Would You "Downgrade" To A Tent?

[longislandcampe]

Myself, like I'm sure many others here grew up tent camping. We did it about every year from about 1985-1993. It was our parents and 3 kids, myself included.

In September of 2011 our parents bought a hybrid camper and I bought a tent which I used about 3 times last summer. My parents ended up upgrading to a much larger TT and my brother also dove in to get a bunkhouse TT. I really don't intend to use my tent anymore since my parents basically give me free reign to use their TT when I want.

Anyway, 90% of the time we camp at a local beach CG with full hookups and great views of the ocean. Whenever we have to exit the campground we have to drive past the tent section with no views and only a water hookup. We always think to ourselves that we will never be tent campers again. This is especially true on a hot, sticky night or when it's raining.

I hope it doesn't seem that I'm putting tenters down, but I just know that more then likely I won't be one again. So, does anyone that has an RV still tent it or has anyone "downgraded" to a tent?

[bukhrn]

Nope, started in a tent, got covered with 2 ft. of snow, sat in the tent & watched it rain for 4 days & nights straight, along with a myriad of other problems, no part of that do I consider fun, NEVER plan on going back.

[tandk]

Love this post! I am with wbrown62's wife 🙂 We worked with Cub and Boy Scouts for a really long time and I always said I would go anywhere as long as there was some sort of port a potty/toilet! We started with tents when we were newlyweds, then the kids, then bought a 28' trailer in 2005 to go on long trips and carry all the stuff we seemed to accumulate, now "downsized" to a 23' trailer 'cuz the "kids" are in college and don't want to go with us! I figure as long as you're getting out and going....who cares?

[fj12ryder]

Never liked tent camping, did it but didn't like it. Ick.

[Jarlaxle]

Absolutely never under any circumstances.

[wbrown62]

Geocritter wrote:
I'd "downgrade" to a tent in a heart beat under the right circumstances. You can't backpack an RV into the wilderness.
Steve

Amen! I love backpacking. Its a wonderful way to get into little accessible areas where you may not encounter another person, let alone another vehicle. I will still tent camp. My wife on the other hand..........

[Redcatcher70]

We tent camped, bought a pop-up and used it a couple of years, then to the travel trailer. My wife developed some health issues, problems getting in and out of the trailer so we eventually sold it. I continued to camp once in a while without her and bought a tent and a GOOD air mattress, a Coleman stove, lantern and a few other leftovers from out tent days fit well in the back of the truck. I don't go in the middle of the summer or dead cold of the winter, but tent fits in well with my needs.

[Hondavalk]

Still camp both ways. The TT is about getting to a destination and kicking back and relaxing. On the road covering ground fast we take the tent as a cheap place to sleep. There's road trips were we couldn't take the TT. Variety is the spice of life.

[Less_Stuff]

Tent camping can be great.
RV's won't go everywhere.


John Day river in Oregon, both photos.


Tents can make for some wonderful trips.
Downgrade not in my opinion.

[Crowe]

I loved tent camping when we did it but not any more. Can't sleep on the ground, can't stand the midnight trips to the restroom, can't stand having everything wet if the weather turns bad. Yup, spoiled rotten and love it!

[scot-to-rv]

This past weekend my husband decided to take his tent instead of our 36 foot class A motorhome. I couldn't make the weekend so off he went. We are still enjoying many laughs on this. He had a horrible time I think he would give the tent away to the first takers. So in our family we would never give up rving for tenting.

[BB_TX]

From as early as I can remember til my late teens camping for our family was cots under the stars. Never owned a tent but we went out most every weekend during the summer, mostly to some local creek large enough to set out "throw lines".
Went thru a few years of tent camping after that. Then a long period of no camping at all.
Have been RVing for a few years now. It was fun but I don't think the old body would go back to tents or cots under the stars anymore.

[mlts22]

Tenting and RV-ing are two different things. I'd tent it if I were going by foot or bicycle somewhere remote where motorized vehicles can't go.

For going on trips, the RV doesn't replace a tent. It replaces a hotel/motel.

[JJBIRISH]

I remember thinking a tent was a unnecessary luxury that wasn’t really needed for camping…

Obviously today I don’t consider a fridge, running water, hot water, toilet, or a bed a luxury of any kind…
they are absolute necessities…

time and age has had a major effect on me and my thoughts…

[Sandia_Man]

We still use our tents and always bring at least one with us in our RV. Not sure about your neck of the woods, but where we camp tents have access to any spot as long as they pay the appropriate fee. It's been a couple of years since we purchased our last tent and it's huge, but I'm seriously considering yet another tent purchase of the instant set-up variety.

[dahkota]

We plan on dragging our tt around the country to use as a jumping off spot to tent camp in the remote areas where our tt can't go.