Another pouring rain situation - this just happened last weekend. I was in a rush to set up and forgot to drop the stabilization jacks. I climbed on the back bunk to close the windows and the whole thing tipped!
My biggest mistake, or learning OPPORTUNITY, has been my dinette slide out. Before you put the bunk ends back in, you MUST push in the slide out, otherwise you can catch your canvas in the rail, and that could do some damage. I'm trying to practice setup and teardown each week, since this is my first popup. Hopefully I will start remembering this stuff before I have to make a list, but things are going well overall so far :)
When we got our first pop-up, we took notes as the previous owners showed us all the steps. The first few setups and tear downs took a LOT longer than now. We've got it down to a science now. 😊
Speaking of weather: Rain coats/ponchos/umbrella's. CAN OPENER!!!!! Tweezer's. Just in case you get a splinter. Salt/Pepper. I have forgotten to bring butter and salt/pepper, as well. Also recommend water shoes, if you are going somewhere with a beach to avoid rocks in the water. Also good for the shower. We also for weekend trips make sure we pack our bags on Thursday night before to make sure we have everything. One tip I would like to know, is where do you put all of your luggage and clothes for 6 people, in your pop-up. We just have three, and find we can't use our dinette, because luggage is set on the dinette benches.
We have a video called pre trip tips where I show where we put everything. We put boxes in the benches, 2 people per box. (Chiquita banana boxes happen to fit perfectly for us!)
Not necessarily a mistake, BUT>>>, I had an elevator cable break upon set up. I had to prop top up with 2x4!!, we had 4 days to camp like that. But did it make for memories?Yep it did!! PNW425
First set up, relatives trying to help, adult cousins trying to pull the bed ends out before the stabilizer jacks were down. Then we forgot to take the half door off to set the full door in. I was really miffed, after telling them several times that there were certain steps that had to be done, IN Order. We have forgotten to take that little door off more than once, even setting up on our own, as recently as our latest campout. Another rookie mistake was forgetting to take the jack wheel off before leaving. Sooo, yeah, surprise it isn't bent. We did remember that this last time, thank heavens! Hopefully, everything will be remembered next time.😏 Our daughter and son in law say they are always forgetting things. That's why they like tonstart their season near a Walmart.☺️
Oh yes. Our first trip was to the Black Hills in South Dakota. We tented it. We were very late pulling in to the campground and some nice neighbors loaned us some flashlights to set up. The wood the campground provided was preacher’s wood. It burned up entirely in 10 minutes. The site next to us had grown tired of their campfire and they went inside their camper. We were tempted to gather around theirs (burnt nearly all night long). I’m sure they wouldn’t have minded, right? Well, we also had very heavy rains every night-we were soaked! The winds were so bad one night, we abandoned our campsite and went driving instead. Never again in a tent! Never. We bought a pop up a few years later…loved it! It went through some hellacious storms and we were bone dry! However, that first trip in the tent? Our kids said it was their favorite! 🤷♀️
My husband and I have been popup camping for over 30 years and we STILL forget items of all sorts. The biggest one was forgetting to put the sleeping bag and blankets back in the trailer. First night out it got down to the low 40's and all we had was a flannel sheet and a ceramic heater. You can bet the next day we hit Walmart and bought blankets. After all this time I am learning new tips and tricks from people such as yourself. Keep the posts coming.
I’ve always been a single mom and I’m not a fan of brain-work in the morning so I know I need MOST of the clean up done before dark the night before check-out. My main mistake is trying to get stuff done after dark. SO much harder than using the daylight. Edited to add: I am developing a huge crush on you two. You are the most adorable couple and I love how you communicate. Also, it turns out butter is more heathy than any of the oils. Unless you’re dairy intolerant in which case you can ghee it. I realize I’m not providing my credentials. That takes too long. 😜 Thank you for such awesome videos!
