Is a pop-up worth the $$ (upgrading from tents)

[wrldpossibility]

Hi,

This is more a general question, since coming from Oregon, we have never camped at FW. But I like reading the board, as we want to stay there someday. Anyway, we have always been tent campers, but with small children, we find we don't go too often anymore. So much work. We're thinking of getting a pop-up. If you have one, how much did you pay for it, and is it worth the money to upgrade from tent camping? In other words, does it drastically improve camp conditions (so we'll want to take the young children again ) or would we really have to buy an RV to do that (which we can't right now).

I've never been an RV type...love tent camping...but those pop-ups are starting to look good! We've seen used ones from $2000 and new from about $5000. Is that about right? What model do you recommend? We are a family of 5. Are they even big enough for us? Thanks!!

 

[goingquackers]

I would like to hear some thoughts on this also. I would like to purchace a pop-up. My V6 Chevy has a hitch, can you pull it with a car?

 

[tmt martins]

We did Tent camping manly in OC maryland and the tri state area .Went from a 2 person to a two room w/screen enclosure after DD was born.5 years later she just became to active for the tent so we bought a $6000 pop-up in 98 we still liked traveling alot and couldn't afford hotel stays so this was still the ticket.

Well as our finances got better we ended up not using the PU any more and it has sat for the past 2 years unused .I just sold it a few months ago and am completeing sale in the next few days for $3700 .

And yes it made a world of difference to have a King bed off the ground ,toilet,Shower when we didn't want to use bath house.

I had a system to setting it up as DW & DD went to check out the resorts and it took me 40 min to set up or take down.

I took very good care of it (it doesn't take much) never putting it away dirty or wet and have put money in it for only a few washers for the water system and a battery.

We pulled it with a 6cycl.jeep and yes they pull very easy.

They will fit 5 very easy for sleeping ( king / queen and then the table became a twin) .We would set a 2man tent up under the back bed for storage (this is the biggest downside) Then if DD took a freind sometimes they would camp-out in one as well .

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

We have the best of both worlds: a hard-sided pop-up. It 20' when closed and 27' when open and sleeps six. We have all the comforts of a full-sized traditional travel trailer but with the convenience of better gas mileage, towing-ease, and it fits in our garage so we don't have to pay storage fees! "Hybrid" trailers are a bit more expensive but good deals can still be had by purchasing used instead of new.

 

[cyberdeb]

We bought a used pop up and towed it from PA to FW twice. We had a blast and had 4 adults and one child. Ours didnt have the bathroom or air conditioning and that was a problem for me since i would get up a couple times during the night. We sold that and bought a new hybrid and i absolutely love it!!! Can leave it loaded and ready to go at a moments notice. My dh however is looking to get rid of it because it still takes time to open the ends and set up. He wants a regular trailer with beds inside. I have to say however that the beds in the pop up were far more comfortable that our hybrid. If you can swing the pop up, i would definately do it. Who knows, in a couple of years you may be in better position to move up to a hard side

 

[bord1niowa]

We used to tent camp for many years with the family. When we bought a used pop up, it was a world of a difference. We recently bought an 11 foot box that opens to 22 feet in good condition, everything works and the canvas is in good shape, in fact it's the no rot type from Coleman. It has a king size bed, a double bed and of course the fold down table as a bed, heater, sink, 3 burner stove inside and also a separate one that pops out the side, so you don't have to cook inside, a cooler, which we may switch to a small frig, and there is a canopy too. All this for little more than a tent set up, $600. That to me is definitely worth it, especially if you may not have a lot of time to camp. It keeps per use cost down then. Yes the newer ones may be a little nicer, but it sure is a nice economical and comfortable alternative to tent camping.

 

[proudmomof4]

I think it depends on how much you will use it and where.

We used to tent camp once a year exclusively at FW and we were rained out a few times, and I mean rained out where our campsite flooded so bad that we had to evacuate and run to the CS for shelter with some other tent campers. We noticed that the pop-up campers were okay and that helped us make our decision.

Now we will probably go to FW even more often because it is so much easier to set up and we have A/C and are much more comfortable.

As a family of 6, with 2 fully grown sons, we fit quite well.

 

[westjones]

We were tent campers and then bought a pop-up. Now I wish we didn't buy it because we just don't use it much and it is just aging in our back yard. Tent camping seemed simpler.

DH won't drive to Florida with the pop-up, he doesn't like pulling it on the highways. I thought we would be taking it all over the place when we got it, but that doesn't happen. Now we use it once a year for a long weekend at a near by state park.

We would sell it, but don't really want to deal with the hassle, so we tell ourselves that maybe one day we will use it more.

So if I had it to do over again, I would just rent an RV whenever we wanted one or rent cabins. There is a local RV dealer that rents pop-ups.

Our case is probably not typical, but just consider if you are really going to use it for a lot of years.

