Tent Camper interested in a popup...

[JCJRSmith]

But we have 5 in our family. How big does a popup actually get?? Sorry if I sound clueless, but I've never seen one up close before.Could our family fit? BTW, we have 2 teenagers & a 10 yr old. All boys. Thanks for any help!

BTW Tickla - what kind of vehicle do you have to tow a pup?

 

[gillenkl]

We have a 2007 Fleetwood Westlake - 2 queen beds, kitchen makes a bed, with a shower and potty. Our kids love it - we could actually popup in the backyard and they'd think it great. Good luck with your choice and have fun.

Wanted to add that we tow with a 2000 Chevy Venture which we added an air cooler onto. When our car lease runs out, we're getting a better tow vehicle.

 

[Tickla]

JCJRSmith, we have a KIA Sedona minivan right now, but we really want a new town & country or caravan with those cool seats that turn around & the table to go between them! I don't know what the KIA can haul, but we would probably be trading it in soon, so we would definately get a tow pkg on our next vehicle. We are all getting excited to go looking at pop-ups soon. The boys think it would be awesome to get one. Thank you to everyone for all your help & suggestions!

 

[Tickla]

Bama ed, Your kids are so close in age to mine! We would use it at state parks & FW. Those are our favorite places to go. We have tent camped since my 16 yr old was 5 months old, & love every minute of it! However, we used to camp always in the summer, so a tent was not a problem, but in the last 8 years, we always take our vacations in Dec or Jan., so it gets cold even in FL & SC where we go--which is why a pop-up would be sooo much nicer! Also not having to do the air mattress thing anymore!! We are so excited to start looking!! Thanks again for everything!!

 

[JCJRSmith]

JCJRSmith, we have a KIA Sedona minivan right now, but we really want a new town & country or caravan with those cool seats that turn around & the table to go between them! I don't know what the KIA can haul, but we would probably be trading it in soon, so we would definately get a tow pkg on our next vehicle. We are all getting excited to go looking at pop-ups soon. The boys think it would be awesome to get one. Thank you to everyone for all your help & suggestions!

Okay, some REALLY good towing info here at the TRAILER LIFE site. They publish tow ratings for vehicles every year. The 2008 towing guide has info on essential equipment, brakes, etc. The guide is a PDF File - the link is on the right side of the page.

The Sedona is not listed, but the Town and Country looks to have a 3600 pound limit.

 

[bama_ed]

Bama ed, Your kids are so close in age to mine! We would use it at state parks & FW. Those are our favorite places to go. We have tent camped since my 16 yr old was 5 months old, & love every minute of it! However, we used to camp always in the summer, so a tent was not a problem, but in the last 8 years, we always take our vacations in Dec or Jan., so it gets cold even in FL & SC where we go--which is why a pop-up would be sooo much nicer! Also not having to do the air mattress thing anymore!! We are so excited to start looking!! Thanks again for everything!!

I love my pop-up but once I got the 2-inch memory foam topper for the mattresses and the electric mattress pad (like an electric blanket except under you) I am SO happy now and ready to pull the camper in the winter months (as long as it's not freezing). I think there is a hybrid in my future eventually but I wanted to get started with a pop-up. It makes those visits to FW so much more pleasant. We too are strictly state park, COE, and FW campers - we don't rough it no WAY no HOW!. Just got back from popping up in Savannah last week (lovely city, azaleas all blooming) and will be going to the Gulf Coast next month for 4 days. Ha, spring!

Bama ED

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

I did the memory foam topper for my pup too. It's a great help for those matresses laying on a board. As big as I am I tend to sink to the bottom about half way through the night.

 

[Deffenm]

We are a family of five looking to get a pop up as well. We are looking at a Starcraft model this weekend. I can't wait to no longer have to sleep in a tent. Good luck.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Our Coleman Pup claims to sleep 9. I'm not sure that's totally realistic, but it is very spacious and nice! It has a potty/shower combo. I really love it! Ever sleep out on a screened in porch? That is the best sleeping and a Pup is similar in experience.

 

[mnmrmustard]

I like the bigger fridge in the HWs. If you don't mind sharing, what do you tow the 12hw with? Do you know the weights on the pup? I think it's too big for our minivan.

