bags on Amazon. Heat water any way you can, put it inside the bag, and put the bag next to your body. In desperate times I suppose you could put warm or hot water inside a plastic bottle too, just don’t burn yourself getting itin there. When I was first camping in my van and had no insulation, I resorted to starting my van every hour or so and running my heater to raise the temperature inside the van. The verdict is still out on whether or not idling a car for long periods of time is bad for it and how much fuel it uses but as with any fuel-related heating solution make sure to have ventilation and a carbon-monoxide detector on hand.
SUMMARY
Wow. When I sat down to write this I hadn’t intended on writing Oprah’s Christmas List or anything. Except where noted, I own everything listed here and paid for them out of my own pocket. They all work for me but not everything meets everyone’s needs, so be sure to shop around to look for other brands that are on sale or that meet your needs better.
And again, if you plan on burning anything for heat, make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide detector in your van. The world needs more people out there having van adventures. not less.
Did I leave anything off the list? Let me know and if I add it to my video I’ll be sure to give you a shout out!