XC Trip with 12yo - TT or PUP? WWYD?

[maria_bettina]

My son and I want to travel around the country when he is in 7th grade (a year from now). We have an old '92 Terry Travel Trailer (TT) currently. Out tow rig is a '10 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4WD with a topper.

Last summer I saw a family with a pop-up tent trailer (PUP) at Glacier NP and packing up in the rain and folding up that tent trailer seemed... wet. Though on the other hand, the towing is so mcuh easier than a TT.

My question to you is, what would is your best/easiest mode of travel, assuming you will be driving thousands of miles (10k likely) over the course of a few months -- Old TT or New PUP?

(I have toyed with the idea of a cabover camper for the Tundra, but the payload is only 1640#, so even with a FWC Hawk shell, I would maxxing out the payload. In addition, wouldn't the small space be an issue after a while?)

Travel trailer seems like the obvious choice, but towing would get really tiring, especially if you are going 800+ miles in a couple days. And the lack of parking for RVs and any city driving... I dunno, seems daunting. Towing a pop-up seems SO much easier... but then there's the set up and take down every night or every couple nights. Is it really as bad as I imagine? Do they leak like tents when in steady rain for a few days? We will definitely be hitting rain, and we may head up to Jasper and Banff, so it'll be chilly though I intend to steer clear of snow.

What are the pros and cons of a TT vs PUP? What Would You Do (WWYD)?

PS I am also thinking of buying a new or slightly used Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS thinking it might be easier to maneuver and see behind me since it's 7' wide (as opposed to the 8' TT I have now). Not sure if that makes a difference. :?

Thanks in advance for your insight!

[maria_bettina]

Ah man, I was all set on a A-frame (Chalet) and spent a good part of the day researching them. Now I read the newer posts. I'm confused again! Thank you all for the input.

I have a page of pro's and con's to write up on each option me thinks 🙂 I am realizing nothing is going to be perfect, so I need to prioritize my needs - easy set up, ease of towing, sleeping spaces, etc. Cheers ya all!! And thanks again!!! Wish me luck!

[moorer2]

My son and I did a trip this past summer in a small slide in truck camper. It was definitely easier than our TT. I parked in regular parking places and had all of the things I needed wherever we were. Truck campers are not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoyed that kind of travel.

[the_bear_II]

I would have the suspension on the trailer checked, bearings and brakes replaced if needed. New good tires.

Make sure all roof seams are sealed and appliances are tuned up. New batteries if needed.

I would take the TT and your truck.

We did 7000 miles in 1996 with a 1986 truck and 1978 TT. Only had a flat tire on the truck during the trip.

[Grit_dog]

Only you know what kind of shape your soon to be 28 year old TT is and idk how big, heavy it is.
Yes your truck will pull ALOT. But with just 2 of you and ALOT of miles, ALOT of mountains and alot of stops, I'd shy away from a big, old, long TT.

Little TC with no features, like a Hawk, would be horrible IMO. Not only is it a glorified tent, but now you have zero space leftover for storing stuff since the "camper" takes up the whole bed and payload plus some.

Since you're pretty much bound to be towing something, it may as well be easy to tow, full featured, easy to use, dry and comfortable.
This is what teardrops like Rpods or other brands like the Cherokee Pup you were looking at, excel at.
Big enough that it's full featured and 2 beds or more and small enough that it tows easily, not hard to maneuver, doesn't need all the wdh/sway control stuff, so easy to unhook for day trips or 1 hour trips. Can stop for the night with virtually zero setup time.

My vote goes for a small hard side trailer. Plenty of them under $15K, like new, or less if more used.
And if the cost is a concern, then think about it being a "long term rental". Buy a used one next fall when RV prices are lower, or early in the spring. Take your trip, make a few payments if cash isn't available, then put it up for sale about 2 weeks before you get home. Shouldn't have much depreciation at all. Even if it costs you a couple thousand, that's about $33 a night for a 2 month trip or about 20% of rental cost.

Insurance is dirt cheap on it and I wouldn't even register the thing if selling it in the short term. Renew the tags for your old Trailer and slap em on the new one. (the last sentence will get some folks twitterpated here, but that's how you do stuff on the cheap)

Good luck on the search.

[IdaD]

I would go with the old TT. As long as the tires and suspension are in good shape and the axles are greased, you shouldn't have any reliability issues going down the road. Setup would be much easier including just parking if it's an overnight somewhere, and it would be much more comfortable and you'd have an actual usable bathroom as opposed to at most a wet bath with a cassette toilet. Not that dumping a regular black tank is fun but it wouldn't be as frequent and it's pretty convenient to stop at a dump station for a few minutes to handle it.

