Well, last year we slept in the bottom bunk of our Westy (top not up) two of us
with two dogs (Husky crosses) on the floor at -17*F (-27*C) last year.  It was
not cozy, but not unbearable - jump up a couple of times during the night and
pop the gas heater on for it's 10 minute cycle.  I was in a sleeping bag rated
for 23*F, so I wasn't too insulated.  We were parked in a friend's driveway and
could have ran into the house if it was too unbearable.   As Bill said, it
depends on your idea of "cozy" - I for one can't stand temperatures above 90*F,
so it's all in how you are wired.

However, that is not a feat I am going to try and repeat this year.  We will
definitely be getting a plat heater of some sort and a CO detector by AIM, and
take more blankets with us!  I figure at that temperature, these are the things
you need:
1) sleep with a toque on
2) change out of ALL clothes you were wearing to prevent perspiration from
freezing
3) still gotta keep a window open a bit to vent condensation.  Otherwise, you
have to use the ice scraper on the INSIDE of the windshield (well, at -17*F,
you have to do that no matter what)..
4) curl up in my sleeping bag with two thick blankets on top of us!
5) hire someone to be standing there with a hot cup of coffee so I don't have
to extract myself from the warmth to make it.

The thing about camping in the van (as opposed to camping in a tent) is that if
it does get too cold, you can either turn on the gas heater, or let the van run
for a bit to get the heater going.  That being said, I wish the PO had sprung
for a furnace!

Ch-ch-ch-cheers!
Keith Adams
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia (no furnace, dammit!).

Richard Golen wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Up here in the Northeast the nights are getting colder and the days
> shorter....I really don't want to call it quits as far as camping in my
> Westy goes...but neither do I want to freeze my a$$ off....
>
> Right now I have a small electric heater as well as a Black Cat heater. I'm
> not quite sure if these will be enough once the outside temp goes below 40
> degrees or so.
>
> What do you "seasoned" winter campers do to make your Westy "cozy"?
>
> Ric