Wife and I spent a week plus tooling around one or our favorite areas, hiking, fishing, touring, fishing, drinking, fishing.... walking the campsite mid week, which was maybe 1/4 full, we started talking about the forums, and the questions over the years concerning whether one 'unloads' or not. Funny thing was, on that night, there was only two campers out of 12 plus that weren't unloaded. Took the phone the next night.. less campers, as many had left. But these are of the units left..there were only two that were still on the truck. This unloading thing: is it only here? because it's so common to us and obviously others in the area, that I still find it a humorous question from the ranks.Anyhow.. thought for the day; Unloading is still the way to go if it's for two or more days for us. Snow camping not included.

REALITY is that it takes some skills to unload/load and not everybody must feel to do it in the middle of their mini-vacations. I had a boating friend, who always ask me to back up his boat on the ramp and there was nothing wrong with it. We unload the camper even with 2 days stay due the dogs. This way we can leave them in camper with AC, while we can go anywhere with no limits.Last time I was fooling around the camper with remote, a neighbor with big MH + toad drop his jaw and ask me how it works.

I can't remember the last time I unloaded the camper while on a trip. I really don't see a need too where I go.

I don’t always, but did recently when we visited Acadia NP in Maine. We used the truck to get around in the park, and of course to go get a lahbstah dinner in Bah Hahbah each evening. :BIf you look closely, you’ll see that I used my load-guide ropes to help me get back under the camper easily. I also made a mark on each jack leg with a grease pencil before I lowered it down so I’d know when it was up high enough to clear the bed. The spot where the camper is sitting was pretty level, but not perfect so the legs were extended different lengths. The approach to the camper rolled off downhill, so the truck angle changed quite a bit as it moved under the camper. The load guide ropes made the process very easy, as I only had to watch the rear tire relationship to the ropes. Here’s a link to a topic I posted describing their use. TC Load Guide Ropes :):)

It all depends on your travel style and what you want when you explore. I never unload except to put it in storage. Even when I stay someplace for four or five days, it still stays on the truck. But that's because even when we go out for the day, we want the camper with us so we don't have to pack a cooler, so we have the bathroom with us, so we have our change of clothes with us, etc. It helps that we have a small hard side which is way under our payload so driving it around is a piece of cake. It also helps that we don't have anything to setup as everything has it's place, is in it's place when not being used and travels in it's place. Nothing has to be moved to do something as nothing is stored in the bathroom, on the bed, dinette etc. From relaxing in the camper to going someplace only takes a minute or two.Even when we had a boat and launched it every day, we still didn't unload, again because it didn't make sense to unload to me though I am very proficient at loading/unloading with 30+ years experience.So the question folks have of whether one unloads is very valid and the answer can only apply to you as it is a personal choice.

I forgot to mention that there are also some old stone arched bridges in Acadia NP that have low clearances that might have been an issue for us. We might have been OK with our camper as long as I stayed in the middle of the arch, but with the camper off the truck we didn’t have to worry about it at all. :):)

Do you unload when you camp? Really? | Good Sam Community

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Jun 15, 2019
stevenal wrote:
Never saw the attraction in unloading. 21 years of TCing, and we've removed the camper once during a trip. That time was to drive the loop around Monument valley without shaking up the beer too much. ....

That only shows how totally different approach we can have on the same issue.
When I unload camper almost everywhere, to leave dogs with AC on - Monument Valley campground did not offer any utilities, so we drove dirt roads with camper on.
Dogs were happy. :p
otrfun
Explorer II
Jun 15, 2019
NRALIFR wrote:
. . . I used my load-guide ropes to help me get back under the camper easily . . .
Guide strings work well for us on our SRW with Torklift frame tie-downs while loading our '19 Northern Lite 8-11. Takes me about a minute to use painter's tape to tape a string to the inside, bottom of the white front/rear upper support legs on each side (takes about 15 sec. to remove). With the guide strings in-place it's easy to see if you're backing in completely straight and square because you can see the distance from the Torklift front and rear frame tie-downs and the string at all 4-corners (on both sides) with just a glance or two in the mirrors. On our SRW the four Torklift frame tie-downs are only 4 in. or so away from the guide strings on each side of the truck the entire time we're backing-in, so it's easy to keep things square realtime at all 4-corners. Without the guide strings it's much more difficult to accurately judge side-to-side distance as the rear Torklift frame tie-downs are transitioning from the front, to the rear, camper jack legs.

