Surviving New England Winter Living in a Van

[@ApteraPioneer]

That usb blanket around the battery bank is ingenious. Thanks for sharing it.

[@undertheradarvan]

It definitely helps

[@tom-ss2mn]

It would be neat to have a metal box mounted outside to store groceries in the winter. Keep it safe from critters

[@undertheradarvan]

Thought about it but animals haven’t ever given me a problem yet. If they ever do I’ll take better measures

[@wellfleetion]

I would just use a cooler under the van for all my cold stuff as opposed to a bag.

[@Irideonandon]

I live in a van and store my groceries in a metal box year round. It's called a refrigerator with a freezer. :)

[@app103]

Another good thing to have is a few hot water bottles, either for really cold nights, or in case all else fails. They may just save your life. Just heat up some water to fill them and stick them in your bed, making sure one goes down by your feet. Also make sure you have a couple pairs of wool socks to wear while you are sleeping, with one pair being bigger than the other, so you can layer them without them being too tight. And a pair of wool mittens (not gloves). And a wool hat. All 3 of these should be part of your winter sleepwear kit.

[@undertheradarvan]

The heated water bottles is a great idea - thanks!

[@app103]

@@undertheradarvan Not heated water bottles. They make rubber bags with screw on stoppers, specifically for holding hot water and using them like a non-electric heating pad. You can get them in just about any drug store. They hold about a quart of water and don't melt like plastic water bottles do. This is really old tech like your grandma would use, invented in 1903.

[@daynadiggle8169]

All through the 60's we wore Pea Coates with a watch cap , under shirt with a dickie , and your choice of dress shirt . Down below was long handles with long pants , boots or dress shoes with rubbers . My people were from Cape Cod and I'm 70 years young .

[@LisaB-u2w]

Pea Coats are still in style!! It's a matter of taste!!☺️

[@undertheradarvan]

Pea coats look great but they’ve never kept me warm enough

[@Beefsnorkel1337]

hey dude! youll appreciate this - work had me fly in to Vegas on sunday and i met a youtuber out there with 100k subs. He said its a daily thing and if you take time off or start producing content less frequently, you get penalized and buried in the "algo". and he made more money working 5 days a week at his old job lol! good video glad to see you looking/sounding better!!!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, yeah KZbin is a lot of work for little pay and just as much of a grind as any other job. No doubt about it.

[@klynch7329]

Thank you for the discount code, I ordered the vest. Idea for your batteries: usb heated mats that go under reptile tanks. They're flat and draw even fewer watts than the 12v blanket. Great content and stay warm!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, I remember looking at those and it was about the same draw, but always worth a second look

[@micaboomedia4818]

Hey! I'm from Western MA. Loving this channel with all the New England locations and the specific challenges one faces whilst living mobile.

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, so many cool places all over MA but I really love the mountains

[@Irideonandon]

That's good advice about the heater. I use a Chinese diesel heater. I carry a complete heater system still in an unopened box spare just in case. Also, I have a little Buddy heater for extended weeks storms that strain my solar batteries. When they predict many days with no sun, I break out the propane. That way, my lights water pump and refrigerator always work year round.

[@undertheradarvan]

How much did that Chinese diesel heater cost you?

[@Irideonandon]

@undertheradarvan $140-ish USD. It's 5Kw.

[@DottieStanley]

That vest is very nice! I hope Santa knows to bring me one! Also love the idea of stashing your food outside in the winter. I think I would put mine on top of my minivan though. Liked your F as a reminder on your visor! Another very informative video!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks! The vest is the bomb! Even without the heating element activated its quiet warm.

[@docbreezy4900]

Hey man, I ordered my jacket two days ago via your link and received it today - IT'S AMAZING!! Thank you and the Kemi Moto team for putting together this deal. Really enjoying the jacket so far!

