Pop-Up Camper February 17, 2019, 08:38:58 am My son and his family of 4 have been interested in retiring their tent camping gear and moving "inside" for several years. Yesterday, he called and asked me for guidance since he believes I can help him. Before I can offer them any guidance, I thought I'd seek a bit of guidance from this Forum. And if off-topic, then I'll delete the post.First, it seems to me that a quality used Pop-Up would be a safer and longer lasting RV than a similarly priced used trailer. (Is this an accurate assumption?) Secondly, they'll probably go camping in late Spring, Summer, and early Fall since they live in the Denver area. Next, their vehicle can tow 6,000 lbs. While we didn't discuss his budget, I advised him to buy a used unit.If my son was considering a MH, I'd be able to give him solid recommendations. However, I'm not knowledgeable about any of the better quality Pop-Ups. Once we can narrow the field to a few quality manufacturers, then he and his family will start to review the various floor plans that could support his family.Please know in advance that I'm grateful for any guidance on what I consider an important matter.
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #1 – February 17, 2019, 09:07:59 am I am not able to steer you to a quality brand, but I would pass on anything built in Indiana. The state that is home to the notorious builders of cheap. That will narrow the search considerably. Yes, buy used. I would be more inclined to buy from an individual than a dealer. 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #2 – February 17, 2019, 09:58:04 am While a pop-up can be an inexpensive way for a family to move up, remember, many of them are mass-produced by the companies Don alluded to so the quality may leave much to be desired. Depending on your son’s desired budget, a better quality alternative to a tent camper may be a fiberglass (egg) camper. Scamp, Casita, or Escape come to mind. 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #3 – February 17, 2019, 10:03:22 am Quote from: HiLola - February 17, 2019, 09:58:04 amDepending on your son’s desired budget, a better quality alternative to a tent camper may be a fiberglass (egg) camper. Scamp, Casita, or Escape come to mind.That’s a excellent point especially if we could find an older and maintained fiberglass camper. Good idea.
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #4 – February 17, 2019, 10:31:26 am As a side note, some campgrounds do not allow soft-sided campers, as they can be vulnerable to bears, and others may require full containment due to lack of facilities. Example of the first were campgrounds in part of Lassen N.P., and the latter Rincon Campground in Ventura county.Steve 2 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #5 – February 17, 2019, 10:49:46 am " Once we can narrow the field to a few quality manufacturers,"Herein lies the rub. My son has been an "outdoorsman" for over 40 years, and regularly hauls his pop-up(s) and ATV's out into the Everglades, and places equally as "hostile" (my phrase!). He has a phalanx of friends that do this with him, so he has kept both of his pop-up trailers to use as loaners. When his wife goes along, he takes his "pop-out trailer", which is an ordinary, solid-side Jayco trailer with all of the amenities, but with a fairly large pop up/out for sleeping.Every unit that he has - Coleman and Jayco - have been problematic for him. He is VERY handy (which is now of little help to me since he lives 2400 miles away!!!) and is usually able to fix just about anything. I guess this is the way of "other brands", but it seems oppressive to me. Maybe decades of Lazy Daze experience colors one's tolerance levels.Browsing time is probably limited for your son, but I have found a plethora of valuable insights by reading Facebook groups about any given product. From the posts on the Roadtrek groups, it has been obvious for a long time that an investment in one would be a constant headache, loss of usable camping time, and unexpected expenditure of funds, to say nothing of the heartache recently engendered by having the whole thing collapse.If towing and storage restrictions are not issues, it would seem to me that a hard-sided unit would provide more comfort, and much less hassle. As far as brands, the "clamshell" brands are probably more reliable, but are also much more expensive. There is a lot of hassle to a fold-out abode - both in getting it into a usable position, and then returning it to travel mode - to say nothing of the period of time that it takes to dry out everything that will be folded up for storage. Denver humidity might be better in this regard, but Florida is a nightmare!Since tenting equipment is already in the picture, it might be useful to combine the two modes, especially if there is more than one kidlet involved. A "kitchen tent" can prove useful for preparing meals and allowing the consumption of same without sharing the food with unwanted flying visitors. Many campers have a stove that will swing out on an arm for use outdoors, which is a BIG plus, especially if cooking items that produce "spattering". Otherwise, be sure to have a shower cap on hand for the smoke alarm.I lived in Denver for only short periods of time on two separate occasions over the years, but I vividly remember that the scenery in the mountains can be breathtakingly beautiful, while the wind can be fierce; the summers very hot at times; and the winters bitingly cold. With that in mind, I would want a way to mitigate these discomforts, but I am pretty much a wuss!Virtual hugs,Judie <-- Sierra Vista, ArizonaAdventures of Dorrie Anne | Photographing the WestToday: Krakow Nights******************************** 3 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #6 – February 17, 2019, 11:42:55 am Hi Ed & Margee,One question for you, is your son's family a total of 4 people or 4 children + a couple adults? That answer could dictate different products.There are a couple brands of trailers I have looked at that I feel are better of better quality than those made by those big mass produced/mediocre quality manufacturers. They are Northwood Manufacturing which offer Arctic Fox and Nash trailers and several other lines. Good news for your son is they are much more common in the western states. Another brand that I have looked at is Lance. Both of those companies seem quite a step up in quality in my opinion. Some of these might be available used too.If looking for an older used trailer, one brand I had experience with is Sunline. They were a family owned Pennsylvania company that made fairly simple but well made trailers until the mid 2000's. I have seen them in the western states but not as common as east of the Mississippi. Another brand that had a decent reputation was Sunnybrook.I would be buying something new and hard sided, probably from Northwood.Steve K. 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #7 – February 17, 2019, 11:57:09 am First to answer Steve’s question, total of 4. And secondly, I love ❤️ this neighborhood. Thanks and hugs from someone who doesn’t often hug 🤗.
