Campers unite!

[BoomerD]

We considered one of the "tent trailer" types of campers...for a couple of minutes.

They're a bit "closer to nature" than a standard RV trailer...but only a bit.

Our neighbor had a tent trailer for several years, and they loved it...until they spent a weekend in a friend's RV trailer...so they sold their tent trailer and bought a small RV trailer.

You'' ll be limited to the same kinds of places that you would with a self-contained RV trailer without any of the "security" of one.

The regular RV trailer costs more to buy, costs more to license and insure, and takes more vehicle to tow...all of which has to be taken into consideration.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Obviously you're more limited in regard to camp sites when you're using a pop-up, but nothing says you always have to use it. I'd probably just defer to the wife since I don't care that much.

This is a good point. You can still go tent camping, but a popup would be useful as a cheap hotel replacement for longer, nicer trips. If you went to a campground with showers, you could use the popup as your base, then go out at night for more upscale activities.

Exactly. Here's an example: http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm
http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/pdf/campground.pdf

If you were in the St. Petersburg beach area, that place is supposed to be beautiful. It's $36 a night. Sure, you could camp there with a tent, but you'd be comfortable for even a couple weeks, basing all your trips out of such a campground & from a pop-up. Compare that to hotels with comparable locations. You'd save a fortune even if only staying for a week. Of course, camping's not for everyone. However, at the many campgrounds I've been to, we've never had any problems with neighbors or other people in the campgrounds.

edit: and we have a 1970's camper, that we got for $500. It's in excellent shape for its age.

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
that sounds like a lot of fun; I take it that my Honda CRV wouldn't make it out there

Yeah probably not. I mean, I have not really had to use the 4wd unless it is raining, but the ruts and big rocks make ground clearance a necessity.

It is fun, the most relaxing getaways I have ever had. Burning lots of piñon wood, hiking, and just overall having a good time is great. The fact that I spend 1/2 of the day naked on the deep camps is great too. Nothing like cooking breakfast with no clothes on.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: Captain Howdy

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
that sounds like a lot of fun; I take it that my Honda CRV wouldn't make it out there

Yeah probably not. I mean, I have not really had to use the 4wd unless it is raining, but the ruts and big rocks make ground clearance a necessity.

It is fun, the most relaxing getaways I have ever had. Burning lots of piñon wood, hiking, and just overall having a good time is great. The fact that I spend 1/2 of the day naked on the deep camps is great too. Nothing like cooking breakfast with no clothes on.

psssht, I do that every day!

 

[KDOG]

I love camper camping. I just bought a 2009 Kodiak 195 expandable and I love it. You may consider an expandable as well, they are kind of a cross between a pop up and a regular camper trailer. And do yourself a favor - go to one of those big RV shows, you can see all sorts of campers and go in them and look around. And the best part is that if you see one you like there, the show prices are much better than at the dealership. I got mine for $16K when its usually 21K or more. Go for it, you'll love it!

 

[skyking]

We wanted a pop up trailer and looked a new and used ones for a while. Some people down the street had a 20 year old Coleman (eek!) but I looked it over and everything worked on it. I paid more for the hitch kits and coolers than I did for the trailer
I've had to do a little work on it, but for 900 bucks it has been more than worth it. It has a furnace, hot water, three burner stove, shower!, 12V/gas/110V refrigerator. The front bed is bigger than a queen and the back one is about a twin.
It weighs 2500 with 350 tongue weight. The pilot does not even notice it is there.

We are quite happy to get up off the ground and dry.

