Been camping for 50+ years started in tent to a truck with a shell to a camper on a truck to a travel trailer. The older you get you find the more comfort you are willing to pay for. As long as you are enjoying your self it doesn't matter what you have.
I agree...even at my age, 62, I think its better to transition and not waste a lot of $$$ right off the bat. My big thing is getting into nature and not being in a trailer park.
Yep! I never thought I'd be to old to set up a pop up camper but its getting to be hard to crawl under there to back lift it and put in the brace bars. Looking at travel trailers now.
Really enjoyed this video! took me back to all the good times we've had RVing over the years. Been married since "72, been camping since '72. Don;t have a camper right now. We started camping in 1972 with a retired Army tent with no floor. Since then we've had better tents, 2 different pop-ups, then went to a travel trailer because of one con you missed: we were camping every weekend with our 2 kids, and my bride got tired of loading and unloading the popup in preparation for the weekend. So we bought the "hard side" so we could leave it fully stocked all the time - from catsup in the fridge to clothes in the closet! Wonderful! (Although I always did miss the open, fresh air feeling of a pop-up) We had a couple of those, later lived in a fifth wheel for a while - easiest way ever to move a long distance while still looking for a house! Then we had a business that required us to be on the road, so 2 different motor homes. Finally full timed in a 5th wheel for a few years down in TX. Looking for our next big RV adventure now.
As a former tenter I really appreciate that we can sit in the pop up with all the windows unzipped and "feel" the outdoors (without the bugs). Obviously once you have a routine set up is pretty easy.
We bought a pop-up about five years ago and we absolutely LOVE it. It was used, but taken care of like a baby! One side is a queen and the other is a king-sized bed. Both hubby and are very tall and don't even have a king in our home! Love camping in it always, but during the fall you can open all the windows so just screens are in and it feels like you're in a tree house!
This guy scared me to DEATH. My hubby and I got a good deal on a popup. It's in great shape. Now I am second guessing all the stuff about critters in it and fragile and bending. My parents had a popup for years and we as a family traveled everywhere and I never recall any bending and critters.
We’ve had three conventional pop up campers. Too much work..period. We have had conventional travel trailers- hated messing with the sewage & water stuff. We are retired and happy with our new Aliner Scout Park camper. It is low profile like a conventional pop up and fits in our garage but the best part is, it pops up in less than one minute & you’re done.
WE GOT RID OF OUR POPUP BECAUSE HAVING TO SET IT UP EVERYTIME WE CAME HOME FROM WHEN IT WAS RAINING. ALWAYS HAD DOUBLE WORK TO GO CAMPING .THATS WHY WE WENT TO A 17FT CAMPER .
I now consider myself a seasoned RV person having owned 8 campers over the years. My Wife and I currently have 3 all at the same time....another story. Anyway we have a 38 foot fifth wheel for us with just about every bell and whisle, but when a buddy and I just want to go fishing for a few days we take the popup. It is just an overall awesome experience and you are actually camping but with air conditioning. My fishing partner always ask if we can take the popup because he likes it too.
The con of "just being a piece of canvas" is also a pro sometimes, less claustrophobic and you've got those three big windows when the weather is right.
My husband and I just went from a tent to a travel trailer. We travelled out West last summer and after the third night of camping, I threw out my back. That was the end of tenting camping for us. We're getting older, so comfort is a big thing for us, but we don't want to spend $100 a night, plus an extra $25 a night for the dog. The travel trailer is going to fit our needs quite nicely😊.
We've had a pop-up for 5 years and love it. It's really convenient being able to store it in our garage and avoid the cost of a storage facility. We've been all over Ohio and as far south as your neck of the woods (Big Lagoon State Park and St. Andrews State Park). The biggest drawback for us is the set-up and tear-down time. You really can't just pull into a rest stop or Walmart parking lot for a quick overnight stay. So when we travel on an extended trip (like from Ohio to FL), we have to book a motel/hotel room to break up the drive. That tacks on an extra $200-300 to our overall cost. If you do that a couple times a year, you'd pay for the cost of storing a travel trailer someplace. Plus, it takes us about 90 minutes to completely set up or tear down the camper. For a 2-night camping trip, that's a lot of work. This is one of the reasons we're looking to upgrade to a travel trailer.
That is a really good point. We use our pop-up at a camp site only about 20 minutes from the house and more than once we get it back home and set it up in the driveway to let it dry off better before we put it BACK up.
We are new to the camping world. We bought a 06 Fleetwood for $400 and did a total over haul on it. New floor, ceiling, beds, paint, etc. The 4th of July is our first camping trip in it. Crazy excited about!! Oh yea, we just bought bikes to ride at the campground. It’s going to open up (already has) opened up a whole other world.
Owned a popup for about 15 years. All the pros that you listed. Now own 25 ft TT. Biggest reason for the change is the bed and bathroom. As get older - one of us up most nights and don’t like climbing over each other to get out of bed. Also - full shower and toilet really nice. Another major advantage is packing for the trip - just walk in and pack and close the door and drive off. Do get a significant drop in gas mileage and bit more work to tow - but for more “mature” couple - really like the TT. Do miss all the beds in the popup as our TT is more for couple as now empty nesters. Really liked the popup when had kids at home. Trailers are always about what is most important to you and compromise on other parts. Enjoy.
Yeah Jack I hear ya. You said the magic word: intro. When I was your age, I sounded exactly like you, I bought a used pop up. Later a bumper pull, now, I'm on my second motorhome. You gotta be careful when you make snowballs, one little push down that hill and.............
We started in a tent then went to the pop up then the bumper pull now we have a 5th wheel and I think our next one will be a class A only because of comfort and setup time . They all have the pluses and minuses it’s an age group thing , we are 60 and 57 . You’ll see your needs change.
I love pop up Trailers. I just bought a used one a month ago and it’s awesome. My best friend Joey had one, and we had the best time of our lives In that thing. We were always by the beach and the weather was never bad on us. Setting up was never an issue because we had fun just doing that too. Pop open a beer and good to go. The pop-up trailer was very Light and easy to store and easy to Pull. It beats tents hands down. For me the best thing ever, I would not go with anything else.
We went the same route because of weight and easy to get into tight spots and still getting the camping effect when u open all windows you can see everything around you instead of being boxed in with a couple Windows . Good choice
I started out sleeping in a tent on the ground. Then I got 2 little kids so we got a pop up and a porta-potty. Then the kids started growing so we got a 24 foot hard top. Then another kid came along so we got a 5th wheel. Eventually I suppose we'll do like my parents and trade that for an A-class. But the pop up was an important step in the progression and at the time we loved it. Bought it for $5000 and sold it for $3500 after 3 years of use. And it actually hauled quite a bit of stuff, we used those big blue bins and just stowed them in the "hallway" and put them up once the trailer was set up. Food is an issue though the crappy little fridge doesn't hold much and if you are in bear country you want to store the food in the car.
Tent to pop-up camper once we had kids then as we PCS'd to California we went to a travel trailer eventually evolving to an amazing 5th wheel as we know we love RVing and will be part of our retirement years plan. Years of coast to coast moves and memories with the Family along the way makes it fun with no wrong choice.
Pop ups can be nice but when your family grows you want comfort and efficiency. With my Ram 1500 I couldn’t even tell I was pulling a pop up behind me, super easy to tow. However, I hate setting them up, not having any insulation, dealing with the weather, and not having any space inside. So we bought a brand new 36 ft. travel trailer. A second house we take with us.
I have a 89 Coleman PUP... Got for exactly same reason yall got yours. Actually, I got mine after I saw your videos on it, and that helped to cement my decision to get ours.
My 32' is all automatic which I love even the awning comes out with the push of a button. I can guarantee after a few years you'll want a travel trailer.
I have a fleetwood offroad lifted pop up with a place for my dirtbike on the front and a boat rack on top with beefy tires. I have taken that thing some places you could never take a regular trailer. Thats what I love about mine!
