You have really made a cozy little camp out of that truck Donald. That’s a great set up. A little kitchen, nice warm bed, somewhere to stand up and sit down, it’s really looking good and cozy. Cheers my friend.
Looked like a great little spot to enjoy a late winter evening. Especially eating some chili round that fire! Another good tip for a warm sleeping bag is throw a couple of hand warmers in there near the bottom, works wonders.
Oh my God was that a great trek. And, it must be very satisfying to have your truck so dialed in. Looks amazing. I know it's a continual project but you're in a great position right now. THANK YOU for sharing! Best regards from San Diego.
Yes, it IS nice. While I still have a few more details I want to address, it's very functional and feels effortless. I literally did nothing but toss a change of clothes in the cabinet. I still had firewood loaded from the previous week's trip, still enough water in the jugs, and some basic food staples (such as coffee and chili) are always in the "pantry" so I didn't prep or pack a single bit of food. It was a very last-minute opportunity to have an excursion on a day I thought I'd be stuck in town so I just rolled. :-)
Fantastic video! I asked for more camping and footage of your setup, and you delivered! ;) Of 25 or so similar channels, I enjoy yours the best, and your truck camper usage and thrifty everyman setup always inspires me. Thanks so much for sharing ;)
Great video as usual. Even your "little overnighters" have such a grand feel due to your eye and your talent in editing. Thank you again for taking us along.
When out camping in my rig with cab hi shell set up, and i come across an amazing spot like that, I often think of Pioneers and what they went through. To find a beautiful spot, yet knowing the obstacles that would be presented, WOW! They had a timeline to get someplace before winter, yet, "lets spend a day or so, rest ourselves and the animals." I am spoiled, because in a few days I'll be back home, warm, comfy, ready, relaxed for the work week.
Moved from Seattle to Oregon 20yrs ago. I try to find spots like this. I miss the sound of water, the cold breezes, rain gently hitting the tent & mountains. Try to get out as much as possible. The Coast is my heaven. Thanks for sharing.
Workshopping a route from Gaston to the Tillamook area. Gonna start doing some scouting since the snow is mostly gone and I haven't seen any gates on Gaia GPS. Mt Hebo is still patchy with snow and i bet there is mud up there but im gonna start looking. Mostly logging roads by the looks of it, would be cool to camp up thataway or even get all the way to Pleasant Valley
One thing my friends and I have found over the years camping. You tend to plan beforehand to have a bunch of semi fancy meals. But when you are actually out there camping, you end up cooking whatever is the simplest.
Wonderful to watch as always Donald! We have temps rising quite a bit here in Central OR this week (mid 60's). I'm gonna hop on the dual sport motorcycle for the first time since you found me wrecked on my bike last year. I've been so anxious to get back out on two wheels again. Cheers, I hope you've been doing well!
Making me nervous with that sawing again... I was eating chili dogs when you mentioned your meal for the night. I though how fitting! I see you are using the Guide Gear sleeping bag again. Still enjoying mine as well. Winter time is the best time to be in the mountains. Nobody around at that time of year. Thanks for the video! George.
Now that I have a nice wide bed, I've been using the Guide Gear pretty much year round, as it's an extra wide model and feels less constricted than my other sleeping bags. It's their 0° and not the -15° I think you have? It's definitely not as warm as my Coleman 0° mummy bag, but with the electric blanket it doesn't matter and it's soooo much more comfortable in every other way. 🙂
@@softroadingthewestI love mine. Yes it is a -15. They make a -30 now. Probably too hot for what I do though. Make sure you fluff it up before you use it if it has been compressed. Fluffing will loft the insulation so it will work properly. I sometimes I forget to fluff mine up and I wake up a bit cool. Fluff it up and good to go. I love the room and the fleece. I won't go back to a mummy again.
My feet can get very cold even in mild temps so I use one of the larger size Zippo hand warmers. 8+ hours of toasty goodness in the toe box. Perfect for motorcycle camping too.
That's a good idea. My electric blanket isn't quite long enough to stretch the entire way from my feet to my shoulders and it's usually my feet that get left out in the cold, so to speak. 😄
Almost always in the winter time I carry a chainsaw with me there’s always a chance with wind and snow that a tree might fall down an electric chainsaws have come along way not mentioning not having to carry two cycle fuel. Also, if you do not have them, I would carry a couple of plastic wedges will help to prevent the chainsaw bar from being , pinched by the tree when cutting Also a great spot by the creek to make the trip worth it. Thanks for sharing.
When I'm solo and remote in the warmer months, I usually don't cover the windows, but in winter the window coverings are added insulation from the cold. Mrs Bigfoot is welcome to climb in and keep me warm LOL
this is the oregon i wish to visit one day. have you considered attaching a strap to the inside of tailgate to assist opening and closing while inside?
Excellent as usual Donald! Love the attention to detail in your filming. E.g. the camerawork detail unlocking your swing out and then re-latching it. I'm sure a lot of your followers appreciate that fine attention to detail. Simple question? What is the big antenna on your front bumper used for and did it improve your range?