This makes me feel better about my life with a pop up camper. Last season, we procrastinated getting ready, got to camp site in the dark which sucked with kids! Took way too long, and we forgot a latch when we started popping up the camper and snapped the cable! Luckily we had a long log to hold up the corner with out a cable, but it was rough! Bad mistakes! Also toiletry tip, we pack the toiletries for the season, and stay in the camper from first trip of the season to the last!
I just found you guys, & you two are a treasure! My husband & I have been tent camping religiously since we started dating almost 20 years ago. We just bought our first pop-up ( yay!). Although we are experienced campers, we are still learning the ins and outs of pop up camping. I love your personalities & kid inclusive advice. Thank you!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE CAMERA LENSE!!! 90% of the videos nowadays are idiots looking at themselves on the screen instead of looking at the camera... Ok back to the video..
Um. Very embarrassing to admit. Used the Bal leveler as a wheel chock. No idea how awesome it was. Absolutely forgot to pull it out and tried driving off. Thankfully didn’t damage the Pup but did destroy the damn leveler😢.
@@AdventuresinPopUps We rented a cruise america Class C for my sons 5th birthday. Since we live in a covid bubble it was the safest thing i could think of and the kids are always begging to go camping. We live near Dallas TX and just traveled to a local lake, had a blast! Was our first time camping in anything other than a tent, GAME CHANGER lol. Now we are preparing and saving to buy a travel trailer hopefully in 2022!
How about forgetting to take down the awning before a storm..... not good! That would probably be more for regular RVs rather than PUPs, but you never know.
We are planning on taking our dog with us camping but are wondering how friendly are people toward you bringing your dog? Also, do you take her/him with you when you leave the campground and go on other adventures? Our dog is a Lab.
Most people keep to themselves and are happy to see a dog. Our dog is anxious and not very friendly around strangers, so we are careful to keep her on a lead or send her inside if she's being a brat so as to not bother people.
Keep in mind some campgrounds don’t allow pets, check with them before scheduling! Also, I would not recommend leaving the pets behind for more than 3 hours! Cheers and Happy Camping!
Our first pop-up didn't need a sway bar, but this one is a high wall and much heavier, so we do use a sway bar. (It came with it.) It's not necessary for most pop-ups, but it is nice to have.
Cribbing? As for leveling, we have a small assortment of lumber but have almost never needed it. This summer, we will be in some less level locations though. We thought about getting a leveling system.
@@AdventuresinPopUps Cribbing is another name for supporting structure. Used 4x4 and 2x2 about 2ft long in the past. use it shore up tranches, but I've also used it after raising a vehicle hydraulically or with pneumatic bags.
Thank you two for the tips. We bought our 1st pop up (used) and we love it so far.
Thank you
l thank you for your two list it's going to be helpful
You two are adorable!
Another pouring rain situation - this just happened last weekend. I was in a rush to set up and forgot to drop the stabilization jacks. I climbed on the back bunk to close the windows and the whole thing tipped!
Oh my! We have tipped it with the whole family on the back bunk!
My biggest mistake, or learning OPPORTUNITY, has been my dinette slide out. Before you put the bunk ends back in, you MUST push in the slide out, otherwise you can catch your canvas in the rail, and that could do some damage. I'm trying to practice setup and teardown each week, since this is my first popup. Hopefully I will start remembering this stuff before I have to make a list, but things are going well overall so far :)
When we got our first pop-up, we took notes as the previous owners showed us all the steps. The first few setups and tear downs took a LOT longer than now. We've got it down to a science now. 😊
Our first year pop up camping! Thanks for this!
Speaking of weather: Rain coats/ponchos/umbrella's. CAN OPENER!!!!! Tweezer's. Just in case you get a splinter. Salt/Pepper. I have forgotten to bring butter and salt/pepper, as well. Also recommend water shoes, if you are going somewhere with a beach to avoid rocks in the water. Also good for the shower. We also for weekend trips make sure we pack our bags on Thursday night before to make sure we have everything. One tip I would like to know, is where do you put all of your luggage and clothes for 6 people, in your pop-up. We just have three, and find we can't use our dinette, because luggage is set on the dinette benches.
