I had an 8' pop up when I was single. I took it on some mild off road places. The view with all the windows was really nice. What I didn't like was having to put the top up and down, particularly in the rain or wind. I also didn't like the lack of security.
My current camper with the wife and kids is an 11' hardside. WE use it more for traveling than off road camping. It's the only thing I would want for our use. We can stop anywhere and use the bathroom which is great with the kids. We often pull into a rest area for lunch and can use everything without having to put the top up and then back down. Our stuff is secure when we leave a campsite for a hike. The interior is nice and quiet no matter where we stop. Sometimes My wife will fire up the generator and take an air conditioned nap in the parking lot while the boys and I look at some attraction that doesn't interest her. I don't think that would be happening with a pop-up.