It is a 6db GMRS antenna from Alamosa Antenna. I bought it at their Expo Mtn West booth last summer, to replace the tiny one that came with my Midland radio. I haven't been in a scenario to truly put it to any sort of extreme test, though I can report impeccable comms since installing it, whereas I occasionally had signal breaking up with the original antenna at frustratingly short distances. It appears to have made an improvement, but each scenario can be so different in terms of topography, trees, etc that it would be impossible to quantify exactly how much better without doing side-by-side tests of each antenna...something I _probably_ won't get around to doing. :-)
Stagg Chilli FTW: 1 can of Stagg Chilli 2-3 pre-cooked brats 2-3 TBsp BBQ sauce of your choice I like to have it pre-mixed and in a bag so I can boil the bag on my Jet Boil without dirtying any dishes.
HI DONALD 👋 THAT TURNED OUT PRETTY COOL 😎 ENDING UP WITH A GORGEOUS SCENERY BACK ROAD DRIVE & DISCOVERY TOO ❤WHEN YOU TURNED DOWN THE ONE ROAD , I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF TO HOP OUT OF THE TRUCK TO SEE HOW & WHAT WAS A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN FROM WHERE YOU TURNED ON TO IT , JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T TO SLIPPERY BACKING UP BACKWARDS , BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU WERE DRIVING & ALREADY NEW IF THE SNOW WAS THAT WAY GETTING THAT FAR . IT ENDED UP BEING AN AWESOME FIND & CAMPSITE ! PERFECT FOR THE END OF YOUR DAY ❤THE STREAM / RIVER WAS PRETTY CLEAR & HAD A NICE FLOW 👍 FOR ONE OR TWO VEHICLES 🤔 EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO YOUR TRUCK LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE DONE GOOD WORKMENSHIP TOO ! NICE & CLEAN LOOKIN 👌 I KNOW DEPENDING UPON THE JOB , HOW THICK & TYPE OF TREE 🌳 HOW LONG DOES YOUR ELECTRIC CHAINSAW BATTERY LAST 🔋 & DO ? BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! ENJOYED ❤️ VERY MUCH ❤GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS ON YOUR ADVENTURES 🙏 THANK YOU ☺️ 🙏
No, you're right, this was a somewhat treacherous little trail with a section of quite steep descent. I actually first parked the truck on the road and walked all the way down to the campsite to make sure there was someplace I could turn around before I drove it, to make sure I wouldn't need to go in reverse back up that steep gnarly section. Under normal conditions I probably would have driven right down without hesitation, but with some snow on the ground, it felt better to double check on foot. I cut that out of the video since it sort of broke the flow of the story and ended up being a non-issue at the end of the day. 🙂 I rarely recharge the chainsaw. It will make more cuts than I can count on trees this size. I carry a charger in the truck just in case I get into a situation where I have to do a lot of cutting on thicker trunks, but in all my years of carrying this saw and using it to collect firewood for camp, I've never had to charge it while out on a trip. Thanks as always for watching David!
THANK YOU DONALD FOR GETTING BACK TO ME 🙏 I LOVE WATCHING 👀, HOPEFULLY I CAN CALL 📞 FRIENDS ON UA-cam. THEY , YOU TEACH ME , US / SHOW US / ME BREATHTAKING BEAUTY SCENERY VIEWS WILDLIFE , DRONE FOOTAGE , VIDEOS 📹 OF GOD'S MAGNIFICENT PAINT BRUSH STROKES OF MOTHEREARTHS BEAUTY 🙏 PLUS ALL THE DIFFERENT WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR WORLD & HOW THEY LIVE WITH EACH OTHER . PLUS ALL GOD'S CREATURES THAT LIVE AMONG US TRYING TO SURVIVE JUST LIKE US GOD WILLING 🙏 I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR DRONE FOOTAGE WOULD OF HELPED INSTEAD OF WALKING DOWN THE ROADS PHYSICALLY 🤔 BUT WON'T SHOW IF THE ROADS ARE SOFT , HARD , SLIPPERY ! I LIKE HOW EVERYONE HELPS EACH OTHER WITH PRODUCTS , TRAILS , COOKING , SAFER WAYS TO TRAVEL THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS , ETC . PLUS ALL THE SAFTY TRAINING TOO . THANK YOU ☺️ 🙏
Hey Buddy You need to try smart wool socks. They are great at keeping your feet warm but the smart wool wicks away moisture and keeps your feet warm and dry.
It goes by fast in the video, but if you watch carefully, you can see that the socks I removed are in fact SmartWool, and the clean dry socks I put back on are also SmartWool. 😄 I love them, but inside waterproof boots, I still perspire, they still end up damp, and the moisture has nowhere to go. I love my SmartWool socks though!
It depends on the weather. Sometimes I have to wait a week for a day that I can open the camper back up and dry out the tent. I've not had any issues arise from letting it sit closed up wet for that long, I guess it's cold enough out there to keep things refrigerated and I haven't experienced any kind of mold or mildew or anything like that so far.
Yep, very oozy, though my understanding is that this is typical of any chainsaw. I keep mine on sort of a plastic tray inside the toolbox which keeps the mess contained. :-)
I have been looking for a saw, but for now have decided my DeWalt "sawzall" does the job ok. In AZ I don't run into the treefall issues you do, just need to clear smaller overhanging newgrowth trail branches once in a while. Figuring out how to drive my old 14v saw with new 20v packs is my issue...
13:45 Do you run the blanket (I see link in the description thanks!) on a portable battery and if so do you run it all night? Looking into this option but do not know much about 12 volt blankets. Great video!
