Scamp vs Casita for Insulation?

[slowpat]

I am mulling over maybe doing a switch from a Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe to a Scamp 19. Just thinking. I'm wondering if the Scamp has more insulation than a Casita? Anybody know?

I like the fact that a 19 is a bit longer, but is the same width.

Also, according to the website, a 19 would be about 200 pounds more (dry) than my Casita. That shouldn't be a problem as I have a Tacoma that pulls the Casita quite well.

I probably won't do this, but it is amusing to think about.

[floyd]

The Casita is essentially foam backed carpet.
The Scamp is marine grade fabric over reflectix (foil covered bubble wrap).
If you switch to the Scamp I assure you that you will find the Scamp insulation protection will be at least as satisfactory as the Casita.
Each offers a level of insulation from the cold, heat, sound, and light.
Each offers essentially "three season" effectiveness.


If you have a 1500 watt or greater heat source or a 9000BTU A/C source.
You will be comfortable and reasonably efficient.


Problem is...


Your windows on either trailer will be your primary source of heat-A/C losses.
For extreme cold or heat you might consider making Reflctix window covers, otherwise the cold will just cascade off the window surfaces and the heat will penetrate the interior.


Short answer.... the lining of either trailer should not be a determining factor in your choice.


Now for the controversial part...
I think the Scamp system is the better of the two, all things considered.

[slowpat]

I am curious. When the sun hits my Casita just right, I see some areas where there appears to be no insulation. Sometimes, in October, it seems to be quite damp and chilly but I do not have a furnace and rely on a space heater or the heat strip if hookups are available or a Little Buddy when not. I figured what with being made in Minnisoda, the Scamp might have more. I don't camp in the winter, but Spring and Fall can be chilly. Heck, here in the PNW Summer can be chilly.

In normal years, I travel to music festivals and my fiddle seems to take up a lot of room, along with music and dog.

This thinking process is brought on by the Covid Boredom. It is too early for skiing.

[Jon in AZ]

What Floyd said.

Scamp’s website claim of R15 is based on a misinterpretation of how foil bubble wrap works, but the combination does reasonably well in practice for 3-season use. I’ve not owned a Casita, but given the similar thickness I’d expect similar performance.

[GOB]

We have a Scamp 19 and find the insulation adequate. If I were looking at buying another I would go with the Deluxe because of the steps going up to the bed.

[Defenestrator]

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Like Jon said, the R-15 claim on Reflectix in that application is pure fiction and it's closer to R-0.6. The foam backing on the Casita's thinner, but a bit finer closed cell. The Scamp's got more surface area, so it'll need a bit more heat, but both mostly rely on keeping the warm air contained more than actual wall insulation.

[steve dunham]

I’ve owned a Scamp , Casita and an Escape with the added insulation package
In my estimation the wall insulation value in all 3 is about equal
None of the 3 are insulated for actual COLD weather camping .

[Perryb67]

We’ve owned a 2007 Scamp, 2007 Casita and now a 2018 Escape 5.0 with the added insulation package. The wall insulation is about equal for all three.

In below freezing weather the floors of the Scamp and Casita were like ice. The Scamp had linoleum flooring and was the coldest. We had wall to wall carpet in the Casita, with a throw run over that and it still was cold.

Our Escape has insulation underneath the floor and is not cold, but considerably warmer than either the Scamp or Casita. When you add in the dual pane windows we are quite comfortable at 0 degrees, but that's situation is rare. We easily have 30 or more nights below freezing and have yet to be cold in our Escape. We can't say that about our Scamp or Casita.

Is the Escape four season? While we would have no problems with us being warm inside, the grey/black valves are exposed and will eventually freeze, so it's really only a three season camper.

If you want a four season camper, get a Bigfoot (we've owned a Bigfoot too).

Enjoy,

Perry

[Stephen_Albers]

The first night in my Casita the 70-degree day temperature dropped to 40 degrees at night and as I lay in bed, I could feel the cold flowing through the windows and spreading out over the bed - Not good. I resolved to target 4 season capability. A key modification is custom glazed double pane windows all round from the petroleum industry and 6 inches of floor insulation. I have not yet had the chance to test cold weather. But last summer in 108 degrees Texas heat, putting a hand on the inside pane could not detect ANY heat coming through the window or floor. I'm optimistic.

