Pop Top thermal wrap SCA194?

[YellowHound]

Having spent a very cold two nights in my van over the weekend thoughts have turned to how I can improve the situation. I can't yet afford to install a heater so looking for alternatives to improve comfort.

The van is acoustically and thermally lined and I have the SCA194 pop top.

I see that there are thermal wraps available for pop tops which seem like a good idea. What I don't understand though is that there do not seem to be any available that fit inside the pop top - this would seem to me to be the better option both for ease of fitting and not having to pack away a wet and dirty wrap given the vagaries of the UK weather.

Is there anything out there that's especially good, and perhaps an internal option I haven't found?

TIA

 

[Davenjo]

Wait until it gets really cold

We find our Rainbow Screens on front and rear do a great job of keeping the van warm (and cool in full sun) - they also do one for the pop top which we nearly bought but decided not to and, having spent last winter camping in temps down to minus 4, albeit with an Eberspacher heater, probably wont bother. These are external screens but we have not had any issues with packing away wet/dirty - they come with their own storage bags and, if necessary, we just get them out for a couple of hours to dry at home.

 

[YellowHound]

Thanks.
My thoughts are that the external roof wraps would be a pain in the proverbial to put on - especially if it's raining and/or windy.

 

[Davenjo]

That was one of the reasons we decided to try without but I don't think it is that much of an issue - I have a friend with a T5.1 based camper who first put us onto Rainbow Screens and she seems to manage putting them up single handedly - they effectively wrap around the front and sides and have a filler panel that velcros on to cover the back of the SCA 194.

 

[YellowHound]

How does Rainbow Screens manage to sell anything with such an appallingly bad website?!

 

[Davenjo]

How does Rainbow Screens manage to sell anything with such an appallingly bad website?!

It is pretty poor (its actually a bit better now than it was when we were looking!) - they also have a lot of pictures on Facebook. I think most of their sales comes via word of mouth and via attendance at lots of shows, including Busfest next week.

 

[Davenjo]

If you are after an idea on pricing here is an extract from an email I had in response to my initial enquiry last year:-

Hello Dave
The front screen covers plain start at £176
The daylight drop down panel adds £20.
Our eyes start from £36.
The SCA 194 screens are £306.
We can process customer artwork but cost is down to size and time take to produce. Post and packaging on a pair would be £20.
Regards

 

[YellowHound]

£306 seems quite pricey?
No pricing or, unbelievably, any contact info on their website.

 

[Loz]

I have the comfortz screen cover in black on ours.
T6 Thermal Windscreen Cover

 

[Davenjo]

£306 seems quite pricey?
No pricing or, unbelievably, any contact info on their website.

I think you get what you pay for - we started out with a cheap screen but there is no comparison.

 

[DaveBos]

You could get a proper down filled 4 season sleeping bag for £300

 

[YellowHound]

You could get a proper down filled 4 season sleeping bag for £300

Yes, but only one....

 

[Loz]

Comfortz currently have a limited offer on some Comfortz Accessories:

All Cali Toppers
Thermal Windscreens Covers
Winter Pack

The Offer is 10% Discount, please use code: COMFORTZ10

This code can't be used in conjunction with any other discount.

Limited offer whilst stocks last

 

[Paddington]

Hi, I have a sca 194 elevating roof. I'm assuming the canvas isn't thermal. The reason I ask is I intend to use the van for 3 month Euro ski trips over winter. Although I won't sleep up top, I need the pop up up when in the van as I have a bad back. But thinking this would bring the temp down. I had a look at rainbow pop top covers. Do they got on top of the existing canvas or replace it? Do you attach it when you arrive or can you leave it on and close the roof? Do they work? And most importantly for me are they easy to fit by a small woman? Thanks

 

[Ayjay]

'Do they got on top of the existing canvas or replace it?

The former.

Do you attach it when you arrive or can you leave it on and close the roof?

Yes & No respectively.

'Do they work?'

Yes - but I've never used them in very cold conditions (ie. (ice/snow).

'And most importantly for me are they easy to fit by a small woman?'

In my opinion a big no - you will need help (and steps to get up to roof level).

My own experience was that they worked but could be a pain to put on, take off and store when wet. In the end, I couldn't be bothered and sold them on. That said, if I found myself sleeping in the van in extreme weather, I think I might regret the decision, albeit briefly. Others might disagree.

Hope this helps.

 

[8o8]

I use one on the outside and has been great whenever used.
But have a look at this link :

UK DODOMAT Official Dealer | Crafter MAN Sprinter | Sound Deadening + Insulation | Kits + Packages | Nottingham

Ready made bundle set kits to sound deaden & insulate without any fuss; DODOMAT & CTK

www.customveedubs.com

They have internal blinds for pop tops i think, i use their internal blinds for the windows and are really good.

Bob

 

[Ayjay]

Paddington, My apologies for any confusion but I have never seen those internal pop top covers pointed out by Bob before and my comments ONLY refer to external covers such as those produced by Minster Products.

 

[cgtmiles]

I’ve never seen internal thermal covers either. I googled it and some videos on external covers came up so they might be worth a viewing but looks like the only internal one is for a skyline roof and out of stock. I couldn’t find one for my austops roof

 

[Shaun Witts]

I stopped for a night in Glencoe before a powder ski day back in March, and the California beside me had an external cover on their pop top. They were very pleased with it, but had to remove it before lowering the roof, for which they had some steps to aid removal.
You could consider lowering the roof just while sleeping, to minimise heat loss?

 

[andys]

I'm with @Ayjay on this, I bought a Rainbow thermal cover for mine last year, hoping that it would not just help out thermally, but also keep prolonged rain from soaking into the canvas, act as a blackout as I sleep up top and wake up at the merest hint of daylight and give a bit of sound insulation.
First off, it's a PITA to put on and has to be taken off every time you take the roof down. Secondly, it covers over the mesh vents making it stiflingly hot and humid up top (though I guess that would be a plus point in the winter). Sound insulation was negligible, but it did a good job of keeping driving rain away from the canvas, though having to take it off and store it wet is another issue. It also makes it dark inside the van during the day.

To be fair, it does what the name says, I just realised after buying it that it's not something I need. It would be fine if it's cold and you were leaving your roof up for days at a time but I don't do that as I'm either moving on somewhere else or going somewhere for the day in the van, and if we were off away from the van, either on bikes or on foot, then I always put the roof down for security. I used it for the first 3 days of the week and then didn't bother and it's been in the loft ever since. Very bulky to find room for in the van too.