[@undertheradarvan]

Glad you like it! It’s pretty sweet even without the heating element

[@MikeClavetteSr]

you travel by my home alot !!!....... I see Windsor in the begining of this video.....I live at the bottom of the hill between Holiday Brook farm and your favorite car wash !!.......... as far as winter heat and power back-ups I used a small inverter generator , 2800 watts...it was more than enough to run a ceramic heater and keep my batteries charged....it only burned a gal. of gas if I let it run overnite to keep the heat going when it was needed..... it also was easy to store in the back doors because it was small enough and it was very quiet !......it saved my butt a couple of nites when the temps dropped to 20 below at Berkshire Crossings while I was parked in the lot by the home depot !!! .......... Be safe ....love your posts it brings back memories , I did it for over 10 yrs !!!...... I have a class B RV now .... Ive reached that age (65) that I bought a house here in Dalton and planted my feet

[@undertheradarvan]

That's awesome! Glad to hear you're loving the van life! That car wash is my go too as it’s hard to find ones with high clearance in MA.

[@willcoder]

An electric blanket with a smart controller (Sunbeam $40 on Amazon) uses hardly any power and can be your plan D. I love my electric blanket, and I live in a regular house. I've had power outages in the winter and this electric blanket, running on a pure sine wave inverter, has kept me nice and toasty every time. Good luck this winter. Stay warm!

[@lunarosa5111]

Love your van! And calm and peaceful energy! Be safe!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks

[@zoeazsss5035]

Glad u figured out how to get the battery in the vest to work properly. I knew u could do it.

[@rustybraz6779]

Great advice and video! keep it up brother!

[@undertheradarvan]

Appreciate that! 👊

[@gregburgin7098]

When it snows here I like to open the max air and turn off the webasto and get under the covers. I’ve lately started to think about breathing inside the van. I know I won’t suffocate but it can’t be healthy when it’s all closed up. I switched to a self heating battery after mine froze last year and wouldn’t take a charge so that’s one less thing to worry about while I’m thinking about this used air.

[@undertheradarvan]

I think the coldest I’ve roughed it without the heat was about 35 in the van… It’s doable just harder to get outta bed!

[@islandgirl5472]

Aloha Matt - So awesome of you to be sharing these tips with all of us. I’m not a van lifer but I think somewhere out there, a van lifer will benefit from your experiences. Take care 🤙

[@undertheradarvan]

Mahalo, glad you are digging it!

[@JohnK-g3u]

Informative video. Happy Thanksgiving Matt.

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks you too 👊

[@WerkToday]

I love my heated vest and I do love my heated gloves as well

[@WerkToday]

That is a useful hack about the batteries in the blanket

[@steveallman7581]

You rock!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks 🙏

[@ElwoodPDowd-ed7pc]

Thanks for sharing … I know it’s the beginning of winter BUT I’m interested in the fan that was hanging to your left at the end of the video … will you share make and model and perhaps where you purchased it? Thanks so much in advance and thanks again for sharing your winter heating tips!

[@wellfleetion]

Haverhill checking in. Glad you are doing well. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@markbradley5873]

Great winter advice and super nice heated vest😊

[@undertheradarvan]

The winter is brutal here but the is pretty dang cool so far. Thanks for watching and becoming a member! Cheers!

[@markbradley5873]

I have been enjoying watching all of the past content you have done all the beautiful adventures and the amount of time and love in each one!! You are a truly amazing guy​@undertheradarvan

[@richbowie76]

In Chicago we got our first 3 in of snow last week....I'm ready for summer !

[@Erin-Thor]

I think you need a bigger battery. 😊 There are some excellent values out there! You left out using a heated blanket at night, low wattage so you should be able to run all night using less fuel for your radiant heating.

[@undertheradarvan]

I prefer not to use a heated blanket because that just heats my body and makes it harder to get out of bed. I'd much rather heat the whole interior

[@Erin-Thor]

@ - Understand. I was thinking economics. In my RV, I set the heat as low as it goes and use an electric blanket to keep warm. Different setup.

[@ruck-a-tron]

Those heated jackets are pretty cool. I saw a video a few days ago where you can even buy the little heating elements and then you can put them in any coat wherever you want. I may have to make my own one of these days. The heated blanket thing for your batteries is a good idea. They make little heating pads for batteries too.