Edit for post below:
It has a chemical toilet too. being able to pee without getting dressed in the morning = heaven on earth for the ladies

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Sounds like your gal is still willing to rough it, great, enjoy while you can, but trust me that's going to change real soon. Above all the other creature comforts that you can add to your camping inventory, the one thing she WILL eventually demand is a bathroom/toilet. We had a campground membership with really nice bathrooms that I could usually pitch our tent close to,(100ft.+,-), but eventually that wasn't good enough. She wanted, and yours will too, a toilet RIGHT HERE!
There are a lot of nice pop-ups out there, but none to my knowledge has a bathroom, port-a-potties maybe, but come on, ewww. Sooo, you need something light, utile, easy to store, something like this,----> http://www.trailmanor.com/WebD...pdf/Web%20Brochure.pdf

 

[cardiac]

We went from tent camping to a slide-in truck camper to a motorhome, and ended up with a 30' travel trailer now after 40 years of camping. A pop-up will keep you more comfortable in extreme weather, usually less bugs, and more privacy. As I get older, I won't sleep on the ground any more. It was cool back in my teens and twenties, but as I approach 50, the ground really sucks to sleep on. You can spend anything from a few hunnert bucks to ten grand or better on a pop-up: Heckuva deal, but no title.

Lotsa deals out there in this economy....

Bob

 

[KDOG]

Any update? What did you decide?

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: cardiac
We went from tent camping to a slide-in truck camper to a motorhome, and ended up with a 30' travel trailer now after 40 years of camping. A pop-up will keep you more comfortable in extreme weather, usually less bugs, and more privacy. As I get older, I won't sleep on the ground any more. It was cool back in my teens and twenties, but as I approach 50, the ground really sucks to sleep on. You can spend anything from a few hunnert bucks to ten grand or better on a pop-up: Heckuva deal, but no title.

Lotsa deals out there in this economy....

Bob

I actually saw this ad in craigslist a week ago. The fact that they don't have a title is the reason I didn't pursue this ad.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: KDOG
Any update? What did you decide?

I dont think I'm going to get a camper; not now at least. I'm happy with our tent and traditional camping gear.

Besides, I've told my wife this plenty of times before.....the reason men love camping is that it gives us an excuse to play fort.

 

[ScoobMaster]

I'm heading out tomorrow morning in my Popup! We are going to Assateague Island for four days of camping fun!

If you start to consider one again, check out the forums at popupexplorer.com

There are LOTS of friendly people there that can answer almost any question you can think of.

Some of us actually get together for regional camping rallies too. My aformentioned trip to Assateague is with families we met on the intrawebs at popupexplorer.


Here is my camper at the 2007 "Gathering @ the Finger Lakes" rally

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: ScoobMaster
I'm heading out tomorrow morning in my Popup! We are going to Assateague Island for four days of camping fun!

If you start to consider one again, check out the forums at popupexplorer.com

Assateague Island is a great. We go there a few times a year to camp. The flys are a bit rough over there though; they dont bother me much, but they eat my wife alive...not sure why.

Last time we went there, a crazy storm passed through. Tents were pulled out of their stakes in the ground and were being flipped over. We took shelter in our cars until it passed. After it was over, we started another fire, and sat around for the rest of the night admiring the sky. It was beautiful; you could see lightning in the clouds, but there was no thunder.

 

[ScoobMaster]

Hopefully no storms for us, just sun and ocean breeze!

I am heading home to finish packing. We hitch up and head out early tomorrow morning. Have a good weekend!

 

[KDOG]

Nice pop-up Scoob!


krunchykrome: There may be something else you should consider: Teardrop campers. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the super small to the ones that have a potti shower and interior galley. And you can build your own using a commonly available utility trailer...

This forum is probably the best source of info on them. There are FREE plans available there too. I'm going to be building what they call a "standie" TTT (tiny travel trailer) to supplement the beast I have. It will be just big enough to sleep 2 via table-bed and have a hide-away potti in it. Interior height should be about 5' 8" - ish, maybe a little more... And you can build over time as your budget allows. They make a geat alternative to a big and/or expensive camper. One of the more serious used for them is a disaster situation trailer, you can hook up easy and get out of dodge and have a place to sleep, eat, etc without having to rely on hotels, or the such.... Anyway hope you check it out....