When it comes to camping with a young family, comfort and reliability matter more than ever. For X1 Owner Lance Dawkins, upgrading his Toyota Tacoma equipped X1 Camper with a Truma Varioheat propane furnace transformed cold-weather trips into stress-free adventures.

"The Truma heater has been a game changer for my family’s adventures. Our needs have grown since I originally bought the camper, and I now need to support two little ones. I picked up the Truma last winter in anticipation of a new infant knowing that we need a simple and reliable way to keep the entire family warm. The convenience of being able to instantly turn on the heat and run for days off a small tank makes camping at any elevation, in any season more accessible, which has helped us get out exploring with our kids even when the weather might not otherwise cooperate."

"We previously used a cheap diesel heater which came with a number of drawbacks. Anyone who’s worked with diesel knows that it can be a hassle when you fill up. A spill in or around the cabin could leave the smell of fumes lingering for weeks. Additionally, I didn’t sleep well knowing that an exhaust leak could be pumping toxic air into the cabin. Knowing how many diesel heaters are very poorly made, that was not a risk worth taking with very important cargo."

"Having put this heater through its paces for the last few months, it’s proven its usefulness in just about every season. We’re often pulling up to a spot late and we can easily fire it up to take the edge off the cold as we get everyone settled for bed. During winter camping, we’ll run the unit full time to serve as a heated retreat, and in hunting season I use it as a way to dry out soggy clothes and rain gear so that I can get back in to the woods more quickly."

"This is the first unit I’d recommend to anyone looking for something reliable and mess-free. The mounting and integration with the camper is slick, there is very little lost space and it’s easy to route your own ducting to split outputs if you have passengers on upper and lower decks like we do. It sips 12v lightly and generates more than enough heat! We fuel the heater with a 10lb propane tank mounted in the rear and usually get about 3-4 nights of heavy usage, which is fantastic efficiency. Unlike most diesel heaters which cook you alive if they’re on, there is a lot more nuance to the Truma, and it’s easier to dial in the perfect temperature and maintain it consistently. The Truma is my favorite piece of this camper because it’s meant we can get out more often, and to me, that’s the measure of a useful piece of equipment."