I have noticed that all the newer pu's have curtains that go across the bunks. I was thinking about adding them to mine. My wife asked me why which got me thinking. In the warm weather they would stop the air from circulating and in the cold weather wouldn't they keep the heat from the heater out? They may keep the body heat in, making it a little warmer but I don't know if it would compensate for what heat we wouldn't get from the heater. We have no real need for privacy once we are all inside the pu so that's not an issue. So now I'm thinking of leaving things as they are. What are your thoughts?
We have them, but the only time we use them is
1) someone is changing clothes with people in the popup
2) someone is still up, I am trying to sleep and I don't want the light in my eyes
With the kids (actually adult offspring) going with us less and less neither of those things happen very often now.
Sherry
Our camper came with curtain tracks, but no curtains. This last summer, I got cheapo bedsheets from walmart, cut them to size, and had the plastic guides stitched on. I like them since they keep it darker in the morning and they do keep in some heat.
Quote from: AZsix.....In the warm weather they would stop the air from circulating and in the cold weather wouldn't they keep the heat from the heater out?....
The curtains in my Fleetwood are constructed with a very loose mesh netting on the top. The mesh allows A/C air to flow through without very much if any restriction. And since heat also travels to the ceiling, the mesh allows heat into the bunks.
Quote from: SherryandFamily....
2) someone is still up, I am trying to sleep and I don't want the light in my eyes
..
That's the main purpose the bunk curtains serve in our PopUp.
Our PopUp came equipped with another set of curtains, or rather, privacy panels that go from the ceiling to the floor for actual privacy if you want a changing area adjacent to the shower/potty.
My 06 Niagara came with the 'Decor Package' - curtains and valance all the way around. There have been a few warm summer nights that we've had the AC on, but didn't like having it blow right on us , so closed the curtains to the bunk end and still got the coolness. My daughter likes to read, so she found that the curtains were beneficial to her - allowing her to read without disturbing anyone else. And, feeling very lazy, if I used the rear bunk end for storage during a solo trip, the curtains hid all my junk.
I took mine out. I never used them. I think it looks alot bigger now. Before you make/buy anything, have some hold up a sheet or something and see if you think it looks smaller.
Quote from: my toysI took mine out. I never used them. I think it looks alot bigger now. Before you make/buy anything, have some hold up a sheet or something and see if you think it looks smaller.
I'm not really concerned about it looking smaller. It's 28' plus opened up. I just don't want to go through the effort of making them and putting them up if we are going to use them. We don't have a/c which is why I think it would restrict air flow when we have all he flaps down. When we need to change while the curtains are open we use the toilet area which is curtained off and makes a nice dressing area. The more I think about it I may just leave it as it is. Nowing my kids, they would probably yank them down eventually.
Thanks for your responses.
Bunk end curtains are really not a new innovation and have been around for some time, I would think. In the case of my '99 Starcraft they were included in what they referred to as a "convenience" package along with some other accessory items.
The neat thing about the curtains is they can be tied off on the ends when you want everything open and closed when needed. In colder weather they can be closed to better retain the heat in the main cabin if need be.
Like already posted, we use ours for privacy; or in my particular case I go to bed early so as to get-up early and those who want to remain up for awhile I'll partically close the curtain to keep the direct light out. Afterall, a fisherman has to get his rest!
Fly
We seldom use our heater at night, I would rather hear nature than the furnace fan. We close our curtains when it is cold to conserve our body heat.
We put the dog's kennel on the spare bunk and close the curtain at night and she seems to sleep better. Whether it muffles our movements (which make her want to get up and play) or makes her end of the camper feel more "cave like", I have no idea.
But we like having the curtains as an option nonetheless.
This weekend was our maiden voyage with our NTU '99 Niagara and we found the bunk end curtains to be a real benefit.
First they make great "closet" doors. Since it is just gonna be DW and myself on nearly any and every trip we like the idea of using that end as a place for clothes and empty CPAP travel bags and other odds and ends.
Also, overnight Friday it got down in the low 20's at the KY Horse Park in Lexington, KY and having that king-sized bed area closed off with the curtains made heating much easier. It was a good 10 to 15 degrees colder behind the curtains.