I have a Jackery 1500 power station built in as the power supply for the camper, all the lights and outlets are wired to that. I don't run the blanket all night, I'm in a warm winter sleeping bag and eventually get too hot. I usually switch it off after two or three hours and most nights, that's it. If I wake up chilled when it's extra cold, I sometimes switch it back on in the predawn hours, which is soooo nice and relaxing. :-) My blanket is super basic, it's always on when plugged into power. There are models out there with thermostats and timers which would certainly allow you to sleep through the night without needing to wake up to regulate temperature. I was wary of cheap electronics eventually failing and went with a more basic model, which I've now been using for over three years. The camper build series includes an episode about the electrical: ua-cam.com/video/UNT92MO2lqk/v-deo.html
Oh I meant to include: my blanket pulls 54 watts when it's running. If I use it for 4 total hours over the course of a night, that consumes roughly 15% of the Jackery 1500's capacity. The Jackery is set up to be able to charge off the truck during the day when I'm driving. Most trips I don't even bother recharging the Jackery as I go, I can generally get at least 4 nights of lighting & occasional electric blanket off a full charge.
Great info on your blanket use. I got one with 3 heat levels and a timer, hate the timer turning it off, and just waiting for it to break as you said! But efficient way to sleep warm ;)
Hello Donald, thanks for another great video. I was hoping that you can help me out with a question that I have about the Topo Topper Mesa. I have just placed my order for a 2022 Toyota Tacoma 6ft bed. Do you think that the Mega Mat Duo LW would fit in the bed platform. It is 77 inches long and 52 inches wide. Thank you in advance for your response.
I'm not familiar with that product nor do I know the dimensions of the 6' Tacoma camper so I'm not really in a position to answer that question. I would check with Topo, they can give you the exact dimensions and an idea of how much thickness can stay on the bed while still closing the roof. Using Topo's provided mattress along with my thick winter sleeping bag plus an electric blanket tucked inside and my pillow set off to the side, my camper closes with no problem. I recently added a fairly thin, fairly squishy foam topper underneath my sleeping bag and, while I can still close the camper, this very small amount of extra thickness has made a noticeable difference in how easily the camper closes. Something else to think about: The mattress Topo provides is in two pieces so you can stow everything in the cabover section when you're not actually using the bed, thus allowing you to walk around in your entire truck bed. If you place a singular full size mattress up there, it may at least complicate your ability to stow your bedding during the hours you want to be able to move freely about the camper. Again, not familiar with that particular product, but I don't know if repeatedly folding and unfolding it may damage it? You may want to at least wait until you have the camper in hand to make any purchases like that for it, get a feel for how it operates and what might make the most sense to upgrade the comfort of the mattress.
Thank you so much for the information Donald. I wanted to wait until I got the camper to buy a mattress, but There was a great sale on the Exped Mattress that expired yesterday. It was 100.00 dollars off I believe.
There's a link in the Description. It's just a basic no-name thing I got off Amazon. Someone recently mentioned my exact blanket may be out of stock on Amazon but there are lots of options out there.
It is a 6db GMRS antenna from Alamosa Antenna. I bought it at their Expo Mtn West booth last summer, to replace the tiny one that came with my Midland radio. I haven't been in a scenario to truly put it to any sort of extreme test, though I can report impeccable comms since installing it, whereas I occasionally had signal breaking up with the original antenna at frustratingly short distances. It appears to have made an improvement, but each scenario can be so different in terms of topography, trees, etc that it would be impossible to quantify exactly how much better without doing side-by-side tests of each antenna...something I _probably_ won't get around to doing. :-)
@@softroadingthewest haha I don't blame you for not getting around to doing a side by side but thanks for the info. I love the look especially with my frontier looking more and more "Aussie" lately, why not continue with the cool and useful antenna 🤷🏻♂️ 😆
There must be at least 10 camper companies making pop-ups with tent walls...oodles of these campers running around for many years. Perhaps some eventually fail...I've seen some that use pretty lightweight tent material. Topo uses an extremely heavy marine-grade canvas. I am certain it will outlive _my_ usage of this camper...I'm sure I will move on to some other type of rig before that canvas ever fails. Hard sides *would* be nice for a number of reasons, but the very few hard-sided pop-up options out there are prohibitively expensive for most of us. 🙂
@@softroadingthewest it seems that aluminum panels would be fairly cheap and easy way of replacing the fabric popup sections. Perhaps they are more expensive than I think. What do you think about the Moonlander concept?
@@davidk6668 From my experience with a previous aluminum project, I would expect DIY retrofitting the pop-up with aluminum sides plus needed hardware etc to be a $500-$1,000 project...outside my budget when I've already got something that actually works just fine, and also very possibly outside my DIY skills. 😆 That said, I'm not sure it would be necessary to use aluminum...there might be some kind of less expensive composite material that could work. For me to be motivated to spend the time & money tackling something like that, I gotta have a serious problem I need to solve. The canvas walls work just fine and are in no danger of failing, so my resources are better spent elsewhere. 🙂 The other issue I see with building hard-sided walls, engineering the mechanics aside, is how to integrate some kind of functional windows. I would not want to be up there and not be able to see out, ventilate, and have an alternate means of egress. I'm sure it's possible, but adds an extra layer of complication. The Moonlander is a clever solution to getting a full length bed into a small space, and I know some people are happy with it, but personally I am not a fan. Every build I have seen, it really looks like a claustrophobic little cave in there, you can't stand up, and the way the sides stick out, I would quickly destroy those forward-facing angled panels on the narrow PNW trails I frequent. 🙂 After having done a couple of years in a hard-sided topper I had to stoop in, I would never go back to not being able to stand up. Maybe if I was still in my 20s or 30s, but not at my age.😄
I can't speak for Donald but specs on my Pro4x say 8.9" ground clearance (stock). Pro4x comes with a rear e-locker, open front diff. Bigger tires would add maybe 1/2-1" more clearance.
