Insulated gooseneck?

[DoubleDown]

So I’m beginning my hunt for a GN trailer. My plan is to be able to use the nose of the trailer for sleeping, and as a LQ isn’t in the budget, I wanted opinions on if an insulated nose portion makes that much of a difference when sleeping/camping?

I’m looking really hard at this lTrails West in a used version http://www.double-j.com/2015-trails-west-classic-specialite-2-horse-warmblood-76-tall-w-comfort-package–rmu|4d.html and wondering if it will be that much more comfortable than a regular GN? Does it justify the extra money? Will I survive without it? :lol: Currently I camp in the canopy of my truck, and while it works, it kind of sucks!

[cutter99]

Many times, without the insulation, you’ll end up with condensation inside the trailer. If you can buy it already insulated, great. If not you can do it yourself fairly easily.

That does look like a nice trailer for the money. If the trailer suits you and your horse’s needs, go for it!

[Showbizz]

As Cutter said, insulation will make a huge difference and you’ll be glad you got it.

[enjoytheride]

A trailer that is insulated and has a few electric outlets will expand where you go and what you do. This one looks like you can hook it up to electric at a camp ground. You can heat it with a small electric heater. I think showers and toilets are unnecessary unless you camp at primitive sites, most camp grounds have showers and toilets.

[kkmrad94]

There are a few Facebook sites called horse trailer conversion and they do a lot of insulation and fixing up old trailers. Really interesting and helpful if you’re trying to do things on your own!

[Frog_Pond]

I’m in love with this trailer, too. What cutter99 said about condensation is the absolute core of the problem when sleeping in uninsulated, metal/fiberglass lined vehicles. I’ve done a lot of camping in trucks w/caps, and in a small fiberglass vintage RV, and me and two small dogs turned them into saunas. Everything stays clammy – pillow, sleeping bag, towels, socks. You end up opening too many windows, which makes it hard to stay warm. Scamp started lining their small fiberglass campers with a similar synthetic carpet-like material (nicknamed rat fur!) and it makes a huge difference in comfort at both ends of the temperature spectrum. I’ve never seen a gooseneck trailer with it that wasn’t also a full LQ. This seems like a great middle ground. Now that I know they exist, I want one! :yes:

[tewhann]

It makes a huge difference. If I were trailer shopping, I’d only look at one brand: Equispirit. Safe, comfortable, beautiful trailers.

[netg]

Condensation was the one thing I was going to suggest as well.

Last summer I was very comfortable sleeping in my trailer (we installed insulation) without using the heat/ac up in the mountains on cool nights because of the insulation. I know folks used heat if they weren’t insulated.

[chicamux]

Buy this trailer! It will be cooler when it is hot and warmer when it is cold and will not have wet walls and dripping ceiling when you use a heater or stove inside. My uninsulated but large gooseneck dressing room just sucks when camping in cold weather. I do a lot of horse camping and really curse those uninsulated walls and ceiling.

chicamuxen

[chicamux]

Buy this trailer! It will be cooler when it is hot and warmer when it is cold and will not have wet walls and dripping ceiling when you use a heater or stove inside. My uninsulated but large gooseneck dressing room just sucks when camping in cold weather. I do a lot of horse camping and really curse those uninsulated walls and ceiling.

chicamuxen

[DoubleDown]

thanks everyone! I really do like it, but wanted to make sure the insulation was justified since I don’t really have anything else to compare it to.

[csaper58]

Is that carpet all over? IME the carpet traps damp and dirt, etc. It starts to smell mildewy and funky pretty quickly. And the constant shocks from static electricity are a @#*.

[DoubleDown]

Is that carpet all over? IME the carpet traps damp and dirt, etc. It starts to smell mildewy and funky pretty quickly. And the constant shocks from static electricity are a @#*.

Wouldn’t the insulation prevent the funky/mildew? That just sounds delightful! :eek:

[Blume_Farm]

Do it! We once went camping with my uninsulated GN and the temp dropped into the 30s overnight. We froze, even with a space heater going and in sleeping bags. Ended up setting up lawn chairs in the bath house drinking hot cocoa all night! Problem is the GN part is just floating in air so you have no insulation. For example, when you pitch a tent your sleeping bags are on the ground giving you insulation. For example, why signs always say “bridge ices first”…same problem.

[cutter99]

OP- I would not worry about any funk or mildew with the trailer. If it has been insulated and lined, the only way you would have a funk or mildew issue is if there was a leak somewhere and water was getting in.

I think you’ll be very happy with your purchase! Looking forward to a photo update of the actual trailer!

[Frog_Pond]

[QUOTE=csaper58;7980566]
Is that carpet all over? IME the carpet traps damp and dirt, etc. It starts to smell mildewy and funky pretty quickly. And the constant shocks from static electricity are a @#*.[/QUOTE]

It’s not carpet. It’s an open-weave poly fabric without padding or a solid backing that does not hold moisture. It’s more like a potscrubber, sort of a plastic Brillo. It’s designed to manage condensation, and some version of it is in most RV’s out there. The newer stuff has lower VOC’s – the toxic, off-gassing chemicals that make other synthetics stink in closed quarters. You have to try pretty hard to get it permanently dirty.

[Outyougo]

I have an aluminum gooseneck. Before i has insulation put in whatever the temp out side it was twice that in my trailer, 40* out freezing in trailer “loft” if it was 80* felr like 10* inside. So I had the “Spray Foam” guys put a double layer of foam in my large tack room and also the horse section. Nice Warm and dry cool in summer fine in winter. BEST $400 I spent in a long time!

[merrygoround]

I had an aluminum GN trailer built and the builder talked me into insulating. He knew what he was doing. It was worth every penny.

[Frog_Pond]

[QUOTE=Outyougo;7998656]
I have an aluminum gooseneck. Before i has insulation put in whatever the temp out side it was twice that in my trailer, 40* out freezing in trailer “loft” if it was 80* felr like 10* inside. So I had the “Spray Foam” guys put a double layer of foam in my large tack room and also the horse section. Nice Warm and dry cool in summer fine in winter. BEST $400 I spent in a long time![/QUOTE]
That is a great, inexpensive after-market solution. THanks for sharing.

[pony_grandma]

Insulation. Our gooseneck stays dry and mildew free. We can keep everything, including tack, in it year round!!