[@undertheradarvan]

Yeah the heated jacket is pretty cool, I think you can also use the battery to charge your phone

[@WanderingBonnie-ck1eu]

Ahhhh the photo of your new tires was very reassuring! Always liked your van heating system and this time, I think I totally understood what you did! Awesome. Wicked good advice on everything. I've got what amounts to investments in wool clothing but I might buy a vest like that just to push the button. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@undertheradarvan]

The tires were a must-have and the vest is super worth it!

[@donnguyen2421]

Great information! Thanks !

[@sauceomegaming]

I’m enjoying your channel

[@MISCIFMAKER]

That heated floor is dope , cause added stress . Fuel pumps are the weak n glow plugs , tubers up north run disel in vans 24 / 7

[@undertheradarvan]

Dreading the day I have glow plug problems, don’t want to have to take all that crap apart.

[@AmusedDaffodils-mz5rw]

U have everything

[@helenabha]

Great Video! I have been following your channel for a while. Your courageous to persue your dream has inspired people. It would be nice to create a video to detail talk about the hydronics system performance and its operations with tips & tricks , how to warm up and keep running the heating system until the gasoline tank empty!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, I definitely need to do an update on that

[@ThrottleAddiction]

Heated jackets are the best, next to heated socks!

[@undertheradarvan]

Gotta get me a pair of those socks!

[@JimTogher]

Like the new drip! Keep it coming. Congrats on 5k. That’s 🔥 Lining up the sponsors!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks Jim!

[@Itsmeshawntony]

I'm in a less cold place Australia. It still get cold here in the sprinter. I've insulated with moving blankets and for keeping heat and cold out, it helps alot 😊 great vid

[@undertheradarvan]

Yeah insulation is key I probably should have mentioned that

[@ltsfly29]

I love the videos, Bro! Stay safe in your travels and enjoy Western Mass!!

[@undertheradarvan]

Appreciate that! Cheers!

[@melissalane-q7m]

Informative and interesting!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks

[@terryrangergrumman1453]

Thanks! Reminded me to get a spare webasto diesel fuel pump. Nice vest. I put a reminder up too, drove over stuff in past. Recently retired to west coast here in Canada so winter is like Washington but previous 48 years in Alberta 1/2 of that in step van winter 6 months coldest more than -40 Celsius without wind, dry though

[@undertheradarvan]

When I ordered the extra fuel pump it took 3 weeks to ship! Always keep a spare now. Would love to explore Banff/Jasper in a van some day.

[@terryrangergrumman1453]

@@undertheradarvan As soon as you mentioned it I started looking here in Vancouver British Columbia & was lucky found one!

[@MarlaTheMessenger]

January 18th is my birthday!!! I will see who I can talk to! ☺️ Love all the tips, and of course the video!

[@undertheradarvan]

Ice ice baby!

[@joanndavis4843]

I wonder why I've never seen a van life build with ceiling radiant heat? I've lived somewhere before with it and was very comfortable inside during that cold northwest winter. The year of five snow storms back to back for three weeks! And good thinking on leaving things from the fridge outside overnight to save on energy. Seems to be working👍.

[@undertheradarvan]

I don’t ever rest my body against the ceiling so heating them up seems a waste of heat. I’m so glad I wasn’t dwelling during that nightmare winter of 2015!

[@joanndavis4843]

@@undertheradarvanNo need to move your body up to the ceiling if course. Needless to say if ceiling radiant heat only went straight up and out the roof obviously it would be useless. The heat warms the room BELOW it. How else could it have kept my place warm throughout that historic snowy winter? And all without me having to go up to ceiling height to feel it. And another benefit it's very quiet and doesn't disturb the peace coming on and off like other sources of heat. Look it up. It's a thing.

[@LouSeph]

Happy Thanksgiving Matt, hope you are well!

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, you too 👊

[@jeffreykreiley7265]

Great info. That jacket especially.

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks, yeah it's been a game changer, wearing it every time I go outside now

[@MonicaHernandez-yn8ct]

If is very cold at night, the fridge doesn't turn on. You don't have to take the food from the fridge

[@undertheradarvan]

The fridge is inside the van. I keep the van interior warm at night. The fridge never stops running ranging from 2-6A.

