Short bed truck camper with real shower?
Hi to all: My wife and I have tried a Hilo, a 23 ft. MH, a 27 ft. Fifth wheel, a 24 ft. Lexington MH, and two Class Bs. We liked the Bs but could not adjust to not being able to use the showers. We...
Forum Discussion
Bob,
Your phrase, "lends itself to taking a shower" is a loaded one. We use our shower when boondocking, but prefer using the showers at a campground when staying there. I'm 6 feet, 235 pounds, and I swedge myself in there when I have to, but saying it lends itself to taking a shower is a stretch. Again, it's your pain and suffering threshold that is under scrutiny here. Many times when boobdocking, we will use the outside shower (if we're alone) and it's warm out, standing on our astro turf door mat and maybe inside our pop up outside shower tent. If you are never alone, this would not be a good choice. Speaking of choices, it sounds like you are up in age but still in the fight to camp. Be sure to tryout the:
1. steps or stairs leading up into the box before you jump into a contract.
2. climb the very tall pair of steps leading to the bed. (hint: it's all about knees and strength and lack of ricketty)
3. sit on the pot in the bathroom going through every contortion you need to do when taking a shower, shaving, or xxxxx-ing.
Do not underestimate the value of finding this out beforehand.
I just barely fit and know there will come a time when I won't want to, or cannot do 1, 2,and 3 above with ease.
We bought our Lance 165-s, 17xx pounds, wet, from a guy that had it on a 1999 Dodge 1500, single cab, short bed, 2 wheel drive, with added air bags and upgraded E rated tires. He did not used it a lot, but said it presented no driving hazards. The only thing he mentioned was with the camper on, it used a LOT of gas. MPG down in the single digits with his Mopar V-8 of the era. Oh, and the rig swayed around a bit with the airbags @ 90 pounds.
We still have that 1998 Lance (and his old Firestone air bags are still stored in my garage) and are still planning a 16-week, September through New Years Day clockwise trip around the U.S. outer reaches in the fall. Which fall is the question. Jeanie's mother lives, assisted, near us. Despite her Macular degeneration she's in very good shape for someone born to a Kansas dirt farmer in 1916. Jeanie sees her almost every day. We simply cannot leave town in good conscience. With fuel prices as low as they currently are it would have cost about half for fuel if we were touring now.
For a still viable couple, ages 68 and 71, with good camping chops, still motational and not yet creaky, it is a great way to travel and tour. Small and compact. fits in almost any parking place. With my new front hub and 5" exhaust upgrades we got 15 mpg, on the flat during our trip to Yosemite and Sequoia a few months back: by design-not by default.
regards, as always, jefe
Your phrase, "lends itself to taking a shower" is a loaded one. We use our shower when boondocking, but prefer using the showers at a campground when staying there. I'm 6 feet, 235 pounds, and I swedge myself in there when I have to, but saying it lends itself to taking a shower is a stretch. Again, it's your pain and suffering threshold that is under scrutiny here. Many times when boobdocking, we will use the outside shower (if we're alone) and it's warm out, standing on our astro turf door mat and maybe inside our pop up outside shower tent. If you are never alone, this would not be a good choice. Speaking of choices, it sounds like you are up in age but still in the fight to camp. Be sure to tryout the:
1. steps or stairs leading up into the box before you jump into a contract.
2. climb the very tall pair of steps leading to the bed. (hint: it's all about knees and strength and lack of ricketty)
3. sit on the pot in the bathroom going through every contortion you need to do when taking a shower, shaving, or xxxxx-ing.
Do not underestimate the value of finding this out beforehand.
I just barely fit and know there will come a time when I won't want to, or cannot do 1, 2,and 3 above with ease.
We bought our Lance 165-s, 17xx pounds, wet, from a guy that had it on a 1999 Dodge 1500, single cab, short bed, 2 wheel drive, with added air bags and upgraded E rated tires. He did not used it a lot, but said it presented no driving hazards. The only thing he mentioned was with the camper on, it used a LOT of gas. MPG down in the single digits with his Mopar V-8 of the era. Oh, and the rig swayed around a bit with the airbags @ 90 pounds.
We still have that 1998 Lance (and his old Firestone air bags are still stored in my garage) and are still planning a 16-week, September through New Years Day clockwise trip around the U.S. outer reaches in the fall. Which fall is the question. Jeanie's mother lives, assisted, near us. Despite her Macular degeneration she's in very good shape for someone born to a Kansas dirt farmer in 1916. Jeanie sees her almost every day. We simply cannot leave town in good conscience. With fuel prices as low as they currently are it would have cost about half for fuel if we were touring now.
For a still viable couple, ages 68 and 71, with good camping chops, still motational and not yet creaky, it is a great way to travel and tour. Small and compact. fits in almost any parking place. With my new front hub and 5" exhaust upgrades we got 15 mpg, on the flat during our trip to Yosemite and Sequoia a few months back: by design-not by default.
regards, as always, jefe