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #8 – February 17, 2019, 12:17:57 pm Our family moved from tents to a pop up camper when our second kid was born. We bought a used pop up off of craigslist for $1200 (13 years ago). We sold it 4 years later for $1000 after buying our Lazy Daze. I guess you could say it was cheap or expensive!I don’t think there are any quality units out there, so we went with something that was very simple. No fridge, no toilet or shower, no heater. It did have a propane stove and a hand pump sink. It also had air conditioning which we considered important in the southeast but I might skip in CO. No slide, of course.The kids loved it. We went on lots of short trips close to home. They had tremendous fun with it popped up in the backyard, usually drying out after a trip. It was almost like a fort to them. If the unit has been sitting, expect to repack the wheel bearings and replace the tires. Consider getting a size and weight limit that is one larger than what the manufacturer specified.The biggest problems we saw with older units was water intrusion and general neglect. You don’t want to replace the tent fabric, as it doesn’t make economic sense for most units. Popupexplorer.com was a great resource for me, and there were a couple of generations of fiberglass roofs that didn’t age well and generally advisable to avoid. That advice is too old to be useful, as most of those units are probably in the junkyard by now, but time spent researching there helped me avoid some of the big well known manufacturer issues. Rich‘03 MB in N.C. 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #9 – February 17, 2019, 01:09:58 pm A tent trailer can be a good transition from tent camping; it's reasonably inexpensive (I agree with buying used, primarily to minimize the outlay to see if this equipment works for the family), can offer a good deal of space for the money, and is easy to tow with an appropriate vehicle. (With kids and/or dogs, a pickup or roomy SUV is a good tow vehicle option to haul supplies, equipment, food, bikes, and whatnot.) During my tent trailer years, I found that the pop-up worked best for 'stationary' camping, i.e., going to a destination, setting up, enjoying the activities there, breaking down camp/trailer, then going on to the next stop. Breaking down/moving/setting up every day or every couple of days got old pretty fast.Most tent trailers offer pretty basic 'amenities', i.e., a small stove, a sink (drains into a portable container through a hose), an ice chest or icebox, and a porta-potti. If the tent trailer is used, one might want to check on whether the ice chest and the porta-potti are included and/or usable. A good ice chest brand is Yeti; pricey, but efficient. Try Thetford for a porta-potti; the 5-gallon waste tank is preferred.There are several brands of tent trailers: Jayco, Fleetwood (used to be Coleman), Starcraft, Rockwood, Forest River 'brands', etc. Quality is highly variable, as one can imagine, and a complete inspection of a used one before buying is as critical as it is for any RV. I suggest looking particularly at the following:Lift system: How designed, cables or other? Ease of lift up/take down? *Fit* of tent fabric when folded in and lid closed. Quality and condition of struts? (Bent, loose cables, etc.) Does the top close completely and and lock down securely?Condition of 'tent': Fabric type, worn, abraded, torn, dirty? Plastic windows clouded or ripped?Beds: Adequate support? Ease of sliding in? Mattress quality and cleanliness? Propane system and water systems safe and functional? An additional comment: many tent trailers have small wheels; I suggest looking for a unit that has larger wheels, and be sure to check the condition of the tires (may need to be replaced) and re-pack the wheel bearings. 3 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #10 – February 17, 2019, 01:26:08 pm "If the unit has been sitting, expect to repack the wheel bearings and replace the tires. Consider getting a size and weight limit that is one larger than what the manufacturer specified."----Absolutely agree; did not intend to repeat Rich's advice on this topic in my post, but I had written my post earlier and stowed it in Drafts until I was able to get back to it. But, I think that the wheel bearing issue 'bears' repeating; those small wheels make a lot of revolutions, and need frequent checking to make sure they don't seize up! An 'egg trailer' may be a good option, but these will be more expensive and have a lot less space for two adults and two kids. Have fun exploring the possibilities.
