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We are in our early 40 and have 4 kids between ages 6-9 We love camping and we do so twice a year. We live in Chicago but vacation are usually mountains, so far Appalachian, Rocky, and often we visit nearby states that offer nice camping. We camped since our teenage age and now we do same thing with our kids.
Lately we were considering to upgrade from tent to pop up tent. We think we want a little bit of luxury if you can call it. It would be easier with kids. What is your experience with pop up camp? Would you invest your money to by brand new or used one? Do you think setting up pop up tent is so much work than a tent or similar. What brand and price and year is good if used one? Thank you for your input.
They are much easier to set up than a tent and much more comfortable. I bought one for hunting and the ability to get back into National Forests. You can haul them anywhere you can take a truck in most cases.
Out west they are hard to find used in good condition. I had people calling when I sold both of the used tent trailers for weeks. The only disadvantage to them is WIND and the set-up takes longer than for a regular trailer. I did replace the tent trailer with a small trailer, and it is great for one person. But with kids a tent trailer works much better.
We live out West so a furnace was more important than air conditioning.
They are expensive these days compared to a trailer.
I found that tent camping with my boys was a lot more enjoyable for them and me when I had the "base camp" tent and put them into their own tent space with their own bedding/toys/games.
When small, the separation for their "nap time" or when they ran out of energy was good for them and me. In the eve's, they were able to sleep at a reasonable time apart from adults staying up through the evening.
When they were older ... their games/recreation and privacy from the adults and separation from the cooking area was appreciated by all. They could stay up late ... and the adults could get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
My tents ranged from a couple of gerry mountaineering 3-4 man tents through an 8' x 10' cabin tent.
Yes, we had times where the boys damaged tents ... for example, getting up at night to go to the bathroom ... and didn't get the zippers or tie strings undone/replaced correctly. But they outgrew those problems over the years and small flashlights for each helped a lot.
I don't see an advantage for the trailer pop-up facilities over a tent camping (and we even camped out of a '72 BMW 2002 for years, pulled a two-pack Laser sailboat trailer with it to the regional lakes) ... and we cold weather camped in the Rockies, too. Appropriate clothing and rated sleeping bags were key for our adventures. Folding table, coleman stove, cooler, lantern, folding chairs ... we had as comfortable a campsite as any.
The bigger advancement is to move up to a self-contained RV. You'd need a Class C for a family or a trailer. The advantage is that you've got the facilities and dedicated spaces for all the various activities ... and heat or a/c as appropriate in living quarters, minimal set-up/tear-down time when you want to hit the road. Access to many campgrounds with these is pretty good ... you don't need an RV park with hook-ups when you're self-contained with electricity, propane , water storage, and refrigeration/freezer. In my area, used Class C's and trailers can be had for the same price range as pop-ups.
The nice thing about a pop up is the heater. It is nice being off the ground a bit and the bed comfortable. Tents were okay, however I am not a fan of air mattresses that seem to be common. A cot would be much preferred.
In my area on Craigs list you can get 10 years old pop up for about $3k or more.
Are there big risk to buy used pop up in term of leaking, broken etc? What are the indication of well treated pop up tent?
Yes, our tent is 6 years old thats when my triplets were born, this tent were treated very hard and next year should go for retirement, lol. I am so for that pop up trailer idea.
Last edited by majka; 12-18-2016 at 10:06 PM..
Reason: adding
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by majka
In my area on Craigs list you can get 10 years old pop up for about $3k or more. Are there big risk to buy used pop up in term of leaking, broken etc? What are the indication of well treated pop up tent?
Yes, our tent is 6 years old thats when my triplets were born, this tent were treated very hard and next year should go for retirement, lol. I am so for that pop up trailer idea.
Pop-ups CAN be really nice and cheap option (especially in rainy areas) 280 days / yr in PNW rainforest areas. Getting up off the ground is very nice when you are in rain for weeks on end. Tents can be a problem stowing and setting up wet day after day.
YES, pop-ups can be very expensive and problematic, (used) if mildew, or torn canvas, or rotten wood clad in Alum.
1) buy ONLY pop-ups from original owners, who stored them inside or under cover, and ALWAYS dried / cleaned them out after camping.
They are pretty basic, but check the lift mechanism, and plumbing services / compartments.
Get the biggest Dia tires possible and grease and adjust wheel bearings EVERY trip / or at least 2x during a busy season and before every trip over 1000 miles. Carry an IR temp gun and keep an eye on tire and bearing temps. (every stop)
We have used them for nearly 30 yrs and a lot with our kids. We usually chose farm homes and hung around to help with chores and projects. BUT they are usually not too near National Parks in the boonies, so having a solution for that helps. You could make a van conversion for your camping trips, or a small teardrop type trailer. with a fold out.
In NZ and Australia there were many options for roof mounted tents and platforms for vans and cars. Search their national sites and trademe for ideas on campervan 'quick-conversions' ('Slide in' camping equip) Search also for 'Camping Chuckbox' for ideas.
I am making a utility trailer 'pop-up' teardrop. Essentially it is a 'slide-in' camper that fits in my excellent 2,000GVW Snowbear trailer (tilt / extendable) (previously sold at Costco, available used for <$500). I use a 'motoraide' HW heater that has quick connects to my Minivan and 50 MPG Passat Wagons. LOW capital expense camping. But... I prefer a $10/ night guest home cuz it is much more educational. Spouse likes to camp... so... we do both.
I've owned a few tent trailers and used them for many years. I really enjoyed them, they are easy to tow and back into tight spaces and when they are set up they have a lot of room depending on the one a person gets. Once set up you have beds, stove, sink, refrigeration or cooler and storage. Set up is fast and easy.
We bought a 1989 Coleman Williamsburg just before this past Memorial Day and keep saying that it's the best camping investment we've made. We may go to a travel trailer at some point in the future, but can definitely see ourselves using and enjoying this pop-up for at least the next several summers.
Especially for my partner it has been wonderful, as he has a bad back and had some major difficulties getting in and out of the sleeping bag on the ground in the tent.
Getting off the ground is great. Also being able to sit inside in the evenings, without bugs, makes things so much better for us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by majka
Would you invest your money to by brand new or used one?
IMO, the new ones are way over-priced for what you get. Recently, we saw several at a local RV show and were floored at the pretty much bare-bones units that were in the 15K range.
If I were you, I'd make my next stop PopUpPortal . There is a wealth of information there and some very knowledgeable people who are more than happy to answer any questions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by majka
Do you think setting up pop up tent is so much work than a tent or similar.
For us, the overall time to set up our pop-up is about the same as it was for the tent. It may be a little longer if the ground is not very level, but honestly, we were amazed at how quick it goes up (especially with practice).
Quote:
Originally Posted by majka
What brand and price and year is good if used one? Thank you for your input.
Head on over to the popup portal. They have checklists for buying used units and information about the manufacturers. They will also be more than happy to give their two cents on any prospective purchase.
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Pop Up Camper vs Tent