[maria_bettina]

SoundGuy wrote:

maria_bettina wrote:
My question to you is, what would is your best/easiest mode of travel, assuming you will be driving thousands of miles (10k likely) over the course of a few months -- Old TT or New PUP?

Our family of 4 did a LOT of long distance travel camping when our boys were younger but eventually we moved to The Darkside. That said, for just 2 people traveling long distances I would go neither but instead an A frame trailer like Aliner or Chalet - all the benefits of towing a low profile trailer, not the least of which is little hit to your fuel mileage, but without the hassle of dealing with wet tenting. Win-Win. :B

I hadn't even thought of that!!! :S I will start looking at those. Thank you!!!

[SoundGuy]

maria_bettina wrote:
My question to you is, what would is your best/easiest mode of travel, assuming you will be driving thousands of miles (10k likely) over the course of a few months -- Old TT or New PUP?

Our family of 4 did a LOT of long distance travel camping when our boys were younger but eventually we moved to The Darkside. That said, for just 2 people traveling long distances I would go neither but instead an A frame trailer like Aliner or Chalet - all the benefits of towing a low profile trailer, not the least of which is little hit to your fuel mileage, but without the hassle of dealing with wet tenting. Win-Win. :B

[maria_bettina]

parker.rowe wrote:
If you were doing a lot of stops along the way with one night stays, I would prefer a TT.

Setting up the pop up and breaking it down each night to move to the next campground would get old quick. And it really cuts into the amount of time you have to enjoy each new location.

We found that out on out first long multi stop trip last summer. We have a hybrid, so set up time is between a standard TT and a pop-up.

On our next trip we plan to stop at least 2 nights at each campground to get a chance to check things out.

How do you like the hybrid? If we buy a new (or slightly used) TT, a hydrid is an option. We looked at one 10 years ago when we bought the '92 Terry TT, but my hubbie poopoo'd the hybrid. I forget why. The TT we have now has served us well but it may be time to sell and move to a newer one. 😛

[maria_bettina]

p220sigman wrote:
I have a Pup, but don't think I would want to do a cross-country, moving ever day or so, trip in it. I have set-up/take down procedures down pretty well. I can set-up in about 15 minutes (10 if I really hoof it) and can take down in slightly more time, but I agree with the comment above that it would get old pretty quickly. While not a super long time, it is slower than setting up a TT.

Taking down in the rain isn't that big of a deal, but it does take planning, especially if you are setting back up and using it later that day. If we have to take down in the rain, I have a couple of pieces of plastic that I cover the mattresses and bedding with, just in case, but I've never had even the plastic get wet. It has more to do with how you tuck the tenting material in than anything else. That said, you are going to get wet if it is raining while you are packing up. We've never had ours leak and we have been in some pretty sever thunderstorms with lots of wind and rain.

Given the choice of the Pup or a TT, I'd take the TT. Certainly you are less likely to have issues with a newer TT if you can swing it. If you take the '92 TT, I have the tires, brakes, and bearings checked before embarking on such a trip.

I don't think a truck camper is a realistic option for your truck for this type of trip. Certainly the Pup is going to be the easiest towing option, but the beauty of doing a long trip like this is that if you see you are getting tired from driving, just pick a point of interest and stay a few days to rest.

The most important part is to have fun. Your son will remember this trip for the rest of his life.

Thank you for replying. My thoughts are in line with yours... though I keep going round and round. :C

[p220sigman]

I have a Pup, but don't think I would want to do a cross-country, moving ever day or so, trip in it. I have set-up/take down procedures down pretty well. I can set-up in about 15 minutes (10 if I really hoof it) and can take down in slightly more time, but I agree with the comment above that it would get old pretty quickly. While not a super long time, it is slower than setting up a TT.

Taking down in the rain isn't that big of a deal, but it does take planning, especially if you are setting back up and using it later that day. If we have to take down in the rain, I have a couple of pieces of plastic that I cover the mattresses and bedding with, just in case, but I've never had even the plastic get wet. It has more to do with how you tuck the tenting material in than anything else. That said, you are going to get wet if it is raining while you are packing up. We've never had ours leak and we have been in some pretty sever thunderstorms with lots of wind and rain.

Given the choice of the Pup or a TT, I'd take the TT. Certainly you are less likely to have issues with a newer TT if you can swing it. If you take the '92 TT, I have the tires, brakes, and bearings checked before embarking on such a trip.

I don't think a truck camper is a realistic option for your truck for this type of trip. Certainly the Pup is going to be the easiest towing option, but the beauty of doing a long trip like this is that if you see you are getting tired from driving, just pick a point of interest and stay a few days to rest.

The most important part is to have fun. Your son will remember this trip for the rest of his life.

[maria_bettina]

Merrykalia wrote:
The "easiest" would be a nice little Class C MH, but the most efficient would be a small TT. Any type of smaller self-contained TT will be the best configuration. A popup, as has been mentioned, requires lots of setup and takedown. We loved ours, but with young kids, it became a real pain.

