Tent Trailers

[NorthernON_MOM]

Just wondering if anyone camps with tent trailers and what kind you have and how do you like it?

 

[tim5055]

Yup, I have a Coleman (now Fleetwood Folding trailers) Santa Fe and love it!

I would assume from your questions you are thinking about getting one.

I have a website devoted to Pop Up Camping and would recomend the following pages from it:

Pop Up Camping Frequently Asked Questions

Folding Trailer Manufacturer Web Sites

 

[We4mickey]

We have a Coleman Cheyenne. Had a small Starcraft before,but much prefer the Coleman. I don't like low counters like the Starcraft had.

 

[Whosemom]

HI! We started camping with a VERY used pop-up last year and loved it enough to make the $ committment this year for a new one.

 

[NHMickey]

I had a Rockwood for a few years. I have to say it was some of the best camoing we ever did. I really like the new pop ups out today. I think Starcraft and Fleetwood have made some great advances in design and function.

 

[gardendame]

I also have some questions for you pop-up owners (hope this isn't considered thread hijacking??) Maybe my questions will help the OP also.
1) I know storage is an issue. Once the camper is folded down, will there be room inside to put coolers, rubbermaid totes, grills, etc., that can be taken out and stored outside once set up and open?
2) I have seen camping photos where pop-up users have large rugs or mats outside the door to cut down on dirt getting inside. Exactly what is this and where do we get it?
That's it for now. Thanks for allowing me to intrude!!

 

[R_Judy]

We also have a Coleman Cheyenne. We love it. We have had it for 8 years now. When it is closed down there is still tons of storage room. Ours also has a front trunk which is one of it's best features. We have set-up down to a fine art. Takes us about 30 minutes. Everyone has thier specific jobs. It takes my FIL longer than that to set up their RV. Good luck.

 

[tim5055]

Originally posted by gardendame
1) I know storage is an issue. Once the camper is folded down, will there be room inside to put coolers, rubbermaid totes, grills, etc., that can be taken out and stored outside once set up and open?

The amount of room inside will differ depending on the make and model. Those with a slide out will reduce the available space inside. Generally you can count on using the center isle for storage when popped down.

2) I have seen camping photos where pop-up users have large rugs or mats outside the door to cut down on dirt getting inside. Exactly what is this and where do we get it?

Camp mats ae avialable form many sources. I got mine from the store at PopUpTimes, but it is currently a special order item. They are wonderful, they weigh next to nothing and just shake clean.

 

[BIGUS DOGGUS]

I HAVE A 99 STARCRAFT SPACELINER WITH A SLIDEOUT. ITS BEEN IN EVERY STATE EAST OF ILL,OHIO,TENN AND GEORGIA AND IS GOING WEST THIS SUMMER. WE LOVE IT. WE HAVE 3 KIDS 14, 11, 6.
THE SLIDEOUT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN IT IS OPEN. WHEN CLOSED I HAVE ROO INSIDE AND IN THE DOOR WAY AND A BIG STORAGE AREA IN THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER FOR THE CARPET, FISHING POLES, BOOGIE BOARDS SWIM NOODLES GRILL ETC.
BY THE WAY YOU CAN GET THE "TURF" CARPET AT HOME DEPOTS, LOWES OR PLACES LIKE THAT PRETTY CHEAP.

 

[sandieb]

Hi - We have a Coleman Mesa folding camper made by Fleetwood. It has two king size beds, a lounge, a dinette, a stove, ice box, and tons of storage. It has air conditioning, heat and a 6 gal. hot water heater. We love it. We camped at the beach last year and had a blast.

We had a tiny basic Coleman before that...finally bought a new one when the old camper hit 19 years old. And you know what? We loved that one too (obviously - we used it so long).

We think the tent campers are great - they are easy to haul, spacious enough, have amenities, cost is reasonable, and you still get the feeling of camping.

I suggest that you attend an RV show and take a look at all the options out there.
Good Luck, Sandie

 

[dtum]

We had a pop-up Palomino for years and years. It finally bit the dust and we moved up to a trailer, but my kids grew up in the pop-up and even though at times it was a tight fit getting everyone and everything inside we always had a great time. We had a small electric refrig. that we took because the propane one never got cold enough and was really hard to keep lit. However, I have to say, we really like the convenience of having our own bathroom in the trailer. Don't miss going through the woods in the middle of the night.

We bought marine grade indoor/outdoor carpet at lowe's. It a lot cheaper than the carpets they sell through the camping store. It really helps a lot keeping dirt out, makes it easier to keep shoes out of the camper and is nice to put the chairs on under your awning.

 

[murph103]

We have a Palamino with its own shower and cassette toilet. We can fit a good bit inside the trailer when it's closed, but we put the cooler and the big Rubbermaid bin in our Expedition. We usually end up taking the rear seat out so we have plenty of room for everything.

We invested in two mats that we bought at an RV show. They are woven and are very easy to keep clean. We had one of those green astroturf rugs, but it was a pain when it got wet. And a real pain get clean enough to put back in the trailer. These new mats sweep clean with a broom and the water just drains through them.

 

[house_of_princesses]

We purchased some cheap indoor/outdoor carpeting at a local home improvement store. We use it as long as it stays fairly clean. Once it gets muddy, beyond a broom, we pitch it and get a new one. I suppose you could purchase disposable painters tarp and put it underneath to keep it out of mud and such.

 

[VAN]

We've had a small Viking for 10 years and it has been great ... several trips from Michigan to Ft. Wilderness in addition to local trips and one big one to Yellowstone. This weekend, however, we we went to an RV show and ended up ordering a new and bigger Viking. Not the biggest or fanciest because we don't want to have something that is too heavy to tow with our minivan. Unbelieveable how much more storage space we will have!

The factory is located 1 hour south of our town and so the dealership is requesting our new camper for delivery next week. Plenty of time for our trip to WDW on 3/26 !!!!

 

[jeffb66]

Hey Northern...We have a Coleman Sedona. It's one of the medium size trailers that they make. We have had alot of fun with it. There is alot to consider when you buy a pop-up. Such as what tow vehicle you are going to be using can limit the size and weight of the camper you buy. We are planning a trip to Fort Wilderness in Oct. of this year and we can't wait...!!!!!! There is a very informative website called www.popupexplorer.com.
This has been a great tool for us when it comes to technical and practical info. Hope this helps.....Jeff

 

[gatorcamper]

Pop-ups are a great move-up from tent camping. We have a minivan so we could not tow a big trailer. We found a used Coachmen with toilet and shower. My wife loves it (well love maybe is too strong). I wish we had more storage. I have a blue waste water tank stored inside when it is folded down.

Favorite options in the pop-up: shower, toilet (for kids), A/C (necessary in Florida), 3-way refrigerator. A good used with these options is probably in the $4,000 range.

Gatorcamper

FW in May 2004