Thank you for your video! My hubby and I got a Pop-up early spring and used it several times. Then sold it, made some money and looking for a travel trailer. 3 -4 teenagers in our pop-up gets a bit tight but we had a lot of fun and looking forward to a bigger one!!
Ok so my parents had a 1974 GMC motor home c class. Dad braced the back end and we actually pulled a horse trailer with it. My mom and I did a lot of weekends in it. It's kinda fun to see your set up when you've been camping with someone for a while. I remember she would always clean up in the camper in the morning and I would clean up after the horses outside.
It's all about what makes you happy. We camp in a 43' fifth wheel that we pull with a freightliner semi truck. I've got a couple videos on it on my channel. At 65' combined length, I envy pop-ups sometimes.
I have a pop up and I also still use a tent. Setting up the popup is a pain. I may yet replace it with a hard shell camper, and for the reason stated; It would be nice to pull into a Walmart on the road and just go to sleep or fix a meal. I camp alone and it is time consuming to set up the pop up, 30 minutes to an hour. It is actually easier to just use a tent, though not nearly so comfortable. Once the pop up is set up it makes a nice little house. I lived in a small hard shell through a winter in the Colorado mountains and it was very tight. The beds in a pop up are huge, and they are especially comfortable in summertime when you can open the screens.
I think another difference is hearing everything outside. More insulation and noise reduction on travel trailer v tent trailer. Some people like to hear nature, but some like the quite time. Goes the other way too. People outside hearing you inside 😎. Great Video!
I don't have an RV right now? We did when we used to live in Florida? We had a fifth wheel? Hubby would hit his head on the tough of the fifth wheel? We live in NC now? No RVs yet? Seems like RV park are expensive? Sometimes we think it's cheaper staying at a hotel? Than an RV park? Some RV parks want 5 hundred a month? Or 50 dollars a day? Depends where your at?
I just decided on a small travel trailer. Storage space and weight are not issues in my case. Plenty of yard space and a full size truck to tow it. The price was my only drawback but I think the travel trailers typically outlast most pop ups. Either way I would of been happy. Thanks for the video.
I have a 1995 fleetwood Coleman Roanoke pop up 8ft and I absolutely love it. My parents bought it almost brand new back in 1999. The awning on it was damaged so I just took it off and bought a canopy to put in front of it instead because it was much easier to put up and take down. I put a new mattress in it, fixed the bearings, fixed the stretch cords that hold the canvas under the beds, sealed the roof and re sanded and painted the roof and roof rack, mounted a new battery and propane tank to it, put new latched and locks on it and fixed the dinette table. But Over all tho I love my pop up and wouldn’t trade it for anything. In my opinion the upkeep on it is way easier, cheaper and more maintainable than a travel trailer. You can also go more places in the mountains, take sharper turns and go down narrower roads than you can with a travel trailer. Don’t get me wrong, travel trailers are nice but I’ve always been a pop up guy and will be till I die!
I have had a 24 foot trailer, now in a pop up. I enjoyed both. With the tent trailer, I really love how easy it is to tow...no stress. We can travel as far as we want...last summer a 2500 mile trip to Canada. I would never have wanted to tow a big travel trailer that far with my rig. I love the closer connection to nature in the pop up too. Biggest downside to me is the loss of a nice private toilet. Now we tend to try and find nice campgrounds with flush toilets and showers to make up for that. I have to say we travel in bear country a lot, we never cook inside the pop up or store food in it...all meals outside at the picnic table, freezer fridge is in SUV. We also have bear spray and sometimes a firearm for protection. I never felt that level of concern with the trailer. However, what's actually a bigger threat...bears or risks from towing a much big trailer on the freeway? I'm liking the small pop up...great visibility, no sway, easy up or down steep grades, way better gas mileage, high clearance for dirt roads, etc. Go with what works best for you...both have advantages and disadvantages.
Had 4 Coleman pop ups since 1985..built like tanks..last one was a 2003 Coleman Niagara Elite..loaded..but I'm pushing 60 yrs old with bad knees...so last year it was time for a Travel Trailer..loved my pop ups completely but just wanted less set up and more relaxing time. Enjoyed your video and happy camping!
Tips for backing up. You reverse steer. It's always the opposite way and I still fuck it up. So don't freak out. Don't over steer, especially with the popup trailer. So easy to "jackknife" . Have a reference point on the side you are steering into and put your trailer tire right on it.
I learned many years ago this tactic from a friend that was a CDL instructor when you’re backing up whether any size trailer use both of your mirrors and remember this statement he told me “turn into trouble”. Turn into trouble means when you are backing up and see the trailer showing up in either mirror turn the wheel towards it and it goes away ...you go to the other mirror same thing you see the trailer turn into it and it goes away....you do it with some practice you’ll be able to back up with no problem
The deal breaker for me is NO bathroom. I also liked to be nice and secure in my travel trailer during a storm. Screw that shit having to stand outside and hold your canvas down. Good video. Might was to consider a travel trailer with pop out extensions then you would have the best of both worlds.
Started off in a tent and then went to a pop up just like you all. Then we got crazy, bought a Tundra and a 21 foot hybrid trailer with 3 queen pop outs. Still only slept 8 w/ thd diner down but tons of living space. Got tired of paying for storage due to HOA and now we are shopping the used pop up market. Thanks for the videos and inspiration! My wife and I totally relate to you all.
We have definitely come full circle! Just bought a 1993 Starcraft for $1000 on the 1st and starred renovation/customization yesterday! Thanks again fir sharing your pop up journey!
We traded in our pop up for a 13 ft travel trailer and lost 900 lbs of towing weight!!! The age of the trailer affects the weight. And our kids don't come with us anymore so we didn't need as much space. Our stove goes in or out. Still a good video as it raises all the important points even though I don't agree with them all.Good job!
We’ve been using our Viking pop up since 2005, Out side of repairing the laches, and thermostat, it has virtually paid for itself. Love camping at the state parks in Indiana. Its great getting away for 3 or 4 days.
We've (me, wife, two teenagers) have been long-time "tent camper"...but are looking at both a PUP and TT...and hope to get one later this Spring. One thing I've noticed about TT's...is that when you step inside, you definitely feel like you're in a "trailer" Lots of walls...and maybe only two windows. The furniture (i.e. dinette, bathroom. bed, sofa, etc.) also feel cheap. Yeah, it also does in a PUP. But at least with the PUP, you feel like you're in a big tent--a lot more "open"....lots of screens to give it a much more open feeling. Having those two queen/king beds is a big plus, too. We haven't made up our mind yet (we have a Ford Expedition)...but we seem to be leaning to the PUP.
6 person tent - been using it for our family of four for 7 years. Just bought the kids their own 4 person last year. We have contemplated the travel trailer route many times but just never committed.
I just moved from a HiLo to a pop-up. My Hilo had major water damage to the upper unit and only slept 2-4. There was no space to move around. I'm in my 60's and I think it was a good move. I plan to get out and do a lot more camping. Oh, and I was limited to no more than 2500# with my Dodge Journey.
I started out backpacking in my 20's. Now in my 60's, I've had them all and sticking with my 40 foot fifth-wheel and F-350 to pull it. Got a lot of room for fishing gear, queen bed, food and stuff. My advise is to get what you can afford. It's more important about where you go to enjoy camping.
We have a 27 ft. Travel trailer we love it. We started with a pop up trailer. We traded it for our trailer we have now. The older you get the pop up didn't work for us anymore.
We have a 2008 Viking pop-up and we love it. We're from Florida and the weather there was tough on the roof. But I love tent camping only at 71 years old getting up and down was an issue. We recently added a lift system when one of our cables broke znd it is awesome! Now we only have to crank down the "feet". We do need a new roof though which we are trying to find otherwise we will have to pay someone to remake ours. We plan to build a short garage for it in our new home here in Texas to protect it from tbe elements.
No Bath eliminates pop ups for us. Too many years in tents using the Shovel Latrine. We are not big about large groups in my trailer or tent. Got a small couple's trailer for less than 20,000, tows nicely behind my Jeep Cherokee, Walk around bed, so if someone has to go during the night, they don't have to crawl over their partner to get out of the bed. When the weather turns bad, stay inside, warm, dry and comfortable. Weather nice, cook outside and enjoy the great outdoors under the awning.