We have a video called pre trip tips where I show where we put everything. We put boxes in the benches, 2 people per box. (Chiquita banana boxes happen to fit perfectly for us!)
Thank you for the checklist it is a amazing
Not necessarily a mistake, BUT>>>, I had an elevator cable break upon set up. I had to prop top up with 2x4!!, we had 4 days to camp like that. But did it make for memories?Yep it did!! PNW425
First set up, relatives trying to help, adult cousins trying to pull the bed ends out before the stabilizer jacks were down. Then we forgot to take the half door off to set the full door in.
I was really miffed, after telling them several times that there were certain steps that had to be done, IN Order.
We have forgotten to take that little door off more than once, even setting up on our own, as recently as our latest campout. Another rookie mistake was forgetting to take the jack wheel off before leaving. Sooo, yeah, surprise it isn't bent. We did remember that this last time, thank heavens! Hopefully, everything will be remembered next time.😏
Our daughter and son in law say they are always forgetting things. That's why they like tonstart their season near a Walmart.☺️
Oh yes. Our first trip was to the Black Hills in South Dakota. We tented it. We were very late pulling in to the campground and some nice neighbors loaned us some flashlights to set up.
The wood the campground provided was preacher’s wood. It burned up entirely in 10 minutes. The site next to us had grown tired of their campfire and they went inside their camper. We were tempted to gather around theirs (burnt nearly all night long). I’m sure they wouldn’t have minded, right?
Well, we also had very heavy rains every night-we were soaked! The winds were so bad one night, we abandoned our campsite and went driving instead.
Never again in a tent! Never.
We bought a pop up a few years later…loved it! It went through some hellacious storms and we were bone dry!
However, that first trip in the tent? Our kids said it was their favorite! 🤷♀️
LOL, isn't it funny how those things work out?! Glad to hear your first camping experience didn't swear you off permanently. 😊
My husband and I have been popup camping for over 30 years and we STILL forget items of all sorts. The biggest one was forgetting to put the sleeping bag and blankets back in the trailer. First night out it got down to the low 40's and all we had was a flannel sheet and a ceramic heater. You can bet the next day we hit Walmart and bought blankets. After all this time I am learning new tips and tricks from people such as yourself. Keep the posts coming.
I bet you remembered the blankets next time! 😄 Thank you for the kind words. Glad to hear from long time Pop-up campers. 💗
I’ve always been a single mom and I’m not a fan of brain-work in the morning so I know I need MOST of the clean up done before dark the night before check-out. My main mistake is trying to get stuff done after dark. SO much harder than using the daylight.
Edited to add: I am developing a huge crush on you two. You are the most adorable couple and I love how you communicate. Also, it turns out butter is more heathy than any of the oils. Unless you’re dairy intolerant in which case you can ghee it. I realize I’m not providing my credentials. That takes too long. 😜 Thank you for such awesome videos!
Ha, we are good fans of butter, much healthier than the alternatives... Unless we're with our family with dairy allergies!
This makes me feel better about my life with a pop up camper. Last season, we procrastinated getting ready, got to camp site in the dark which sucked with kids! Took way too long, and we forgot a latch when we started popping up the camper and snapped the cable! Luckily we had a long log to hold up the corner with out a cable, but it was rough! Bad mistakes!
Also toiletry tip, we pack the toiletries for the season, and stay in the camper from first trip of the season to the last!
Oh no! We always tell ourselves not to rush, because then we skip steps. It seems everyone has done something dumb. 😄💞😎
I just found you guys, & you two are a treasure! My husband & I have been tent camping religiously since we started dating almost 20 years ago. We just bought our first pop-up ( yay!). Although we are experienced campers, we are still learning the ins and outs of pop up camping. I love your personalities & kid inclusive advice. Thank you!
Thanks so much! There's definitely a learning curve but it is so with it. 😊
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
FOR LOOKING AT THE CAMERA LENSE!!!
90% of the videos nowadays are idiots looking at themselves on the screen instead of looking at the camera...
Ok back to the video..
😊
I forgot pillows on my first camp with my pop-up.
