Our family's camped for almost 20 years in almost everything: tent, pop-up, 5th wheel, Class C with slide. We sold the latter a few years ago and we really miss camping (but not so much that we're ready to go back to the tent!). Problem is, by now we recognize the pros and cons of almost every option so we need fresh thinking.
We have a 97 Ford F150 4x4 5.6L with o/d. We need something lightweight that sleeps 4 and can accommodate 2 large, energetic dogs. We LOVE the open feel of a pop-up but hate the set-up/breakdown. We camp primarily in the high desert so think dry, windy, dusty, hot days and cold nights.
It seems a hybrid with a small slide (and lots of windows!) might be just the ticket. Or should we re-consider a popup with powerlift (e.g., a Coleman Niagara)?
Anyway, we're hoping for your advice and suggestions, from pros/cons to specific models.
I have a Jayco 23B. Plenty of room for 5 people and 1 large dog. Two dogs could get a little more busy, but would probably work. We still pack a tent and usually set it up when the weather is going to co-operate. Our 2 boys like to sleep in the tent and then bring friends along many times. So, while we easily fit in the hybrid, the tent is nice to move some of the clutter(boys duffel bags) out of the trailer. Good luck!
Keep the Shiny Side Up!
2011 F150 Supercrew, 4X4 3.5 Ecoboost, 145" wheelbase, 3.73 gears, Max trailer Tow package
When you say "open feel of a popup", do you mean that the inner space with the end trays pulled out gives an open feel, or do you mean that the tent material with big window screen areas gives an open feel? It makes a difference in what will make you happy. If the former, then yes a hybrid may be to your liking. If the latter, I bet the hybrid will still make you feel like you're closed up inside.
If your main dissatisfaction with popups was the cranking up and down, yes a HTT gets away from that. But you still have to fiddle with the canvas ends to get them set up or ready to leave. Best to see if you can borrow or rent one to try out, or at least spend some time in a dealer's showroom where they will let you fold the ends in and back out, so you can see for yourself.
Mike & Sherry
2000 Mercury Mountaineer
2008 Toyota Highlander
2011 KZ Spree Escape E14RB
your OTHER right wrote: Our family's camped for almost 20 years in almost everything: tent, pop-up, 5th wheel, Class C with slide. We sold the latter a few years ago and we really miss camping (but not so much that we're ready to go back to the tent!). Problem is, by now we recognize the pros and cons of almost every option so we need fresh thinking.
We have a 97 Ford F150 4x4 5.6L with o/d. We need something lightweight that sleeps 4 and can accommodate 2 large, energetic dogs. We LOVE the open feel of a pop-up but hate the set-up/breakdown. We camp primarily in the high desert so think dry, windy, dusty, hot days and cold nights.
It seems a hybrid with a small slide (and lots of windows!) might be just the ticket. Or should we re-consider a popup with powerlift (e.g., a Coleman Niagara)?
Anyway, we're hoping for your advice and suggestions, from pros/cons to specific models.
Thank you all in advance for your advice!
no hybrid will have the open feeling of a popup but it will have a much more open feeling compared to the "shoebox" feel of a regular TT.
some brands have taller bunk ends with bigger windows and feel more open than the other brands.
a hybrid i just saw, the Coachmen Apex hybrids have two floorplans that have what they call, a queen bedroom suite.
the one with a u-dinette on a slideout, is the 17REX. i'd suggest you look at the dinette as a big positive.
We've looked at the Jayco 23B but it just didn't ring our bell.
The "openness" we like is indeed the all-around tent feeling, not just the open ends ... so the advice to go crawl around in some units is a great idea, and we do plan a little roadtrip to the closest city with more than one RV dealer in the next week or two. We were just hoping to go with a few models in mind.
Bikendan, you've completely ruined me for anything else now that I've seen the Apex 17REX. I've got to go research that right this minute!
But that doesn't mean I'm not open to more suggestions, everyone thanks for all your help!!!
Hey Santa Fe! Placitas here, we camp often at Cochiti, and Fenton lake. Here's our experience. Had a pop up for 2 seasons, loved it at first, but setup and teardown got old really fast. Also, our constant winds in NM made too much noise for us, flapping all that canvas. Switched to the Roo last year, and been having a ball. Already taken 5 trips in 2012. That Apex looks fantastic, although with all that open area, I'm thinking of how often your furnace is going to be running, when the temps drop down in the 30's and 40's, like they do out here in the high desert. Last trip up to Quemado lake, the days were in the low 90's, but there was ice on the dogs bowls when we woke up. We are two adults, with three Akitas, at 100 lbs each. While we loved the extra storage, and counter space of the 23's, the 21 with the super slide gives us the huge floor space we love. BTW, last week, it was us, our 3 dogs, two friends, and their boarder terrier, and still had plenty of space. Welcome to the forum.
Drove down to Albuquerque today and there are precious few hybrids out there to crawl around in! But one of the few ones we DID find was a 2013 Roo 21ss and you're right, Botterbein, that's a terrific floorplan.
Because there weren't many hybrids about, we spent some time looking at hard side models in the lines we've been reading about, just to get a sense of the quality. Now we just have to figure where we can see some of the hybrids in person, since they're apparently rare in our locality.
When I was looking to upgrade from our POPUP I was really impressed with the HTT where the bed ends folds down from the outside and not slide-in like on the POPUP. This frees up alot of room in the HTT by not having the "bedroom" to deal with.
This is the one real bad thing about the POPUP is when you get it road-worthy for travel there isnt a five inch hole on the floors or inside the door or anywhere you can stick another piece of anything else to take with you. Of course all being stuffed inside the trailer, all of this has to come out before you can setup the POPUP. When the weather is bad this isnt much fun.
The 23-foot size is a good matchup for your truck. JAYCO has a great lineup of this size trailer. be sure to go to their web pages and you can view the floor plans and specs of all their new and older models. Then go visit a dealer and crawl around in the ones you really like. Some people will rent one before they buy it... Just to check out what it offers.
We fell in love with the Jayco X213 model for the two of us and our 2010 F150 truck would be great for this model. But here we are still running the roads in off-road POPUP. Hate to give up my 19-21MPG pulling my POPUP with my truck. That will drop to 10-14MPG with the wind catching trailer behind the truck. I used to say at least with our POPUP we can still drive through a Mcdonalds and order from the take out window. This months Trailer Life Mag shows a 23-footer sitting at the McdDnalds take out window and the dude is using an extend-a-arm to take his order. Guess I will have to change to change my McDonalds story now.
We also carry a gazbo or tent when the kids come with us. Most all of them will want to sleep in a tent.. All one grandkid wants is his sleeping bag - He is usually sleeping on top of the picnic table the next morning haha...
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - PM me Roy and Carolyn
RETIRED DOAF/DON/DOD/CONTR RADIO TECH (42yrs)
K9PHT (Since 1957) 146.52M
2010 F150, 5.4,3:73 Gears,SCab
2008 Starcraft 14RT EU2000i GEN
2005 Flagstaff 8528RESS
POPUP PHOTOs-Pg52-Pg56
I found the price and weight of the high side pop-ups to be roughly the same as the similar sized hybrids. Our reason for choosing the hybrid over the pop-up was the bathroom. Knowing then what I know now about towing and the need for a suitable TV I may have taken a 2nd look at pop-ups. You're aware of the trade offs going either way, depends on your priorities.
Happy Motoring
Bob & Deb
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in the next week or two. We were just hoping to go with a few models in mind.
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