The wife and I have been camping with the same group of friends for 20 years. 18 of those years was tent camping. The first 4-5 of THOSE years was a sleeping bag on a pad. Then we bought an inflatable mattress. We are the oldest within our group and the first year with the inflatable mattress we got teased (in fun) about being "old". The VERY next year, one of the other couples had one too!! It's about comfort. In the last 2 years, we wanted to try a camper. We wanted to be off the ground and be able to sit on a bed instead of getting up off a mattress in the morning. Our summer camping trip of 2017 we rented an A-frame style. For setup, this gets an A+. With a little practice, you can set it up in a little over a minute. The downside was the limited space, very uncomfortable bed, and I was the one sleeping under the "A". Difficult to get out of bed, over the wife, to take that middle of the night..............."relief". This past summer we rented a 17' box style camper. Pull in, level it, drop the corner supports and you're done. The bed ran lengthwise with the camper against the side wall, more comfortable to sleep on but as I was against the wall, still a little more challenging to get out past the missus. It also had a bathroom which she loved. Overall, still not totally happy. This fall we bought a 16' Coleman Fleetwood popup. Was well maintained and in great shape. What drew us to this was a queen bed and a little smaller bed on the other side. We can each get out without having to crawl over the other one. There is a cassette toilet inside as well. A decent inside space to move about in with a dining table and sink/stove galley. Towing it was awesome. Weight was negligible with my 1/2 ton Dodge and looking in the rear view mirror, visability was great. With the box style camper, not even close. Yeah, it's a little bit of a hassle cranking it up, but not a big deal. Setting up any kind of camp takes time and effort, and we feel that the time spent setting this up will be well worth it. Seeing as we just got this the beginning of November, we haven' t actually "camped" in it yet, but are very much looking forward to it this summer.
My buddy had a pop up back in the day while I was doing the truck topper thing. Worst negative I remember was when it rained on the last day my buddy had to go home and set up his pop up again until it dried out. Stowing it wet will kill them. Hard to do in "sunny" Florida!
I have decided on a vintage 17 or 18 foot travel trailer. I like the 1960's Aristocrat style. I don't want to have to keep upgrading for comfort as I get older. The vintage trailer will just become more collectible as I continue having fun restoring it and creating memories along the way. Trailers are great for on my days off, I can tinker with electricals, woodwork, relax and read a book or watch a movie in a little home away from home on my 1/2 acre lot. My wife doesn't want a bear or boogie man ripping through the canvas on a pop up tent trailer. (A solid trailer will buy me time to grab my gun)Plus, we want to keep it set up for weekend camping on our big back yard with our burn pit built right in the middle.
We have a 2004 Coleman Sedona with no A/C. 1 king bed and 1full/queen bed. We love the pop up camper. Easy tow, easy on the MPG, easy insurance and tags. Drawbacks are no a/c and abt 1500 to install, you have to be creative with storage, its a tent and is definitely what they call a destination only camper so we always have to have a reservation when we travel. I do not care for the fold down kitchen, if I had to do it all over again I would get A/C and the high wall style pop up.
I decided to get a jeep wrangler 2 door to replace my pickup truck when it started breaking down. With the jeep I bought a little 1987 Bonaire BA-700 and I love this thing. In my province in Canada tandem towing is legal so I pull my aluminum 14 foot boat behind it.
Been camping for years, tent, tent on motorcycle, mini pop up behind motorcycle! Then 2 pop ups, then a Big travel trailer, now a travel trailer that is quite a bit smaller, seems big enough at 24’ just finished a 2month trip out west.. Just have fun!! Pop ups are great, gas is ALOT less pulling them, easier to find a campsite cause they are smaller,, like u said, downside is setup and your not going to make a rest stop and use it... thanks for sharing, great vids!!!!
Towing in the wind on a highway with tractor trailer trucks passing by - it seems to be easier with a lower profile item like a pop-up. Just a thing to think about your comfort level for towing on high speed roads. Great video. Thanks for sharing it.
I sold my 30 foot travel trailer because We feel unsafe and to many other things on mind, so we decide to buy a Viking tent trailer and is amazing, we have some work every camping but it has everything we need, shower toilet, 2 king beds and table slide out, best thing my truck can pull it super easy.
ive used both, and tent camping. i rented and towed a small travel trailer from LA to Yosemite and spent a fortune on fuel. we had rain come from nowhere, so it worked out well. i could barely fit the travel trailer into my driveway due to the angle of the entry, even though i have a large property. im shopping for a pop up now. way easier to tow (fuel and ease) and i can unhitch and push it into my garage for storage. we basically just need a tent on wheels. the only thing i will miss from the travel trailer is the toilet. setting up the pop up doesnt take that much time imo. quicker and easier than our tent. unfortunately the only ones im finding for sale in the LA area are 20+ years old and they still want $3-4k for them.
We have a 2007 Fleetwood Niagra which is a big popup - 26' opened up. We live in Vermont and cruise around New England camping. It is some work to get it all setup. Our experience is with popup camping you feel the outdoors where self contained you are cramped in a small area, no matter what size you have. Personally, you are not camping unless you are in a tent....
We love our pop up...and yes...it is a lot of work. We are often talking about getting a travel trailer. But we love to spaciousness and the feel of our pop up. I think that even if we did get a closed trailer, we would still keep our popup. Loved everything you guys said. It was spot on! 😊
After watching your video of picking up your pup we decided to jump on in on this pop up camper live and it’s fantastic We purchased a 2003 Coleman Mesa. We love it not everything was perfect but slowly but sure I fixed everything wrong with it so it’s perfect for us.. thank you brother and Samantha for inspiring us to explore and see more..
We just sold our pop up, we bought a Minnie drop. pop-ups are great, but a lot of work. We camp off the grid a lot. So after five years we decided to get a trailer.
We had a pop-up camper. It was nice it had a full kitchen and wet bath. It was nice but it was a problem when the weather got really cold or hot. Now we up graded to a travel trailer. It’s great. Now we can start earlier and stay later in the camping season
My current wife and I went from a Travel Star hybrid where both ends popped out like a popup, to a 37 foot 5th wheel with the intention of living in it which we do and love. Now, though, it was my pleasure to buy my daughter and her husband out of their Rockwood Freedom popup camper. So now we have a 5th wheel which we call home, and our popup camper for the road which is back to more realistic camping for the mountains, beach, desert, and spas. (Sam's Family Spa and Campground) I want to fix mine up like you guys did. Thanks for the inspiration.
Biggest reason I will always use a tent trailer is that I can take it in some of the roughest trails. I live in Colorado so it needs to be able to get in the back country. Low profile, lifted suspension. It goes anywhere
Nice video... a lot valid points and seems like you put some thought into it..I pitched a tent since in my late teens and now in my 50s My wife and I recently picked up a used 24’ light weight travel trailer 4200lbs and it’s made traveling a whole lot easier...The simplicity of just unlocking the the door Stepping in seeing all the comforts of home already set up is great..but there’s still work involved like unhitching, leveling and hookups...talking so much about how we enjoy our trailer to family and friends that we have some jumping in...one just purchased 30’ travel trailer and another is looking into a pop up...keep up the good work..
Good video guys! We had a pop-up back in the 90s when I was stationed at Fort Bliss. Did a lot of camping in the mountains of N.M.Loved it. Then the Army shipped me off to Germany and we had to sale it... Getting to old for them now, the better half wants a 5th wheel. LOL
I'm a old camper and went your route and justifications. Started out with tents,truck shell, went to pop ups , then to camper, and now motor-home. I'd say if you can the sell the popup...do so and buy a small camper{like a fiberglass one} as they are easier to setup and better protection from rain. I had a Tacoma and loved the truck until i had to put a trailer. Geezers, my Tacoma was fun to drive but only got at the best 16 mpg and fell on it butt in Colorado pulling my Harley . i can guess you realize quickly that I sold it.