Thanks for Sharing. Thinking that a keyword phrase used often is Improvising when you can. Stay Safe.
Yes, improvising is a key life still. 😊
Great video! I appreciate these so much because lord knows I’ll make a ton of mistakes if I don’t research 🤣
Yes, please learn from our mistakes. 😎😁
Um. Very embarrassing to admit. Used the Bal leveler as a wheel chock. No idea how awesome it was. Absolutely forgot to pull it out and tried driving off. Thankfully didn’t damage the Pup but did destroy the damn leveler😢.
Great video guys!!!! We forget stuff all of the time lol!!! Awesome checklist!! 🙌
Thanks!! 😄
you should put your lists in your camping journal
Haha on my last camping trip in January we forgot matches. My husband had to make a quick trip to walmart :D it was so cold LOL.
January, where did you go? What do you camp in?
@@AdventuresinPopUps We rented a cruise america Class C for my sons 5th birthday. Since we live in a covid bubble it was the safest thing i could think of and the kids are always begging to go camping. We live near Dallas TX and just traveled to a local lake, had a blast! Was our first time camping in anything other than a tent, GAME CHANGER lol. Now we are preparing and saving to buy a travel trailer hopefully in 2022!
That's awesome! Feel free to watch our video on why we bought a pop up (again). They really are an affordable, easy way to get out there camping. 💞
You guys are funny!! Thanks for the chuckles :)
Thanks. 😊 Gotta have some joy no matter what! 😁
I have a battery chain saw, and a kilowatt meter
Thanks for the vid, keep them coming, I'm 3 years in on pop-up. It's been great.
Thanks 😊 & definitely!
Good ideas. You two are so funny. I bet your trips are fun.
Thanks! We try. 😄
I always forget butter too!
YESSSS, I'm not alone. 😄
You also need 10ft water hose it is easier you stop to fill your water tank
Yes, I think we got the 25 ft house now.
@@AdventuresinPopUps I founded mine in Walmart at the RV section
We all have our moments haha
So true. 😎
How about forgetting to take down the awning before a storm..... not good! That would probably be more for regular RVs rather than PUPs, but you never know.
We forgot or rather didn’t bother with it. The pole bent a little and needs the awning bag stitched up.
Mistakes are the quickest way to learn...but also the most miserable! Ha, ha!
What do you call the star glazing over your bed
It's a fabric "mural." 😊 There might be a link in the description on this video. If not, for sure it's discussed in our top 10 video.
Thanks
We are planning on taking our dog with us camping but are wondering how friendly are people toward you bringing your dog? Also, do you take her/him with you when you leave the campground and go on other adventures? Our dog is a Lab.
Most people keep to themselves and are happy to see a dog. Our dog is anxious and not very friendly around strangers, so we are careful to keep her on a lead or send her inside if she's being a brat so as to not bother people.
Keep in mind some campgrounds don’t allow pets, check with them before scheduling! Also, I would not recommend leaving the pets behind for more than 3 hours! Cheers and Happy Camping!
Absolutely not camping unless you have forgotten something!! LOL
Right! 😆
Do you guys use a weight distribution hitch or sway bar setup for towing? Im just not sure if its necessary towing a pop up camper with my truck
Our first pop-up didn't need a sway bar, but this one is a high wall and much heavier, so we do use a sway bar. (It came with it.) It's not necessary for most pop-ups, but it is nice to have.
@@AdventuresinPopUps ok thanks
How do I find the link to the list?
What list? Our Top 10 mods? It's a video on our channel.
@@AdventuresinPopUps the checklist
@@cavewoman3rd oh! The checklist link is in the description box. 👍🏼
Speaking of leveling, how much cribbing do you pack?
Cribbing? As for leveling, we have a small assortment of lumber but have almost never needed it. This summer, we will be in some less level locations though. We thought about getting a leveling system.
@@AdventuresinPopUps Cribbing is another name for supporting structure. Used 4x4 and 2x2 about 2ft long in the past. use it shore up tranches, but I've also used it after raising a vehicle hydraulically or with pneumatic bags.