Depends on where you measure. I'm at about 10" under the low point of my front skid plate and under the rear diff. But other areas have more clearance, and strategic line picking and tire placement can get you over tall obstacles. And yes, as UtahJohnnyMontana said, rear locker, open front. But similar to my old Subaru which was open diff front & back but could still navigate diagonal wheel lift scenarios, the traction control system in my Frontier is pretty good at transferring power to the wheels with grip. I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually engaged the rear locker despite having driven many obstacles that would normally halt an open-diff vehicle.
What a nice trip! Your editing makes the video relaxing to watch and makes me want go on a similar trip with my Subaru Forester. I have one concern: isn't running a propane heater inside a closed space bit dangerous as it would use the oxygen you have inside? Does the camper have some kind of ventilation? Is air moving through the canvas?
I keep the tent windows partially open at all times. The ventilation provides fresh oxygen when running the heater and reduction of condensation when I sleep. The Mr Heater Buddy does also have a sensor that will shut it off if oxygen levels dip too low.
We are definitely fortunate here...I have public lands within about 45 minutes in all directions from my town, and Oregon is around 60% public land, so there is a lot out there. Makes it very easy to slip away for quick overnighters and still find someplace new each time. I don't think I could do what I do on this channel without ample public land nearby.
Looks like a great trip. You really gotta stop avoiding Diesel heaters my friend. Grab one of the Hcalory units for $150-$200. They are more than worth it. The dry heat is such a game changer for winter camping. I have the "suitcase" style unit of theirs. It requires a little setup work mounting the fuel can, etc. I replaced the fuel tank on mine with something bigger, but the form factor works well for me. The "toolbox" style unit is a little more expensive, but is ready to go out of the box.
That chainsaw first appeared on the channel in April 2019 and has made regular appearances ever since. :-) ua-cam.com/video/tH4mHynwreg/v-deo.html But yes. I did. 5 years ago.
What are you talking about? I cleared a path wide enough for a semi truck to pass through. If a bike rider can't navigate that, this tree isn't their biggest problem. 😄 This isn't some busy highway with two-way traffic, it's a remote dirt road in the forest that sees a handful of vehicles per day, if that, and probably zero bikes. 9 times out of 10 when I encounter a tree that's been "cleared" by some random person, they've made ONE cut and left the trunk across the road, and just driven over the trunk, leaving it in place for others behind them to either drive over if they can, or move it themselves. I cut a space *much* wider than my truck, and cleared all my debris. Additionally, I had JUST crossed paths with a forest service ranger who had turned around at the tree and was on his way back down to the ranger station to either fetch a chainsaw or send someone up. I don't have clear footage of that and ultimately it's awkward and cumbersome to the flow of the story and confusing to viewers to try and explain details like that without visuals. And it didn't make sense for me to sit around and wait however long it would take for them to come back when I could just let myself (and any semi trucks behind me 😄) through. Rest assured, no bikers were endangered by the bit of tree I left for the forest service to finish up later that afternoon. 🙂
I really enjoyed this one.
Jason
Both of you guys have a great channel looking forward to your next upload as well👍
You have really made a cozy little camp out of that truck Donald. That’s a great set up. A little kitchen, nice warm bed, somewhere to stand up and sit down, it’s really looking good and cozy. Cheers my friend.
Looked like a great little spot to enjoy a late winter evening. Especially eating some chili round that fire!
Another good tip for a warm sleeping bag is throw a couple of hand warmers in there near the bottom, works wonders.
Perfect snowy riverside camp. 🤗
you go Donald, keep up the good work.
Oh my God was that a great trek. And, it must be very satisfying to have your truck so dialed in. Looks amazing. I know it's a continual project but you're in a great position right now. THANK YOU for sharing! Best regards from San Diego.
Yes, it IS nice. While I still have a few more details I want to address, it's very functional and feels effortless. I literally did nothing but toss a change of clothes in the cabinet. I still had firewood loaded from the previous week's trip, still enough water in the jugs, and some basic food staples (such as coffee and chili) are always in the "pantry" so I didn't prep or pack a single bit of food. It was a very last-minute opportunity to have an excursion on a day I thought I'd be stuck in town so I just rolled. :-)
Great time. Thanks for taking us along, Donald.
Nice little adventure.
Always fun to see the workings of the trip, ie turning on the power, setting up the pop top, etc. It looks like it was a sweet little trip.
I seen you driving up the Mckenzie hwy you were just past blue river. I was driving down the mountain in a garbage truck.
Fantastic video! I asked for more camping and footage of your setup, and you delivered! ;) Of 25 or so similar channels, I enjoy yours the best, and your truck camper usage and thrifty everyman setup always inspires me. Thanks so much for sharing ;)
I totally had your previous comment in mind. It worked out well on this trip because there ultimately wasn't a whole lot to see and explore. 🙂
Great video as usual. Even your "little overnighters" have such a grand feel due to your eye and your talent in editing.
Thank you again for taking us along.
