Camper query*update-we bought one!

[rideswithchrist]

All I can say is you people and bears is funny. Plenty of people up here in Black bear country camp in pop up trailers.

Black bears are alright (I even reminded my husband that there ARE bears around the Fort."
BUT my Uncle and Aunt live in Wyoming and you take a gun with you at night if you are out on property...because of the grizzlies . That dang warning just scared me off...and we camp in rattlesnake territory.

 

[5kidsmommy]

That is what I was wondering, would we limit ourselves and want to get "something else" in the next few years because we were going to camp in grizzly country when the kids are older. Choices Choices. And of course the salesman wanted us to get the newest 29' and was very bored showing us a used hybrid.

I don’t regret our hybrid at all. It served us well while the kids were growing up. Ours has three queen beds plus the sofa and dinette. It gave us plenty of room for all seven of us and was the best option for space, weight and price. Now though it’s just us camping and it’s more of a family camper. We’d like something that is just for adults with maybe a little extra space for when grandkids eventually enter the picture.

I think hybrids are a fabulous option for young families and even up through teen years. They are easy to set up and roomy plus I’m partial to sleeping under canvas.

 

[Kagoguen]

Evening, rideswithcrist.
We have 2007 Jayco 232 Feather light it can sleep 10 if you want to put the table down and open the couch. But all we use to do for our family of 6 was open the 3 popouts. The front is a queen and the back and side ones are full. here's a picture of what we have.

 

[rideswithchrist]

I think that if we end up going canvas hybrid, we will find one with 3 pop outs so we can all pair up

 

[mickeyfan0805]

I think that if we end up going canvas hybrid, we will find one with 3 pop outs so we can all pair up

That's likely to be a very good match. Our first camper was a hybrid and it worked out quite well. Great way to get a lot of space without as much length and weight. Can't wait to see pictures of what you find in the end!

 

[North of Mouse]

I think that if we end up going canvas hybrid, we will find one with 3 pop outs so we can all pair up

Two things worth mentioning (to us anyway). We owned a popup for a year as that was all we could take - invariably, when we needed to break camp it was with damp/wet canvas that had to be slid back into our camper - wasn't enjoyable to us at all. Sometimes, we had a long haul ahead of us before we could open it up again to dry (tended to get a little smelly and damp inside) - a lifetime lesson for us.

Another reason - we use our facilities - refrigerator, table, bathroom - a lot on our road travels. Some slide outs (not just canvas) that push # of sleep arrangements prevent the use of either -

 

[rideswithchrist]

The goal is to have cash in hand by May, so I can't wait to update here what we end up finding.

 

[Sjm9911]

Main thing is be patient, and dont settle, there is something out there perfect for you. It may take a bit of time and searching but you will know when you find it. Have a buget and start scouring the interwebs. I was surprised how many configurations of campers there atually were. And when i think ive seen them all, i find diffent ones.

 

[North of Mouse]

I was surprised how many configurations of campers there atually were. And when i think ive seen them all, i find diffent ones.

You are so correct - we are constantly amazed as well. They are all basically a rectangular box (give or take), correct? So, how do they find all these different plans to fit those dimensions - understanding of course the slide outs??? We love to go to the RV shows to look even when we love what we have, and have zero intentions of buying.

 

[Teamubr]

Our RV show is the end of February. I'm afraid to go. 2 weekends a go we went out to waste time with friends. Stopped by a few RV dealers and came home with a car dolly for them.

j

 

[rideswithchrist]

I was bummed at the last RV show we went to, probably because we specifically want a hybrid, or something with a hard slide bed. They had none. Ours was geared towards all the giant 5ers or the trendy tiny camper things.

We will be patient (ohhhhh so hard) and keep looking. This won't be our forever camper. this will be our popup replacement.

 

[Sjm9911]

Im looking also. I cant find much. Starcraft had an older hybrid with 2 tent pull outs and a bunkhouse in the middle. ( i cant find it, travel star i belive i almost bought one , but settled for what i have now.) Im also looking for the kz. Lol. Gives me something to do!

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Ours was geared towards all the giant 5ers or the trendy tiny camper things.

