how long is your tear down/setup time?

[RoyBell]

Looking for ways to improve our setup and take down time. It is roughly an hour for each. I feel like it could be cut down. The most time consuming is getting the inside in working order once we arrive, or putting it away before we leave. any tips/tricks to speed the process?

We have those stackable wire shelves we put on the counter to reduce clutter, but takes time to unload the bins and put it all out once at the CG. We do try and split the chores up. I do all the stuff outside- Power, water, tools, chairs, etc while she gets the inside ready.

I know one would be to bring less stuff! We have a tendency to bring way too much food or snacks and have to move it back and forth. This year I picked up those anderson levelers and they help quite a bit.

I was thinking of making some shelves with backs/bottoms and ditching the wire racks. Then I can transport what I want in the shelves and once at the CG just throw them on the counter and they will have everything already in them.

Looking for ways to transport the grill (charcoal) easier, or just bite the bullet and get a gas grill that folds up that I can just throw into the back of my truck. Charcoal grills just aren't made for easy transport.

Just wondering what tips/tricks people have picked up over the years to make the process easier/quicker.

[Trailering_Texa]

Man, you guys are fast. Of course, we are old, and agree on very little anymore so maybe that is 75% of our problem. Most things are easy except for three items - Undoing stabilizers and hitch when we arrive, leveling and then setting up sewer hose. When it's time to go it's the hooking up stabilizers and hitch and then the whole dumping and cleaning of tanks and dump hoses. DH is ridiculous about how clean the tanks and hoses have to be. Of course we never have any odors which is nice. Our trailer has only one "garage" and it makes it tricky stowing everything. It's like a puzzle, it has to go in just so or it won't all fit. I love dry camping and staying hooked up so we avoid all this, but I also LOVE my long hot showers which require full hookup.

[rbpru]

Setting up the TT is quick. Dragging out all the toys takes time. Don't forget the pink flamingos. 🙂

[Emptydata]

When boon docking at a NASCAR race track it usually takes ~ 2 hrs including the occasional beer along the way.
Lot of things to set-up IE generator, flags, carpet, fresh water jugs ect. oh and the location is always a challenge.

Emptydata

[Camper_G]

From the time i leave the water fill sratiin, till I'm completely done, awnjbg out, lights on awning and sitting down for supper is an hour or so, depending on what i have to do to get it left to right level. So not too bad. I work at a fast pace too, but try to remember it's camping so i don't go overboard.

Packing up, about the same, maybe less, but i have all manual Jacks and an old camper

[1stgenfarmboy]

No more than 20 min to park it, push the button for the awning, push the button for the slide, drill down the jacks, plug in the water, power, sewer, and get out the chairs, " BAM " then if we need one start making a fire.

then unload more things like the colman stove and table cloth as needed.


packing up maybe 25 min, just because I like to put it back neat and tiddy, and make sure the fire is out........well.........because Smokey Bear said so.


If I take motorcycles in the truck bed and or kayak on the rack, add 20 min.

[SoundGuy]

I consider our "setup" as just parking, leveling, and chocking the trailer as that's when my wife is comfortable going inside the camper while I fiddle around outside. Although our trailer has a slide it doesn't impede interior access in any way so we don't even bother with it until later. Often she's in there preparing lunch so I'll unhitch and run cable out to the power post, maybe lay down the under awning ground mat and a couple of chairs so we can enjoy that lunch she's prepared. That's about it, I rarely connect to water even if it's available and sewer just isn't offered where we camp. Since anything else can be done later I'd guess maybe 20 minutes for initial setup?

When striking camp I usually do most of it in steps the evening before, store anything we're no longer going to use, will even pull in the slide if the forecast calls for rain the next day, so by the time we're near ready to leave I don't have to do much more than hitch up, store my chocks / levelers, and pull out. Another 20 minutes maybe?

As a few others also do I never waste time at the campground dump station as I have my own FloJet waste macerator based system for servicing my tanks at home. Love it! :B

When we're out walking our dog around the campground I'm endlessly amazed at all the "stuff" so many people seem to find necessary for a successful camping trip. :h To each his / her own but I long ago decided I much prefer the K.I.S.S. approach. :B

[ktmrfs]

We have it down to 2 steps.
Step 1, trailer unhooked and ready to sit outside. 15 minutes or so at most if we have to level the trailer.

Step 2, Final details.

