If I were planning to spend an extended period of time camping, I'd have to go with a TT, there may be many instances where the weather is not cooperating and you can always back in a TT and finish set up later....not to mention just pulling over somewhwere to catch some sleep during your travels
*Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - "WOW, What a ride!"
You have so many choices for TV's and trailer combinations. Lets start with the question. What vehicles do you prefer to drive on a daily basis?
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What type of trailer you finally get will be driven (literally) by what type of tow vehicle you end up getting. I suggest you purchase the most powerful vehicle you can afford, that has the best towing capacity possible for the money.
Yeah, I've looked at pretty much every tow vehicle option out there. I started with pop-up capable cars (SAAB, Volvo, Subaru) and car based SUVs, moved into looking at mid-sized truck-based SUVs and now I've decided it will be a pick-up. I will probably go with a full-size since the gas mileage difference between them and the mid-sized trucks is non-existent and the price difference is very small (with the larger rebates on the full-sized trucks it sometimes favors the full-size if I go new, and the resale value is better as well) yet the difference in capability is pretty pronounced (though I may get a V8 Dakota with a 7K rating). It makes sense. I'm single so I don't need all the passenger space of an SUV (and some full-sized extended cabs have decent rear seat room anyway, similar to a roomy compact car, and the crew cabs have anywhere between mid-sized car room to near limo like room). I may be buying a condo or townhouse in less than a year (and in no more than 3 or 4 years) and the cargo room for Home Depot runs will be nice. Then there is size- I'm about 1/2 inch shy of 6' and definitely a "macro" body build- right now I'm around 300LBS (I'm losing weight but even in great shape I tend towards the heavy side, at 19 and right out of Basic Training with no extra body fat I was almost 190LBS, now I expect to be between 200-220 when I'm done losing weight). The extra room and comfort of a real truck is nice- when test driving I kept saying to myself "why the heck did I wait this long." Right now I really liked the Chevy/GMC (I am leaning towards the XFE model with the 21MPG HWY rating and 7K LB tow rating) and the Dodge Ram with the HEMI and I still need to drive the Dodge Dakota and the Nissan Titan. The Ford F150 and Toyota Tundra were nice but I didn't like them as much as the GM and the Dodge, I was disappointed in the mid-sized Tacoma a bit, and the mid-sized Frontier, while one of my favorites, is the least capable from a tow standpoint (6100-6200LBS with how I'd likely have it equipped). Heck, on one of my threads in the tow vehicle section I have people trying to talk me into a 3/4 ton or 1ton even though it would be complete overkill for what I'm planning to tow (a hybrid, lightweight TT or highwall in the 3500-4500LB dry weight/4500-5500LB GVWR range).
Quote: Buy used for no more than half list price. This will allow you to sell it without as much cost if you really are looking for something different in a season or two.
That is a possibility. I know from experience that I like a pop-up (though the experience is some years old) and I like tent camping, so feeling closer to nature would be nice. The main reason I might jump straight to the lightweight TT or hybrid would be to save money if I felt after a year or two that the pop-up wouldn't be enough (something I suspect may be the case with my intended use- the camper will practically be home during many summers). I have noticed with used highwalls that, so long as the condition is similar, there is little difference in the price of highwalls in the 2 to 5 year old range. So, while I might have the hassle of selling, I might not take more than a couple hundred dollar hit if I sell it myself and don't do a trade-in. That way, I could give pop-ups a fair shot without too big a loss if I decided to "upgrade" later.
-BMW 325i
-Cheap 4-season tent
-Will buy a nice spring/summer weight tent this spring
-Starting to seriously shop pop-ups and tow vehicles (targeting for this next camping season)
Quote: The nice thing about PUP's over a TT is the fact you can store them in a normal household garage, as long as the PUP is short enough.
