Considering Purchasing a Used Travel Trailer

Naio wrote:

ckc3 wrote:

ddrueckh wrote:
So often, people think they need to spend a lot of money to start a new hobby. This is not true. Have you ever camped before? you don't need a trailer to camp. Unless you are physically unable to do so, I would suggest getting a tent and trying that before you buy a trailer. It doesn't sound like you have much money. Invest the money you have...don't waste it on a trailer. You can have just as much fun camping with a tent as you can camping with a trailer. The best part of camping is sitting by the fire, going for a hike, fishing...a trailer is just something you sleep in. You can still come to this forum and talk to us about camping.

Im not a tent camper at all. Yes, we live on a very strict Budget. Im actually proud weve saved up enough for a new hobby, it takes alot of planning. Probably look into other options now. Thanks anyhow!

Tell us more about what you dislike about tent camping.

With tent camping, you can have the same beds, stove, fridge, shower, and toilet that you have in an RV. So, what are the important ways that you feel RV camping will be different?

Pretty darn simple as to why I don't like tent camping..

1) setup/tear down. Can spend a few hrs each way just for the tent not including the time spent packing and unpacking EVERY item you put into said tent.. So just for camping just ONE time you will have packed the vehicle at your home, get to destination, put tent up, unpack everything that was put into the vehicle..

Then you must tear down tent and repack your vehicle, get back home and unpack the vehicle AGAIN..

Basically handling EVERY camping item FOUR TIMES just for ONE CAMPING TRIP and that is only ONE SINGLE DESTINATION.

My TT, we leave pots/pans/kitchen stuff/ blankets/bedding in the trailer. We only need to pack clothes and food and some other items we want to take..

Arrive at campsite, level then plug in electric/water/sewage, setup a few chairs and then sit back and relax. Takes about 1/2hr and we are now enjoying our camp.

Tear down is about the same 1/2hr..

2) I am not amused with sleeping on a slope, I doubt to many campgrounds are going to be very happy if you broke out a shovel and pickaxe.. or cut tree roots..

3) Rain, storms, high winds not impressed with that at all.. Pretty darn difficult to prepare, cook, eat meals in a tent..

4)Not easy to air condition a tent although I have to admire a few folks who tried anyways by poking a PC out the tent door on 100F days with 90F nights.. Doubt it really helped since tents leak more air than screen..

5) Lack of privacy, really get to enjoy the sounds of the DPs firing up the diesel at 5AM and not leaving until 7AM all the while you are really wanting to put a few wrenches through their radiator.. Also get to listen to the overly drunk bunch partying till dawn ten rows away from you..

6) Dust/dirt/pollens and other allergens in the air.. Tent doesn't filter or provide someone like myself any place to give overwhelmed sinus's a rest..

7) Tent is not self contained.. I can pull over anywhere like parking lots and get a meal, use my facilities or even overnight (not real sure Walmart would appreciate someone pitching a tent and driving spikes in their parking lot)..

8) when I get home I simply unhitch and unpack the clothes and food at my convenience..

9) Pretty darn difficult to pack our 8" thick queen sized memory foam mattress for tenting.. I am not amused by cots or thin foam pads nor sleeping bags..

And just for the record, I HAVE camped in a tent.. Back when I was a kid.. Wasn't fond of that back then and I am still not fond of it now..