Thanks!

Hey Gillian, we're minivan owners also (2000 Ford Windstar) and I found out that they are an interesting subject on camping/trailer sites. You really have to contact Toyota to make sure whether they rated it with just a driver or fully loaded. Many manufacturers post the towing weight factoring in a fully loaded minivan. After all, who drives around in an EMPTY minivan?

This is VERY different from 4x4s and standard truck hauling, which (usually) only gauges the weight of a driver and maybe a bit more. Our Winstar also has a 3,500lb rating with the towing package (which I go into below).

For a bit of background, we (me, DW, DD11, & DD8) love to go camping and do it several times per summer ...almost always with a couple of other families. We had been tent camping for years, but after a couple of bad (wet) experiences last year we're graduating to a pop-up tent trailer.

We decided on the tent trailer since their weight ranges fell well within our towing capacity. I got the towing package stuff done on the van that it needed including:

• a class 2 hitch
• a transmission/transaxle cooler
• adjustable air bags for the rear springs
• a heavy duty battery

All this ran just over $200 not including labor - I work for a college that does work in their automotive dept for only a shop fee plus parts We still have to get the wiring done for trailer brakes and maybe put in a separate circuit to run the fridge in the trailer while we're hauling it.

Beyond that we though it would be a really cheap upgrade from tenting it until we started looking and saw how far these tent trailers have come After getting over sticker shock and finding our price range we still found a really nice one.

We decided on a manufacturer afer doing a LOT of research, specifiically with service issues and customer satisfaction. ALso, we didn't have a Jayco dealer within workable driving distance, so they were out of the running.

So after all that we've decided to pick up a Flagstaff Classic Series 625D by Forest River (who also makes the Rockwood line)

It has everything we need and then some and still has a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of only 3,072 lbs! Some of the "niceties" that we liked with the Flagstaff/Rockwood line was the power lift system to set them up, a separate outdoor gas grill , CD/stereo w/inside & outside speakers, and a fave for DW & DDs - heated mattresses

Good luck with your shopping and make sure to get the real facts from Toyota as to whether they factored in a full van with their tow rating.

Happy camping all! ​

 

[hoosiergirl]

We haven't even done our first trip tent camping and already I'm thinking about "when we move up to a PUP"! I'm drooling over yours, mnmrmustard! (We need a "drool" smilie!)

 

[Gillian]

We are going to use our Santa Fe as long as possible. The last 2 trips we've been happy with one kid on the small bunk and one on the dinette. I'd actually rather not eat inside! We are going to add a small folding table to our stuff so the kids have a place to play under the awning.

At the moment we are deciding if we want our younger child to go to private school with her older brother or not. We very much want her to, want them to be together, love the school, etc., but it's a lot of money, and when I think of what else it could be spent on (a class A like Shannone's ), it makes me crazy! The good thing is that when I find a job, it should cover it, but still. And then there's college.

Actually, our 5 year plan involves moving somewhere cheaper (Sarasota where we have family) and sending both kids to public school, so the tuition could be temporary.

Can you tell this is on my mind?

 

[mnmrmustard]

We haven't even done our first trip tent camping and already I'm thinking about "when we move up to a PUP"! I'm drooling over yours, mnmrmustard! (We need a "drool" smilie!)

We had tent camped very happily for a long time. A small heater and air mattresses helped make it a pretty comfy experience. But after last year's rain situations we were ready to move on

We found ours last weekend and I spent the last few days checking prices and accessories and such to make sure it was the one. We made our final decision last night and just put the down payment on it today They're pulling it into their shop for prep work - we'll be picking it up on the 5th!

Yes, a drool smiley would be very cool

We are going to use our Santa Fe as long as possible. The last 2 trips we've been happy with one kid on the small bunk and one on the dinette. I'd actually rather not eat inside! We are going to add a small folding table to our stuff so the kids have a place to play under the awning.

At the moment we are deciding if we want our younger child to go to private school with her older brother or not. We very much want her to, want them to be together, love the school, etc., but it's a lot of money, and when I think of what else it could be spent on (a class A like Shannone's ), it makes me crazy! The good thing is that when I find a job, it should cover it, but still. And then there's college.