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #11 – February 17, 2019, 02:16:27 pm We have used a folding, hard-sided trailer for years. There are two quality makes on the market. Ours is a Chalet made in Oregon. Their equally popular and quality made called Aliner built in Colorado. We own a trailer by Chalet. We tow it behind our moho when. The kids and grandkids are meeting up with us someplace. We relinquish the moho to the small ones for sleeping, and Kathy and I use the folder as our "spare bedroom". Works very well. Since it is a foldable, all sides are hard walled and acceptable in nearly all campgrounds. When I was in my backpacking days, I often towed the trailer into the high trailheads of the Sierra. I would spend a night or two at elevation to acclimate, then fold it down and lock it while I packed in, sometimes for as many as 10 days at a turn. Those foldables literally will go up in 60 seconds. Just four latch points and it is up. There are different floor plans, so browse for one the suits your needs. Oh, and they tow like a dream. Won't know they are back there. 3 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #12 – February 18, 2019, 12:37:20 am I came from a popup before buying my LD. My family had a great time with it. Bought an old one (Coleman 2001, Sedona). Modified it to accommodate 2 deep cycle batteries and solar/inverter. LED lights and a custom bathroom/shower for the wife and much more. Lots of fun getting it in shape for traveling. Yes, wheel bearing/ brakes and tires are almost a guarantee to be needing replacement. If you're looking at an old one be sure the canvas is in good shape. Also, the lift system and roof. If I was to buy another old one I would go for a Fleetwood Sequoia, high wall. Hard to find, and a little heavier than the typical pop up but plenty of room for a family of four that is used to camping in a tent. If I was in the market for a new model the Aliner or Somerset would be top of my list. Here is a link to their website. I think the Somerset is the best pop up on the market. Home - AlinerBob 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #13 – February 18, 2019, 07:28:39 am My son showed up with a very old pop up and he was proud because it was what he could afford. I must admit, it does give a decent living space. His had good canvas but appeared to have a roof leak. We proceed to repair the leak and 3 days later we had a new roof built. Moral here, if the canvas is good and the roof is good take a look otherwise move on to the next one.Hi Lo used to make a real nice trailer. I liked the older ones over the newer.
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #14 – February 18, 2019, 11:07:50 am And heading a completely different direction:If your son has a pick up truck with decent payload (2500lb+), I would recommend a slide in truck camper.1. take off the camper and he still has a truck.2. traveling is much easier with nothing in tow. Getting in and out of gas stations, camping in tight little spots, turning around at the end of dirt roads and dead ends, etc.3. No wheel bearings, trailer tires, trailer brakes, lighting, etc.4. No extra registration or insurance.5. Want more room for kids, friends, etc? Pull a trailer behind the truck/camper.6. Much nicer for pulling a utility trailer or Jeep.7. Need I continue?We enjoyed both of our campers, loaded with three kids, a German shepherd, and gear and explored places we would never take the Lazy Daze or any trailer.Just for fun, check out Dave Rogers and his explorations with his pop-up camper:Dave Rogers (Grand Whazoo) and Truck Camper EscapadesHarold
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #15 – February 18, 2019, 11:16:36 am If interested in truck campers (which do have many plus points!)....Truck Camper Magazine | 2019 Truck Campers, News, and Reviews
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #16 – February 19, 2019, 09:19:21 am And this just rolled out from a reputable compny:Nissan gives the Opus inflatable camping trailer a week of off-grid adventure... 1 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #18 – February 19, 2019, 10:38:23 am Quote from: Ray S. - February 19, 2019, 09:19:21 amAnd this just rolled out from a reputable compny:Nissan gives the Opus inflatable camping trailer a week of off-grid adventure...Interesting concept.Can it deflate and stow with a dead battery?
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #19 – February 19, 2019, 07:22:40 pm I wanted to provide a bit of feedback and closure. I did a cut & paste of all the comments and sent them to my Son in a long email. He was most appreciative and it's helping him narrow his search. I'm hoping he finds some kind of RV so that we can meet between Denver and Fort Worth (northern NM or sourthern CO). It would be so much fun. And as I've mentioned, Margee and I are grateful to this Neighborhood for your guidance. 2 Likes
Re: Pop-Up Camper Reply #20 – February 20, 2019, 12:48:17 am TL/DR version: van and Kamp-Rite ***A subject I like to opine about, usually with information too limited to formulate a valid perspective.How old are the youngster? Knowing what I know now, I would have kaiboshed the popup campers and gone a full size van with bed. If youngsters are younger, it's quite possible they can all fit. If they're getting older, they can slowly move to tents.One really neat option to be off the around is the tent cot like Kamp-Rite. They even make 'em for two - so Mom and Dad can get some alone time whilst the kids are screaming like banshees in the van (or sleeping).I built a camp kitchen/chuckbox like the Boy Scouts use and it is incredibly useful for "car camping".I like options that start without a huge cash outlay, what allow the people to decide what is important to them, and to form educated decisions about where to outlay cash when the time comes. 1 Likes
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Topic: Pop-Up Camper (Read 390 times)
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