Does campfire smoke get into escape trailer?

[GeorgeN]

Dear All,
We are thinking about buying an Escape trailer, but, for health reasons, we are concerned about campfire smoke getting into the trailer. Does smoke get inside with the door/windows closed (can you smell smoke)? If yes, is there any way to fix it?
Thank you very much!

[davidmurphy02]

If the windows and vents are closed smoke does not get into the trailer. We make a practice of closing the windows when we have a campfire near the trailer for just that reason and smoke in the trailer has never been a problem.

[UncleTim]

We have the awning windows and they seal up very tightly!

Watch the MaxxFan and the bathroom window. The bathroom fan only blows out, I think. I forget that one from time to time. No problem with the heater or the refrigerator.

I don't want mine smelling like smoke either!

I saw this product a camping neighbor was using this week. I went over to talk with them about it and it is very impressive. It is a fire pit that, if prepared correctly, does not give off smoke. Some at first, then a secondary burn kicks in and it is quite clean.

I believe sometime in the near future this is going to be required equipment for any camper wishing to have a fire. It leaves no scar and is clean! I intend to review it later as mine is on the way! This is a way for all campfire scars to disappear.

I have not had fires for a very long time including Winter ski camping. I want to, but not if the mess comes with it. I think this is the future and hell yes I bought it!

https://www.solostove.com/solo-stove-ranger/

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by GeorgeN

Dear All,
We are thinking about buying an Escape trailer, but, for health reasons, we are concerned about campfire smoke getting into the trailer. Does smoke get inside with the door/windows closed (can you smell smoke)? If yes, is there any way to fix it?
Thank you very much!

Note: If you have chemical sensitivities there will be some outgassing on a new trailer for a month or two. In which case you may want to look for a used unit from a non-smoking owner. Or leave the trailer parked with the windows and vents open for awhile until it dissipates.

It is not strong enough to bother most folks, but some people are more sensitive than others. I have sisters that can't be in the same room as new furniture for example.

[padlin]

Same as David. With asthma, I need to avoid it as much as practical. It's usually okay during the week when it's mostly older folks, weekends can be pretty bad. Closing up the trailer works fine. If you are a hot weather camper, which we aren't, it might be more of a pain. I guess you'd need to run the AC.

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Note: If you have chemical sensitivities there will be some outgassing on a new trailer for a month or two. In which case you may want to look for a used unit from a non-smoking owner. Or leave the trailer parked with the windows and vents open for awhile until it dissipates.

It is not strong enough to bother most folks, but some people are more sensitive than others. I have sisters that can't be in the same room as new furniture for example.

Excellent point! Cannot stress this enough. These things stink!

It took me about one month to get it aired out properly. You could still smell the gases a little at a month, but at two months not very much at all.

First thing I did when I took possession of our 5.0TA was air it out totally. I could sleep in it the first night, but I dare not close it up. Even the cabinet spaces had to vent off gas!

Another great reason for awning style windows is you can just leave them open. No problem!

[TX_Clint]

Originally Posted by UncleTim

We have the awning windows and they seal up very tightly!

Watch the MaxxFan and the bathroom window. The bathroom fan only blows out, I think. I forget that one from time to time. No problem with the heater or the refrigerator.

I don't want mine smelling like smoke either!

I saw this product a camping neighbor was using this week. I went over to talk with them about it and it is very impressive. It is a fire pit that, if prepared correctly, does not give off smoke. Some at first, then a secondary burn kicks in and it is quite clean.

I believe sometime in the near future this is going to be required equipment for any camper wishing to have a fire. It leaves no scar and is clean! I intend to review it later as mine is on the way! This is a way for all campfire scars to disappear.

I have not had fires for a very long time including Winter ski camping. I want to, but not if the mess comes with it. I think this is the future and hell yes I bought it!

https://www.solostove.com/solo-stove-ranger/

I really like that. A portable chiminea!

[Ron in BC]

I'm not that certain that, in some cases, smoke could still enter the trailer even with the windows closed. With a breeze blowing toward the trailer I'm pretty sure that some smoke would enter.

Some campsite situations aren't flexible about where the trailer is positioned and where the fire ring is located. There have been times when we just skipped having a fire because we didn't want the smell of smoke in the trailer.

On our last trip our friends came over to our site and we had a campfire. They brought half a commercial fire log. I was amazed at how well it worked to keep the fire going with a drastic reduction in smoke. Under some wood it lasted a long time. Just went out and bought a pack of fire logs.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

most of those commercial 'fire logs' are sawdust and candle wax. they aren't supposed to be used in a fire with other burnables like wood, as the wax will melt and run all over the place, and they also can produce that sooty candle smell.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by GeorgeN

Dear All,
We are thinking about buying an Escape trailer, but, for health reasons, we are concerned about campfire smoke getting into the trailer. Does smoke get inside with the door/windows closed (can you smell smoke)? If yes, is there any way to fix it?
Thank you very much!

Hi: GeorgeN... It always depends on what side of the fire you camp on!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Ruthe]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Note: If you have chemical sensitivities there will be some outgassing on a new trailer for a month or two. In which case you may want to look for a used unit from a non-smoking owner. Or leave the trailer parked with the windows and vents open for awhile until it dissipates.

It is not strong enough to bother most folks, but some people are more sensitive than others. I have sisters that can't be in the same room as new furniture for example.

