When do you upgrade

[silverbullet555]

Bought our truck camper last year. Used it a few times in the summer, several times in the fall. Just got back from a week in it, 4 days with all 4 of us and 3 days with me and the boys.

For 3 of us, it fits well as long as we spend most of the time outside. It's cramped if we are inside and the first 4 days with 4 of us resulted in more indoor time.

I do think a tow camper is in our future at some point, but with that, I can't tow the boat and won't want to take it into the woods for hunting. So, a truck camper is still something I see a need for.

Things I wish I had.
A/C
Bed situated north/south instead of east/west.
Indoor shower.

Things I don't want
Much more weight
A large outlay of cash
Loss of durability or a ton more potential issues.

So, when do you upgrade vs when do you just deal with it? Obviously, prices are stupid high right now so it's not really a good time to do the upgrade unless I stumble on a sick deal which could happen.

[srschang]

We upgraded from our 2003 Travelite to a Northstar 12STC to get a dry bath. A basement camper would be too tall to fit through our 12' garage door, and wanted the lightest camper available with a true dry bath. The Northstar met both criteria.

Scott

[silverbullet555]

mbloof wrote:

silverbullet555 wrote:
The things always get me looking above what I want to spend. Haha. Today was a 2010 Lance 855. Nice for a short bed. More than I wanted to spend since I believe a TT is in our future.

Surely E/W beds are annoying. So much so that most modern TC's now have N/S beds. Surely TC's are cramped. (my friends and I nickname them "crampers") Everything from a basic 8' to 13-14' camper will have two basic features - dinning/sleeping area and sleeping/bed area. The size of these areas don't change all that much between the different sizes of TC's. What does change is the floor area, tank sizes, storage space and weight.

IMHO: while upgrading from a E/W to a N/S bed makes sense to me, upgrading because of tank capacity does not unless your using the water and tanks to shower. I'd seriously look into how your using water. As an example, the other 1/2 and I would regularly camp for a week and still have water left over in our 25gal tank. (shower elsewhere)

Travel Trailers have always been the best "bang for the buck" in the RV world. More space and larger tanks with least cost and truck to tow them. Granted they won't have the ground clearance of a 4x4 truck outfitted with a TC, you won't be able to park or use campsites that you can with a TC and (IMHO) can be a PITA to get turned around out in the 'wild'.

Granted, different people have different objectives when "camping". While just about everyone will find themselves huddled in their RV when the weather goes bad how much time (or not!) people actually spend in their RV when the weather is not a factor is personal choice.


Happy Camping!


- Mark0.

I would never upgrade for fresh tank capacity. And likely not for black/grey capacities. Shower outside, dishwash outside, etc. It's a consideration as a benefit/drawback, but not as a reason.

The reasons to upgrade.
N/S bed
A/C
inside shower for wife mostly.

For me, if I could find my same camper in a N/S configuration, which they made a few years later, I'd have no heartburn moving to it, especially if it was their polar version. The more modern ones have improved construction techniques and some additional niceties, but they come at a cost which is why I am not running out and upgrading.

Passed on a Lance 815 the other day. Not sure why, but it didn't resonate with me. It was priced well, sold the same day and I'll probably kick myself for passing on it.

This Lance caught my eye. I don't want to pay the inflated prices of today's market as it is terrible. I do wonder what it is truly worth in a non-inflated market.

Lance 855

[mbloof]

silverbullet555 wrote:
The things always get me looking above what I want to spend. Haha. Today was a 2010 Lance 855. Nice for a short bed. More than I wanted to spend since I believe a TT is in our future.

Surely E/W beds are annoying. So much so that most modern TC's now have N/S beds. Surely TC's are cramped. (my friends and I nickname them "crampers") Everything from a basic 8' to 13-14' camper will have two basic features - dinning/sleeping area and sleeping/bed area. The size of these areas don't change all that much between the different sizes of TC's. What does change is the floor area, tank sizes, storage space and weight.

IMHO: while upgrading from a E/W to a N/S bed makes sense to me, upgrading because of tank capacity does not unless your using the water and tanks to shower. I'd seriously look into how your using water. As an example, the other 1/2 and I would regularly camp for a week and still have water left over in our 25gal tank. (shower elsewhere)

Travel Trailers have always been the best "bang for the buck" in the RV world. More space and larger tanks with least cost and truck to tow them. Granted they won't have the ground clearance of a 4x4 truck outfitted with a TC, you won't be able to park or use campsites that you can with a TC and (IMHO) can be a PITA to get turned around out in the 'wild'.

Granted, different people have different objectives when "camping". While just about everyone will find themselves huddled in their RV when the weather goes bad how much time (or not!) people actually spend in their RV when the weather is not a factor is personal choice.


Happy Camping!


- Mark0.

[silverbullet555]

The things always get me looking above what I want to spend. Haha. Today was a 2010 Lance 855. Nice for a short bed. More than I wanted to spend since I believe a TT is in our future.

[toedtoes]

silverbullet555 wrote:
I didn't do a very good job explaining the question. The two decisions are not necessarily connected, or more appropriately, were not connected prior to a little trip we took to look at that Lance 815.

I was pondering upgrading the current truck camper full well knowing we will probably have to buy a trailer some day. Currently, my wife works weekends so there are many trips that are just me and the boys so a truck camper would work well. I figured when she gets tired of that, a tow behind would be in order and towing the boat would be a no go or we would have to take separate trucks.

Then, we looked at the Lance 815 and my wife was talking like it would be big enough. I felt it was smaller than our current one with the notable exception being the orientation of the bed which for the time being would allow all 4 of us to sleep in it. I don't mind trying something out if I can turn it down the road for what I have in it.


