Trip for 4 with a 2 person tear, questions, opinions?

[Aaron Coffee]

I will be taking my 2 neices 9 and 12 and my nephew 10, on a trip to the black hills of South Dakota. I will be taking my teardrop which will sleep 2, I had thought of taking my tent for the other 2, but got thinking that it can get kind of cool overnight out that way, so I may put some sort of sleeping mats in the back of the pickup (it has a topper). My thinking is that it would require less setup(how much help would I get putting up the tent out of 3 preteens after a five hour drive?), be a little more insulated than a tent as the box is double wall so there would be a little bit of dead air space, does any one agree or disagree? Should I consider additional insulation? If so any recomendations on cheap easy to install insulation? I may see if I can hit electric blankets or electric mattress pads on clearance. The topper has sliding screened windows so ventilation should not be a problem. I am also thinking of putting a piece of plywood down with possibly a chunk of carpet on it, then either a single mattress(45" between wheel wells)or some sort of cushions,should I space the plywood off of the floor with 1x2 to offer additional air space? Any other comments, suggestions?
Thanks
Aaron

[48Rob]

Aaron,

On the assumption the girls will be in the truck, I would suggest curtains of some sort for their privacy, and a simple locking system so they will feel secure.

If you will be camping where there is power, a safe heat source like an electric pad will make the trip much more enjoyable for them.
A thermostatically controlled heater/fan would be nice, but for pre teens...I'm not sure, depends on their maturity level.
I think the plywood is not needed; a nice 3-4 inch thick foam pad will keep them warm and comfortable.

Sounds like a great adventure!

Rob

[Shadow Catcher]

Our three kids did fine in tents some times below freezing, good sleeping bags and Thermarest mattresses.
Remember their heaters (internal) work better than ours.

[iplay10us2]

Aaron:

When are you planning on going? That might make a difference. I was there in early June a few years ago, and had snow/sleet one day, and then sunny and almost 70 on other days. Personally, I would rather sleep in a tent with blankets/etc than feel all enclosed inside a truck camper.

[PanelDeland]

I would use a mattress in the topper.The hard sides will probably give them a better sense of security and help in case of critter visits.An electric blanket (if shore power is available) or other "safe" heat source may be welcome.You might also want an intercom for them to be able to communicate with you(walkie talkies should work and be fun).Keep daytime activities fun and mentally/physically challenging to promote tiredness and good sleep.

[jstrubberg]

It can get really cool at night in that area. We spent one miserable night outside of Custer. We jsut weren't prepared for 35 degrees.

Myself, I would be thinking the truck topper and an inflatable air mattress. 20 bucks at Wal Mart. Lots of insulation from the metal of the truck and soft.

[Aaron Coffee]

The first weekend in June, I have been there that weekend for the past two years, and it gets cool at night, but pretty decent during the day. I figure it will be a fight for the teardrop, my nephew already said that we will make a schedule for sleeping arrangments, will find my frs radios, nephew is already used to sleeping in the teardrop, will have to find out on the girls about small spaces, kind of thinking of taking the tent, and if nothing else using it for changing and emergency rest room at night(I knew I kept that porta-pot I got with a coleman stove on an auction, for a reason) and or possibly sleeping, and still setting up the topper also. Plan on an electric spot.

[Verna]

Aaron, I used a small 1200 watt space heater on a metal stand in a tent and kept warm enough last May in Kansas and in Seattle. The temp was down to around freezing in Kansas and in the lower 40's in Seattle. I stayed warm enough.....I'm a bit older than your girls I had a cot, two 40* sleeping bags, a fleece sleeping bag and an 11 lb dog. Oh, and the tent was 8'x8'x7' tall, so I had a lot of heat going out the top.

I'd opt for the tent. I've slept in the back of my pick-ups over the years, and it just seems to be warmer in a tent. If you put the tent right next to the tear drop, I'm sure the girls will have enough privacy, but be close enough to feel secure.

Just my two cents.

[CARS]

Remember their heaters (internal) work better than ours.

Ya right... I have two daughters that think 70 is too cold, yet my wife keeps our bedroom at 56 and has a fan on in the dead of winter!

