Fewer pop ups out there?

rbpru wrote:
Let’s not forget that the Baby Boomers are getting older. That old PUP that served the family well is not quite as necessary once the kids are grown.

And the young families I see camping are just as likely to be in a TT or 5er as a tent or pop up. I suspect that all the observations made in this thread have merit; lower cost of TTs, lighter weights, less desire to be "roughing it."
Check out the Tent Camping forum on this site. It's practically dead.

Teach

Let’s not forget that the Baby Boomers are getting older. That old PUP that served the family well is not quite as necessary once the kids are grown.

Rolling out of your own side of the bed and stumbling to the bathroom takes on a new meaning. ;)

PUPs are great but TTs are convenient.

Myself, I find that having a TT and tent is having the best. I use the TT to camp with the family where comfort and conveniences are essential and tent camp to get away from it all, either by myself or with some buddies. My wife refuses to camp in a tent or a Pop Up. We owned a pretty loaded Pop Up she hated that had a bathroom, shower inside and out, hanging pantry and clothes hanger, along with plenty of storage (for a pop Up). Myself I like camping in pop ups and tents. Wife hates the lack of privacy with a pop up bathroom and all the work involved.

I read that Popup camper sales peaked in years around 1998 with sales of around 63,000 popups. Now only about 11,000 are being made per year. This is a decrease of 52,000 units per year a decline of 80%. Wow!

No wonder I am not seeing hardly any new ones anymore.

I guess that also explains why there are so few companies still making Pups, and few dealers interested in selling them.

SSI reports that while travel trailer sales increased almost 10% this year, folding trailer sales declined about 4%.

Forest River was the folding camping trailer sales leader year-to-date with a 64.9% market share while Jayco (14.2%) held the No. 2 position followed by Columbia Northwest/Aliner Inc. (10.4%).

Yep, fewer Pop Ups and Hybrids thanks to newer smaller and lighter Travel trailers.

I posted a while back here.

scbwr wrote:
Definitely fewer popups in the campgrounds. From what I see, most campers want more space and you see a lot more larger travel trailers. Many of those that may have bought a pop up at one time are now at least buying hybrids with the advantages of larger fridge, shower, etc.

Same sort of thing is happening in Australia. The "Pop Top" Caravan closer to a U.S. Hybrid, is being replaced by much larger Caravans

Well, here's my take on the question and why I tow a PUP.
I had a medium size camper that I towed behind a motorcycle
and then I bought an HHR to tow it with, but there were
limitations on the HHR. Namely a 1000 lb limit. So I sold
the HHR and bought a GMC Terrain with 3500 lbs. of towing.

Then I sold the M/C camper and went looking. Since I live in the southwest I thought that I should be able to find a good used
one for a reasonable amount. It turns out that most of the hardsided
campers weigh more than the towing capacity of my new GMC.
There are a few exceptions but that's another subject.
I wound up with a Palomino Y 4124 that has a 12' box and expands
to 24'. Just about right for the two of us (the wife)
The beauty of this setup is that even with the trailer
(and I keep my foot out of the gas pedal, I get 21/22 mpg most
of the time.)

Frank

I guess the numbers don't lie. The are just fewer pups being sold out there.

Maybe I better hang onto my PUP as a soon to be collectors item.

Definitely fewer popups in the campgrounds. From what I see, most campers want more space and you see a lot more larger travel trailers. Many of those that may have bought a pop up at one time are now at least buying hybrids with the advantages of larger fridge, shower, etc.

RVIA’s 2014 projection for each of the major RV product types, which included: travel trailers, 206,100 units; fifth-wheels, 73,000 units; folding camping trailers, 11,000 units; truck campers, 3,500 units; combined towable, 293,600 units; Class A motorhomes, 21,000 units; Class B motorhomes, 2,600 units; Class C motorhomes, 18,300; all motorized, 41,900 units; all RVs, 335,500

This is a quote out of RV business. 11,000 units is only 3% of the total RV sales. Obviously consumers aren't to interested in pop-ups.

I have noticed that there isn't as many pop-ups also. I think part of the problem is that there isn't as many manufactures making them anymore. Manufactures probably make more money off of the other type of RVs.