EZ Snap Winter Skirt worth it?

[Beaverology]

Hello all - I recently became the proud owner of a '17 Jay Flight SLX, and I plan to use it to travel across the country to visit family for the holidays. I am pretty new to this, and have been scouring the internet trying to learn about using a travel trailer during the winter months without screwing things up. It seems clear that I should be using a winter skirt, and I am looking at the EZ Snap RV Skirting Kits. I need something that is easily mobile.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they worth the investment? If it can reliably keep my pipes/tanks from freezing I feel like $712 isn't terrible.

Any input is appreciated.

[norty1]

Welcome to the forum. Personally, I would not want to be putting that on and off on a regular basis as in traveling. Never heard of that particular brand.

Please make an entry in the new members area so members will know you are with us.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by Beaverology

Hello all - I recently became the proud owner of a '17 Jay Flight SLX, and I plan to use it to travel across the country to visit family for the holidays. I am pretty new to this, and have been scouring the internet trying to learn about using a travel trailer during the winter months without screwing things up. It seems clear that I should be using a winter skirt, and I am looking at the EZ Snap RV Skirting Kits. I need something that is easily mobile.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they worth the investment? If it can reliably keep my pipes/tanks from freezing I feel like $712 isn't terrible.

Any input is appreciated.

As you travel I would think weather will be your biggest issue, it's no fun pulling an rv in snow or ice, or windy weather. Perhaps if you let us know where your heading we could better advise if the skirt will help or not. When you get down to single digits I doubt much will help, plus you will need heated water lines also. Know campgrounds open with hook ups are few and far between in snow country during the winter.

Good Luck....

[Sundancer330]

After looking at that product I would be worried about the fasteners holding up after repeated use during the winter, and its very expensive for what it is. You may want to watch this video of an unhappy owner, installer had to use screws to hold fasteners in place.

https://youtu.be/CoLRuqEIioQ

[turbo130]

Originally Posted by norty1

Welcome to the forum. Personally, I would not want to be putting that on and off on a regular basis as in traveling. Never heard of that particular brand.

Please make an entry in the new members area so members will know you are with us.

Welcome to the group my whole underside is insulated and covered, is yours?

[Beaverology]

Originally Posted by wags999

As you travel I would think weather will be your biggest issue, it's no fun pulling an rv in snow or ice, or windy weather. Perhaps if you let us know where your heading we could better advise if the skirt will help or not. When you get down to single digits I doubt much will help, plus you will need heated water lines also. Know campgrounds open with hook ups are few and far between in snow country during the winter.

Good Luck....

So this is the scenario- we bought this travel trailer with the intentions of using it to travel home for Christmas and be with our families. We currently live in Eastern Idaho, and will be driving to North Carolina. We will actually recieve the trailer this Saturday, so I'm not sure if the bottom is insulated, but the salesperson did say it was covered. He seemed adamant that we needed some type of skirting to prevent stuff from freezing.

[Beaverology]

Originally Posted by turbo130

Welcome to the group my whole underside is insulated and covered, is yours?

I will recieve the trailer Saturday, all I know is that it's covered. The sales person seemed concerned about us not using any type of skirting, so that leads me to believe it is not insulated. We will know soon!

[wags999]

Originally Posted by Beaverology

So this is the scenario- we bought this travel trailer with the intentions of using it to travel home for Christmas and be with our families. We currently live in Eastern Idaho, and will be driving to North Carolina. We will actually recieve the trailer this Saturday, so I'm not sure if the bottom is insulated, but the salesperson did say it was covered. He seemed adamant that we needed some type of skirting to prevent stuff from freezing.

I have driven to NC a number of times, never in the winter. If you take I 80 you have 1000 miles of open country...with high winds snow and common road closures. I do all I can to avoid I 80 due to the high winds much of the times. Same with I 70.. and with I 40.. until you reach the Mississippi river you have open country with few places to stop, and little to stop snow and winds. I 40 east of Flagstaff is often closed due to high winds and blowing drifting snow. I guess you could make your way south to I 10, but that adds days and miles and you still need to make it 1000 miles south before you even head East...

I highly recommend you allow much extra time so you can afford to "wait it out" if you run into bad weather. Winds and Icey roads will make for a horrible trip.

Once you hit the Mississippi it's not much better just more cities to stop and get a motel.

I have driven all those roads on Motor Cycle, car and pulling a TT... I would never attempt it from Pocatello (I was there this summer) to North Carolina.....I would say you would need to allow at least a week each way, allowing for weather conditions at the End of December.

Good Luck and Put the $700 towards motels and leave the TT at home.

