One of the worst realities of hashtag vanlife, or camping in general, is uncomfortable weather. At least, I sure think so. Granted, I don’t like it when there’s any temp delta between my bedroom and the outside world. And yet I choose to go camping. Hence, this video resonated with me.

Here’s a long, relaxing clip from overland traveler Chad, who has a whole series on the subject on his YouTube channel . If you made it into work today, I’m guessing you’re dragging ass looking for excuses to procrastinate. So. You’re welcome:

I hadn’t heard of Chad here until stumbling on this video, but the channel is a pretty deep rabbit hole of van life overland tips and adventures you could find yourself stumbling down pretty easily. And maybe you will!

I got hooked by the cinematography here, which actually is quite impressive. One decent thing about the timeline we live in is that video-making equipment is compact, user-friendly, and affordable enough for some bearded dude in his VW to make cool visuals on trips like this. But, before I get too sidetracked, there are some good camping tips in this clip too.

Chad recommends packing some cotton balls rolled in Vaseline for firestarter, which is a great idea when you want to get a fire going somewhere moist and snowy.

You also get to see how well a Solo Stove works for cooking and warming the outside. It seems like kind of a great way to have a trash can fire you can bring anywhere.

He also made a windbreak out of snow to keep his Westfalia protected, effectively turning the van into a cozy igloo. That supplements the warmth from his little diesel heater and allows him to do epic shit like camp in the Mount Baker ski resort parking lot during a big dump. If you’re trying to get first tracks somewhere and you can’t afford a slopeside condo, this is a pretty neat alternative.

It sounds like Chad’s been on the road in his ’91 Volkswagen since 2011, so it makes sense that he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve for being comfortable. I’m going to adopt the cotton ball trick for sure.