Questions About Pop Up Campers

[Desert_K5]

This is for anyone who has used a pop up camper on their truck/blazer, especially in the cold.
I'm wondering how well the canvas does when it's extremely cold. I'm not worried about the insulation value, just if it opens and closes properly after a night or two.

I've owned a pop up tent trailer but never used it in extreme cold.

 

[blazinzuk]

This is for anyone who has used a pop up camper on their truck/blazer, especially in the cold.
I'm wondering how well the canvas does when it's extremely cold. I'm not worried about the insulation value, just if it opens and closes properly after a night or two.

I've owned a pop up tent trailer but never used it in extreme cold.

A serious question. What is extremely cold? 20°? 0°? -20°

I have helped my buddy set his up in around 20° temps. We got it mostly setup and fired up the heater on the inside. That warmed the canvas up enough for it to be much more pliable

 

[Desert_K5]

0 or lower.

 

[HankScorpio]

Clear vinyl windows hate cold, they crack, just like soft tops.

 

[imiceman44]

This is for anyone who has used a pop up camper on their truck/blazer, especially in the cold.
I'm wondering how well the canvas does when it's extremely cold. I'm not worried about the insulation value, just if it opens and closes properly after a night or two.

I've owned a pop up tent trailer but never used it in extreme cold.

I never popped mine on the chalet in the cold, I wanted to keep the volume smaller and the heat closer to me. So I don't know but I suspect like @vandelay industries said the vinyl gets brittle in extreme cold weather.

 

[ZooMad75]

Coldest Night I've had mine down to so far is in the low 30's. Lid got popped before it got that cold and the next morning dropping the lid went fine since I had the furnace running all night. I really didn't have a problem in my sleeping bag at that temp with the furnace going. I've spent a night in the 40's without the heater and thought I was going to freeze. Not quite as bad as hammock camping at 9,000 ft of elevation in September where it got to the mid 30's but the camper was close. One main thing is I could feel the heat getting pulled from my back due to the wind blowing under the cabover section I was sleeping in. So after that little stint I got my butt in gear to get the furnace working so I don't freeze again.

There are quite a few that take regular Four Wheel campers skiing and camping out in the parking lots of the ski resorts. Here's a current thread discussing cold weather camping with FWC campers over on Wander the West. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/17319-fwc-winter-camping/

I don't think I'd have a problem with mine that far below freezing as long as the furnace is working. Keeping the canvas warm prior dropping the lid would aid in the closing. One of the key things is having a forced air furnace. A catalytic heater like a Mr. Buddy runs unvented and generates a ton of condensation which will freeze to the soft walls. Which won't make it easy to drop the top in the morning.