Time to downsize, Time to simplify

[MuddaFadda]

History of my RV's:

Truck camper (basic)-> small pop-up -> bigger pop-up -> 1994 27' travel trailer (no slides) -> 2001 30' travel trailer (1 slide) 2012 35' 5th wheel (3 slides) -> 2017 Rockwood 1970ESP pop-up on order!
(All bought new except the truck camper)

Time to get back to basics and enjoy camping for what camping is!

Still have the 5th wheel it is permanent on the property as the "ManCave"!

Best
Bill

[PAThwacker]

Jeep wrangler is limited to 3500 tow rating and 350 pounds of tongue weight. The pup you should tow is a 10ft popup maximum. A 12 foot popup has 455 pounds of tongue weight. I owned true jeeps for 20 years prior to starting to tow trailers around. Forget about trying to tow a full height travel travel or hybrid with any Jeep Wrangler built since 1987 to 2017.

[tommy_salmon]

Went from tent to TT to 5th wheel to 35' motorhome. Now thinking about going down in size to a pop-up, A Liner, or really small TT (has to be able to be towed by a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. We miss being able to stay in smaller campsites, and the Jeep is a must have for me. Suggestions welcome!

[S1njin]

My DW and I find ourselves in a similar boat. We started w/ a PUP, ended up in a Motorhome (w/ all the bills and complexit/maintenance). We've sold the motorhome, and have come back to looking at simpler options.

[donmacnh]

(first post in 16 years 😉 )

Incude me in on the Simplicity theme. That's why I now love the Aliners. We've had a variety of campers over the years. Went cross-country in a TT in 2001 had used a variety of pups prior to that. Sold a Quicksilver 10 a few years ago. My wife didn't think she had any camping left in her, so I was going to buy a smaller Quicksilver just for me that I could tow behind my Outback. Then I thought about all those snaps and starting thinking about the Aliners I'd seen at RV shows. I had never set one up personally. Watched a few videos then checked a little Scout 10 out at dealer and was amazed how easy it was to setup. I was out with my wife and happened to pass by the dealer and stopped in to show her how easy these things were to setup.

Well all of a sudden she was part of the buying process and I wound up with a Aliner Ranger 15 (went from the smallest Aliner box to the largest). A little too much for my Outback but the Tundra barely notices it.

We just spent 10 days popping from state park to state park, from DE to FL. Had a great time. The thing is SO easy to tow and setup. I use a BAL leveler with a cordless drill when needed.

Simple towing, simple setup, simple 'camping

-donmac

[rbpru]

Another thought, if you are stepping down from a 5er to a PUP, it is a matter of how much set up and tear down you wish to do.

The reason I like a PUP is it keeps you off the ground and it has enough room and amenities inside if it rains. You can cook inside if you need to.

[rbpru]

I have owned tents, PUPs, and a TT. they are all different and give a different feel to camping.

The dreaded wet canvas, packing and unpacking, leaks when it rains, setting up and taking down are part of what gives tents and PUPs their camping feel.

As I explain to my camping buddies, when I go camping I take the tent or the PUP. When I take the TT, I go RVing. I like them all but they are not the same.

[jspringator]

gheicher wrote:

jspringator wrote:
What are they going for, if you don't mind me asking. I can't find one anywhere. I did find one that was gutted. I have to have a gas furnace and AC.

I sold my 2004 Aliner DL for $4500 which was probably too cheap since it sold 20 minutes after posting it on the Aliner Club Swap Shop. The do show up occasionally on Craigslist and at RV dealers, but you have to be persistent and patient. I live in Pennsylvania and the person that bought mine drove from Key West, Florida to get it - Can't imagine I would have been THAT persistent.

There is one on ebay right now. I would like one, but since I already have a motorhome I can't justify that kind of coin.

[manualman]

downtheroad wrote:
... set up and take down to load and unload started to limit our enthusiasm.

This again? If you pick the right floor plan and pack intelligently there is no reason to pop up before the trip. The only reason to pop afterwards is if things are wet (admittedly more an issue for you than me). Arrange so that your permanent gear is stored in the areas not accessible with the top down. Load and unload stuff should all be grabable with top down.

But I do agree with the OP's sentiment. I've got my backpacking system down to 33 pounds with everything I need onboard for a week in the mountains or woods (except water, obviously. But does include the filter for that!). Except where I need to bring a stupid bear canister. 2 MORE pounds for that (grumble, cuss....)

[gheicher]

jspringator wrote:
What are they going for, if you don't mind me asking. I can't find one anywhere. I did find one that was gutted. I have to have a gas furnace and AC.

I sold my 2004 Aliner DL for $4500 which was probably too cheap since it sold 20 minutes after posting it on the Aliner Club Swap Shop. The do show up occasionally on Craigslist and at RV dealers, but you have to be persistent and patient. I live in Pennsylvania and the person that bought mine drove from Key West, Florida to get it - Can't imagine I would have been THAT persistent.

[PAThwacker]

I bought a cheap pup last year. Jayco 2606. Slideout and no bathroom. **** in a bucket setup. I use it off grid. Civilized mode I put a shower tent up outside with thetford porta pottie. Works as good as a casette pottie. Chuck box with all cookware and grill. Zero cooking in pup. Cabelas campsite foldable dressers for ontop of dresser and second ontop of stove area. Not my first rodeo with pups lol.

No ac. I put a fantastic fan in the slot, standard 12vt mods and have soup to nuts off grids blue black and freshwater gear

[jspringator]

What are they going for, if you don't mind me asking. I can't find one anywhere. I did find one that was gutted. I have to have a gas furnace and AC.

[gheicher]

jspringator wrote:
I would like to find a post 2000 smaller A-liner with AC and furnace to pull behind my Lexus hardtop convertible. They weigh around 1,000 pounds dry. Still looking.

My 2004 Aliner DL, I sold just a couple of months ago, had a sticker weight of 995 lbs. Not sure exactly what year they went from aluminum skin to fiberglass, but the fiberglass ones are heavier. Prior to that I had an Aliner-Alite that weighed 400 lbs.

[jspringator]

I would like to find a post 2000 smaller A-liner with AC and furnace to pull behind my Lexus hardtop convertible. They weigh around 1,000 pounds dry. Still looking.

[pira114]

MuddaFadda wrote:
2017 Rockwood 1970ESP pop-up on order!

Congrats! I love those. I'm looking at that same model except in the larger size.