For a while I was thinking it would definitely be a pop-up or a Hi Lo/TrailManor for this very reason. My apartment has a garage where they say I could store a trailer (though they can be strange sometimes and I'm no longer sure they actually would let me). I will probably buy a condo or townhouse with a garage. Not having to pay for storage would be nice. However, I'm also looking at condos and townhouses without garages so even with a pop-up I may need to pay for storage. Also, storage isn't that bad (I've seen several in the $60/mo range and I haven't looked too much yet so I may find cheaper) and some of the spots where I might go when I want to spend the entire summer in one spot (some places at the beach and in the mountains) include year-round storage in the price of their seasonal site rentals, though a 2-3 hour drive just to get to my camper might not be fun if I was taking it any distance away.
Quote: The down side to a PUP is breaking camp in the rain and wet sides. No fun at all.
Yeah, I remember. There were some "fun" times.
Quote: I think alot depends on where you will be camping. Since you've already stated your intent for extended outings. The advantages of moving up to a Hybrid or TT with more storage, larger galley space and larger refer and a larger bathroom speak for themselves. That plus considerations for varying weather conditions should be taken into account.
I'll mostly be staying at commercial campgrounds or dedicated campsites in state parks. Any "boonie" camping would be in a tent. As for where, I plan to do a lot of traveling and see as much of the country as I can until I meet the right woman and get married (maybe even continue then if I marry another educator who can take off summers as well, and is interested in travel), though some summers I may just stay in the mountains or at the beach on the east coast.
The advantages of a TT or hybrid you mention are exactly why I'm thinking I may go that way with the amount of time I intend to spend in one. Plus, one or two of my grad school options I'm looking at are "limited residency" programs- not entirely online, not entirely in person. They'd entail online classwork plus going in person a weekend a month (or every other month) or a week or two during the summer, and having a trailer to stay in instead of a hotel room would be nice (a pop-up may not be suited to the every other weekend or one week in the summer, one week in the winter, program I'm looking at in Vermont). The weather considerations aren't as big for me, though set up and take down in the rain isn't so fun, and possible winter camping does favor the TT.
(sorry, long post and I'm trying to keep reading it manageable)
Quote: I would suggest going out and looking at a hybrid, pup and a TT
I've done this a little already. My favorite thing with a pop-up is how it gives more weather protection and comfort while keeping some of the best aspects of a tent (feeling like you are out there with nature). The pull-out bunks and tent sides also give a nice large and airy feeling. A hybrid can be a bit smaller than a TT since the bunks don't take up space in the floorplan. The floor space is all living/dining/cooking space. The bunks give it a more airy and larger feel, while being an efficient use of available floorspace. It has the galley, storage and bathroom advantages of a TT, but it has the wet canvas and set up disadvantages of a pop-up in the rain. The TT has none of the weather disadvantages, but I'll definitely have to rent one once before I'd buy one. When I camp, I want to be camping, and I worry that in a fully enclosed trailer I may not feel any more in touch with nature than in a hotel room. Another possible disadvantage is that in a 19-21' TT (maybe up to 23' in a lightweight) I may feel a bit closed in if I was stuck with several rainy days that I stayed in, and the smaller ones don't even have dedicated beds/bedrooms (having to convert the sofa or dinette every evening seems like it would be a bit of a pain).
Quote: If I were planning to spend an extended period of time camping, I'd have to go with a TT, there may be many instances where the weather is not cooperating and you can always back in a TT and finish set up later....not to mention just pulling over somewhwere to catch some sleep during your travels
I'm not too worried about how it will withstand the weather- the pop-up my parents had when I was a teen held up to some pretty bad weather conditions on a few occasions. Having to pack it up or set it up in poor weather is a consideration however. Also, I have thought about the possibility on some long drives of being able to just pull into a spot at Walmart (if they still let you do this), I don't think I'd feel safe doing this in a pop-up or hybrid. Also, for just a quick overnight stop (especially if try to get the most miles out of a day when I really want to get to my destination so I stop after I'm already tired) being able to just pull into a camp site with little additional prep would be nice. There certainly are some TT advantages, but then I like the feeling of being out in nature that you get with a pop-up (and I assume with a hybrid).
