Thermo Mats?

[TravellingChick]

Choices are:

little fan heater for a tenner on ebay - worried about sucking the leisure battery dry and fire hazard but cheap option

thermo mats - worried about looking like a space immigrant and would mean no budget for new curtains

Anyone got the mats? Are they worth the money?

TIA

[kathyshack]

mats are great i reckon, although that said i have curtains aswell. i tend to only really use the mats in the front cab area, as its far easier to draw the curtains in the back. When its cold though they are really good, esp as my sliding windows can be a little drafty.
As regards fan heaters, you can pick em up cheap at B&Q save postage costs of ebay, and can return em if you aren't impressed. They won't run off a leisure battery though, just when you have hookup. They're dead good at warming the van quickly, and if you get one with a thermostat then they come on and off etc. Fantastic as long as you don't have a child who hates noise from things like hoovers, hand dryers, and fan heaters!

[andisnewsyncro]

HI
We have a set of Just Kampers' cheapy thermo mats and they do the job just fine (for the money). Cut to the exact window sizes, so they don't waste a milimetre of material !! The suckers aren't great but warm them up with a little water when you put the kettle on. Not sure how they'd fare in the depths of a UK winter but for general use and price they are fine. Quick & easy black out (with shards of light creeping round the edges ) and they roll up small and don't take up much space.
Looked around and there are better ones out there but at a cost - a local manufacturer quoted £90 just for the front screen & cab doors - you do get what you pay for.

Also got a pair of JK cab door window grilles (off a mate) which again are useful for ventilation but reasonably secure. They fit over the dropped windows & wind up into the channels at the top of the doors. They help to prevent a lot of condensation in the van over night.

Andi

[TravellingChick]

Thanks guys. The van already has curtains, they're a bit jaded tho so wanted to put nice new ones in too.

The thermo mats are about the same price as a set of curtains so has to be either or really.

How come a fan heater won't run off the leisure battery? Our first trip at Easter we won't have hook up so was intending to rely on the leisure battery then.

Sarah

[kathyshack]

some people have made their own thermo mats from that thermo bubble wrap stuff at b&q and the like. a whole lot cheaper...
fan heater uses to much power to use with your LB. TBH i reckon you'll be fine at easter anyway. we're planning on going to a site with no hookup and if you make a brew before bedtime the cooker will warm the van up. That and a hot water bottle and good blankets, you n your little un should be fine. we're taking our summer who's not quite 3 yet.

[Titus A Duxass]

We are making our own with Thermowrap, 20 suckers bought at 45p each and 20 mm Hem Tape.

Works out at about 25 quid plus time.

[rainman]

I've got a set of JK mats and I've used them once, right kerfuffle it was too. If it's an either/or choice, I'd go for curtains. That said, I don't do winter camping.

[andisnewsyncro]

Perhaps a cheap set of "hardly used" mats available from Rainman then...

[TravellingChick]

Yeh I'm hoping Easter won't be too freezing AND I just bought T some really cute fleecey all in one pjs off ebay too. Didn't realise they still did them for older kids!

Rainman, d'you wanna flog yours? Why such a kerfuffle anyways? I quite like the blackout element of them too.

[rainman]

You can have them for nothing if you want them.

[TravellingChick]

You can have them for nothing if you want them.

WOW!! Thanks but I'd be happy to pay you for them, maybe you can use it to sort out a bit of your rust?

How about £40 incl P&P?

Sarah

[rainman]

OK, let's haggle - £20?

[TravellingChick]

Nutter!

I'll meet you half way, how about £30?

[rainman]

It's a deal, sucker!

[Campcharlie]

tell u what...Rainman u get them to me...im in Lydney....Mr CC can transport them to London and TC can pick em up from him....save on the p&p..