Hot weather camping - how to make it bearable

[Xanthoria]

Just camped at a 2 day show in 100 degree weather and looking for some ideas to make it less sweaty!

1. Solar fan for the tiny LQ? Do they work? Which is best?

2. 12v fans for horse area for when traffic is bad - best one? Do you switch on when you get on the road, or have a switch in the truck cab and only use as needed? (And do you have a thermometer in the trailer?)

3. Solar charger for 12v battery in trailer - easiest kit?

4. Shade awning. A friend attached shade cloth to the side of her trailer - seemed easy and inexpensive and lightweight! Any other shade tips? A pop up structure is going to be to bulky and heavy for my little rig.

5. Best solar string (or other) lights for the shade awning?

6. Shockingly my horses ice boots melted way before they were needed. Is there even a cooler that can handle 100 degree weather for 3 days or is that silly?

Any other tips?

[Arlomine]

Following!
I’ve purchased two rechargeable fans from Amazon, and so far so good.
Very interested in a solar solution.

[Scribbler]

I have not in investigated but there are tiny refrigerators that plug into your vehicle. There are nonelectric coolers that promise to keep things cold for multiple days. But ice boots won’t stay cold in a fridge.

I’d think at those temperatures you’d be better off outside at night than in an LQ

[beowulf]

Which did you get? And where do you have them set up?

I’m following as well. I’ve been trucking the horses out all over lately and it’s been HOT.

My Yeti keeps things cold for 2-3 days. I take it on a camping trip every year. It was expensive but worth it.

[wsmoak]

Lots of folks on the horse trailer living quarters conversion FB group are getting the 9’ or 11’ half umbrella and QuickFist clamps. (Some are using magnets. I think any wind is going to lift the umbrella right off the trailer and cause a mess!)

Like this https://www.amazon.com/ABCCANOPY-Umbrella-Outdoor-Balcony-Burgundy/dp/B07MDJ5P55/ref=sr_1_5

[endlessclimb]

clamping to what?? edit sorry one handed typing. This looks really promising for me, and I want to do it!

[wsmoak]

These clamps get screwed into the trailer: https://quickfist.com/quick-fist-clamp.html

Then they clamp around the umbrella pole.

(Some folks object to making holes in the trailer and are using some kind of magnetic holder. I wouldn’t…)

[endlessclimb]

Hmm… I want the umbrella to go over the side-ramp, so not very much to attach to. I might order it, and then tinker with it to find a way to attach it.

Thanks for posting, that’s one group I’ve missed since I got off of facebook a few months ago. So many clever ideas!

[Xanthoria]

@wsmoak

Lots of folks on the horse trailer living quarters conversion FB group are getting the 9’ or 11’ half umbrella and QuickFist clamps. (Some are using magnets. I think any wind is going to lift the umbrella right off the trailer and cause a mess!)

I’ve seen the umbrella idea on that FB group but it just doesn’t give enough shade coverage for me - I need to get a table and chairs and so on fully covered at all times of the day.

I am thinking something more like this: 90% shade cloth attached with carabiners to metal eye rings on trailer, two retractable 8’ tent poles, 2-4 guy lines. I wouldn’t put the horse under it tho

[cutter99]

I have a Pelican cooler than is supposed to keep ice for 10 days. I also have a couple Lifetime coolers that do just as well.

Many people do not realize you need to “prep” a cooler before using it. This article explains it really well.

https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/how-to-pack-a-cooler/

Another thing I do is put my cooler on a mini skid on the trailer floor instead of sitting it directly on the floor. The skid allows air flow around the cooler to help keep it cooled.

[4horses]

The awning as pictured above is a great idea. Both my friends have a setup like that for camping.

You can also get A/C for your trailer. I finally bought a portable unit for my trailer.

[enjoytheride]

I have a 12v fan that installed right into the vent of my dressing room. They also make one that has a thermostat and temp gauges plus rain sensor. It runs pretty good off your truck, but you’d need to start it up every 24 hours or so to not drain the battery.

You can install a battery on the trailer and charge it when you’re home on a trickle charger. You can also use a portable solar panel or wire one onto the roof, but you’d need a few other things such as a solar charge controller.

They do make 12v fridges, but they only cool to a certain temp below outside temps so when it’s 100 they don’t get as cold as a fridge.

I had an awning like the one pictured, easy set up off hooks along my trailer roof.

[enjoytheride]

My magnets you can’t physically remove. You have to slide them off or use a strong burly man who then sweats and yells. I think they’d be fine except in a storm, when you shouldn’t have an umbrella out anyway.

[Xanthoria]

@enjoytheride

use a strong burly man who then sweats and yells.

+1 for this

[Xanthoria]

@enjoytheride

I have a 12v fan that installed right into the vent of my dressing room. They also make one that has a thermostat and temp gauges plus rain sensor. It runs pretty good off your truck, but you’d need to start it up every 24 hours or so to not drain the battery.

You can install a battery on the trailer and charge it when you’re home on a trickle charger. You can also use a portable solar panel or wire one onto the roof, but you’d need a few other things such as a solar charge controller.

I have a 12v battery in the trailer, and run a wire to it to keep it charged at home but would love a SIMPLE solar trickle charger setup for home and camping too, but everything online is so complicated!

How much power does the fan you have draw? Could a solar charger offset it enough?

[enjoytheride]

It would draw the battery down but the solar charger would keep it charged enough. But say, you can’t run AC off a solar panel unless you had a really expensive systems and tons of panels.

[Xanthoria]

No I get that - no AC unit required. Just a fan in the evening for a few hours. I guess it all depends on the solar panel and the draw of the unit attached… ugh, more calculations!

[enjoytheride]

You can also put a couple marine batteries under your neck and run the fan off them then charge with a trickle charger after shows if you’re worried about your truck.

[trubandloki]

@enjoytheride

You can also put a couple marine batteries under your neck and run the fan off them then charge with a trickle charger after shows if you’re worried about your truck.

Mental image of someone walking around wearing a necklace of marine batteries.

[clanter]

motel room with a good ac is what we used, but around here most people take the hottest part of the summers off unless the show is to be used a qualifier for a national show requirement

I did the “camping” in extreme heat in Asia and Will Not Do It Again