Hey...you sound like you're really doing your homework to make sure what you get is right for you and your uses! That's great. Obviously, with the TV you're considering, you could pull ANY of your choices comfortably.
I'm bias towards HTTs, of course, since we just got one this summer. My DH was a tent camper and I was a non-camper, though a lover of nature. It's the best of both worlds for us both. Consider this...the set-up/break-down in the rain doesn't need to be an issue is you watch the weather and close up the tent ends (turtling) prior to storms. I think it takes us about 5 minute per end to close up, so it's no biggie. Then just sleep on the dinette or couch-bed for a night or two. That is, if the wet ends is a big deal. Then, on all those nice days/nights you get the open and airy feeling of the beds/tents and all that floor space.
Good luck researching/shopping! You have a wonderful opportunity (with the summers off) to really see so much of this great country!
Me (34), DH (35)
DS1: 5/22/07
DS2: 11/3/08
DT (Tucker the lab)
'08 Jayco 23B, Ford Explorer V8 w/ Prodigy, Equal-i-zer
I Had a very nice 29' coachmen TT that I lived in full time when I first got out of college and I loved it. When I bought my first home it then became our RV. Well I quickly relized that towing the trailer was a pain in the neck and finding a spot or backing in was also just as agravating! Not to mention the gas mileage Ouch!! I deeply loved the camper and when we got there it was great! But as my kids started to get old enough to enjoy camping trips it became more of a hassle to keep a big TV around for no other purpose then to haul my camper. We sold our TT last year and bought a Chalet Alpine 12' box hard sided pop up camper and it has all the advantages I was looking for as far as towing goes but I think that If I had to do it over I would have went with a high wall pop up that would give me the best of gas mileage with lots of room when we got to our campsite. Also something else I noticed it is much cheaper and easier to resereve a partial hook up campsite. Then a full hook up campsite.
ME AND MY DH STARTED OUT IN A POP UP 14 WH JAYCO. HAD IT FOR ONE SUMMER THEN TRADED IT IN A MONTH AGO FOR A 2010 JAYCO 5TH WHEEL. THEY ARE SO DOFFERENT YOU GET TWO DIFFERENT FEELINGS IN THEM. WE HAD SOME GREAT TIMES IN THE SUMMER WE OWNED THE POP UP.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY I LOVE MY 5TH WHEEL . LOVE NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE SIDES GETTING WET AND WORRING ABOUT THEM MOLDING . AND HAVING TO PACK IN AND UP PACK THE POP UP .
My thought is if you drive many miles a popup is nice (lower profile); however, the travel trailer is nice when you're having to drive to a place and "crash". There's something to be said for the lack of set up and take down if you're spending a LOT of time traveling. Also, having wet canvas isn't great, but if you're taking down and popping up you're not really putting canvas away wet without being able to breathe. I dunno. We love our PUP, but a TT would probably be easier overall. The PUP is great towing though.
I had a 35ft fifth wheel and now I'm in a PUP full-time. I loved the extra space in my 5ver, but it was a pain in the butt whenever we moved it (we both have experience with heavy equipment so it wasn't "hard" just a pain). Our transmission went out in our 1ton Ford and it was so expensive to fix we decided to downgrade. Did we really need all that******anyway? Apparently not! I think the PUP gets you back to that "camping feeling". I was really sad when I spent the first night in my 5ver and realized it wasn't camping at all!
If you can spend the extra money get a hybrid, BUT if you aren't sure this is really what you want, get a PUP (much cheaper) and try it out! Oh, and don't worry about being cold - that heater gets ridiculously hot! Towards the end of our stay in The Black Hills of SD it got down in the 30s for a week and we didn't even notice! Nice and cozy
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