[S. Heisley]

I had a friend who slept in the shell-covered back of her truck through one entire winter, after her home was knocked off its foundation by an earthquake. She got the thickest upholstery foam that she could find because foam serves as both mattress and insulation. What the other people said here is good, too: Curtains and/or cardboard for the windows; (cardboard insulates...wouldn't hurt to put some in the truck bed, either.) good sleeping bags and maybe a spare wool blanket to lay on top of the sleeping bags, (check the army surplus stores). Some sort of tent or a shower tent that is big enough to stand up in when dressing would be a good idea, too.

Wool is good in cold weather and, even if it gets wet, it retains body heat. Tootsies get cold easily. Suggest that the kids each bring a pair of wool socks to sleep in. If they think wool is itchy, they can wear them over their day socks while they sleep. Again, you can usually find wool socks at an army surplus store, if you don't have any. Or, if you don't mind spending the money, purchase "smart wool" socks, which are made out of non-itchy wool, such as merino wool.

A heated mattress pad would be good, too; but, remember that it would be running off the truck battery. If you get one, use it sparingly and/or carefully. You don't want to be all ready to go somewhere and the truck won't start because the battery is run down.

...Have fun!

[rowerwet]

It can get really cool at night in that area. We spent one miserable night outside of Custer. We jsut weren't prepared for 35 degrees.

Myself, I would be thinking the truck topper and an inflatable air mattress. 20 bucks at Wal Mart. Lots of insulation from the metal of the truck and soft.

an air mattress will suck the heat out of you faster, get a good foam mattress (those cheap high density foam pads at wallyworld work good)
I camped in the back of my truck before, taped newspaper over the windows for privacy, but it was summer time. in the cold a tent inside the cap might be the way to keep it warm without extra heat, the windows loose a lot of heat.

[Aaron Coffee]

The girls both deer hunt, the older girl fell asleep leaning against a tree deer hunting last winter. Guess I'm probably thinking of my own heater. I thought of the drawback of the topper, opening and closing the tailgate, I designed a side opening tailgate in my head, but sometimes have trouble going from the design in my head to actual product, besides my welder is broke. So my current plan is plenty of blankets, (maybe an electric blanket or two, already have an electric throw), primary plan is tent, with topper as backup, have them bring warm bed clothes. Have a camp cot, and a reclining lawn chair that can suffice as a bed(unless I run across a cot on a rummage sale). I like to avoid air mattresses, I must have lead in my butt, cause my butt sinks, then I arch my back, and wake more sore than if I had slept on the ground. And most of all relax and have fun. Food is another thing altogether, one neice eats anything the other is a picky eater, the nephew falls somewhere in between, so I want to come up with ways to get them involved in food prep. Plan on buying them pie irons. Need to experiment to downsize magic beans recipe to serve 4 as the older niece was upset that I didn't make magic beans for Easter.

[nrody]

Maybe you can ask each kid to come up with a recipe for the trip. It can be fun to see what they come up with. Help them shop, and when meal time comes help them put it all together.

[dmckruit]

What I would do is get an suv tent and attach it to the side of the tear. There are several threads on this subject. You can leave the tear drop door open and use the tent as a common room. Get a few army cots and set them up in the tent and your good to go. You can always get a supplemental heater for the tent.

I just bought an suv tent on amazon for around $145. I will try it out next week at the Virginia Beach tear gathering. I will be sure to post photos when I get back.

[jstrubberg]

It can get really cool at night in that area. We spent one miserable night outside of Custer. We jsut weren't prepared for 35 degrees.

Myself, I would be thinking the truck topper and an inflatable air mattress. 20 bucks at Wal Mart. Lots of insulation from the metal of the truck and soft.

an air mattress will suck the heat out of you faster, get a good foam mattress (those cheap high density foam pads at wallyworld work good)
I camped in the back of my truck before, taped newspaper over the windows for privacy, but it was summer time. in the cold a tent inside the cap might be the way to keep it warm without extra heat, the windows loose a lot of heat.

Insulation is all about how much air you can trap and hold. An air mattress makes a good insulating layer, and there isn't a four season backpacker alive that would leave on a trip without a self-inflating one.