You will have lots more great pop-up camping stories! Those caravan people just moan about head winds and fuel costs. You have the right attitude, buy used, do it up and don't over spend. You can't lose! Have fun folks!
We just sold our 1971 shasta compact travel trailer 13ft last week. You know, the kind that has the retro wings on it lol. It did us good for about 3 yrs and would have kept it longer but our son is getting to big to sleep in the bunk that's above our heads. We ended up getting a hybrid camper. Still light enough for us to pull.
We have a 2001 Coleman Cheyenne, in really great condition, we love it!!! However, I have had back surgery twice, and now having knee and ankle issues. We are thinking about getting a travel trailer, but can't make the decision. The setup/take-down issue is huge for me, and when it rains, we struggle to be able to open it up at home to dry out, so the travel trailer would be the answer there. But the popup is easy, we can go anywhere, it fits in our garage, it's paid for!!! But the travel trailer would allow us to go more places and camp longer, and work from the campground no matter the weather. What to do??!!!???
Tent trailer can also be fairly heavy, our Coleman Westlake weighs in at around 3,200 lbs....space in a tent trailer is awesome, ours sets up to 28' with two king size beds. We don't take anybody else! FYI you can get an inexpensive cover for pop-ups on eBay. Our Westlake is 12' plus the front storage area and tongue and the cover costs us $62.00 including shipping. It lasts through 2-3 seasons, then buy a new one. Wind and rain could be the biggest draw backs to pop-ups! We have yet to experience rain, just have to be sure to dry it off before putting it away. Good video!
Jack Yak, I'm happy to see your RV videos added to your channel. RV's are like cars trucks, boats, and many other things. There are no one size fits all, just personal needs and preferences. I bought a small, used motorhome last October. It's only 24 feet (coach) but is working well for my needs and the small size allows me to take it almost anywhere. Post more when you can, we can share more ideas.
I have a small popup and it has AC, a plus, and I have got my moneys worth out of it. My girls love it and we sleep better in the popup than we do at home. Winter camping in it is a bitch, but I have done it many times with temps down in the teens, it gets cold in parts of Texas, but the AC is a must or you will melt. Love the videos.
Thanks for this video. My wife & I recently got the big "bug eyes" for a travel trailer, but a pop up makes sense for my Chevy Colorado, our budget, and our desire to get out there sooner than later!
Hey you two hit it on the head with this one, everything you two mentioned I can validate, I have both types, my TT cost me $3800 used very nice though, and the PU $500 and man did it need some love, the canvas was tore by some of the window/screens, bad door and the crank gear one one of the roof post was not working, but like you said, easy to work on, my conclusion on the PU is it is time consuming, light weight so good for gas mileage, and if the weather is good and everything is working it's the perfect little trailer, and by the way you two are the critters in your trailer lol, happy camping to you both and Samantha you are beautiful your husband better thank the good lord for you see ya latter tatters
Hey Jack, yeah, Its your neighbor over in Mobile. I'm on my 4th PUP in about 40 years. Had a pull behind for a while, but its harder to pull, truck gets terrible gas mileage, lots of upkeep etc. Went back to a pop up and are loving it. Was at Gulf State park last weekend ridin' recumbents. Its a Starcraft (Jayco) 1020. Lovin' it. C'ya
We have a 1987 galaxy starpop-up that we are fixing to update . Loved your renovation videos. We did go look at camper this weekend. But for our weight pull your options are limited. Yes the kitchen are nice and having a shower would be nice. As far as living space there isn't much difference. We always travel in groups so sleeping space is important. Besides that all you really need is a space to lay your head after the fun in the sun. Thank you for sharing. You guys are to cute!
I went from a travel trailer to a pop up mostly because it's easier to tow. I never thought I'd own one but I never thought I'd own a mini van, either. It takes a bit to set up but it's worth the trade off for the ease of towing. We also like to boondock in remote wilderness areas in Michigan's U.P. Pop ups are easier to squeeze into smaller spots. Critters haven't been a problem... yet. Our dog does a good job scaring them off I think. Eventually we may get one of those fold down types. We'll see.
2:00 I live in NH and I learned the hard way about storing a pop-up. It can't be left outside. My roof got all caved in by the snow. It doesn't like the real cold temps. I just made metal brackets to push the roof up. Not perfect. Less sag. Should have done that long ago. I am also replacing the exterior walls. They got wet and delaminated. I now store it in my garage but then I can't do anything else in there. Going to sell it this season.
Appreciate you sharing. We started searching for a used A frame pop about 2 years ago. In the process, stumbled across a small 16 foot coachmen bunkhouse travel trailer at a low price to us and bought it. Glad we did end withbtravel.trailer vs pop up we were searching for. Your already mentioned some of the reasons. The couple cons you also mentioned. For example, our 2003 taco gas mileage towing drops to 11-13 mpg vs 21 mpg just the truck. Still more economical than hotel. And dont really like hotel, motels anyway. Also, have to rent storage space because no practical / safe place at our house to keep it. Thst being said, still prefer no assemble required. Hope this help you also
Like lot of comments tent to pop up. The main reason I went to a travel trailer was wind. 2017 while hunting in Oklahoma, at night we were having 30 to 40 mph winds. A few times I thought the pop up was going to collapse. My dad planted the bug about a tt. Now I got one and love it. Times I wished I still had the pup.
I love what yall did with your pop up. I have a 1977 bethany I'm working on, just raised it with new axles and big tires now I need to patch some tears and holes in the canvas then finally mounting a rack for my yak. Wish me luck I'm in cedar park / Austin texas and I love camping in our crazy weather.
Some parks in "bear" country will not allow soft sided pop ups for obvious reasons. I was in the market for a 15 foot travel trailer (brand new) many years ago. All the dealers around where I live were sold out! I went to an RV show at a stadium and came across a dealer who was willing to sell me a brand new 22 foot 2014 travel trailer for the same price of a 15 footer! I whipped out that Visa card and towed that thing home that day! I do have a 16 foot cuddy cabin boat also. Both the trailer and boat are kept at a storage yard. Happy camping!
That was real honest and factual. I have a 2004 StarCraft and I love it! We are selling it even though we have electric raise, which is nice. Every thing you said was right on. Mine hasn't been that fragile, even the slide out seems heavy duty. Thank you 😊
This video helped me to decide so thank you a million! We are going to look next weekend at travel trailers, no pop up now! this will be our first one ever so Im super excited. I've wanted a camper for years. Im glad you are enjoying your pop up!
If you are buying, selling or moving to the Florida Gulf Coast email me! I am a Real Estate Agent! - jack.motley@adoorrealestate.com
Been camping for 50+ years started in tent to a truck with a shell to a camper on a truck to a travel trailer. The older you get you find the more comfort you are willing to pay for. As long as you are enjoying your self it doesn't matter what you have.
oh so true.
Agree
I agree...even at my age, 62, I think its better to transition and not waste a lot of $$$ right off the bat. My big thing is getting into nature and not being in a trailer park.
Excellent comment
Yep! I never thought I'd be to old to set up a pop up camper but its getting to be hard to crawl under there to back lift it and put in the brace bars. Looking at travel trailers now.
Really enjoyed this video! took me back to all the good times we've had RVing over the years. Been married since "72, been camping since '72.
Don;t have a camper right now. We started camping in 1972 with a retired Army tent with no floor. Since then we've had better tents, 2 different pop-ups, then went to a travel trailer because of one con you missed: we were camping every weekend with our 2 kids, and my bride got tired of loading and unloading the popup in preparation for the weekend. So we bought the "hard side" so we could leave it fully stocked all the time - from catsup in the fridge to clothes in the closet! Wonderful! (Although I always did miss the open, fresh air feeling of a pop-up) We had a couple of those, later lived in a fifth wheel for a while - easiest way ever to move a long distance while still looking for a house! Then we had a business that required us to be on the road, so 2 different motor homes. Finally full timed in a 5th wheel for a few years down in TX. Looking for our next big RV adventure now.
