Maybe it is a regional trend? PUPs are very popular in the southeast. We see them on the interstate all the time. Of course, we are a vacation destination, so many of them are visiting from others states.
Livin Lite Quicksilver 8.0 (Folding Tent Camper) only 900 lbs!
We came in after dark last night and when I went outside with my coffee there were three new campers set up, all were pop-ups. Yesterday there were some already here along with a couple of tents. We are in a private park in VA. There are a few TT's and one fiver and no Class A's. Facilities are mostly full hook up with some bare sites down by the water.
bandmjdavis wrote: I count everytime I get on the interstate. I still see more A's than anything else followed by 5th wheels and then travel trailers a close 3rd.
Same here. Class C's come next, with half of those having the 1-800-RV4RENT graphics all over them. PUPs and Class B's are rarely seen around here, and TCs are virtually non-existant.
At the local dealer, they still have a huge inventory of every style and size, but in the display area by the road where it used to be huge Class A's on display with a few 5er THs, it's now all Sprinter based B's and T@B trailers in those prime display spots.
2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PDQ 400 ISL Cummins/Allison
2002 Chevy Avalanche toad
Inside: Him, Her, and a pack of little furballs...
My BIL co-owns a camper dealer in Northern Indiana. He says his PUP sales are increasing every month, especially to mature adults. He says the most common reason he's heard from buyers is the efficiency of towing it is better than a larger trailer.
I just sold mine and upgraded to a TT. I got tired of the set up/take down and limited storage.
While we walked around the campground we were at over th 4th, 200+ sites, I noticed that there were more than usual. Usually I notice that there are a growing number of 5thW but this time there were more tents and PUs. I did not count so I cannot be sure.
Our last camping trip the class A's out numbered everything. Then came the 5th wheels,TT and not that many PU. This was a federal campground, not a RV Resort. We really didn't find that much difference in towing our PU and the TT we now have. At least not enough difference to go back to a PU.
2002 KZ Sportsmen 2505qss bought in 2001 1999F-150
My RV dealer told me that most of his PUP sales were to younger families just starting out in our RV lifestyle. They are looking for a less expensive way to get started. I would further guess that with today's economy going the way it is, gas prices, condo rentals, hotel lodging, car rentals, cruises, air fares with their add-on charges, bumping from flights, missed connections, . . . some of these PUP owners can't, or choose not to spend the big bucks on luxury vacationing. Perhaps they are looking at this as an affordable quality time to be spent with their families. We as TT owners should not begrudge or belittle the PUP owners sharing the sites in any campground. How many of us as TT owners started out with a PUP? RVing is a "lifestyle" to be lived, shared, and enjoyed by all, regardless of the accomodations we choose.
Tent camping also has its own level of enjoyment. Another side of my outdoor experience involves backpacking and canoe camping, in both of which I have used the tent as the primary means of shelter. This is a very comforting way to relax after a challenging day on the trail or water.
Wil, Tara, Joey (Jack Russel mix), and Nakeeta (Alaskan husky)
2007 Jay Flight 24RKS; 2001 Chevy Suburban 1500
Our first RV trip of the season (mid June), to the Canal CG in Grand Rivers, KY, we stayed on a loop with 19 spots. 10 of them were filled with PUPs, 4 with tents, 1 truck camper, 1 van conversion the rest were TT's. Saw lots of TT's and 5vers on other loops, though along with more PUPs but no tents. Didn't do any sort of count on the other loops.
I was very surprised at the number of PUPs and tents.
Worked out well for me because I'm a novice with the PUP and I had lots of folks to point me in the right direction when I had a question.
Me (69), DW (69), DD (95), DS (00), DS (01) and 1 camping toy fox terrier (08)
95 Fleetwood Utah, 02 Ford Explorer Limited (V8)
wilcamp wrote: We as TT owners should not begrudge or belittle the PUP owners sharing the sites in any campground. How many of us as TT owners started out with a PUP? RVing is a "lifestyle" to be lived, shared, and enjoyed by all, regardless of the accomodations we choose.
No one here is begrudging or belittling those who camp in PUPS or tents. Most of us started out that way. I just think that with the economy the way it is, people are going into smaller more effiecient rv's and where we live, it is becoming quite noticeable that this is happening. BTW...I loved our PUP and wish we still had it and I'm sure that others feel the same too.
JJ & Sandie
Li'l Jack and Pickles, chihuahuas...Chewy, poodle 6/15/95-7/4/08 We will always love you Chooch.
2003 Chevy 2500HD,LT,CC,SB,4x4,Duramax/Allison
2007 Starcraft Homestead 262RKS
Offline
.jpg)
