So, I went to Target and got a ceramic heater (on clearance for $14.99, woo hoo). It got outright hot in the box of my pop-up, but in the bunk areas it was still cool (but substantially warmer than the night before). It was enough to sleep comfortably in my sleeping bag. I had thought about getting bed end fans before I bought my pop-up, but in summer camping the AC blows straight into the bunks so I thought I didn't need it. I guess they may be a good idea. I think they may make sleeping in cool weather in the pop-up outright comfortable when paired with a space heater.
The combination of a more comfortable night of sleep and being another day removed from set up, I'm starting to like my pop-up a bit more again.
I agree with you, but DW doesn't
I guess that's one of the advantages of being single. I currently have 4 (each serves a different purpose) and I'm thinking about getting a couple more (a 3-man tent for kayak camping and a Springbar or Kodiak because I've wanted one for years). I don't need to worry about whether someone else things 4 or more sounds like too many.
Even if I do keep my pop-up (or "upgrade" to a hard sided A-frame or TAB), tents have their advantages. I already knew they were better for outright cold weather, and now I know they have advantages on cooler fall/spring nights as well. Also, when I want to be able to leave straight from work, I can put a tent in the back of my Sorento, but I can't park a camper at work.
Edit (4:20PM):
So, take down was pretty quick and easy. Quicker than a tent (only because of the struggles to get the tents back into the almost always too small stuff sack). That at least partially makes up for the tougher set up. With the heater and future bunk end fans (as mentioned earlier) I think I'll be happy with the camper. I'll be setting up again in a few days to do a few things with the camper that need done (check on the propane, furnace and water heater, interior cleaning) so I'll soon see if it becomes easier.
That said, a good night sleep in warm enough conditions last night and the easier take-down, I'm much happier than I was in my initial post. I'm especially happy since I got 21.9mpg towing on the return trip (less stop and go). No way I'd get that with a TAB or other taller trailer with my Sorento, and absolutely no way I'd get that with a vehicle with a higher tow rating to enable larger trailers (not to mention the loss of MPG in day to day driving, I get 26-28 highway, 20 or so city, and 22-24 in day to day driving/commuting).