Since I always go with water in the fresh tank and can go for several days on batteries, Step one consists of leveling the trailer, unhooking the truck, putting out the slides, DW putting the one bin of stuff on the countertop, hitting the awning switch, pull a few chairs from inside maybe putting out the mat, and grab a favorite adult beverage and begin relaxing.

Step 2, get's done later, running down the stabilizing jacks, hooking up power if needed, hooking up water if needed, likewise on sewer, etc. If it's less than a 4 day trip, I usually don't bother with water, If it's 2-3 days, often don't mess with power unless we need AC. Can run everything but AC off the batteries for several days. Unless we are going to say more than a week, even if the site has full hookups I don't bother I have a home dumpstation, so why bother at the campsite. Just more stuff to mess with.

To help, I built a new rear extendable bumper/rack on the back of the trailer for all the stuff normally needed for setup or teardown. The big cooler, a rubbermaid bin with all the solar lights, etc. DW likes, A rubbermaid bin with blocks for the jacks, x-chocks etc. another box with all the stuff for dumping, and the 3 stacking 2x12's for leveling and the roll out matt. Really saves time.

On teardown, time is longer. IMHO this NOT something to rush. DW has her list, I have mine, we follow it in order, don't bother each other, don't let others interupt us. That way we know everything is done and done correctly.

We can to it in about 30 minutes. Then each of us does a final check of each others work, we pull out of the site, then DW gets out and makes a final walk around to make sure we didn't leave anything undone or at the site.

And we rarely plan on dumping at the campground. Usually I dump at my own dumpsite at the house, or we either know of another dumpsite that won't likely be as busy, or don't leave until after most people have departed so we avoid dump site lines.

[_en_Plain_Air_]

Set up for us is very fast. We have no slide, rarely use the awning, don't put out ornaments, flags, rugs or lights and only attach electric ... maybe. Just turn off the engine and be there. Departure takes a little longer, mostly putting away inside stuff, and detaching electric if we had attached.

[Dennis_Smith]

44 times we set up between 4 Jun and last week when we got home. No more then 30 minutes for set up or tear down. wife inside me outside.

[deltabravo]

1 hour is pretty darn fast.

One think I have done to decrease the time needed on departure morning is to pack up all the non-essentials the night before.

[RoyBell]

I think we hit an all time record this weekend. Pulled into the campsite around 8:15 pm. Hit the dump station first. Found the site and had the grill going by 9pm.

Didn't bother setting up all the shelves this time and the table was already setup since we didn't bring bikes this time. Second time using levelers and I am extremely happy with how easy they are to use and level.

As always brought my own water so nothing to hookup but power. Ground was pretty level which I was happy about. Some of the other sites were terrible and some of the RVs had their front wheels a foot off the ground.

Good weekend for camping. Going to winterize today and put it away for winter 😞

2016-11-07_01-08-44 by RoyBelluomini, on Flickr

[DeanRIowa]

Our setup for us is around 30 minutes. Our tear down time is hours. It starts for me, when I wake up, and I do little by little. We usually are one of the last to leave the parks and most parks around here check out time is 3:00 or 4:00 pm. Home by 6:00 pm and empty trailer by 6:30 pm.

Dean

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Full hookups= -15 minutes

Just to hookup the hitch= -5 minutes

[CavemanCharlie]

RavensFan24 wrote:

CavemanCharlie wrote:
I forgot about dumping on the way out. That takes about 10 minutes. Maybe 15 if no one is waiting behind me and I am not going camping for awhile. That would be added on top of my 20 minutes to pack up time.

I'm a weekend camper and I don't wait in line to dump. Every one else is in a hurry to leave Sunday. I stay around until 4-5 Sunday evening. No line then. Most places say you are suppose to check out by then. But,,,,, most of the places I camp have no one in a hurry to check back in either Sunday evening or Monday morning so I have never had a problem pushing the check out time. This would be different at places like Yellowstone I suppose.

Agreed. I didn't include dump time and I hate waiting at peak time. Often times I'll book Sunday night in places that I know are anal about check out time and just hang out til like 7pm and not use the site for the night. I'd rather pay for the extra night than feel rushed on Sunday morning. Don't get me wrong though....I love being able to stay at places that don't care if you're really out by the proposed check out time.

If I pay for Sunday night, and sometimes I do, then I stay Sunday night. I just have everything packed up and ready to go Monday morning. Then all I have to do is drop the hitch on the ball dump the tanks and go. On the road in 15 minutes. Then I take the TT to work with me and then unhook it Monday evening after work.