Pop-Up Campers

[MountainBoy]

Anyone have any experiance with pop-up campers? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] The wife and I are a little too old for sleeping on the ground now. Would like some form of shelter when working on our land (that is a distance from where we live). Hotels get expensive after awhile. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[gspig]

What do you want to know?

[fivestring]

Love 'em. Viking makes a very affordable one. I've used a viking now for 4 years.

[Ranchman]

Out of curiosity, why are you looking only at pop-ups and not considering hard-sided travel trailers?

[Bird]

I'm like Ranchman; why would you not consider a small hard sided camper instead? A pop up is about the only kind of RV we've never had (and probably never will have), but we've had a number of friends and relatives who have had them (usually not for very long). The biggest advantages I can see with a pop up are the low profile resulting in a lack of wind resistance when towing (and you can carry a small boat or canoe on top) and with beds that pull out on either end, more interior room when set up than other trailers of the same towing length. Disadvantages: Well, I've helped set up some in high winds and/or rain; not fun. Then if you have to fold it up to go when it's wet, you need to set it up again when you get home to let the canvas dry out or you have mildew and rot. Then of course, you'll someday have to replace canvas; not cheap. Some that crank up have been known to have cables break; lots of fun to get it set up then until you can get it fixed.

Obviously, there's a place (or market) for them or they wouldn't still be making them, and maybe it's the right thing for you (only you can decided), but in my opinion there are too many good small hard sided ones that will last awhile for me to even consider ever owing a pop up. The Casita is just one of many; nice rig, but a bit on the expensive side.

Good luck with your shopping.

[edt]

Mountainboy we used one for about 8 years had great fun with it only for weekend camping trips 4 of us bike rack and canoe rack on it we just bought a 29 footer hard shell new. it is a home on wheels toilet microwave shower heat a/c The pop up had a sink but we had fun it has it's pro and cons i would go with hard shell holding tanks for black and gray water and fresh water
check out some rv sights
good luck EDT

[MountainBoy]

We bought land (5 acres) in a development (for lack of a better word) and there were restriction on what you could have on your property while clearing/building. Originally you could have a motor home as long as it wasn't more than three years old or a single wide mobil home for three months while you were building a home. After the last owners meeting tents, pop-ups, trailers were allowed while you are working on your land. We currently spend 85-100 bucks a night for a room now when we work up there, it adds up quick. To be honest we are looking for the cheapest thing we can (not counting a tent) get.

[RobS]

I think you'd be much happier with a hard side camper. You can get a couple year old one pretty reasonable as they depreciate quickly. After a day working your land you'll appreciate a shower and an easy place to fix a meal.

One caution though, you stand a good chance of trashing the camper in the process. We had ours out at our home site last year for just a couple of weeks. Didn't even stay overnight in it, only used it for tool storage, snacks, breaks, kid hideout and some cleanup. During that short period of time we put more wear and tear on the thing than the couple of years worth of vacations we've used it for. There is a big difference between living in a camper versus vacationing in one (Bird can probably attest to this!) [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[fivestring]

MountainBoy, we have a/c in ours. We do not have a bathroom but I don't want one in a pop-up, anyway. A pop-up gets you off the ground, out of the elements, and gives you a place to sleep, eat and chill. That's all we need a camper for. Don't need T.V., satellite, etc. The whole purpose of camping is to get away from that crap.

[MarkV]

We started on our do-it-yourself mountain home sleeping in the back of our van. Worked OK for me but the "boss" became unhappy with the logistics of, how shall I say, nighttime nature calls. Anyway we found a real old (1962) 16' trailer hard sided trailer for $700 in fair shape. Added some new paint, cheap carpet and a port-a-potty and used the thing for 4 years. Much better than the back of the van. Sold it for $500 to someone looking for hunt camp lodging and now think of it as one of the better expenditures in our house building effort.

MarkV