First travel trailer, what should I buy?
We are a family of four, two adults, two small kids. We need a trailer that can sleep us all comfortably. I do not have a tow vehicle yet, that would come after we find a TT. I am in search of ...
Forum Discussion
I'll weigh in on the pop-ups.
I've tent camped since I was a kid and got tired of setting tents up, kids didn't like it as much, etc. We bought a used popup in 2009. I like that the popup feels like a tent in that I can hear the birds and crickets. It's real easy to zip the canvas down in the spring or fall but zip up and run the heater or A/C if necessary.
Setting up the PUP doesn't bother me. My kids are older - key fact - and we can set up in 15 minutes. Take-down is closer to 30 though because we have to get everything just so to get it to close. I expect a new PUP would be much better.
Other Pros:
1. Smaller spot required: I can fit in the smallest spots in a campground which is more likely to be available and is much cheaper, especially if at a nicer campground. If a bigger spot is all that is available, I can always bump up.
2. Park it in my garage for $0/month
3. Easy to tow. I've pulled trailers of some sort since I was 15 but it's still nice having the PUP. My F-150 doesn't even know it's back there. If you haven't towed much, more reason to start small
Cons:
1. No bathroom. We camp near the bath house and hasn't been a big deal to us but is a big con worth considering.
2. Not easy to load pretrip. Due to GVWR most goes in truck but it's a pain to check if blankets were left in the PUP.
3. Take down in the rain is painful..
We've made two cross-country moves in our PUP (military) and it's been a good test for me that I love camping and look forward to full-timing when I retire. However, we lived in CA for much of the time we had the PUP and rain is not an issue. Cross-countries it was and back on East Coast it is. I'm researching TT's now because of being caught breaking camp one too many times in the rain.
If you are just doing weekend trips where you can avoid weather or wait it out, that might not be a deal breaker. As everyone has said, it's a very personal decision on what is the "right travel trailer."
I've tent camped since I was a kid and got tired of setting tents up, kids didn't like it as much, etc. We bought a used popup in 2009. I like that the popup feels like a tent in that I can hear the birds and crickets. It's real easy to zip the canvas down in the spring or fall but zip up and run the heater or A/C if necessary.
Setting up the PUP doesn't bother me. My kids are older - key fact - and we can set up in 15 minutes. Take-down is closer to 30 though because we have to get everything just so to get it to close. I expect a new PUP would be much better.
Other Pros:
1. Smaller spot required: I can fit in the smallest spots in a campground which is more likely to be available and is much cheaper, especially if at a nicer campground. If a bigger spot is all that is available, I can always bump up.
2. Park it in my garage for $0/month
3. Easy to tow. I've pulled trailers of some sort since I was 15 but it's still nice having the PUP. My F-150 doesn't even know it's back there. If you haven't towed much, more reason to start small
Cons:
1. No bathroom. We camp near the bath house and hasn't been a big deal to us but is a big con worth considering.
2. Not easy to load pretrip. Due to GVWR most goes in truck but it's a pain to check if blankets were left in the PUP.
3. Take down in the rain is painful..
We've made two cross-country moves in our PUP (military) and it's been a good test for me that I love camping and look forward to full-timing when I retire. However, we lived in CA for much of the time we had the PUP and rain is not an issue. Cross-countries it was and back on East Coast it is. I'm researching TT's now because of being caught breaking camp one too many times in the rain.
If you are just doing weekend trips where you can avoid weather or wait it out, that might not be a deal breaker. As everyone has said, it's a very personal decision on what is the "right travel trailer."
