Buying my first Pop-Up Camper

[grumpysmurf]

I'm in the process of buying my first pop-up and looking for any advice and or direction I can get from ya'll. I will be the primary user myself with perhaps with my wife and or son every once in awhile.
Travel location 99% of the time will be in Northern New Mexico (Angel Fire, Red River area. and Southern Colorado. Both of which will be mostly in State Parks. I believe the majority will also be dry Camping. What Manufactures and models should I look at? Should I also look at used or pre-owned campers for my first one. What are some options that are must have's, if any on these small campers. Any advice or Food for thought would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

[Dream_Girl]

Here is my $.02

Buy used (newer model) and NOT brand new (for half the price)

1. In a pop-up, layout is EVERYTHING!
2. For Dry Camping, buy a spartan pop-up (keep it simple!)
3. Only buy a pop-up models with front storage box! they are so handy!
4. "Add on room" that attached to the awning is VERY useful in Dry Camping
5. Outside storage access is a blessing

On used unit check:
- Roof corners
- Soft area on the floor/storage box
- Canvas condition
- Awning condition
- Frame integrity
- look for mouse drooping in refrigerator isolation (they are hard to remove) as rodents LOVE pop-ups!

[manualman]

Campfire Time wrote:

manualman wrote:
Popups rule for occasional use. Full height RVs eat your life. They're constantly needy: they attract vandals, you're constantly worried about the roof leaking (or you're paying big for covered storage), they control what vehicle you drive in everyday life, you stress about getting stuck on dead end roads, driving them cross country costs more than hotels....they're a hassle.

Really? Never had any of those problems myself.

You've taken your full height RV on a cross country trip and had it cost LESS than staying in hotels? Me doubts.

Most RVs eventually die from water leaks causing rot/mold that costs more to repair than the camper is worth. So I guess you just haven't had your RV for that long yet. Having been at this for 40 years now, nobody in my family that has stored the pup in the garage has ever had one rot out. Everybody in my family/friends that has a TT or moho for over 10 years has experienced the roof leak = wallet leak issue so common to RVs.

[onemilmhz]

manualman wrote:
Popups rule for occasional use. Full height RVs eat your life. They're constantly needy: they attract vandals, you're constantly worried about the roof leaking (or you're paying big for covered storage), they control what vehicle you drive in everyday life, you stress about getting stuck on dead end roads, driving them cross country costs more than hotels....they're a hassle.

Having had several of each, everything from a 1978 Starcraft PU to a 30" Raptor TH, I can say that this is my main reason for sticking with pups. If RV'ing is your primary past time you will get sick of a popup very quickly. However, if like most folks you have a busy life and only camp as an occasional escape, a pup is hard to beat. They can be infinitely modified to meet your every need, are easy to store and tow, and most importantly they won't drain your bank account, during or after the sale. That's not to say they are without expense. They still have maintenance needs, canvas being the most obvious. Neglect your canvas and you'll be sorry. As others have stated most pup manufacturers are similar in quality. I prefer Fleetwood/Coleman models but Starcraft and Jayco are also fine. Models that offer a front trunk are great for pack rats. Just stay away from ABS roofs with used models. You may find one that isn't cracked YET, but believe me, it will eventually. This site has a great wealth of RV knowledge, but check out Popup Portal for more PUP focused research.

[Biker1mike]

Think about the storage you need. You will have limited space on some models. If you are a pack rat you need to look for less living space and more cabinets.
Can your wife and son handle walking in the dark to a rest room or pit? If not you either need a porti potty or a built in. Happy wife, happy life when living in a 12 foot box.
I prefer used as it saves the depreciation dollars. You need to step on every inch of floor for soft spots and inspect inside of roof . See how many levels of caulking have been put on the roof. It is a yearly or at least bi-yearly job.
Have owner put it up and down at least once and watch for any non-smooth actions. The top should drop even on all four corners.

We have had tents, pop-ups , a class C, a hybrid and are back to a pop-up.

[Campfire_Time]

manualman wrote:
Popups rule for occasional use. Full height RVs eat your life. They're constantly needy: they attract vandals, you're constantly worried about the roof leaking (or you're paying big for covered storage), they control what vehicle you drive in everyday life, you stress about getting stuck on dead end roads, driving them cross country costs more than hotels....they're a hassle.

Really? Never had any of those problems myself.

[lanerd]

Interesting. Our first and only pop-up was a small Palomino Colt. Boy, was it basic. Twin queen size pull out bed platforms with a small 2 burner stove, hand pump 5 gal fresh water tank and a small ice chest. No potty, no shower, no pop-outs, one 12v light with manual lift top. Can't get much more basic than that. In spite of that, it was by far the most enjoyable camping we've ever done. We loved that little trailer and have some great memories of it.

Ron

[manualman]

Popups rule for occasional use. Full height RVs eat your life. They're constantly needy: they attract vandals, you're constantly worried about the roof leaking (or you're paying big for covered storage), they control what vehicle you drive in everyday life, you stress about getting stuck on dead end roads, driving them cross country costs more than hotels....they're a hassle.

Popups sit quietly in the back of your garage and allow you to ignore them until you are ready to go camping. And you can probably pull one with what you're driving already with just modest loss of mpg. How great is that?

There really are no super quality brands or horrendous junk brands. (They're all about the same marginal quality as big RVs) If buying used, the biggest deal is to ensure roof integrity, working lift system and canvas condition.

Some cautions can arise if the tow vehicle is marginal. What you gonna be towing with?

Try to get a floor plan with lots of top-down accessible interior storage space. Our 12' Coleman Sun Valley fits 5 duffels, cooler, dry food box and bedding inside the door without lifting the roof. Everything that goes in the camper rides in the camper. Everything that gets used outside at the site rides in the minivan. Other interior storage is used for permanent gear storage (non consumables and non-perishables).

[Dakota98]

If buying used, Coleman or Starcraft would be the first on my list. I have owned 6 pop-ups. They were Coleman, 2-Jaycos, Coachmen, Dutchmen & Starcraft. Actually, I bought these, did minor repairs, used them over a period of two years & then flipped them, making enough profit to pay for my Nomad with cash.

I was in the habit of loading all my camping equipment on the floor area of the pop-up, reason being, the bed of my truck carried my ATV. That was a HUGE PIB having to set-up, unload everything just to get into it, I would never do it again.

As in most cases with any RV, look for water damage as it's your main concern. Get underneath the pop-up & inspect the entire area for soft spots. Mold & stains on the tent is also an indicator of either being put away wet & or water leaks. Looking inside of each cabinet area is also a good idea.

[Dick_B]

Why a popup and not a small hard sided RV that would be safer boondocking in the woods where animals might lurk?
Just my $.03 but I would be concerned about a used popup due to the wear and tear of the canvas and setup parts.
Read the post titled `upgrade from popup' in this Forum.