That was my experience at the Milwaukee show last year. We had a fair number of motorhomes, TT's and FW's, and a reasonable selection of min-campers, but there was a stark dearth of canvas outside of a handful of pop-ups. They are out there, you may just need to get to a few dealers to find them.

Don't forget that, if buying new, you can have one built to your specs pretty readily. So, if you can find a few makes/models at local dealerships to give you a sense of fit and function, you can always order exactly what you want.

 

[rideswithchrist]

Im looking also. I cant find much. Starcraft had an older hybrid with 2 tent pull outs and a bunkhouse in the middle. ( i cant find it, travel star i belive i almost bought one , but settled for what i have now.) Im also looking for the kz. Lol. Gives me something to do!

I love that we are looking for similar campers haha. KeystoneOutback is another good one with the hard slide bed. They have a 25' and a 26' that we love, but again- it is a bit higher than our range for now.

That was my experience at the Milwaukee show last year. We had a fair number of motorhomes, TT's and FW's, and a reasonable selection of min-campers, but there was a stark dearth of canvas outside of a handful of pop-ups. They are out there, you may just need to get to a few dealers to find them.

Don't forget that, if buying new, you can have one built to your specs pretty readily. So, if you can find a few makes/models at local dealerships to give you a sense of fit and function, you can always order exactly what you want.

We are buying used, paying cash- so that limits us a bit this time. I have chemical sensitivities, so there is NO way I can buy new. I got sick after the RV show because of being locked indoors with all the formaldehyde and VOCs in the new units. No new campers or cars for this family!

The local dealer said "well, there just don't seem to be many people looking for those".
I should have said "Um, we are people, and we are looking for those".

I find it weird that in TEXAS with our 4 season camping, they are not more hybrids.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

I have chemical sensitivities, so there is NO way I can buy new. I got sick after the RV show because of being locked indoors with all the formaldehyde and VOCs in the new units. No new campers or cars for this family!

I find it weird that in TEXAS with our 4 season camping, they are not more hybrids.

I had a good friend, years back, who struggled with Lupus. Very familiar with the sensitivities to cars, etc... Not an easy thing to manage!

Keep searching, it will arrive eventually!

 

[Stratman50th]

"Um, we are people, and we are looking for those".

Perfect...

 

[rideswithchrist]

I had a good friend, years back, who struggled with Lupus. Very familiar with the sensitivities to cars, etc... Not an easy thing to manage!

Keep searching, it will arrive eventually!

The good thing is that we are fairly thrifty shoppers, so I have been used for so many years- it does not bother me at all. Plus, all "new" units, be it cars or campers, lose so much value in the first year or two that I am ok buying slightly used on most things. (It helps that we spent 5 years in super-broke ville haha)

 

[rajak73]

The good thing is that we are fairly thrifty shoppers, so I have been used for so many years- it does not bother me at all. Plus, all "new" units, be it cars or campers, lose so much value in the first year or two that I am ok buying slightly used on most things. (It helps that we spent 5 years in super-broke ville haha)

We spent many weekends and weekdays looking at campers when we were deciding to buy, some were good, some I wouldn't have give them $100 for. It amazed me how some people traded in their units, like they hadn't cleaned them in a year. Finally found one we really liked, size and floor plan.

 

[rideswithchrist]

We spent many weekends and weekdays looking at campers when we were deciding to buy, some were good, some I wouldn't have give them $100 for. It amazed me how some people traded in their units, like they hadn't cleaned them in a year. Finally found one we really liked, size and floor plan.

What amazed ME is that the dealer didn't clean the unit! I mean, your techs put in a new bluetooth CD player, but you could not clean the dog hair out of the bathtub..?!

 

[rideswithchrist]

We have been talking with someone that has a 2002 Dutchman Cub. He said it has been garage kept until last year and they only had a water issue once when they had a torrent (Houston area, so not surprising).

We are going to investigate a little more, as he replaced the canvas, so if it was garage kept, I do want to know why it would have needed the canvas replaced-unless they never cleaned mildew off and it rotted?

Any question I should ask that I have not though of. It is 3 hours from us so we won't be able to go look just yet, but my Dad may go for us- however, he would be apt to buy a fixer upper that needs more work that we want to deal with -again- (Y'all remember the $300 Popup?!)