[Beaverology]

Originally Posted by wags999

I have driven to NC a number of times, never in the winter. If you take I 80 you have 1000 miles of open country...with high winds snow and common road closures. I do all I can to avoid I 80 due to the high winds much of the times. Same with I 70.. and with I 40.. until you reach the Mississippi river you have open country with few places to stop, and little to stop snow and winds. I 40 east of Flagstaff is often closed due to high winds and blowing drifting snow. I guess you could make your way south to I 10, but that adds days and miles and you still need to make it 1000 miles south before you even head East...

I highly recommend you allow much extra time so you can afford to "wait it out" if you run into bad weather. Winds and Icey roads will make for a horrible trip.

Once you hit the Mississippi it's not much better just more cities to stop and get a motel.

I have driven all those roads on Motor Cycle, car and pulling a TT... I would never attempt it from Pocatello (I was there this summer) to North Carolina.....I would say you would need to allow at least a week each way, allowing for weather conditions at the End of December.

Good Luck and Put the $700 towards motels and leave the TT at home.

From your experience, do you think the I10 route would be hellacious? I don't mind adding a few days to and from. Also, thank you for the detailed response. You have given me a ton to think about.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by Beaverology

From your experience, do you think the I10 route would be hellacious? I don't mind adding a few days to and from. Also, thank you for the detailed response. You have given me a ton to think about.

You would take I 15 south to Vegas and then on to Phoenix where you pick up I 10. That is the worse part (weather wise) of the trip. Once you hit Phoenix you should not have snow issues almost the whole way. It does add about 1000 miles to your trip. It would make the trip about 3100 miles each direction, or about 6 - 7 days driving 10 - 12 hours a day. That's a lot of driving towing a trailer, you don't want to go much over 60 MPH towing.

You would also have the same trip home again. In the south you will run into tons of snow birds and will want to make reservations or at least call early in the day for that evening. Campgrounds tend to fill fast in the south.

You have two weeks of driving without stopping to see anything, 6500 miles round trip (depending on where in NC your going).

I would rethink pulling the trailer, you could then chance it on I 80 and down through Kansas and across to I 40 to NC.

Good luck, it's a great trip in the summer but a potentially hazardous one in the winter. I would also check out air travel.

[cekkk]

Originally Posted by Beaverology

So this is the scenario- we bought this travel trailer with the intentions of using it to travel home for Christmas and be with our families. We currently live in Eastern Idaho, and will be driving to North Carolina. We will actually recieve the trailer this Saturday, so I'm not sure if the bottom is insulated, but the salesperson did say it was covered. He seemed adamant that we needed some type of skirting to prevent stuff from freezing.

Having lived in several of the states that you are going to drive through at Christmas time, I would suggest that you take another look at the wisdom of your proposed trip. While I have had a camper for only seven years, I have pulled other trailers for many years. And I pulled them in the Rockies. Yet,, I would not do what you are hoping to do. If you choose to do it anyway, I would suggest you use the camper for sleeping and perhaps some meals and not attempt to hook up to water. In other words, leave it winterized. You may be able to use the toilet. But I would forget about trying to protect the underbelly. I think it would be a waste of time, money, and effort.

I don't mean to be negative, I just would not want to see your Christmas plans spoil the holidays. Whatever your decision, good luck and Merry Christmas!

[ALJO]

We're still using the TT during the winter, but then we made it a fully winter season TT.
The black and grey tanks have an heating duct outlet between them and the combined discharge has heating tape. The FW tank has heating tape and also the suction line to the pump. All other plumbing is in the coach itself. The underbelly has an extra R12 insulation blanket. If you don't want to use the Black Tank you can remove the installed toilet fixture and use the potty potty. We used the unit with 0F -20C. Important to have electric heat and generator for backup. I have seen at many RV resorts in Canada that RVers skirt their units. I would pile snow around it which is also a insulator. Challenges with RVing is fun.
Winter roads has different driving characteristics and you have to drive accordingly. As an ex RV-hauler up in BC (mountains) SK and AB, Canada you always have to be sure you are proper equipped to be on the road. Different people need different challenges in life. Good luck with your journey.

[Beaverology]

Originally Posted by cekkk

Having lived in several of the states that you are going to drive through at Christmas time, I would suggest that you take another look at the wisdom of your proposed trip. While I have had a camper for only seven years, I have pulled other trailers for many years. And I pulled them in the Rockies. Yet,, I would not do what you are hoping to do. If you choose to do it anyway, I would suggest you use the camper for sleeping and perhaps some meals and not attempt to hook up to water. In other words, leave it winterized. You may be able to use the toilet. But I would forget about trying to protect the underbelly. I think it would be a waste of time, money, and effort.

