So whose left making true "Pop Ups" with Hard roofs...

[Mike_Up]

...... besides Forest River??

Now that Forest River bought Palomino, Coachmen/Viking and have their Flagstaff/Rockwood clones, not many left obviously due to their high prices referenced to hard side trailers.

I see Jayco/Starcraft are stopping their production of pop ups as Starcraft offers none now, and Jayco has but a limited handful.

Then you have the very rare Somerset brand made by Aliner that is hard to find at all.

That's about it.

On the flip side, there is "TONS" of soft top, tent trailers as quicksilver, Leesurelite, Apen, Time Out, and my favorite, "Lil Max" and others that cater to the motorcycle and econobox market.

You would think that Pop Ups would come back with a more inexpensive price but looks like makers just kill them off or clone them under several names.

I truly wish there was more made by someone other Forest River but looks like no one else really wants to make them anymore. To bad.

[Mike_Up]

Adam H wrote:
2. the 4.2 cu/ft fridge is just as expensive as the larger single door TT fridge

I wouldn't have a single door refrigerator. To small and the internal freezer is just big enough for ice cubes.

Adam H wrote:
3. In another thread, you stated the PUP fridges don't work as well without fans, not true

They only get between 40 to 50 degrees without added fans because they are installed wrong. They need space above the refrigerator with a vent to draw air across the fins. Pop Up refrigerators don't have space above, just a panel above and a vent on the side. Their vent is below the top of the refrigerator which doesn't provide enough natural air flow across the fins for adequate cooling. Hense the necessity for aftermarket fans.

Adam H wrote:
5. "entertainment system??" When has a TT come with a high end entertainment system? I'm talking mainstream TT's not the top line stuff.

My TT is a mainstream and comes with a DVD Player system, 26" HD Flat Panel TV, and provides indoor ceiling speakers and outdoor wall speakers. Only the cheapest models don't offer that.

Adam H wrote:
7. Oh yeah, I have a hard wall bathroom, no curtain like you stated in one of your other posts.

Very rare, only the more expensive pop ups have that, which are usually much more expensive than a much better featured travel trailer. My Pop Up and every other pop up on the new market that's not a "HIGH WALL" has a curtain.

Adam H wrote:
Maybe you should've tried a high wall PUP? Actually, I don't think any PUP would satisfy you so you had better stick to your TT.

No, the High wall campers are way over priced for what they have and their refrigerators are still to small to hold enough food for a week for a family along with the lack of an adequate sized freezer to hold enough frozen food. Also the lack of over head storage keeps everyone crawling on the floor for storage. Then storage is still lacking.

Getting back to what I was saying:

While the above is true, for a price that is adjusted down from a travel trailer, to reference the lower end appliances and such, is doable for me, not so much for the wife.

I've had 2 brand new pop ups and their prices were in line with what they were and not over priced compared to prices on todays Pop Ups. If a good quality made Pop Up had lower prices in comparison to the much more featured travel trailers, then that's a camper worth considering.

[Santa_Fe]

Adam H wrote:

Mike Up wrote:
The only moving part that's expensive is the lift system, which is offset by the lack of a large frame, large refrigerator, TV/entertainment system, large holding tanks, and about everything else where pop ups skimp compared to TTs. I've had 2 pop ups and they were expensive for what they were but nothing like the extremely high prices they want now for less featured pop ups.

Also somerset needs to get more dealers if they want to be successful as a dealer some 2.5 hours away is unacceptable when I have 4 of the largest chicagoland dealers within an hour of my home and elkhart within 2 hours that has everything.

I just don't have the time to travel 2.5 hours just for warranty work. When I do have the time, I expect to be camping. 🙂

I've had 2 large Pop ups. Wife hated the pop ups that's why we have a TT. The few extra mpg isn't enough to sway me towards a pop up.

What I do like about pop ups is their small camping footprint to go anywhere and the same when at home. But wife already warned me she wouldn't go anymore if we went back to a pop up but if we ever find a home she likes a lot with no property, she may change her mind.

Hi Mike,

I really enjoy reading your monthly pop-up bashing posts....
Just want to make a few corrections to your inaccuracies:

1. My Avalon frame is beefier than my Fleetwood TT was
2. the 4.2 cu/ft fridge is just as expensive as the larger single door TT fridge
3. In another thread, you stated the PUP fridges don't work as well without fans, not true
4. My PUP is built better than my last 2 TT were, especially my Keystone (real POS) I see all sorts of 80's PUPs still going strong, not so many 25 year old TT still going strong.
5. "entertainment system??" When has a TT come with a high end entertainment system? I'm talking mainstream TT's not the top line stuff.
6. Yup, you're right the holding tanks are too small. How much do you think that offsets price?
7. Oh yeah, I have a hard wall bathroom, no curtain like you stated in one of your other posts.

Maybe you should've tried a high wall PUP? Actually, I don't think any PUP would satisfy you so you had better stick to your TT.

Have a nice day

I think it's hard to satisfy him with anything...same with that PAThwacker guy.

[Adam_H]

Mike Up wrote:
The only moving part that's expensive is the lift system, which is offset by the lack of a large frame, large refrigerator, TV/entertainment system, large holding tanks, and about everything else where pop ups skimp compared to TTs. I've had 2 pop ups and they were expensive for what they were but nothing like the extremely high prices they want now for less featured pop ups.