As a former tenter I really appreciate that we can sit in the pop up with all the windows unzipped and "feel" the outdoors (without the bugs). Obviously once you have a routine set up is pretty easy.
I started in a tent went to a pop up then went to a travel trailer. As time goes on comfort takes over
Where I live pop ups are called "Grizzly Lunchbox"
We bought a pop-up about five years ago and we absolutely LOVE it. It was used, but taken care of like a baby! One side is a queen and the other is a king-sized bed. Both hubby and are very tall and don't even have a king in our home! Love camping in it always, but during the fall you can open all the windows so just screens are in and it feels like you're in a tree house!
We love ours !
This guy scared me to DEATH. My hubby and I got a good deal on a popup. It's in great shape. Now I am second guessing all the stuff about critters in it and fragile and bending. My parents had a popup for years and we as a family traveled everywhere and I never recall any bending and critters.
A-Framed popup (Aliner) the best of both worlds. Literally sets up in 2 minutes, and you can leave it attached to your truck
We’ve had three conventional pop up campers. Too much work..period. We have had conventional travel trailers- hated messing with the sewage & water stuff. We are retired and happy with our new Aliner Scout Park camper. It is low profile like a conventional pop up and fits in our garage but the best part is, it pops up in less than one minute & you’re done.
WE GOT RID OF OUR POPUP BECAUSE HAVING TO SET IT UP EVERYTIME WE CAME HOME FROM WHEN IT WAS RAINING. ALWAYS HAD DOUBLE WORK TO GO CAMPING .THATS WHY WE WENT TO A 17FT CAMPER .
TheTnstick why are you yelling at us
my eyes are bad so its easier to see when typing. sorry
@@angelomartinez9039 He's not yelling you are just reading it loud.😂😂
I now consider myself a seasoned RV person having owned 8 campers over the years. My Wife and I currently have 3 all at the same time....another story. Anyway we have a 38 foot fifth wheel for us with just about every bell and whisle, but when a buddy and I just want to go fishing for a few days we take the popup. It is just an overall awesome experience and you are actually camping but with air conditioning. My fishing partner always ask if we can take the popup because he likes it too.
The con of "just being a piece of canvas" is also a pro sometimes, less claustrophobic and you've got those three big windows when the weather is right.
My husband and I just went from a tent to a travel trailer. We travelled out West last summer and after the third night of camping, I threw out my back. That was the end of tenting camping for us. We're getting older, so comfort is a big thing for us, but we don't want to spend $100 a night, plus an extra $25 a night for the dog. The travel trailer is going to fit our needs quite nicely😊.
Loved our pop up, until there was a bear blocking the camp bathroom at 2:00 am. Momma has a fifth wheel now, ha
I camp in the National Forest, not usually at a designated campground. It is in bear country, travel trailers offer more protection.
I'll never sleep in a tent on the ground again. I love my popup camper.
making the switch next year to a pop up. 50 plus years of tenting, this year got the air bed,first time.Leaning towards to a Somerset
Me either, I hammock camp now lol jk.
We've had a pop-up for 5 years and love it. It's really convenient being able to store it in our garage and avoid the cost of a storage facility. We've been all over Ohio and as far south as your neck of the woods (Big Lagoon State Park and St. Andrews State Park). The biggest drawback for us is the set-up and tear-down time. You really can't just pull into a rest stop or Walmart parking lot for a quick overnight stay. So when we travel on an extended trip (like from Ohio to FL), we have to book a motel/hotel room to break up the drive. That tacks on an extra $200-300 to our overall cost. If you do that a couple times a year, you'd pay for the cost of storing a travel trailer someplace. Plus, it takes us about 90 minutes to completely set up or tear down the camper. For a 2-night camping trip, that's a lot of work. This is one of the reasons we're looking to upgrade to a travel trailer.
Thanks, I love what y'all did to your camper. Another con though is it's not fun packing it up in the rain all wet.
That is a really good point. We use our pop-up at a camp site only about 20 minutes from the house and more than once we get it back home and set it up in the driveway to let it dry off better before we put it BACK up.
We are new to the camping world. We bought a 06 Fleetwood for $400 and did a total over haul on it. New floor, ceiling, beds, paint, etc. The 4th of July is our first camping trip in it. Crazy excited about!! Oh yea, we just bought bikes to ride at the campground. It’s going to open up (already has) opened up a whole other world.
Owned a popup for about 15 years. All the pros that you listed. Now own 25 ft TT. Biggest reason for the change is the bed and bathroom. As get older - one of us up most nights and don’t like climbing over each other to get out of bed. Also - full shower and toilet really nice. Another major advantage is packing for the trip - just walk in and pack and close the door and drive off. Do get a significant drop in gas mileage and bit more work to tow - but for more “mature” couple - really like the TT. Do miss all the beds in the popup as our TT is more for couple as now empty nesters. Really liked the popup when had kids at home. Trailers are always about what is most important to you and compromise on other parts. Enjoy.
Yeah Jack I hear ya. You said the magic word: intro. When I was your age, I sounded exactly like you, I bought a used pop up. Later a bumper pull, now, I'm on my second motorhome. You gotta be careful when you make snowballs, one little push down that hill and.............
Being disabled we didn't want the setup so we bought an old Holiday Rambler motorhome. Had some work done to it, needs more but it's liveable.
We started in a tent then went to the pop up then the bumper pull now we have a 5th wheel and I think our next one will be a class A only because of comfort and setup time . They all have the pluses and minuses it’s an age group thing , we are 60 and 57 . You’ll see your needs change.
I love pop up Trailers. I just bought a used one a month ago and it’s awesome. My best friend Joey had one, and we had the best time of our lives In that thing. We were always by the beach and the weather was never bad on us. Setting up was never an issue because we had fun just doing that too. Pop open a beer and good to go. The pop-up trailer was very Light and easy to store and easy to Pull. It beats tents hands down. For me the best thing ever, I would not go with anything else.
We went the same route because of weight and easy to get into tight spots and still getting the camping effect when u open all windows you can see everything around you instead of being boxed in with a couple Windows . Good choice
I started out sleeping in a tent on the ground. Then I got 2 little kids so we got a pop up and a porta-potty. Then the kids started growing so we got a 24 foot hard top. Then another kid came along so we got a 5th wheel. Eventually I suppose we'll do like my parents and trade that for an A-class. But the pop up was an important step in the progression and at the time we loved it. Bought it for $5000 and sold it for $3500 after 3 years of use. And it actually hauled quite a bit of stuff, we used those big blue bins and just stowed them in the "hallway" and put them up once the trailer was set up. Food is an issue though the crappy little fridge doesn't hold much and if you are in bear country you want to store the food in the car.
Tent to pop-up camper once we had kids then as we PCS'd to California we went to a travel trailer eventually evolving to an amazing 5th wheel as we know we love RVing and will be part of our retirement years plan. Years of coast to coast moves and memories with the Family along the way makes it fun with no wrong choice.
Pop ups can be nice but when your family grows you want comfort and efficiency. With my Ram 1500 I couldn’t even tell I was pulling a pop up behind me, super easy to tow. However, I hate setting them up, not having any insulation, dealing with the weather, and not having any space inside. So we bought a brand new 36 ft. travel trailer. A second house we take with us.
I have a 89 Coleman PUP... Got for exactly same reason yall got yours. Actually, I got mine after I saw your videos on it, and that helped to cement my decision to get ours.
My 32' is all automatic which I love even the awning comes out with the push of a button. I can guarantee after a few years you'll want a travel trailer.
I have a fleetwood offroad lifted pop up with a place for my dirtbike on the front and a boat rack on top with beefy tires. I have taken that thing some places you could never take a regular trailer. Thats what I love about mine!
Thank you for your video! My hubby and I got a Pop-up early spring and used it several times. Then sold it, made some money and looking for a travel trailer. 3 -4 teenagers in our pop-up gets a bit tight but we had a lot of fun and looking forward to a bigger one!!
I bought a 1993 pop up 7 years ago for 800 dollars all my kids have enjoyed very much, I said is and upgrade tent , we loved it!!!!