Oh, and BTW, we paid about $4000 for ourselves it was one year old (used, but hardly used at all). It is a large Coleman that sleeps 9 (it says, but I wouldn't try more than 7). We probably paid too much for it and it is larger than we should have bought because maybe if it were smaller DH would be more willing to pull it farther (but who knows).

Anyway, I vote for renting a camping and hanging on to the tent. We tent camped at FW with our twins when they were 8 (because, of course, DH won't pull the camper to Florida, but tents can just be packed up in the van and off we go). It isn't that bad to tent camp with kids. We had some great times with the tent (on longer trips) and with the pop-up (close to home).
DJ

 

[AllyCatTapia]

We *heart* it! We have a 2 YO and 6 YO and it's just easier to do things like...DRESS them! (You can actually stand up!) And don't even get me started on the rain!

Ours was about 3000$.

 

[tinkerjo]

We love our pop-up, but like a previous poster, my DH will not tow it to FL. We did tow it once to Gattlinburg(from Ohio). But we even have another trip planned there and without the camper this time. We love to camp, DH just doesnt like pulling it. We have a $7,500(good deal on a new but last years model)palomino pop-up. It is decked out with everything imaginable for a pop-up(except air) and very convenient. We only will use it 2 or 3 times this year for weekend trips to our local lake.If I were you I would try a cheap used one first and see how much it is used. we did that, and used it a lot, but since the kids are older, its harder to find time.

 

[westjones]

but since the kids are older, its harder to find time.

This is us too. Our twins are middle school now and when you have to plan around band stuff, sports stuff, dance stuff, and then family stuff as well as our other vacation plans we just don't use it like we thought we would.

Now, DH is convinced that once the kids graduate (in 6 years) we will use it more and that pop ups last a long time (not a as much to go wrong with them as the larger campers), so we will see (he actually just doesn't want to deal with selling it).

I will say that it is MUCH more comfortable than a tent. Here are pictures of the inside of our camper:

So as you can see, in the evening if it were to start raining, we could still sit together in the camper and relax (DH and I read at the couch and the kids play board games at the table). There is more room to get dressed, you can cook inside if it is raining. There is a fridge for cold foods (not an ice box, so no need to keep buying ice). And I admit it, we bring along a TV and it sits in front of the couch area on that small counter area.

But even so, we are not using it enough to justify it. We bought it when the kids were young, now they are middle school it just doesn't fit into our schedule.

Something else I didn't realize when we bought it, we had to pay property taxes on it each year (at least here in Indiana we do, I don't know if this is everywhere) as well as the license plates (this is everywhere). Tents are FREE to own once you buy them!

Your family may really enjoy getting a camper, but I just know that at the time we bought ours, there were 3 other families we knew (friends) that all bought campers and we all had young kids. We all thought how fun it would be to camp together, and we did for 3 years. Now none of us have time for camping because all of us have older kids now, and I wish I had just saved the money and used the tent for a few more years and now I wouldn't be stuck with a camper in my back yard that is never used and my DH doesn't want to bother with the hassle of selling....

Hope it goes better for you!

DJ

(Oh! BTW, we also pulled our pop up to the Smokies once and had a great trip that time! But that is as far as DH will go. His rule is we have to make it in one day and from Indiana it is about 9 hours to get there).

 

[toytowner]

oh i thought mass had all the taxes,if you can rent one try it to make sure you like it. then start looking not all popups are big dollars i got one for nothing it cost $65.00 to repair and my dd and gd used it for 3 yrs. towed with a mini van or i towed it behind the motor home. she just sold it for $600.this was a 77 popup so you won't loose money. and you can still bring the tent.gave up tenting in 66 and i won't go back to old now.lol

 

[Gillian]

Thanks for posting the pictures! What kind is that? It looks large.

 

[polly p]

We too were tent campers. We purchased a pop up about 6 years ago. I loved it because set up was easier. we also had a dry place in case of bad weather. It really was a great move for us. We didn't mind spending a week in the camper where I really minded spending a week in the tent with the kids. Two years ago we bought a hybrid camper, it is hard sided but the front bed pops out. I love it. We now have a bathroom. The kids have bunk beds. Go to an RV show and shop around. If you are able to try one out ahead of time do that. Just make sure if you are purchasing a camper, check the weight your car will tow. That was a huge problem for us. We ended up haveing to purchase a new van. All worth it, even if we do only use it a few times a year.

 

[westjones]

Thanks for posting the pictures! What kind is that? It looks large.

That is a 1997 Coleman Sun Ridge. I picked it because I loved the sitting area seperate from the dining table, and I have to admit that is still our favorite part. We call it our "living room". And it is large which I think makes it harder to pull and maybe that is why DH will only take it within a day's drive (or maybe he would feel the same about a smaller one, I'm not sure).

Here is what it looks like on the outside without the awning out (we have an awning over the door):

That front part with the small doors under the bunk is DH's favorite part. It holds a lot of things and then he puts stuff he needs to get to by the little doors and can get in to get them easily. There is a small door on each side of the storage area as well as a sliding door on the inside with a light inside. When we first bought it the girls said it would be their 'playroom', but, of course, it became filled with stuff.