[@RuthAnn-f4j]

Great advice 🙌 thank you

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks for watching!

[@rickkearn7100]

Awesome conversion, UTRV! Living like that you could probably do just fine in space, where all living compartments are small and ergonomically superior. You a fan of Ministry? I saw them long, long ago along with Skinny Puppy in a dive outside of Toronto. Anyway, great content, quality, production and presentation. I subcribed. Cheers.

[@undertheradarvan]

I appreciate that and thanks - I missed seeing SP & Ministry tour together, first time seeing both was 2003. Have seen both countless times since then.

[@Ohiostategenerationx]

Do a tour of your van

[@undertheradarvan]

I need to do that

[@shelbygreen8888]

Hi😮😊awesome warm jacket 🧥 good for U keeping yourself nice and warm 😮😊❤have yourself a wonderful day

[@undertheradarvan]

I'm never warm enough! Thanks and you as well

[@hawaiidogs9277]

TY sir

[@undertheradarvan]

👊

[@dboytheoriginal2626]

how can we keep our dogs warm when we cant be with them in the car

[@TinyHomeCookingwithSherlei]

Putting your food outside in winter would they not freeze? It’s not good for food to freeze then thaw then freeze

[@undertheradarvan]

I mostly use my Dometic as a freezer. The only annoyance about freezing/unfreezing is with beverages but I just let them thaw out a while before popping them.

[@MrColdwatercanyon]

Good tips

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks for watching!

[@dogsigh]

Amazon-Rothco US Made Wool Watch Cap .... so warm and only 12 bucks

[@AmusedDaffodils-mz5rw]

I like the vest but they don't have my size

[@CMF_1]

What size worked for you in the vest?

[@undertheradarvan]

I got medium and it fit perfect. I’m slender and 5’7”

[@mytravelnow]

❤😊 great information video 😊

[@undertheradarvan]

Thanks for watching!

[@lalala4ever]

Ministry!

[@undertheradarvan]

I’ve got a hoodie from like 5 different tours

[@lalala4ever]

@undertheradarvan I've been to 2 or 3 shows. Always a great time.

[@davidglenn1]

The USB blanket around the battery is a great idea. However, it’s hard to take a guy serious about his recommendations on a product that still has the tags on it. You’ve obviously not used it before the video and are thinking about still returning it! 😂 But gotta get that affiliate money, right?!

[@undertheradarvan]

I didn't get paid at all for it actually.

[@GaretCurry]

That red "F" sent me. Good idea though.

[@AmusedDaffodils-mz5rw]

Your van looks like a casino inside lol

[@undertheradarvan]

Just the way I like it!!

[@nahornig]

Why all the strikethroughs? Believe in yourself! :)

[@undertheradarvan]

What strikethroughs?

[@gulfstream7235]

I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives than North Face, you're only paying for the label at the end of the day...

[@undertheradarvan]

I’ve gotten a cheaper one but it just ripped apart after one season.

[@zoeazsss5035]

Odd thing here,, It says you posted this video today, nov 26, tues,, but there are comments from 2 days ago. I wonder why that is?

[@loic_wheeler]

Either a upload whiwh replaced an older video, or a glitch from youtube, already saw that for other youtubers.

[@zoeazsss5035]

@@loic_wheeler ok thanx

[@undertheradarvan]

Members have early access to my videos and can comment early. I generally upload 2-3 days in advance.

[@zoeazsss5035]

@@undertheradarvan Oh, so that explains it. Nice to know. Hope ur having a great day :)

[@damkayaker]

You put a bag of food outside near your tire? Are there no animals up there? Raccoons, squirrels, possums, skunks ... ? Not too stealthy.

[@undertheradarvan]

Never happened yet

[@bobcaygeon975]

House Porsche!

[@happycamper65]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@Dead_World_Walking]

Disintegration of the persistence of memory.

[@undertheradarvan]

You got it!

[@damkayaker]

Yikes I'm the only human here!

[@SurfingFLA]

I got a similar electric heater for the express purpose of directing it at the toilet for those late night urinations. For those of you macho types, standing up to pee in a van just means decorating the inside of your van with nitrogenous waste.