Hi there, Just bought a 2008 viking 2407 st. I am super excited, I have always wanted a trailer. Anyway with that being said i have no clue what I'm doing the RV place is going to give us a 4 hour course on setting up etc. I'm looking for the things no one tells you and things you always seem to forget. I have 5 year old twin girls who have never been camping so this is going to be an adventure for the whole family. I am towing with a ford flex. I have read store on concrete to avoid moisture issues.... does that mean year round or just in the winter when the trailer would be covered in snow? how often should I open it up to air it out. Now that LuLu(her new name) is on her way I'm getting stressed out I wont take good care of her. Any good websites for maintenance or what to bring ect would be greatly appreciated.

Everyone's lifestyle is a bit different, so what I bring camping may not be what you bring/need. Try either "driveway" camping, where you set-up in your driveway, but "camp=out" to figure out what you need, or try a CG VERY close to home (or a WalMart) so that you can fetch anything that you've forgotten or really need.

Congrats on your new purchase and hope you have lots and lots of fun and good memories. You've asked a lot of questions, not sure I can answer all of them unless this post becomes 126 pages long! The big thing is, you WILL learn how it all works, and you will have a lot of fun doing it too.Your walk through class will teach you the basics, how to set it up, take it down, put up the awning, propane tank, electrical, water, hitching, stuff like the ... the mechanics of it all. "Camping" is something you learn by experience, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Think of your camper as an extension of your own home. Dress it out with things that make you comfortable and things you like. There's no magic bullet or no one single place you have to go to for camping supplies or gear. Don't over complicate. Keep it simple and start with basic items.Think of your pop-up as a tent on a trailer ... which is exactly what it is. As long as your "tent" is dry, there is no need to air anything out, apart from natural use. You can park them anywhere, but the advantage of parking on a hard surface instead of grass is because grass will die under the camper if it's parked for any long period of time. I think that's the only reason for not parking on grass. One thing you REALLY REALLY need to do before you head out on your first camp-out away from home, is to do a "driveway camp." Spend a week end in your camper in the driveway, and try to live in it without any dependency upon your house (except for maybe bathroom and shower). Even in a campground, may people use bath houses for bathroom and shower and never use the facilities in their camper.Just remember, don't over complicate it. BUT do have an immense amount of fun!Congrats again!

Our first camper was a Coleman tent trailer. We loved it. As for airing it out, we found that when we got home we wanted to pop it back up and unload, clean, etc. We generally left it up for a couple of days after a trip for airing. This is mandatory if you have to break camp in the rain or even if the fabric is wet when you fold up. Just leave it popped up and open for air flow for a day or so when the weather is dry. I totally agree with doing a couple of test runs first. Find a close-by KOA or something similar and stay for a couple of nights. Within 2 days, you'll know what you're missing. I think you'll be just fine, and I'll give you fair warning: This stuff is addictive.

Thanks for the replies. We are doing a test run about a mile from home gonna try to see how well the dog does as well so we don't have to send her to doggie camp. Gary I'm from western NC( in Canada now) and the plan is to head back that way next year when were comfortable with The trailer. Around Asheville / Cherokee any reccomendations on places ?

Lil_Hell_Kat wrote:Thanks for the replies. We are doing a test run about a mile from home gonna try to see how well the dog does as well so we don't have to send her to doggie camp. Gary I'm from western NC( in Canada now) and the plan is to head back that way next year when were comfortable with The trailer. Around Asheville / Cherokee any reccomendations on places ?Not Gary. But if your going to Cherokee. I suggest, Happy Holiday

New Tent trailer owner:) just looking for advice and tips

ut_pupcamper
Explorer
May 07, 2013
mbopp wrote:
Check out the "Folding Trailers" forum here, that's where the people with pop-ups hang out.
And try this site: http://popupexplorer.com/forum/

Lots of people transition from tents, to pop-ups, then a hybrid, and finally a full travel trailer or 5th wheel.

X2 on the popup explorer forum. It has a wealthy of knowledge available there that is very specific to popups. I spent lots of time over there when we had our pup, then we went to the dark side.
beckid
Explorer
May 07, 2013
Our first trailer was a pop-up and I learned so much! The popup explorer forum is indeed a great resource. The best advice is don't stress out - just have fun, and pull open the bed in the front over the hitch FIRST. Driveway camp, make a list, keep things simple. Congrats - you are going to have a great time!
gcloss
Explorer
May 08, 2013
Congratulations on your new Pop-Up. Having owned three Pop-Ups, the one "must do" is to keep the canvas material dry during storage. I was fortunate enough to be able to store my Pop-Ups inside of my garage. If we were caught in the rain upon coming home I would open it inside my garage and put a small fan inside to move the air around. I had a Rockwood Pop-Up for 21 years and the canvas looked brand new after 21 years without a spot of mildew.

We raised two kids and two dogs in our Pop-Ups with some of the best camping experiences in our 33 years of camping.

Good luck and wishing you many years of great camping !!!!
lovemytt
Explorer
May 08, 2013
You chose the perfect time with the twins being 5. I ran into a woman who was driving around with a car full of teenagers at the campgrounds we were staying. She stopped me and asked what was the allure of camping. I told her see your kids texting? She smiled. I said mine doesn't have time when we are on the water. I actually get to see his face and enjoy the person he is.

I don't think I made friends with the teen units.
VW_Factor
Explorer
May 08, 2013
My wife and I were lucky to have a dry open area to air ours out in, when we packed up under rain conditions.

Other than making sure all your appliances work, and the drains don't leak.

Bring some basic tools with you, and perhaps a few seals and such for the plumbing'ish stuffs.

We did the tent trailer for two years, till we figured out what we wanted out of camping. Took about 3 trips out to figure out what things we needed for our trailer, and camping style.

Tips? Get comfortable setting up and taking down, in case you need to take down in a hurry for whatever reason. Also, we were lucky to have a pop-up with sturdy supports, HOWEVER...

We did take a trip to eastern Oregon, and a T Storm blew through one afternoon with HUGE winds and it was broadside, really bending things around. We started with cracking some windows to relieve a bit of "sail" pressure. Luckily a guy brought us some good line and good stakes to tie up the upper ends of the supports and stake them down so they wouldn't get bent over.

If you plan on camping in any high wind prone area, think about something to take care of that with a pop-up. You don't want to have any broken supports from high wind stuffs.

I'm no expert, but I've stayed at a Holiday Inn in the past. >.>
avoidcrowds
Explorer
May 08, 2013
My 2-cents would be: Plan to leave almost everything in the trailer, so it is ready to go each time, without lots of packing. Get one plastic box with a lid, and use it for EVERYTHING that won't stay in the PUP. If it won't fit in the box, you have too much stuff.

The things we had in the box were: hand-towels (they had to be laundered), syrup, cooking oil. Before each trip, the box got filled with bread and other food items. We left the syrup and oil in the box, and put the pillow cases and towels back in there as soon as they were laundered. We made a list of what we needed to replenish, and it was put in the box within days of our return (paper towels, foil, etc). This way, you are not doing all your packing at the last minute.

Enjoy your new weekend home!
the_happiestcam
Explorer
May 08, 2013
You need these - I had them on my Hybrid and they made a big difference. They also help cut down on condensation from the canvas roofs (in conjunction with some fans circulating the air).

Forum Discussion

New Tent trailer owner:) just looking for advice and tips

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Potential TT owner looking for advice

Looking at used travel trailer.

Owners experiences sought

First look at travel trailers today at Camping World

Palomino Soft-Side owner reviews