FWIW, this is a different approach from NRALIFR because we have an SRW (vs. NRALIFR's DRW). Our SRW offers a clear view of all 4 Torklift frame tie-downs (specifically the rear tie-downs) as you back-in. Also, the jack legs (and string) on a SRW are much closer to the frame tie-downs (vs. a DRW) making it much easier to keep things visually square as you back-in.

YMMV.
jimh406
Explorer III
Jun 14, 2019
I think people have pointed out why they remove their TC. I did. We almost always leave ours on, too.
stevenal
Nomad II
Jun 14, 2019
Never saw the attraction in unloading. 21 years of TCing, and we've removed the camper once during a trip. That time was to drive the loop around Monument valley without shaking up the beer too much. Otherwise we have what we need without unpacking/repacking each day trying to anticipate the needs of the day. Food and cooking equipment for lunch and sometimes dinner, our canines for companionship, clothing for worsening weather, toys for all species, chairs and reading material if we just want to relax somewhere, swimsuits and towels if we find a good swimming hole, bed for napping and other stuff, 1st aid kit, tools, bathroom, water, etc. And we may decide we've seen enough of an area, and simply move on to whatever's next.
Eric_Lisa
Explorer II
Jun 14, 2019
otrfun wrote:
I'm guessing not everyone finds backing up 6.5-8.0 ft. in a straight-line easy. I think it goes without saying that those who eventually discover a way to load their camper quickly and efficiently are much more likely to unload their camper.....

Here is the trick to that. Use your truck for hauling other things. The camper sits inside the truck bed inside the shop. If I need to get a load of stuff, the truck slides out from underneath, I toss the tailgate on, and go do my stuff. Later on the truck slides back underneath. I got pretty adept with on/off such that it isn't a big deal.

It's not tough, just takes a little practice.

-Eric
otrfun
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2019
skyhammer wrote:
I taken my camper off the truck over 95% of the time. While I prefer to have a level spot, it is not necessary. I am always loading/unloading by myself.After all, it is not hard to back up 8' in a straight line. With the camper off the truck, it also much easier to enter and exit the camper.
I'm guessing not everyone finds backing up 6.5-8.0 ft. in a straight-line easy. I think it goes without saying that those who eventually discover a way to load their camper quickly and efficiently are much more likely to unload their camper. Got our very first camper in Feb. Based on my first few loading attempts, my vote would have been to unload/load only as a last resort. Eventually I discovered a low stress way to load solo that works well for me (and keeps our marriage intact--lol!). Now we don't hesitate to unload. If we're staying in the same spot for 2 or more days, we typically unload.
skyhammer
Explorer
Jun 13, 2019
I taken my camper off the truck over 95% of the time. While I prefer to have a level spot, it is not necessary. I am always loading/unloading by myself.After all, it is not hard to back up 8' in a straight line. With the camper off the truck, it also much easier to enter and exit the camper.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2019
stevenal wrote:
Kayteg1 wrote:
We unload the camper even with 2 days stay due the dogs. This way we can leave them in camper with AC, while we can go anywhere with no limits.

Have you considered power failure? We can leave our dogs in the camper in hot weather in the sun with a window open and the solar panel powering the Fantastik Vent, and all stays cool. In the unlikely event of a DC or fan failure, they at least have an open window. I wouldn't want to trust our dogs' lives to the power company, and I work for one.

Yes, I have and I have WI-FI thermometer that I can read on my android.
But in real life -hurricanes were bigger problem than power failure.
Fantastic Vent is useless in 105-125F weather.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2019
Never,if I was going to unload the TC,I would have bought a camp trailer instead with more room ..Camp is anywhere I pull over with a TC and mine goes with me everywhere I go.
stevenal
Nomad II
Jun 13, 2019
Kayteg1 wrote:
We unload the camper even with 2 days stay due the dogs. This way we can leave them in camper with AC, while we can go anywhere with no limits.

Have you considered power failure? We can leave our dogs in the camper in hot weather in the sun with a window open and the solar panel powering the Fantastik Vent, and all stays cool. In the unlikely event of a DC or fan failure, they at least have an open window. I wouldn't want to trust our dogs' lives to the power company, and I work for one.