Geart video I like when you get watch how truck setup work thank's for the video
When out camping in my rig with cab hi shell set up, and i come across an amazing spot like that, I often think of Pioneers and what they went through. To find a beautiful spot, yet knowing the obstacles that would be presented, WOW! They had a timeline to get someplace before winter, yet, "lets spend a day or so, rest ourselves and the animals." I am spoiled, because in a few days I'll be back home, warm, comfy, ready, relaxed for the work week.
Moved from Seattle to Oregon 20yrs ago. I try to find spots like this. I miss the sound of water, the cold breezes, rain gently hitting the tent & mountains. Try to get out as much as possible. The Coast is my heaven. Thanks for sharing.
What a gem of a camp spot! 👌
Very nice setup you have. Love it!!!!!
Workshopping a route from Gaston to the Tillamook area. Gonna start doing some scouting since the snow is mostly gone and I haven't seen any gates on Gaia GPS. Mt Hebo is still patchy with snow and i bet there is mud up there but im gonna start looking. Mostly logging roads by the looks of it, would be cool to camp up thataway or even get all the way to Pleasant Valley
Nice find Donald, looks like a great area.
One thing my friends and I have found over the years camping. You tend to plan beforehand to have a bunch of semi fancy meals. But when you are actually out there camping, you end up cooking whatever is the simplest.
Such a beautifully shot episode..... ohhhh.... yeaaaaahhh
Good flick, looks like your rig is getting pretty dialed in!
Nice camp. I do like the orange toupee on the Navarra!
Impressive how well your Rig has come out considering it was all done on a tight budget, and your limited building experience. Great job!
great to see you sitting outside by the fire. Most outdoor youtubers sit in their vans nowadays.
😄
Another great video! This looks so peaceful.
Excellent adventure Donald.
Nicely done, thanks Donald.
Always love a can of stagg and even got the missus turned onto them lol
Another wonderful video! Thank you !
Lovely. That new camera makes some very good looking footage.
Editing makes you feel like you’re out in nature. Keep up the good work!
That was clean.
I highly recommend a Nalgene bottle in your sleeping bag at night full of hot water. Move it around wherever you need it, especially at yer feet! 😉
Boy hope you saved that location, that is a nice surprise.
Wonderful to watch as always Donald! We have temps rising quite a bit here in Central OR this week (mid 60's). I'm gonna hop on the dual sport motorcycle for the first time since you found me wrecked on my bike last year. I've been so anxious to get back out on two wheels again. Cheers, I hope you've been doing well!
Glad to hear you're getting back out there! Enjoy!
Where you are at sure beats 89*, palm trees and the seasonal "snow" birds....🤣 Nice setup you have going on now.
Great video as always Donald, Stagg chili is my go to as well👍
Making me nervous with that sawing again...
I was eating chili dogs when you mentioned your meal for the night. I though how fitting!
I see you are using the Guide Gear sleeping bag again. Still enjoying mine as well.
Winter time is the best time to be in the mountains. Nobody around at that time of year.
Thanks for the video! George.
Now that I have a nice wide bed, I've been using the Guide Gear pretty much year round, as it's an extra wide model and feels less constricted than my other sleeping bags. It's their 0° and not the -15° I think you have? It's definitely not as warm as my Coleman 0° mummy bag, but with the electric blanket it doesn't matter and it's soooo much more comfortable in every other way. 🙂
@@softroadingthewestI love mine. Yes it is a -15. They make a -30 now. Probably too hot for what I do though. Make sure you fluff it up before you use it if it has been compressed. Fluffing will loft the insulation so it will work properly. I sometimes I forget to fluff mine up and I wake up a bit cool. Fluff it up and good to go. I love the room and the fleece. I won't go back to a mummy again.
I miss Oregon, Colorado isn't bad, mind you, but Oregon was home. Thanks for the ride along!
Good one Donnie!
One of your best!
Great vid! I use down booties from my backpacking kit at night. Less constrictive than socks, helps my circulation.
Ooooh, my toes like the sound of that!
My feet can get very cold even in mild temps so I use one of the larger size Zippo hand warmers. 8+ hours of toasty goodness in the toe box. Perfect for motorcycle camping too.
That's a good idea. My electric blanket isn't quite long enough to stretch the entire way from my feet to my shoulders and it's usually my feet that get left out in the cold, so to speak. 😄
Nice vid, Thanks.
Nice one!
Almost always in the winter time I carry a chainsaw with me there’s always a chance with wind and snow that a tree might fall down an electric chainsaws have come along way not mentioning not having to carry two cycle fuel. Also, if you do not have them, I would carry a couple of plastic wedges will help to prevent the chainsaw bar from being , pinched by the tree when cutting Also a great spot by the creek to make the trip worth it. Thanks for sharing.
You cover your windows way out in the middle of nowhere?
How will you see Mrs. Bigfoot when she comes a late-night calling?😁
When I'm solo and remote in the warmer months, I usually don't cover the windows, but in winter the window coverings are added insulation from the cold. Mrs Bigfoot is welcome to climb in and keep me warm LOL
I made a spin around the block in springfield, but you're already ahead of me by a few lights.
Good trip! Damn Stagg!
Captain Cozy!
this is the oregon i wish to visit one day.
have you considered attaching a strap to the inside of tailgate to assist opening and closing while inside?
Yes, I just keep not getting to it. :-) I want to make that mod for sure. Thanks for sweeping through a bunch of videos BTW! :-)
I know where you are !! Awesome !
So many little pockets I've driven past without exploring over the years. Sweet area for sure.
Don't feel too bad Donald, Stag chili doesn't sponsor me either 😏
I have a Pro4x too, what equipment did you put on your truck... pretty cool. (Not on the list)
Nice !