That "new trailer" smell stayed with us for a lot longer than two months. I don't know if it was the fiberglass, or upholstery or what, but I had expected that and we ran the maxi fan a lot that first summer. It can't be helped and Escape is probably a lot better than most other trailers.

As for smoke, I don't like it either and mostly it has not been a problem. Closing the windows and running the air conditioner helps -- even in smoky campgrounds we've never had it so bad that the smoke smell permeated the blinds, etc.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

most of those commercial 'fire logs' are sawdust and candle wax. they aren't supposed to be used in a fire with other burnables like wood, as the wax will melt and run all over the place, and they also can produce that sooty candle smell.

Not these ones, more like compressed coffee grounds? There is a very faint aroma of coffee. Jim B. would love his campfire even more with them.

Ron

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by UncleTim

I saw this product a camping neighbor was using this week. I went over to talk with them about it and it is very impressive. It is a fire pit that, if prepared correctly, does not give off smoke. Some at first, then a secondary burn kicks in and it is quite clean.

I believe sometime in the near future this is going to be required equipment for any camper wishing to have a fire. It leaves no scar and is clean! I intend to review it later as mine is on the way! This is a way for all campfire scars to disappear.

I have not had fires for a very long time including Winter ski camping. I want to, but not if the mess comes with it. I think this is the future and hell yes I bought it!

https://www.solostove.com/solo-stove-ranger/

A Solo Stove is not legal at many private, state, and federal campsites where you can have a charcoal grill, but not a firepit. We purchased the BioLite FirePit and it meets those requirements. A portable stove at those sites has to be at least 6 to 8" off the ground, and you have to make sure your wood does not extend above the top of the grill. We always ask and show the host how we meet the requirements, but we were turned down once though.

You can easily pick the BioLite up at any time, no matter how hot or big the fire, with handles to move it where you want. The Solo-Stove is much harder to move. We never have problems with smoke in our camper since the stove is easily portable in service.

The BioLite has a integrated, removable grill on top that we use all the time to cook steaks, chops, hamburgers, brats, etc. with either charcoal or wood. Once done with charcoal we just put in wood for a conventional wood fire.

We camp in the shoulder seasons and the BioLite is perforated. The heat is radiated in all directions. In really cold weather we put our feet underneath the stove to keep them toasty warm.

The BioLite is rectangular and fits it tighter places for hauling in its included carry case. It fits in the front storage area of our 5.0 TA over our camp stove, leaving plenty of room for our electric cords, fire starters, awning wind clamps, plastic tables, etc.

If we have wet wood the BioLite has a motorized bellows integrated into the stove that gets logs going that won't burn in anything else, including the Solo. We rarely use the bellows, but it's sure handy when you need it. How many here have bought wet wood?

I'd estimate we've had at least 250 fires in our BioLite and it still hasn't rusted out. We figure it has a hundred or more fires to go. The Solo is notorious for rusting out quickly, despite it being advertised as stainless steel.

Post up here two years from now and let us know how your Solo worked for you.

Enjoy,

Perry

[EdColorado]

The Maxx Fan Escape uses, if I recall correctly, can be used to exhaust air from the trailer or bring fresh air in. When the fan is reversed from the typical exhaust mode to the intake mode and all windows and the door are shut, a positive pressure will be built up inside. This should help keep the smoke out of the trailer. Also helps keep dust out if you know you will be driving on dusty roads or camping where wind driven dust is common.
Give it a try sometime.

Ed

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

most of those commercial 'fire logs' are sawdust and candle wax. they aren't supposed to be used in a fire with other burnables like wood, as the wax will melt and run all over the place, and they also can produce that sooty candle smell.

I've used a chunk of fire log ( about 4" of the log ) to build a core fire. It's basically a large cheap fire-starter. I've never experienced running wax or sooty candle smell.
Of course, I still have half a log left, some eight years after buying it.

[GeorgeN]

Thank you for the input, Ed! Building a positive pressure seems like a great solution. I wonder, however, if there is some sort of an air filter inside the fan to prevent the smoke coming in the trailer through the fan? I have been assuming that there is no filter, and was thinking about adding a HEPA filter myself. I am not sure if this would be technically feasible, though.

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Post up here two years from now and let us know how your Solo worked for you.

Enjoy,

Perry

I wish you would have mentioned this last week! Just kidding.

I will try and remember to do this. That would be a true review!

I still have to file a 'Butt Report' on the Toyota Tundra, which I promised elsewhere. Which is very good incidentally!

[GeorgeN]

Escape artist, thank you for your response! Just to make sure that I understand, do you mean that you do get smoke inside the trailer when it is parked downwind from a fire? I would centrally do my best to choose a spot with that in mind, but the wind direction/speed can change enough through the day to negate such efforts, especially if your neighbor is a pyro.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by GeorgeN

Thank you for the input, Ed! Building a positive pressure seems like a great solution. I wonder, however, if there is some sort of an air filter inside the fan to prevent the smoke coming in the trailer through the fan? I have been assuming that there is no filter, and was thinking about adding a HEPA filter myself. I am not sure if this would be technically feasible, though.

The MaxxFan set to draw air from outside will bring smoke in. There is no filter on the MaxxFan.

[UncleTim]

Set it to blow outside!

It blows two ways!

Don't forget!