Also somerset needs to get more dealers if they want to be successful as a dealer some 2.5 hours away is unacceptable when I have 4 of the largest chicagoland dealers within an hour of my home and elkhart within 2 hours that has everything.

I just don't have the time to travel 2.5 hours just for warranty work. When I do have the time, I expect to be camping. 🙂

I've had 2 large Pop ups. Wife hated the pop ups that's why we have a TT. The few extra mpg isn't enough to sway me towards a pop up.

What I do like about pop ups is their small camping footprint to go anywhere and the same when at home. But wife already warned me she wouldn't go anymore if we went back to a pop up but if we ever find a home she likes a lot with no property, she may change her mind.

Hi Mike,

I really enjoy reading your monthly pop-up bashing posts....
Just want to make a few corrections to your inaccuracies:

1. My Avalon frame is beefier than my Fleetwood TT was
2. the 4.2 cu/ft fridge is just as expensive as the larger single door TT fridge
3. In another thread, you stated the PUP fridges don't work as well without fans, not true
4. My PUP is built better than my last 2 TT were, especially my Keystone (real POS) I see all sorts of 80's PUPs still going strong, not so many 25 year old TT still going strong.
5. "entertainment system??" When has a TT come with a high end entertainment system? I'm talking mainstream TT's not the top line stuff.
6. Yup, you're right the holding tanks are too small. How much do you think that offsets price?
7. Oh yeah, I have a hard wall bathroom, no curtain like you stated in one of your other posts.

Maybe you should've tried a high wall PUP? Actually, I don't think any PUP would satisfy you so you had better stick to your TT.

Have a nice day

[Mike_Up]

IdaD wrote:
In my experience our pop up was real junky compared to a standard TT or fiver, and it was a higher end unit. To me they involve too much compromise. If you want to get off the beaten path, a regular tent works better. Or if you are taking a trailer a standard one is much more comfortable and versatile.

Agreed, pop ups aren't made to the quality of a TT by no means. While my Starcraft pop up was much better made than the Forest River Rockwood garbage pop up it replaced, it was still no where near the quality that the Jay Flight travel trailer campers are.

After going to the TT, I still tent camp and I'm just as comfortable as I was in the pop ups since I have have potty and potty tent, and outside kitchen. I guess it's car tent camping. Still can't get the wife to go but it's nice for the solitude when I do go.

If I could find another pop up like the Starcraft 2406 but with a slide, and around $11 or $12K WITH an Air Conditioner, it would be doable but all I'm finding around those prices are more Forest River pop ups and I'd rather tent camp then be back in one of those.

The lil Max tent trailer is really nice and can be had with an A/C so if it's just me and the kids, this may work.

[IdaD]

In my experience our pop up was real junky compared to a standard TT or fiver, and it was a higher end unit. To me they involve too much compromise. If you want to get off the beaten path, a regular tent works better. Or if you are taking a trailer a standard one is much more comfortable and versatile.

[Mike_Up]

The only moving part that's expensive is the lift system, which is offset by the lack of a large frame, large refrigerator, TV/entertainment system, large holding tanks, and about everything else where pop ups skimp compared to TTs. I've had 2 pop ups and they were expensive for what they were but nothing like the extremely high prices they want now for less featured pop ups.

Also somerset needs to get more dealers if they want to be successful as a dealer some 2.5 hours away is unacceptable when I have 4 of the largest chicagoland dealers within an hour of my home and elkhart within 2 hours that has everything.

I just don't have the time to travel 2.5 hours just for warranty work. When I do have the time, I expect to be camping. 🙂

I've had 2 large Pop ups. Wife hated the pop ups that's why we have a TT. The few extra mpg isn't enough to sway me towards a pop up.

What I do like about pop ups is their small camping footprint to go anywhere and the same when at home. But wife already warned me she wouldn't go anymore if we went back to a pop up but if we ever find a home she likes a lot with no property, she may change her mind.

[gheicher]

Mike Up wrote:
...... Then you have the very rare Somerset brand made by Aliner that is hard to find at all.

..........You would think that Pop Ups would come back with a more inexpensive price but looks like makers just kill them off or clone them under several names.
To bad.

There is a Somerset Camper dealer near Indianapolis Mount Comfort RV Probably they have none in stock since Columbia Northwest has been running at full production and according to friends that work at the factory they are considering adding a shift if they can find qualified workers (seems to be a problem everywhere now).

The inherent design of pop-ups require many more parts than a non-folding unit, so I believe the pop-up will always be more expensive than the same size non-folding ones. That being said, its hard to beat a full size pop-up when camping with a family and the towing low profile is really a big plus. We all would like to see them be more inexpensive, but most likely aint gonna happen.

[PAThwacker]

I don't know. I'm using my **** Jayco till it falls apart. The ultimate goal I have is a truck camper like north star 850sc with the side hybrid bed. Keep the canvas life going.

[naturist]

Trail Manor?

[RoyB]

I always wanted to get this R/T type of OFF-ROAD POPUP with the dual axles and larger front deck.

Guess I better get a used one now before all of them go away...


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Roy Ken