Ok so my parents had a 1974 GMC motor home c class. Dad braced the back end and we actually pulled a horse trailer with it. My mom and I did a lot of weekends in it. It's kinda fun to see your set up when you've been camping with someone for a while. I remember she would always clean up in the camper in the morning and I would clean up after the horses outside.
It's all about what makes you happy. We camp in a 43' fifth wheel that we pull with a freightliner semi truck. I've got a couple videos on it on my channel. At 65' combined length, I envy pop-ups sometimes.
I have a pop up and I also still use a tent. Setting up the popup is a pain. I may yet replace it with a hard shell camper, and for the reason stated; It would be nice to pull into a Walmart on the road and just go to sleep or fix a meal. I camp alone and it is time consuming to set up the pop up, 30 minutes to an hour. It is actually easier to just use a tent, though not nearly so comfortable. Once the pop up is set up it makes a nice little house. I lived in a small hard shell through a winter in the Colorado mountains and it was very tight. The beds in a pop up are huge, and they are especially comfortable in summertime when you can open the screens.
I think another difference is hearing everything outside. More insulation and noise reduction on travel trailer v tent trailer.
Some people like to hear nature, but some like the quite time. Goes the other way too. People outside hearing you inside 😎. Great Video!
I don't have an RV right now? We did when we used to live in Florida? We had a fifth wheel? Hubby would hit his head on the tough of the fifth wheel? We live in NC now? No RVs yet? Seems like RV park are expensive? Sometimes we think it's cheaper staying at a hotel? Than an RV park? Some RV parks want 5 hundred a month? Or 50 dollars a day? Depends where your at?
I just decided on a small travel trailer. Storage space and weight are not issues in my case. Plenty of yard space and a full size truck to tow it. The price was my only drawback but I think the travel trailers typically outlast most pop ups. Either way I would of been happy. Thanks for the video.
I have a 1995 fleetwood Coleman Roanoke pop up 8ft and I absolutely love it. My parents bought it almost brand new back in 1999. The awning on it was damaged so I just took it off and bought a canopy to put in front of it instead because it was much easier to put up and take down. I put a new mattress in it, fixed the bearings, fixed the stretch cords that hold the canvas under the beds, sealed the roof and re sanded and painted the roof and roof rack, mounted a new battery and propane tank to it, put new latched and locks on it and fixed the dinette table. But Over all tho I love my pop up and wouldn’t trade it for anything. In my opinion the upkeep on it is way easier, cheaper and more maintainable than a travel trailer. You can also go more places in the mountains, take sharper turns and go down narrower roads than you can with a travel trailer. Don’t get me wrong, travel trailers are nice but I’ve always been a pop up guy and will be till I die!
I have had a 24 foot trailer, now in a pop up. I enjoyed both. With the tent trailer, I really love how easy it is to tow...no stress. We can travel as far as we want...last summer a 2500 mile trip to Canada. I would never have wanted to tow a big travel trailer that far with my rig. I love the closer connection to nature in the pop up too. Biggest downside to me is the loss of a nice private toilet. Now we tend to try and find nice campgrounds with flush toilets and showers to make up for that. I have to say we travel in bear country a lot, we never cook inside the pop up or store food in it...all meals outside at the picnic table, freezer fridge is in SUV. We also have bear spray and sometimes a firearm for protection. I never felt that level of concern with the trailer. However, what's actually a bigger threat...bears or risks from towing a much big trailer on the freeway? I'm liking the small pop up...great visibility, no sway, easy up or down steep grades, way better gas mileage, high clearance for dirt roads, etc. Go with what works best for you...both have advantages and disadvantages.
Had 4 Coleman pop ups since 1985..built like tanks..last one was a 2003 Coleman Niagara Elite..loaded..but I'm pushing 60 yrs old with bad knees...so last year it was time for a Travel Trailer..loved my pop ups completely but just wanted less set up and more relaxing time. Enjoyed your video and happy camping!
I could never back my pop up in a spot....so I would unhook and just push it in (yes, by myself).
Hey becky, good comment. I was wonderimg could i pull a pop up camper with my own strength or my bike...
Tips for backing up. You reverse steer. It's always the opposite way and I still fuck it up. So don't freak out. Don't over steer, especially with the popup trailer. So easy to "jackknife" . Have a reference point on the side you are steering into and put your trailer tire right on it.
I learned many years ago this tactic from a friend that was a CDL instructor when you’re backing up whether any size trailer use both of your mirrors and remember this statement he told me “turn into trouble”. Turn into trouble means when you are backing up and see the trailer showing up in either mirror turn the wheel towards it and it goes away ...you go to the other mirror same thing you see the trailer turn into it and it goes away....you do it with some practice you’ll be able to back up with no problem
The deal breaker for me is NO bathroom. I also liked to be nice and secure in my travel trailer during a storm. Screw that shit having to stand outside and hold your canvas down. Good video. Might was to consider a travel trailer with pop out extensions then you would have the best of both worlds.
Hybrid popup
Started off in a tent and then went to a pop up just like you all. Then we got crazy, bought a Tundra and a 21 foot hybrid trailer with 3 queen pop outs. Still only slept 8 w/ thd diner down but tons of living space. Got tired of paying for storage due to HOA and now we are shopping the used pop up market. Thanks for the videos and inspiration! My wife and I totally relate to you all.
Sounds like you went full circle with the journey! Thanks for watching Michael!
We have definitely come full circle! Just bought a 1993 Starcraft for $1000 on the 1st and starred renovation/customization yesterday! Thanks again fir sharing your pop up journey!
We traded in our pop up for a 13 ft travel trailer and lost 900 lbs of towing weight!!! The age of the trailer affects the weight. And our kids don't come with us anymore so we didn't need as much space. Our stove goes in or out. Still a good video as it raises all the important points even though I don't agree with them all.Good job!
We’ve been using our Viking pop up since 2005,
Out side of repairing the laches, and thermostat, it has virtually paid for itself.
Love camping at the state parks in Indiana.
Its great getting away for 3 or 4 days.
We've (me, wife, two teenagers) have been long-time "tent camper"...but are looking at both a PUP and TT...and hope to get one later this Spring. One thing I've noticed about TT's...is that when you step inside, you definitely feel like you're in a "trailer" Lots of walls...and maybe only two windows. The furniture (i.e. dinette, bathroom. bed, sofa, etc.) also feel cheap. Yeah, it also does in a PUP. But at least with the PUP, you feel like you're in a big tent--a lot more "open"....lots of screens to give it a much more open feeling. Having those two queen/king beds is a big plus, too. We haven't made up our mind yet (we have a Ford Expedition)...but we seem to be leaning to the PUP.
6 person tent - been using it for our family of four for 7 years. Just bought the kids their own 4 person last year. We have contemplated the travel trailer route many times but just never committed.
I just moved from a HiLo to a pop-up. My Hilo had major water damage to the upper unit and only slept 2-4. There was no space to move around.
I'm in my 60's and I think it was a good move. I plan to get out and do a lot more camping.
Oh, and I was limited to no more than 2500# with my Dodge Journey.
I started out backpacking in my 20's. Now in my 60's, I've had them all and sticking with my 40 foot fifth-wheel and F-350 to pull it. Got a lot of room for fishing gear, queen bed, food and stuff. My advise is to get what you can afford. It's more important about where you go to enjoy camping.
We have a 27 ft. Travel trailer we love it. We started with a pop up trailer. We traded it for our trailer we have now. The older you get the pop up didn't work for us anymore.
We have a 2008 Viking pop-up and we love it. We're from Florida and the weather there was tough on the roof. But I love tent camping only at 71 years old getting up and down was an issue. We recently added a lift system when one of our cables broke znd it is awesome! Now we only have to crank down the "feet". We do need a new roof though which we are trying to find otherwise we will have to pay someone to remake ours. We plan to build a short garage for it in our new home here in Texas to protect it from tbe elements.