Excellent as usual Donald! Love the attention to detail in your filming. E.g. the camerawork detail unlocking your swing out and then re-latching it. I'm sure a lot of your followers appreciate that fine attention to detail. Simple question? What is the big antenna on your front bumper used for and did it improve your range?
It is a 6db GMRS antenna from Alamosa Antenna. I bought it at their Expo Mtn West booth last summer, to replace the tiny one that came with my Midland radio. I haven't been in a scenario to truly put it to any sort of extreme test, though I can report impeccable comms since installing it, whereas I occasionally had signal breaking up with the original antenna at frustratingly short distances. It appears to have made an improvement, but each scenario can be so different in terms of topography, trees, etc that it would be impossible to quantify exactly how much better without doing side-by-side tests of each antenna...something I _probably_ won't get around to doing. :-)
Stagg Chilli FTW:
1 can of Stagg Chilli
2-3 pre-cooked brats
2-3 TBsp BBQ sauce of your choice
I like to have it pre-mixed and in a bag so I can boil the bag on my Jet Boil without dirtying any dishes.
I don’t think Stagg chili is available on the east coast, mostly Armor or Hormel, but we can dream.
HI DONALD 👋
THAT TURNED OUT PRETTY COOL 😎 ENDING UP WITH A GORGEOUS SCENERY BACK ROAD DRIVE & DISCOVERY TOO ❤WHEN YOU TURNED DOWN THE ONE ROAD , I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF TO HOP OUT OF THE TRUCK TO SEE HOW & WHAT WAS A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN FROM WHERE YOU TURNED ON TO IT , JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T TO SLIPPERY BACKING UP BACKWARDS , BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU WERE DRIVING & ALREADY NEW IF THE SNOW WAS THAT WAY GETTING THAT FAR . IT ENDED UP BEING AN AWESOME FIND & CAMPSITE ! PERFECT FOR THE END OF YOUR DAY ❤THE STREAM / RIVER WAS PRETTY CLEAR & HAD A NICE FLOW 👍
FOR ONE OR TWO VEHICLES 🤔 EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO YOUR TRUCK LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE DONE GOOD WORKMENSHIP TOO ! NICE & CLEAN LOOKIN 👌 I KNOW DEPENDING UPON THE JOB , HOW THICK & TYPE OF TREE 🌳 HOW LONG DOES YOUR ELECTRIC CHAINSAW BATTERY LAST 🔋 & DO ? BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! ENJOYED ❤️ VERY MUCH ❤GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS ON YOUR ADVENTURES 🙏 THANK YOU ☺️ 🙏
No, you're right, this was a somewhat treacherous little trail with a section of quite steep descent. I actually first parked the truck on the road and walked all the way down to the campsite to make sure there was someplace I could turn around before I drove it, to make sure I wouldn't need to go in reverse back up that steep gnarly section. Under normal conditions I probably would have driven right down without hesitation, but with some snow on the ground, it felt better to double check on foot. I cut that out of the video since it sort of broke the flow of the story and ended up being a non-issue at the end of the day. 🙂 I rarely recharge the chainsaw. It will make more cuts than I can count on trees this size. I carry a charger in the truck just in case I get into a situation where I have to do a lot of cutting on thicker trunks, but in all my years of carrying this saw and using it to collect firewood for camp, I've never had to charge it while out on a trip. Thanks as always for watching David!
THANK YOU DONALD FOR GETTING BACK TO ME 🙏
I LOVE WATCHING 👀, HOPEFULLY I CAN CALL 📞 FRIENDS ON UA-cam. THEY , YOU TEACH ME , US / SHOW US / ME BREATHTAKING BEAUTY SCENERY VIEWS WILDLIFE , DRONE FOOTAGE , VIDEOS 📹 OF GOD'S MAGNIFICENT PAINT BRUSH STROKES OF MOTHEREARTHS BEAUTY 🙏 PLUS ALL THE DIFFERENT WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR WORLD & HOW THEY LIVE WITH EACH OTHER . PLUS ALL GOD'S CREATURES THAT LIVE AMONG US TRYING TO SURVIVE JUST LIKE US GOD WILLING 🙏
I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR DRONE FOOTAGE WOULD OF HELPED INSTEAD OF WALKING DOWN THE ROADS PHYSICALLY 🤔 BUT WON'T SHOW IF THE ROADS ARE SOFT , HARD , SLIPPERY ! I LIKE HOW EVERYONE HELPS EACH OTHER WITH PRODUCTS , TRAILS , COOKING , SAFER WAYS TO TRAVEL THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS , ETC . PLUS ALL THE SAFTY TRAINING TOO . THANK YOU ☺️ 🙏
Hey Buddy
You need to try smart wool socks. They are great at keeping your feet warm but the smart wool wicks away moisture and keeps your feet warm and dry.
It goes by fast in the video, but if you watch carefully, you can see that the socks I removed are in fact SmartWool, and the clean dry socks I put back on are also SmartWool. 😄 I love them, but inside waterproof boots, I still perspire, they still end up damp, and the moisture has nowhere to go. I love my SmartWool socks though!
How hard is it to dry the camper out after use in Eugene?
It depends on the weather. Sometimes I have to wait a week for a day that I can open the camper back up and dry out the tent. I've not had any issues arise from letting it sit closed up wet for that long, I guess it's cold enough out there to keep things refrigerated and I haven't experienced any kind of mold or mildew or anything like that so far.