From looking at your signature, I am guessing that you are the mother of a 12 year old boy, so having one bed will most likely not be the best configuration and you will need at least two beds.

Do your homework on weights and towing. Do NOT believe any dealer on what your truck will tow. It's amazing that a truck like the Tundra will only tow small trailers safely.

I was looking at Craigslist in Sacramento and found a few things that you PROBABLY can tow, plus at least one Class B and some Class Cs.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/sacramento-2012-jayfeather-ultralite/6857725456.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvd/d/loomis-new2019-navi-16bh-travel/6857311964.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/lincoln-2006-chateau-citation-24ft/6857873955.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/placerville-2016-thor-gemini/6852011167.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/auburn-2005-winnebago-minnie-24ft-class/6857382760.html

OMgosh! Thank you! We have a 12k# towing limit (maybe 15k#). It was the max we could get. I don't think we have an issue with weight of the TT. But I prefer lighter. (It's the payload that's the issue, not towing.)

I don't think we'll be getting a Class C because it's not practical. We already have 3 cars and 2 adults, so another rig sitting around most of the time is a waste. We also need the truck to tow our utility trailer and do rural/farm stuff on the property.

I think it's either:
A) A travel trailer (either the one we have, which always has some issue because it's so old),

B) A new TT - Wolf Pup Bunkhouse model (not a fan of a fiberglass TT because I am worried about delamination and dents that are hard to fix),

C) Cabover shell - 4WC Hawk or ATC Panther (dry, so we can limit the weight, but then there's the issue of no shower)

D) a PUP may be out of the running because it's such a pain to setup and take down...

Our budget is approx $10k, but obviously would rather spend nothing. Heh. So even the Hawk shell is pushing our budget ($11k plus tax and install) and that's only for a sleeping area on the truck. *sigh*

[MDKMDK]

maria_bettina wrote:

MDKMDK wrote:
Camper van (aka Type/Class B Van).
Gently used might be the best answer. You can drive all day, park anywhere (pretty much), and when it's time for bed, pull over, park and sleep.

Hmm, I briefly looked at those and they seemed pricey (at least the ones I want! haha). Maybe a cabover camper Hawk shell is the way to go... with airbags. Ugh. I hate to spend $12k for a shell model. gah. But it DOES make sense. I will be the only one driving, cooking, etc. My son helps, but...

The good news is, you've got a year to figure it out.
In theory, you could sell the truck/trailer you have now, and buy something in a Class B van used, which could become your everyday driver to replace the Tundra. Lots of folks drive their vans daily, they probably get about the same or not much worse in gas mileage, than your truck/trailer combo. It will also free you up from any trailer storage situation you might have now, or make room in your driveway, at the least.
Or, as has been suggested, maybe a small Class C, but it probably wouldn't work as well as a daily driver, once the road trip ends.
Just throwing out ideas. Non-towing, as that's my preference, unless it's a destination camping trip, and a towed is necessary. Then I tow.

[Merrykalia]

The "easiest" would be a nice little Class C MH, but the most efficient would be a small TT. Any type of smaller self-contained TT will be the best configuration. A popup, as has been mentioned, requires lots of setup and takedown. We loved ours, but with young kids, it became a real pain.

From looking at your signature, I am guessing that you are the mother of a 12 year old boy, so having one bed will most likely not be the best configuration and you will need at least two beds.

Do your homework on weights and towing. Do NOT believe any dealer on what your truck will tow. It's amazing that a truck like the Tundra will only tow small trailers safely.

I was looking at Craigslist in Sacramento and found a few things that you PROBABLY can tow, plus at least one Class B and some Class Cs.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/sacramento-2012-jayfeather-ultralite/6857725456.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvd/d/loomis-new2019-navi-16bh-travel/6857311964.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/lincoln-2006-chateau-citation-24ft/6857873955.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/placerville-2016-thor-gemini/6852011167.html

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/auburn-2005-winnebago-minnie-24ft-class/6857382760.html

[maria_bettina]

MDKMDK wrote:
Camper van (aka Type/Class B Van).
Gently used might be the best answer. You can drive all day, park anywhere (pretty much), and when it's time for bed, pull over, park and sleep.

Hmm, I briefly looked at those and they seemed pricey (at least the ones I want! haha). Maybe a cabover camper Hawk shell is the way to go... with airbags. Ugh. I hate to spend $12k for a shell model. gah. But it DOES make sense. I will be the only one driving, cooking, etc. My son helps, but...

[MDKMDK]

Camper van (aka Type/Class B Van).
Gently used might be the best answer. You can drive all day, park anywhere (pretty much), and when it's time for bed, pull over, park and sleep.