Peace and Blessings,
Don
Quote from: PattieAMThere have been a few warm summer nights that we've had the AC on, but didn't like having it blow right on us , so closed the curtains to the bunk end and still got the coolness.
And, feeling very lazy, if I used the rear bunk end for storage during a solo trip, the curtains hid all my junk.
That has been our experience. Ours came with the curtains and we use them, but if my pup didn't have them, I don't know if I would go out of my way to add them.
CajunCamper
The curtains seemed to be more of a pain in ours. Especially when I would sit on them and tear them down. The mesh does allow air to circulate, but I found them much more useful to keep the A/C from blowing directly on me at 3 am. I guess people use the tiebacks, but we never did.
We use our bunk-end curtains every trip. We use the "other" bunk (AKA closet) for all of our clothes, shoes, jackets, electronics, extra chairs, whatever, and we can just close the curtains when we don't want to look at it. Kind of like closing the closet door... :)
Interesting how everyone uses their camper differently.
I love the bunk end curtains. When I had the Palomino the tenting was rather blah looking so when I re made the curtains I took coverage into consideration. The curtains were full enough that when pulled back they covered the tenting yet were gathered and had a full look to them. This seemed to give the camper a cleaner and softer look to it.
If I were by myself I wouldn't worry about them either. We use the hardside bathroom in our Hemlock to change so that is not an issue. I do like the curtains because I can put a suitcase at the end of the bed and slightly pull the curtain and I don't have to look at it. Also when DD gets up and takes her time making her bed I just pull the curtain and I don't have to look at it.
They are handy, too when I want to stay up while others want to go to sleep....they deflect the light nicely.
CC
Our bunk end curtains are used almost every trip. Factory curtains, they have the mesh layer at the top, so they don't seem to impede airflow. They are useful in allowing me to stay up and read while my spouse sleeps, and for privacy when changing, etc., when camping with another couple, and occasionally for keeping neat look in hiding stored supplies when the spare bunk isn't being used. The only disadvantage is occasional misplacing the velcro and fabric curtain tie-backs, as the velcro will make them attach to blankets or clothing.
Quote from: AZsixI have noticed that all the newer pu's have curtains that go across the bunks. I was thinking about adding them to mine. My wife asked me why which got me thinking. In the warm weather they would stop the air from circulating and in the cold weather wouldn't they keep the heat from the heater out? They may keep the body heat in, making it a little warmer but I don't know if it would compensate for what heat we wouldn't get from the heater. We have no real need for privacy once we are all inside the pu so that's not an issue. So now I'm thinking of leaving things as they are. What are your thoughts?
When we had our pup, we used the curtains to close off the bunk while the kids were sleeping. This made it dark enough for them to dose off. We also close them if it's a hot day, it seemed to keep some of the heat out of the middle of the trailer.
I use mine as many of the others do. To close off one bunk when it is being used as storage, close off to keep the cooling/heating area smaller, and to block light coming into the bunkend.:)
Both my old starcrafts had the tracks for them, but the curtains, (what was left of them) were damaged. On our old Starcraft, which was tiny, I replaced them on the bunkends with curtains made from sheets, because we did NOT have a 'bathroom' or shower to change in.
picture this -
you have all the flaps unzipped in your camper on the bed ends to catch the breezes, and you decided to go down to the beach to swim. So you need to change into your suit - and in order to do so you have a choice -
gather your clothes, walk down to the campground restroom, change, and take your clothes back to the camper.
Crawl onto the bunks and zip up all the windows (getting all hot and sweaty), change into your suit, then unzip tham again to keep the camper from getting hot.
stand in the middle of the camper and pull the sheet/curtains across the bunkends and windows, change into your suit, and push the curtains back again.
They don't have to be heavy, but they do add quick privacy! and you can change standing up, with all your 'stuff' at hand. Plus, if you ever do need them to block light, or hold heat/AC, they're good for that, too.
That's why one of my winter projects is to make curtains for the N2us STarcraft. They're not a 'necessity' - but they are conveinient!
Laura
curtains are only used when the kids are changing clothes into swimsuits or close those curtains when using the porta potty.It sits on the floor by the front bunk...
Friends of mine have an old camper, they added curtains by putting a wooden rod and tabbed curtains for privacy...