Winter Van Camping Tips

February 27, 2023

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Alexandra Welsh

From Pine Magazine
This article was originally published in Pine Magazine. Pine is a Yama publication featuring people, places and products that will ignite your inner adventurer.

Van travel makes adventuring year-round cozy and appealing. For us Canadians, it means a chance at first chair as much as it makes for a considerably longer camping season. 

That said, knowing some tricks and having the right setup is crucial if you want to make your van adventure a success! In addition to getting your mittens on a Canadian-built adventure vehicle (winnnk), here are some of our top tips for winter van camping:

01 | Be Prepared

  • Find out which campsites are closed or inaccessible before your foot hits the gas
  • Prepare your van’s off-grid systems since hookups may be limited or non-existent
  • Brush off any snow from your solar panels to make sure the rays make it to their destination
  • Check road and weather conditions
  • Do a wellness check of your rig to make sure it’s up to the task

02 | Ventilate & Insulate

  • Literally, crack a window
  • Limit condensation build up
  • Spin your roof fan on low at night
  • Use insulated window coverings and curtains

03| Take in Comfort Food

  • Feed yourself and your soul with hearty, warming meals
  • Visit our favorite food blog for camping recipes for all seasons, including Soup Season AKA: Winter

04| Stay in Touch

  • Don’t get stuck without service! Winter temps can make for way worse consequences
  • Bring a satellite phone if you’ve got one
  • Tell someone (or a few someones) where you’re going

Seasoned van campers likely have their own checklists depending on their destination, the time of year, what they hope to get up to, and how long they plan to be gone. And, while we believe having no plan can sometimes be the best plan, the same doesn’t apply to prep—especially in winter. 

Alexandra Welsh

Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at Yama Vans