We got a travel trailer 2 years ago! It's beautiful! But there is some cost! Comfort was our deciding factor!
No Bath eliminates pop ups for us. Too many years in tents using the Shovel Latrine. We are not big about large groups in my trailer or tent. Got a small couple's trailer for less than 20,000, tows nicely behind my Jeep Cherokee, Walk around bed, so if someone has to go during the night, they don't have to crawl over their partner to get out of the bed. When the weather turns bad, stay inside, warm, dry and comfortable. Weather nice, cook outside and enjoy the great outdoors under the awning.
The wife and I have been camping with the same group of friends for 20 years. 18 of those years was tent camping. The first 4-5 of THOSE years was a sleeping bag on a pad. Then we bought an inflatable mattress. We are the oldest within our group and the first year with the inflatable mattress we got teased (in fun) about being "old". The VERY next year, one of the other couples had one too!! It's about comfort. In the last 2 years, we wanted to try a camper. We wanted to be off the ground and be able to sit on a bed instead of getting up off a mattress in the morning. Our summer camping trip of 2017 we rented an A-frame style. For setup, this gets an A+. With a little practice, you can set it up in a little over a minute. The downside was the limited space, very uncomfortable bed, and I was the one sleeping under the "A". Difficult to get out of bed, over the wife, to take that middle of the night..............."relief". This past summer we rented a 17' box style camper. Pull in, level it, drop the corner supports and you're done. The bed ran lengthwise with the camper against the side wall, more comfortable to sleep on but as I was against the wall, still a little more challenging to get out past the missus. It also had a bathroom which she loved. Overall, still not totally happy. This fall we bought a 16' Coleman Fleetwood popup. Was well maintained and in great shape. What drew us to this was a queen bed and a little smaller bed on the other side. We can each get out without having to crawl over the other one. There is a cassette toilet inside as well. A decent inside space to move about in with a dining table and sink/stove galley. Towing it was awesome. Weight was negligible with my 1/2 ton Dodge and looking in the rear view mirror, visability was great. With the box style camper, not even close. Yeah, it's a little bit of a hassle cranking it up, but not a big deal. Setting up any kind of camp takes time and effort, and we feel that the time spent setting this up will be well worth it. Seeing as we just got this the beginning of November, we haven' t actually "camped" in it yet, but are very much looking forward to it this summer.
My buddy had a pop up back in the day while I was doing the truck topper thing. Worst negative I remember was when it rained on the last day my buddy had to go home and set up his pop up again until it dried out. Stowing it wet will kill them. Hard to do in "sunny" Florida!
We started with a ⛺, then we bought a really cheap pop-up, used it twice stormed traded it in for 27ft travel trailer we love it.
I have decided on a vintage 17 or 18 foot travel trailer. I like the 1960's Aristocrat style. I don't want to have to keep upgrading for comfort as I get older. The vintage trailer will just become more collectible as I continue having fun restoring it and creating memories along the way. Trailers are great for on my days off, I can tinker with electricals, woodwork, relax and read a book or watch a movie in a little home away from home on my 1/2 acre lot.
My wife doesn't want a bear or boogie man ripping through the canvas on a pop up tent trailer. (A solid trailer will buy me time to grab my gun)Plus, we want to keep it set up for weekend camping on our big back yard with our burn pit built right in the middle.
We have a 2004 Coleman Sedona with no A/C. 1 king bed and 1full/queen bed. We love the pop up camper. Easy tow, easy on the MPG, easy insurance and tags. Drawbacks are no a/c and abt 1500 to install, you have to be creative with storage, its a tent and is definitely what they call a destination only camper so we always have to have a reservation when we travel. I do not care for the fold down kitchen, if I had to do it all over again I would get A/C and the high wall style pop up.
I decided to get a jeep wrangler 2 door to replace my pickup truck when it started breaking down. With the jeep I bought a little 1987 Bonaire BA-700 and I love this thing. In my province in Canada tandem towing is legal so I pull my aluminum 14 foot boat behind it.
Been camping for years, tent, tent on motorcycle, mini pop up behind motorcycle! Then 2 pop ups, then a Big travel trailer, now a travel trailer that is quite a bit smaller, seems big enough at 24’ just finished a 2month trip out west.. Just have fun!! Pop ups are great, gas is ALOT less pulling them, easier to find a campsite cause they are smaller,, like u said, downside is setup and your not going to make a rest stop and use it... thanks for sharing, great vids!!!!
Towing in the wind on a highway with tractor trailer trucks passing by - it seems to be easier with a lower profile item like a pop-up. Just a thing to think about your comfort level for towing on high speed roads. Great video. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for watching!
I sold my 30 foot travel trailer because We feel unsafe and to many other things on mind, so we decide to buy a Viking tent trailer and is amazing, we have some work every camping but it has everything we need, shower toilet, 2 king beds and table slide out, best thing my truck can pull it super easy.
ive used both, and tent camping. i rented and towed a small travel trailer from LA to Yosemite and spent a fortune on fuel. we had rain come from nowhere, so it worked out well. i could barely fit the travel trailer into my driveway due to the angle of the entry, even though i have a large property. im shopping for a pop up now. way easier to tow (fuel and ease) and i can unhitch and push it into my garage for storage. we basically just need a tent on wheels. the only thing i will miss from the travel trailer is the toilet. setting up the pop up doesnt take that much time imo. quicker and easier than our tent. unfortunately the only ones im finding for sale in the LA area are 20+ years old and they still want $3-4k for them.
We have a 2007 Fleetwood Niagra which is a big popup - 26' opened up. We live in Vermont and cruise around New England camping. It is some work to get it all setup. Our experience is with popup camping you feel the outdoors where self contained you are cramped in a small area, no matter what size you have. Personally, you are not camping unless you are in a tent....
We love our pop up...and yes...it is a lot of work. We are often talking about getting a travel trailer. But we love to spaciousness and the feel of our pop up. I think that even if we did get a closed trailer, we would still keep our popup. Loved everything you guys said. It was spot on! 😊
A lot of work???? I guess some people's idea of "a lot of work" is different than other!! LMAO
My hubby and I just bought a popup. The guy popped it up when we were there. It didn't seem like a lot of work.
After watching your video of picking up your pup we decided to jump on in on this pop up camper live and it’s fantastic
We purchased a 2003 Coleman Mesa.
We love it not everything was perfect but slowly but sure I fixed everything wrong with it so it’s perfect for us.. thank you brother and Samantha for inspiring us to explore and see more..
We just sold our pop up, we bought a Minnie drop. pop-ups are great, but a lot of work. We camp off the grid a lot. So after five years we decided to get a trailer.
Pop ups seem better untill you have to heat it
We had a pop-up camper. It was nice it had a full kitchen and wet bath. It was nice but it was a problem when the weather got really cold or hot. Now we up graded to a travel trailer. It’s great. Now we can start earlier and stay later in the camping season
My current wife and I went from a Travel Star hybrid where both ends popped out like a popup, to a 37 foot 5th wheel with the intention of living in it which we do and love. Now, though, it was my pleasure to buy my daughter and her husband out of their Rockwood Freedom popup camper. So now we have a 5th wheel which we call home, and our popup camper for the road which is back to more realistic camping for the mountains, beach, desert, and spas. (Sam's Family Spa and Campground) I want to fix mine up like you guys did. Thanks for the inspiration.
Biggest reason I will always use a tent trailer is that I can take it in some of the roughest trails. I live in Colorado so it needs to be able to get in the back country. Low profile, lifted suspension. It goes anywhere
Nice video... a lot valid points and seems like you put some thought into it..I pitched a tent since in my late teens and now in my 50s
My wife and I recently picked up a used 24’ light weight travel trailer 4200lbs and it’s made traveling a whole lot easier...The simplicity of just unlocking the the door
Stepping in seeing all the comforts of home already set up is great..but there’s still work involved like unhitching, leveling and hookups...talking so much about how we enjoy our trailer to family and friends that we have some jumping in...one just purchased 30’ travel trailer and another is looking into a pop up...keep up the good work..