I don't mean to be negative, I just would not want to see your Christmas plans spoil the holidays. Whatever your decision, good luck and Merry Christmas!

We may be moving to Ohio within the next month, so if that works out the drive will be more doable. But there is an equal chance of being in Idaho through the holidays. I appreciate straight forwardness. Honestly, leaving it winterized sounds a lot easier to manage for this situation. We are pretty determined to get home for Christmas, so if we are coming from Idaho, I will likely take the route straight south, and ride I10 to the East.

[Beaverology]

Originally Posted by ALJO

We're still using the TT during the winter, but then we made it a fully winter season TT.
The black and grey tanks have an heating duct outlet between them and the combined discharge has heating tape. The FW tank has heating tape and also the suction line to the pump. All other plumbing is in the coach itself. The underbelly has an extra R12 insulation blanket. If you don't want to use the Black Tank you can remove the installed toilet fixture and use the potty potty. We used the unit with 0F -20C. Important to have electric heat and generator for backup. I have seen at many RV resorts in Canada that RVers skirt their units. I would pile snow around it which is also a insulator. Challenges with RVing is fun.
Winter roads has different driving characteristics and you have to drive accordingly. As an ex RV-hauler up in BC (mountains) SK and AB, Canada you always have to be sure you are proper equipped to be on the road. Different people need different challenges in life. Good luck with your journey.

Sounds like you have quite the set up! I really appreciate your feedback. I will definitely fill everyone in on how the journey goes. (If we survive) *nervously laughing)

[Jagiven]

So what kind of temperatures do you expect to be camping in??

I have an open underbelly, camp in temperatures down to the low 20's at night above freezing during the day. No issues, we do not have an enclosed underbelly. Most of the piping in our TT runs inside the camper. When it is really cold, I leave the cabinet doors open that have water pipes hidden within them, to allow a little more heat to get to them. The big tanks, they have a lot of thermal mass and have never had any issues.

If I was going to use my TT in the cold winter months regularly, I would first consider adding tank heaters, the combination 12Vdc and 120Vac, so that I could keep things from freezing up.

Next something like your skirt looks nice. If I was not paying for electricity, I would place and run a few 100 watt, incandescent light bulbs under there to add a little safe heat.

Some people around here I have meet, when it is really cold do not put water into the pipes. The carry jugs of water, and toss dishwater outside when done. When using the toilet, they flush the toilet with RV antifreeze or windshield washing fluid or pour a little extra down the drain when done washing their hands.

I think the key is what type of temperatures are you looking at?

[norty1]

Originally Posted by turbo130

Welcome to the group my whole underside is insulated and covered, is yours?

Yes, my Eagle has what they called the 4 seasons Polar barrier option.
Enclosed and heated underbelly.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Beaverology

snip... I will definitely fill everyone in on how the journey goes. (If we survive) *nervously laughing)

Have you spent any winters in Idaho or in Rocky Mountains? The winter storms are no joke. They do close the expressways when it becomes too risky to drive. If you are on the expressway when that happens and they close it behind you, then there will be little or no traffic behind you. The best case if things go 'sideways' and you end up off the road and your vehicle is intact, you could be all alone in below freezing (maybe subzero) survival situation for many hours and maybe a couple of DAYS and NIGHTS.

We lived in Ft.Collins, CO for about 5 years and drove our car on I-80, not towing, from there to lower MI many times for the holidays. Our strategy was to only drive when the weather forecast was favorable (no snow & no storm fronts) for the 2 day drive. Our travel plans included 2 to 3 extra days, both at the beginning and the end. That way we never ended up driving when conditions looked bad and never drove at night (ice on roads and bridges and black ice are worse at night).

If you MUST go, I agree with wags999; 'Put the $700 towards motels and leave the TT at home.'

[DonaandDon]

We also travel a lot. Harlingen, Texas to Chicago Illinois. Ant time were expecting to be in freezing weather were winterized. Last year we stopped in northern Texas and winterized in Wal-Mart parking lot (only to the wife and I about an hour. You need to be well educated in winterizing tour rig. Make a list, search this website and know your easy parts and hard parts. After we arrived for a week or weekend and were set up we de-winterize and stay. No we don't use skirting and our rig has heat pads on the tanks and the belly is covered. Antifreeze is your friend, non-harmful, use in everything that holds water, wrap (heat tape) your dump ports. Carry bottled water and eat out often when traveling the wife loves that part. Upon leaving we winterize again. Life while RVing is about challenges. If your road conditions get dicey you can opt to stay at a motel for the night/week and feel comfortable that your rig is winterized safe. At least we have our 5r when we get there. And at eight years full timing were still learning it.