Hey I've got that same chainsaw! Do you notice yours leaking bar and chain oil? Mine seems excessive. Love your vids!
Yep, very oozy, though my understanding is that this is typical of any chainsaw. I keep mine on sort of a plastic tray inside the toolbox which keeps the mess contained. :-)
@@softroadingthewestplastic tray seems better than my plastic bag method. Thanks!
I have been looking for a saw, but for now have decided my DeWalt "sawzall" does the job ok. In AZ I don't run into the treefall issues you do, just need to clear smaller overhanging newgrowth trail branches once in a while. Figuring out how to drive my old 14v saw with new 20v packs is my issue...
13:45 Do you run the blanket (I see link in the description thanks!) on a portable battery and if so do you run it all night? Looking into this option but do not know much about 12 volt blankets. Great video!
I have a Jackery 1500 power station built in as the power supply for the camper, all the lights and outlets are wired to that. I don't run the blanket all night, I'm in a warm winter sleeping bag and eventually get too hot. I usually switch it off after two or three hours and most nights, that's it. If I wake up chilled when it's extra cold, I sometimes switch it back on in the predawn hours, which is soooo nice and relaxing. :-) My blanket is super basic, it's always on when plugged into power. There are models out there with thermostats and timers which would certainly allow you to sleep through the night without needing to wake up to regulate temperature. I was wary of cheap electronics eventually failing and went with a more basic model, which I've now been using for over three years.
The camper build series includes an episode about the electrical:
ua-cam.com/video/UNT92MO2lqk/v-deo.html
Oh I meant to include: my blanket pulls 54 watts when it's running. If I use it for 4 total hours over the course of a night, that consumes roughly 15% of the Jackery 1500's capacity. The Jackery is set up to be able to charge off the truck during the day when I'm driving. Most trips I don't even bother recharging the Jackery as I go, I can generally get at least 4 nights of lighting & occasional electric blanket off a full charge.
@softroadingthewest Thank you, very helpful. That blanket is currently out of stock but I will check back. Appreciate the response!
Great info on your blanket use. I got one with 3 heat levels and a timer, hate the timer turning it off, and just waiting for it to break as you said! But efficient way to sleep warm ;)
Hello Donald, thanks for another great video. I was hoping that you can help me out with a question that I have about the Topo Topper Mesa. I have just placed my order for a 2022 Toyota Tacoma 6ft bed. Do you think that the Mega Mat Duo LW would fit in the bed platform. It is 77 inches long and 52 inches wide. Thank you in advance for your response.
I'm not familiar with that product nor do I know the dimensions of the 6' Tacoma camper so I'm not really in a position to answer that question. I would check with Topo, they can give you the exact dimensions and an idea of how much thickness can stay on the bed while still closing the roof. Using Topo's provided mattress along with my thick winter sleeping bag plus an electric blanket tucked inside and my pillow set off to the side, my camper closes with no problem. I recently added a fairly thin, fairly squishy foam topper underneath my sleeping bag and, while I can still close the camper, this very small amount of extra thickness has made a noticeable difference in how easily the camper closes.
Something else to think about: The mattress Topo provides is in two pieces so you can stow everything in the cabover section when you're not actually using the bed, thus allowing you to walk around in your entire truck bed. If you place a singular full size mattress up there, it may at least complicate your ability to stow your bedding during the hours you want to be able to move freely about the camper. Again, not familiar with that particular product, but I don't know if repeatedly folding and unfolding it may damage it?
You may want to at least wait until you have the camper in hand to make any purchases like that for it, get a feel for how it operates and what might make the most sense to upgrade the comfort of the mattress.
Thank you so much for the information Donald. I wanted to wait until I got the camper to buy a mattress, but There was a great sale on the Exped Mattress that expired yesterday. It was 100.00 dollars off I believe.
What kind of electric blanket do you use?
There's a link in the Description. It's just a basic no-name thing I got off Amazon. Someone recently mentioned my exact blanket may be out of stock on Amazon but there are lots of options out there.
Hey Donald, what antenna are you using on your front bumper?
It is a 6db GMRS antenna from Alamosa Antenna. I bought it at their Expo Mtn West booth last summer, to replace the tiny one that came with my Midland radio. I haven't been in a scenario to truly put it to any sort of extreme test, though I can report impeccable comms since installing it, whereas I occasionally had signal breaking up with the original antenna at frustratingly short distances. It appears to have made an improvement, but each scenario can be so different in terms of topography, trees, etc that it would be impossible to quantify exactly how much better without doing side-by-side tests of each antenna...something I _probably_ won't get around to doing. :-)
@@softroadingthewest haha I don't blame you for not getting around to doing a side by side but thanks for the info. I love the look especially with my frontier looking more and more "Aussie" lately, why not continue with the cool and useful antenna 🤷🏻♂️ 😆
I like the AluCab concept but the tent section will eventually break or need replaced. It would be nice to see a hard sided alternative.
There must be at least 10 camper companies making pop-ups with tent walls...oodles of these campers running around for many years. Perhaps some eventually fail...I've seen some that use pretty lightweight tent material. Topo uses an extremely heavy marine-grade canvas. I am certain it will outlive _my_ usage of this camper...I'm sure I will move on to some other type of rig before that canvas ever fails. Hard sides *would* be nice for a number of reasons, but the very few hard-sided pop-up options out there are prohibitively expensive for most of us. 🙂
@@softroadingthewest it seems that aluminum panels would be fairly cheap and easy way of replacing the fabric popup sections. Perhaps they are more expensive than I think. What do you think about the Moonlander concept?
