doxiemom11 wrote:
Soft sided tent isn't really safe in the areas you want to go.
this is not true. there's only ONE major/popular campground, in the country, that has a permanent ban on soft-sided campers. that is Fishing Bridge campground in Yellowstone. and if you have a hybrid, you can stay there if you "turtle", which is not deploying the canvas ends and sleeping on the sofa and dinette.
all the other major campgrounds in Yellowstone DO allow soft-sided campers. this also goes for Yosemite also.
think about it, if they banned soft-sided RV's, they'd have to ban tents too.
you need to forget gas mileage if you plan to tow anything other than a popup or Airstream. basic gas mileage for a gasser towing a travel trailer is 8-10mpg. doesn't matter what it weighs, it's the air resistance that is the killer.
if gas mileage is important to you, keep the popup.
i own a hybrid and it is easier to setup than our two popups were. and we've camped in Yellowstone and Yosemite with it.