Good video guys! We had a pop-up back in the 90s when I was stationed at Fort Bliss. Did a lot of camping in the mountains of N.M.Loved it. Then the Army shipped me off to Germany and we had to sale it... Getting to old for them now, the better half wants a 5th wheel. LOL
I'm a old camper and went your route and justifications. Started out with tents,truck shell, went to pop ups , then to camper, and now motor-home. I'd say if you can the sell the popup...do so and buy a small camper{like a fiberglass one} as they are easier to setup and better protection from rain. I had a Tacoma and loved the truck until i had to put a trailer. Geezers, my Tacoma was fun to drive but only got at the best 16 mpg and fell on it butt in Colorado pulling my Harley . i can guess you realize quickly that I sold it.
You will have lots more great pop-up camping stories! Those caravan people just moan about head winds and fuel costs. You have the right attitude, buy used, do it up and don't over spend. You can't lose! Have fun folks!
We just sold our 1971 shasta compact travel trailer 13ft last week. You know, the kind that has the retro wings on it lol. It did us good for about 3 yrs and would have kept it longer but our son is getting to big to sleep in the bunk that's above our heads. We ended up getting a hybrid camper. Still light enough for us to pull.
We have a 2001 Coleman Cheyenne, in really great condition, we love it!!! However, I have had back surgery twice, and now having knee and ankle issues. We are thinking about getting a travel trailer, but can't make the decision. The setup/take-down issue is huge for me, and when it rains, we struggle to be able to open it up at home to dry out, so the travel trailer would be the answer there. But the popup is easy, we can go anywhere, it fits in our garage, it's paid for!!! But the travel trailer would allow us to go more places and camp longer, and work from the campground no matter the weather. What to do??!!!???
Tent trailer can also be fairly heavy, our Coleman Westlake weighs in at around 3,200 lbs....space in a tent trailer is awesome, ours sets up to 28' with two king size beds. We don't take anybody else! FYI you can get an inexpensive cover for pop-ups on eBay. Our Westlake is 12' plus the front storage area and tongue and the cover costs us $62.00 including shipping. It lasts through 2-3 seasons, then buy a new one. Wind and rain could be the biggest draw backs to pop-ups! We have yet to experience rain, just have to be sure to dry it off before putting it away. Good video!
Jack Yak,
I'm happy to see your RV videos added to your channel. RV's are like cars trucks, boats, and many other things. There are no one size fits all, just personal needs and preferences. I bought a small, used motorhome last October. It's only 24 feet (coach) but is working well for my needs and the small size allows me to take it almost anywhere. Post more when you can, we can share more ideas.
Thanks Glenn!
We are in the process of switching from tent camping to getting a pop up, thanks for the video. Really good information . Thanks again.happy camping!
I have a small popup and it has AC, a plus, and I have got my moneys worth out of it. My girls love it and we sleep better in the popup than we do at home. Winter camping in it is a bitch, but I have done it many times with temps down in the teens, it gets cold in parts of Texas, but the AC is a must or you will melt. Love the videos.
We just bought 1972 Apache Mesa pop up camper for $200. It needs minor work and a little TLC, but its perfect. Thank you for your videos and ideas
Our first pop up we had our drill outfitted to auto crank the pop up. Major time saver:)
Thanks for this video. My wife & I recently got the big "bug eyes" for a travel trailer, but a pop up makes sense for my Chevy Colorado, our budget, and our desire to get out there sooner than later!
Hey you two hit it on the head with this one, everything you two mentioned I can validate, I have both types, my TT cost me $3800 used very nice though, and the PU $500 and man did it need some love, the canvas was tore by some of the window/screens, bad door and the crank gear one one of the roof post was not working, but like you said, easy to work on, my conclusion on the PU is it is time consuming, light weight so good for gas mileage, and if the weather is good and everything is working it's the perfect little trailer, and by the way you two are the critters in your trailer lol, happy camping to you both and Samantha you are beautiful your husband better thank the good lord for you see ya latter tatters
My house is 1/2 mile down from a 17,000 acre state lake with the best camping. I would say half the campers passing my house are pop ups. Lots of fun.
Hey Jack, yeah, Its your neighbor over in Mobile. I'm on my 4th PUP in about 40 years. Had a pull behind for a while, but its harder to pull, truck gets terrible gas mileage, lots of upkeep etc. Went back to a pop up and are loving it. Was at Gulf State park last weekend ridin' recumbents. Its a Starcraft (Jayco) 1020. Lovin' it. C'ya
Awesome! Hello neighbor! Sounds like your having fun!
We have a 1987 galaxy starpop-up that we are fixing to update . Loved your renovation videos. We did go look at camper this weekend. But for our weight pull your options are limited. Yes the kitchen are nice and having a shower would be nice. As far as living space there isn't much difference. We always travel in groups so sleeping space is important. Besides that all you really need is a space to lay your head after the fun in the sun. Thank you for sharing. You guys are to cute!
I went from a travel trailer to a pop up mostly because it's easier to tow. I never thought I'd own one but I never thought I'd own a mini van, either. It takes a bit to set up but it's worth the trade off for the ease of towing. We also like to boondock in remote wilderness areas in Michigan's U.P. Pop ups are easier to squeeze into smaller spots. Critters haven't been a problem... yet. Our dog does a good job scaring them off I think. Eventually we may get one of those fold down types. We'll see.
We have a pop up a frame... best of both worlds! 😁 I love being able to store it in my garage
2:00 I live in NH and I learned the hard way about storing a pop-up. It can't be left outside. My roof got all caved in by the snow. It doesn't like the real cold temps. I just made metal brackets to push the roof up. Not perfect. Less sag. Should have done that long ago. I am also replacing the exterior walls. They got wet and delaminated. I now store it in my garage but then I can't do anything else in there. Going to sell it this season.
Appreciate you sharing. We started searching for a used A frame pop about 2 years ago. In the process, stumbled across a small 16 foot coachmen bunkhouse travel trailer at a low price to us and bought it. Glad we did end withbtravel.trailer vs pop up we were searching for. Your already mentioned some of the reasons. The couple cons you also mentioned. For example, our 2003 taco gas mileage towing drops to 11-13 mpg vs 21 mpg just the truck. Still more economical than hotel. And dont really like hotel, motels anyway. Also, have to rent storage space because no practical / safe place at our house to keep it. Thst being said, still prefer no assemble required. Hope this help you also
Like lot of comments tent to pop up. The main reason I went to a travel trailer was wind. 2017 while hunting in Oklahoma, at night we were having 30 to 40 mph winds. A few times I thought the pop up was going to collapse. My dad planted the bug about a tt. Now I got one and love it. Times I wished I still had the pup.
I love what yall did with your pop up. I have a 1977 bethany I'm working on, just raised it with new axles and big tires now I need to patch some tears and holes in the canvas then finally mounting a rack for my yak. Wish me luck I'm in cedar park / Austin texas and I love camping in our crazy weather.
Some parks in "bear" country will not allow soft sided pop ups for obvious reasons.
I was in the market for a 15 foot travel trailer (brand new) many years ago. All the dealers around where I live were sold out! I went to an RV show at a stadium and came across a dealer who was willing to sell me a brand new 22 foot 2014 travel trailer for the same price of a 15 footer! I whipped out that Visa card and towed that thing home that day!
I do have a 16 foot cuddy cabin boat also. Both the trailer and boat are kept at a storage yard.
Happy camping!
That was real honest and factual. I have a 2004 StarCraft and I love it! We are selling it even though we have electric raise, which is nice. Every thing you said was right on. Mine hasn't been that fragile, even the slide out seems heavy duty. Thank you 😊
This video helped me to decide so thank you a million! We are going to look next weekend at travel trailers, no pop up now! this will be our first one ever so Im super excited. I've wanted a camper for years. Im glad you are enjoying your pop up!
2000 Trail-Lite by R-Vision
Bantam Series M-17. Having it rebuilt right now. Can’t wait to go camping again!
Ok I’m sold just watched your video got on Craigslist found a used one headed out to look at it thanks for the video