@@davidk6668 From my experience with a previous aluminum project, I would expect DIY retrofitting the pop-up with aluminum sides plus needed hardware etc to be a $500-$1,000 project...outside my budget when I've already got something that actually works just fine, and also very possibly outside my DIY skills. 😆 That said, I'm not sure it would be necessary to use aluminum...there might be some kind of less expensive composite material that could work. For me to be motivated to spend the time & money tackling something like that, I gotta have a serious problem I need to solve. The canvas walls work just fine and are in no danger of failing, so my resources are better spent elsewhere. 🙂 The other issue I see with building hard-sided walls, engineering the mechanics aside, is how to integrate some kind of functional windows. I would not want to be up there and not be able to see out, ventilate, and have an alternate means of egress. I'm sure it's possible, but adds an extra layer of complication.
The Moonlander is a clever solution to getting a full length bed into a small space, and I know some people are happy with it, but personally I am not a fan. Every build I have seen, it really looks like a claustrophobic little cave in there, you can't stand up, and the way the sides stick out, I would quickly destroy those forward-facing angled panels on the narrow PNW trails I frequent. 🙂 After having done a couple of years in a hard-sided topper I had to stoop in, I would never go back to not being able to stand up. Maybe if I was still in my 20s or 30s, but not at my age.😄
Question? How much clearance do you have in your truck and do you have front and rear lockers?
I can't speak for Donald but specs on my Pro4x say 8.9" ground clearance (stock). Pro4x comes with a rear e-locker, open front diff. Bigger tires would add maybe 1/2-1" more clearance.
Depends on where you measure. I'm at about 10" under the low point of my front skid plate and under the rear diff. But other areas have more clearance, and strategic line picking and tire placement can get you over tall obstacles.
And yes, as UtahJohnnyMontana said, rear locker, open front. But similar to my old Subaru which was open diff front & back but could still navigate diagonal wheel lift scenarios, the traction control system in my Frontier is pretty good at transferring power to the wheels with grip. I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually engaged the rear locker despite having driven many obstacles that would normally halt an open-diff vehicle.
Saw that one coming a mile away... "Stag Chilli. Still not sponsored after all these years"😅
The rigs may change over the years, but the unsponsored Stagg has always been and will always be LOL
What a nice trip! Your editing makes the video relaxing to watch and makes me want go on a similar trip with my Subaru Forester.
I have one concern: isn't running a propane heater inside a closed space bit dangerous as it would use the oxygen you have inside? Does the camper have some kind of ventilation? Is air moving through the canvas?
I keep the tent windows partially open at all times. The ventilation provides fresh oxygen when running the heater and reduction of condensation when I sleep. The Mr Heater Buddy does also have a sensor that will shut it off if oxygen levels dip too low.
@@softroadingthewest Great to hear that, safe travels!
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I like to save Stagg chili cans once in awhile to use as "evidence" in a "tracking" video... 🤣
I will trade you this for the desert
Overnight? I have to drive 7 hours just to get a taste of a forest at elevation.
We are definitely fortunate here...I have public lands within about 45 minutes in all directions from my town, and Oregon is around 60% public land, so there is a lot out there. Makes it very easy to slip away for quick overnighters and still find someplace new each time. I don't think I could do what I do on this channel without ample public land nearby.
Looks like a great trip. You really gotta stop avoiding Diesel heaters my friend. Grab one of the Hcalory units for $150-$200. They are more than worth it. The dry heat is such a game changer for winter camping. I have the "suitcase" style unit of theirs. It requires a little setup work mounting the fuel can, etc. I replaced the fuel tank on mine with something bigger, but the form factor works well for me. The "toolbox" style unit is a little more expensive, but is ready to go out of the box.
Nothing wrong with a can of chili…..🌶️
You got yourself a chainsaw!
That chainsaw first appeared on the channel in April 2019 and has made regular appearances ever since. :-) ua-cam.com/video/tH4mHynwreg/v-deo.html But yes. I did. 5 years ago.
More important than gloves you should wear leg CHAPS if you Cut the main artery in your leg You will bleed to death in 3 minutes !
You could have cleared the rest of that tree instead of leaving a hazard especially bike riders.
What are you talking about? I cleared a path wide enough for a semi truck to pass through. If a bike rider can't navigate that, this tree isn't their biggest problem. 😄 This isn't some busy highway with two-way traffic, it's a remote dirt road in the forest that sees a handful of vehicles per day, if that, and probably zero bikes. 9 times out of 10 when I encounter a tree that's been "cleared" by some random person, they've made ONE cut and left the trunk across the road, and just driven over the trunk, leaving it in place for others behind them to either drive over if they can, or move it themselves. I cut a space *much* wider than my truck, and cleared all my debris.
Additionally, I had JUST crossed paths with a forest service ranger who had turned around at the tree and was on his way back down to the ranger station to either fetch a chainsaw or send someone up. I don't have clear footage of that and ultimately it's awkward and cumbersome to the flow of the story and confusing to viewers to try and explain details like that without visuals. And it didn't make sense for me to sit around and wait however long it would take for them to come back when I could just let myself (and any semi trucks behind me 😄) through.
Rest assured, no bikers were endangered by the bit of tree I left for the forest service to finish up later that afternoon. 🙂