Again, I loved the camper when we got it, and we have had some nice trips. I'm just trying to point out that with kids life changes fast and your vacationing habits are likely to change.

Now, as someone else mentioned, an old used camper for $600 wouldn't be a bad investment. Ours was much more when we got it and for us that was a mistake. It was WAY more camper than we needed for the amount that we have used it.

BUT it is nice to see that a camper from 1977 is still in use. That is 20 years older than mine. Maybe one day we will get more use out of it when it is just DH and me.

DJ

 

[YellowXterra]

Love our pop up! However buy your second camper first! We started out in an 8 foot box and traded 3 times in less than 18 months. Now we have a 12 box with trunk and slide out. We have had this one for 3 years now. We camp about 40 to 50 nights a year.

 

[Fish Almighty]

Hi,

If you have one, how much did you pay for it, and is it worth the money to upgrade from tent camping? In other words, does it drastically improve camp conditions (so we'll want to take the young children again ) or would we really have to buy an RV to do that (which we can't right now).

The answer, as usual, is "it depends."

It is definitely a step up from a tent, much more convenient, soft beds, running water, lots of protection from the elements, an AC for hot days. Good storage space. Small enough to park in your backyard.

BUT-- not nearly as convenient as a full-size RV. Some, if not most, of the storage space is inaccessable when the unit is closed (and in ours, the fridge is blocked too). So even though we have the pop-up camper, we still end up filling the truck up with stuff too. Not much fun to put up or take down in stormy weather. Usually have to set the camper up prior to and after camping to clean/let it dry. And it is still tent-like (good and bad). A challenge for one person to set up and take down if you're trying to watch the kids too.

That said, we love ours (at least now that it is paid for!), but we don't use it nearly as much as we thought we would when we purchased it. And the kids love it too... our kids are 7 and 2, and they love to play in the camper even when we set it up in the yard. We did not get a toilet or shower for ours, as most places we take it have bathhouses.

We paid around $4000 for our Coleman Santa Fe new in 2000. I don't have any good pics, unfortunately, except for this one from Tallulah Gorge State Park in northeast Georgia, temperature in the high teens.

 

[westjones]

Here a link I came across that has pictures and a floorplan for the Coleman Santa Fe.

http://www.web-connection.org/camping/camptour.htm

Just looking at different floor plans helps to see the difference. When we tent camped the ONLY thing we used the tent for was to sleep and change clothes.

With pop-ups, you can actually use your camper to sit in and relax (especially nice when it rains).

You will like it much better, there is no doubt. Our pop-up is much more comfortable than a tent. Just consider the added cost:

-new property tax (if you state does this, ours does)
-new license plate charge
-new insurance cost to cover camper.
-new expenses from ALL the stuff you end up buying to go with your new camper .


But if you do plan to camp a lot, there is no comparison. A pop-up is SO much nicer than a tent and you will like it.

DJ

 

[loriandmatt]

in 2000 we graduated from a tent to a pop up. as you stated, camping in a tent with young ones was just too much trouble.

thanks to a trip to the dollar store, the camper was fully stocked with just about everything except food and our clothes (we even have hygene items in the camper at all times, i don't have to pack deoderant, contact cases and solution or anything. it is all in the camper. just grab your grub and gutchies and get out there.)

We have a 9 foot box (the smallest you can get i think) but because of the floor plan (the dinnet is not in front of one of the bunkends - it is off to the side and the table comes completely out) it is quite open in the middle. With the 4 of us (two adults, an 11 YO boy and a 2 year old girl) we have plenty of room. Now you do have to stay orgnized and for longer trips, the suitcases stay in the back of the van. for a 3 or 4 day weekend, we can live with the duffelbags being in the camper with us.

We have a Viking and we paid around $3000 for it new in 2000. Worth every cent. the only thing we wished we would have gotten and ended up adding afterwards was air conditioning. Adding that cost us an other $1000. Again, worth every cent. (especially when you are camping in Florida in August.)

We have taken it to WDW twice and will be doing so again this August. Otherwise we take it out about 1 to 2 times a month from May thru October. Great way to take relatively inexpensive family vacations. just about anyplace you want to visit has a campground nearby. (We have camped outside of DC, Maryland Beaches, Virginia Beaches, Hershey Park, the Jersey shore, the Poconos, near Dollywood, near Nashville....you name it)

Without a doubt, other than our home, the best investment we have ever made. We spend so much quality family time in and around that camper.

- lori

 

[westjones]

Those of you pulling your pop-ups to Florida, how to you handle breaking up the trip and finding a hotel. DH thinks it would be terrible pulling a camper around looking for a hotel to stay at for the night on the way down (and back).

Do you have places you just know you are going stop at? Or do you pull in and out looking for a place to stay?

DJ