>>>Having a little trouble explaining to my wife what the differences would be between a Tent with air matteress and a Pop-up. I can't really explain the difference because I feel that there almost the same thing except one has wheels and the other doesn't. Can you all give me some differences to tell so maybe we could get one(pop-up) or at least rent one to see if we will be the family that camps. .... Basically the first question is why did you all buy a Pop-up instead of tenting it or getting a TT? Second question. Does the AC really work well in pop-up? Since the sides are made of canvas.
I have never camped in a tent. Don't want to. Icky. Bugs & rain. Ok, I'm a wimpy girly-girl.
But give me a pop-up w/air & I'm literally a happy camper.
Whether you get a pop-up w/all the amenities or you buy a stripped down model, then add a porta-potty, outside shower-house, dorm fridge, ceramic heater, etc., a pop-up allows you to enjoy the outdoors in a comfortable home-away-from-home.
Pam
* This post was
edited 07/02/08 09:34am by threebeachboys *
I am trying to find something new that hasn't been said and I actually found three... no four, OH OH five, Oops six... I need to stop.
You can find lots of things to modify (axles to flip, shelves to add, baffles and fans to install)
Things to maintain (hubs to grease, lugs nuts to torque, pipes to winterize, tanks to sanitize, batteries to charge)
Plenty to trouble shoot and problem solve (furnaces that will not stay lit, fridges that will not cool, fuses that blow, galley switches to locate)
A bunch of stuff you will not know how they work (setting up an awning, filling up a cassette fresh water tank, electrical wiring colors)
Things to buy (water regulator and hoses, multimeter, tire gauge, awning mats, POPUP Gizmo, WDH)
Positions that will never be resolved (Leveling with a BAL leveler versus wood, bag awning versus Carefree of Colorado Super Sport (SS) roll-out awning Oops they not longer make that model, Barker totes versus Aquatainers)
And the most significant difference is that you have a host of folks here to answer any questions that you have
Ruide
Fleetwood Evolution E3 - Yellow (DW let me get a Yellow one since she wanted an E3 with a slide out )
Hummer H2 - Black (DW vetoed the Yellow one, but I got two Yellow Hummer Folding Mountain bikes )
After over 20 years of tent camping, we had a very good setup when camping. We got a popup only for the following reasons:
1. speed of escape: everything is ready to go, just pack a cooler, throw a duffle bag of clothes in the truck and GO.
2. furnace: allows us to extend the camping season (april/may to october/november here in Canada)
3. fresh water tank, fridge and toilet: ability to go for extended stays in the middle of nowhere
A/C, heat, stove/oven, microwave, indoor plumbing (some with shower and toliets), dont have to worry about getting floded if it rains, no worries of waking up on the ground from the air matress going flat, you can leave everything in there so it's less packing, etc.
I would also say vehicle room is a biggie. If you are taking a long trip, loading everything in every nook and cranny in your vehicle to fit it all in is challenging and uncomfortable. It's amazing how much of the "stuff" you can put in your popup and have the vehicle for people and a couple neccesities.
Also, a furnace extends your camping season and areas significantly (ours dosen't have A/C though). And when the little ones inevitably wake up in the middle of the night....you have lights!!!! We've also done little ones getting sick in the middle of the night too and the pop up is sooooo convenient when "life" is inconvenient
I can only manage 3 nights max on an air mattress before I'm sleep deprived enough to call it quits no matter what. In the pop up I can do 2 weeks easy
Well, it's pretty much all been said already but here are my top reasons for loving our PUP over a tent:
1) It's all packed and ready to go. No more spending 2 hours getting packed to go. Plus we can take more stuff as needed.
2) Furnace. Extends camping season and allows comfort.
3) Much better bed. We did cots when we tent camped and not an air mattress so the cots were much better but I could sleep in the PUP bed for a couple weeks no problem.
4) Awning. Can actually sit outside in the rain and enjoy it.
5) On board water or water hookup. Much better then just 5 gallons at a time.
6) Easier set up and take down, especially in the rain.
We bought our 1st PUP for a lot of reasons, all the same as the rest.
1. Most important mommy was happier off the ground, I needed more luxuries then our tent could give.
I like tent camping, but the thought of camping with our very active son and two dogs (75 lb retrievers) in a tent gave me a nightmare. I am sure we will take our son tent camping when he's a bit older but now if it rains the dogs curl up on the bunks or the floor and I can read and DW and or DS can watch a DVD or color or read or just relax. When the weather's nice you can open up all the windows and get a nice breeze. when it's cold the furnace helps but hey what do you expect for tent walls. That's what big sleeping bags and layers of clothes are for.
You can get a pop up as plain as you want or as fancy. I like that ours has a battery and furnace and stove. Our new one has an electric water pump and water heater which make things so much easier especially doing dishes and washing up. Ours has a cassette toilet and which I miss the storage space a bit I will admit it was nice not having to make a late night trip to the biffy.
They won't be as comfortable as a big TT or Fifth wheel but we are planning on keeping ours probably at least 10 years. I know I remember the camping trips I took as a kid much more than the trips I took on a plane (I was an airline brat).
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