Actually, our 5 year plan involves moving somewhere cheaper (Sarasota where we have family) and sending both kids to public school, so the tuition could be temporary.

Can you tell this is on my mind?

Well it sounds like you have it pretty well together with the camping end of it and we looked at the Santa Fe during our shopping - pretty cool setup.

Private school - that is a tricky one which DW and I mulled over when our DD11 was about to transition from elementary to middle school. And with you already having one child in it, I can imagine that is a very hard decision.

I hear you about it being very expensive. We have several friends who have their kids in private school. We decided to keep our DD in public school but were helped by the fact that she would be going to the best one in town as far as faculty & administration.

If it is a short-term thing until you relocate I guess the deciding factor would be whether you think putting her in public school would have any negative long-term impact on her. Do you consider the area public school a "safe" environment for her or are there issues in the area where you live?

 

[Gillian]

If it is a short-term thing until you relocate I guess the deciding factor would be whether you think putting her in public school would have any negative long-term impact on her. Do you consider the area public school a "safe" environment for her or are there issues in the area where you live?

It's safe, but the classes are large and I don't think they are really on top of everything that goes on with the kids. DS's school is much smaller, everyone knows everyone else. The big kids take care of the little kids. Educationally it's more varied. They can do special projects and be more flexible than the public schools. I like the emphasis on reading/discussion and writing. They have fun art classes and spend a lot of time outside.

Thanks for listening!

In any case, we're very excited to de-winterize the pup. I want to find a campground near the NJ shore for June. We're taking it to Knoebels (PA) and Spring Gulch (near Lancaster PA) in August. That's all that's planned so far. No Fort this year.

 

[mnmrmustard]

It's safe, but the classes are large and I don't think they are really on top of everything that goes on with the kids. DS's school is much smaller, everyone knows everyone else. The big kids take care of the little kids. Educationally it's more varied. They can do special projects and be more flexible than the public schools. I like the emphasis on reading/discussion and writing. They have fun art classes and spend a lot of time outside.

Thanks for listening!

In any case, we're very excited to de-winterize the pup. I want to find a campground near the NJ shore for June. We're taking it to Knoebels (PA) and Spring Gulch (near Lancaster PA) in August. That's all that's planned so far. No Fort this year.

I can see the benefits for sure, I don't envy you having to make the decision on it. But if you decide to keep with the public school, at least you know a change is coming when you're able to move.

No problem, glad to!

Sounds like a good start to the summer camping (except of course missing out on FW). I'll have to pick your brain as to what you have to do do de-winterize your pup

 

[lisa8200]

While we were looking to upgrade our 5er to a class A we saw some pop ups at one of the dealers. I thought that it was funny that even the pop ups have slide outs now. I'm sure that this makes a pop up more of an option for a family that years ago just wouldn't have had the room.

 

[mnmrmustard]

While we were looking to upgrade our 5er to a class A we saw some pop ups at one of the dealers. I thought that it was funny that even the pop ups have slide outs now. I'm sure that this makes a pop up more of an option for a family that years ago just wouldn't have had the room.

That's very true - we were AMAZED at what you could get on/what you could fit in these things! We're getting pretty excited, only 4 more days until we pick ours up

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

I think a pop-up will be cool. I'm curious about how does the bed with blankets and pillows stay dry (assuming a downpour) when it's on the end and surrounded by the canvas?

 

[PanFanAL]

We are getting rid of our pup for mechanical reasons, but in looking at campers we were actually surprised at how few people could sleep in some of the bigger 5th wheels. We could put 5-6 people in our Santa Fe. Some of the 5th wheels could only sleep 4. They were super nice, but not much space. We don't spend much time in the camper, so sleeping space is the most important factor for us.

 

[PanFanAL]

I think a pop-up will be cool. I'm curious about how does the bed with blankets and pillows stay dry (assuming a downpour) when it's on the end and surrounded by the canvas?

The top part is usually vinyl, and the canvas is treated to be waterproof. If it works correctly the water will bead just like a freshly waxed car. If it leaks it was a heck of a storm, or you need to treat the fabric.