[floyd]

The climate control feature works great and virtually every travel trailer comes equipped with it.
It is permanently mounted under the trailer, but the addition of a calendar and a compass do facilitate its use.
Use the calendar to predict the temperature trends (seasonal) and use the compass to determine which direction would yield the best results.
The system can be called AWT (axle wheels and tires)

[ShelbyM]

Originally Posted by Stephen_Albers

A key modification is custom glazed double pane windows all round ....

Stephen- are your replacement windows sliders like stock or do they open awning style? I've seen some awning style double pane in Class Bs. Pics would be great!

[slowpat]

Gentle correction time here.

I'm not looking for a four season trailer. I understand that really doesn't exist although I spent two years, including winter, living in a Kit Travel trailer. Winter wasn't very fun in it and waking up to frost on the walls was certainly not. The pipes didn't freeze but the refrigerator would not work in freezing temps.

I think more about insulation on those chilly Spring and Fall mornings, or when camping on the very damp Warshington/Oregon coast. Those 40ish degree times when one is off grid and using a smelly Little Buddy heater. When you notice the floor is quite chilly on the feet even though the thermometer says it is close to 70 degrees inside.

I had my Kit trailer set up in a trailer park, with skirting and half the windows plugged up with insulation. The furnace did not work so I used two space heaters for heat. Fortunately, the two winters spent in it were fairly mild and mild in that area means only a couple of -0 days. It took two years to be present and ready when an affordable rental house became available. Then I had a wood stove and life was comfy.

[Scizzors]

Back - WAY Back in 2003 Bought a Casita SD. Loved it -- but not worth a hoot in cold weather. I slept next to the back window and literally froze my ( You know what ) off Any time the temp dived below freezing. Took a 3 month trip up and down the Alaska Highway from our home in NC with the little egg. Round trip 15,096 miles. Loved every minute of it except the cold part up in Alaska and Canada in Sept. All this to say forget the Scamp and trade up to a Bigfoot. We did and we have never looked back. It is a true 3 season trailer. Never went out in the dead of winter because it did not suit our style. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Scizzors

Back - WAY Back in 2003 Bought a Casita SD. Loved it -- but not worth a hoot in cold weather. I slept next to the back window and literally froze my ( You know what ) off Any time the temp dived below freezing. Took a 3 month trip up and down the Alaska Highway from our home in NC with the little egg. Round trip 15,096 miles. Loved every minute of it except the cold part up in Alaska and Canada in Sept. All this to say forget the Scamp and trade up to a Bigfoot. We did and we have never looked back. It is a true 3 season trailer. Never went out in the dead of winter because it did not suit our style. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

We slept comfortably in our 2013 Casita SD in temps as low as -17 deg F using only the strip heater in the A/C to warm the trailer
A lot depends on your tolerance for cold
IE ; For me 32 deg F is cool , 20 below is cold and 80 deg F is unbearably HOT !
Our Casita was warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer IMHO

[Brian5305]

We are just back (on Monday 11-16-20) from a trip from Wisconsin to Eugene, OR, with our 1994 Scamp 16. Overnight temps were in the 20's & 30's in MN, SD & ID on the way out (2 weeks ago), and 19° in Laramie,WY with a 40+ MPH wind on the way back. We had all plug-in camp sites, and our 1500 watt 110V electric heater kept us nice and toasty. We carried a Little Buddy propane unit as a back-up, and used it briefly a couple nights to take the chill off, but had to shut it down once we warmed the space up a bit. Actually left windows open in IA on Sunday night. (We cheated and stayed at a BNB in ID on Friday night.)


The bigger issue turned out to be what I assume was a frozen line between the tongue mounted LP tank and the stove. Must have some water in there, as the stove and refer didn't work until it warmed up again. Fortunately we had a backup portable Butane 1-burner stove along, so we could still cook and make coffee, and it was cold enough to not need to run the refer.

[slowpat]

I tend to wake up at 47 degrees inside. I don't know if my dog wakes me or if that is the magic temp. If no power, I generally put a dog jacket on the dog, warm up the trailer with the buddy heater and get out the sleeping bag for me.