There's so many dynamics at play in this decision it isn't even funny.

OK. So you are asking if you should upgrade the TC with another TC now knowing that at some point you are going to be getting a TT also.

I would not base the decision on "it seems big enough". Your current TC "seemed big enough" when you bought it.

I would sit down together and really discuss what you both want and need in a camper. Consider all aspects not just sleeping. Compare the costs. Discuss the compromises to be made (eg, no towing the boat). Then make the decision based on what gives you the most benefits with the fewest compromises.

That may mean skipping a new TC and going straight to a TT now, keeping the old TC for solo or boys trips.

[wowens79]

With growing kids it is tough, that 13 year old May grow a foot overnight. My 18 year old at 6-2 no longer fits in the bunks in our TT, and sleeps on the trifold sofa.

Gonna through a curve at you. How about a class C? You can tow the boat, or a trailer with 4 wheeler/ side by side.

[kohldad]

My father has a 40ft MH, 36ft FW, and an 11' TC. Depending on how long he stays depends on which one he takes.

I've gone through a 94 30' TT when my kids were babies, a 2004 35' FW when they were teenagers, and now an 8' TC for just the two of us. We may end up with a TT again for when we slow down and spend more time in one location.

[Barry_W]

I bought my snowriver 9'6 dry shower in 2004 fron five star rv in Henderson, Colorado. Ive looked at campers off and on for about 5 years. I'm now in the process of trading it for a host cascade with dual recliners. The recliners are the biggest reason for trading. I still feel after 17 years in the SR there isn't a better quality tc out there. I'm hoping the Host quality doesn't let me down. The wife and I just need a more comfortable place to sit when we are forced to be inside. Barry

[mellow]

I have 2 kids that camp with us 10 and 13 and I feel the 1191 is just right but it is a large TC with a slideout. The only option better would be one with a rear tent option to gain some needed sleeping room. I upgraded from a smaller non-slide 11ft TC and that REALLY was to small but then had to upgrade my truck to a F350 DRW to haul the 1191 comfortably. Don't go small on the TC would be my advice.

[silverbullet555]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
We gone through a bunch of camping styles as the family grew up. Even did the converted cargo van thing until Covid hit.

(Starting with the premise that we ALWAYS have a truck around) Right now, we have a 20' TT with slideout which is roomy enough to be parked for a long weekend of camping with kids and grandkids; and I found an old-but-great popup TC which we use for sightseeing trips or quick overnights. It's just hard to beat the nimbleness of a TC; and unlike our previous motorhome, I don't feel guilty if it's just sitting doing nothing.

That's kind of where we are headed. Wife's favorite place is the ocean. Not as warm there and our boat is not an ocean boat so taking a TT there makes sense (perhaps a toy hauler that could carry an aluminum boat with an outboard). Locally, we go to the lakes with our boat. In that case a truck camper makes sense. Finding the right balance of cost vs use is important so there is no guilt if one sits for a while.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

We gone through a bunch of camping styles as the family grew up. Even did the converted cargo van thing until Covid hit.

(Starting with the premise that we ALWAYS have a truck around) Right now, we have a 20' TT with slideout which is roomy enough to be parked for a long weekend of camping with kids and grandkids; and I found an old-but-great popup TC which we use for sightseeing trips or quick overnights. It's just hard to beat the nimbleness of a TC; and unlike our previous motorhome, I don't feel guilty if it's just sitting doing nothing.

[silverbullet555]

There's no perfect answer here as you all know. I mentioned to my wife that perhaps our priorities have changed and we should sell the boat. That didn't go over well. We have a trip in a few months back to Oregon and I mentioned I might just sleep in a tent to buy us some time or we would rent a camper until such time as our schedule allowed more trips with all 4 of us.

I didn't buy the 815 and it was sold that same day. Price was good in today's market, but it felt small to me. The fresh water tank was really small and there are times we camp where there is no water. It could be augmented, but in the end, there was just something that didn't resonate with this camper.

I'll keep an eye out for the right mix of features, age and price. If something comes up I'll buy it and then sell our old one. I paid a low enough price for the old one that I will be able to get out of it what we have into it, likely plus some considering the silly market we are in.

Of course, that means dreaming of bigger and better. I have to stop looking at the used 2020 Wolf Creek 850 a couple hours north of us. It would fit the bill pretty well, but would cost a bit more than I want to spend on a camper.

[TxGearhead]

We've been there as well. Started in the early 1980's with a smaller TC for fishing, hunting, and vacations. Then went with a Class C so we could carry bales of diapers and wife and kids could move around. About the time they hit middle school they had activities about every weekend and all summer. Sold the Class C. Retired and bought the first of 3 fifth wheels. Then bought the Bigfoot.
Just me, but I would keep the TC and look around for a used TT. Cover all bases. Being you have a 2500 I would stay away from all but the very lightest 5th wheels. A TT would give you the option of storing kids bicycles etc in the truck bed.
Good luck.

[JIMNLIN]

So, when do you upgrade vs when do you just deal with it? Obviously, prices are stupid high right now so it's not really a good time to do the upgrade unless I stumble on a sick deal which could happen.

We had truck campers when the kids were small back in the early '60s/ and late '70s. We had fish and ski boats so the TC worked ok...however the wife and I wanted more relaxing room. So after 3 truck campers we went with a 24' 5th wheel trailer so we could still pull the 17' 3500 lb fish'n ski boat.

Now were older and looking at TCs again as we don't camp/fish like we did when younger.

When will you make the change....depends on you and how bad you want the change.