[kiteri]

Okay... Okay... I am not talking about marriage... but it is still a commitment.

I have a few Pros and Cons of my own on each of the poll topics, but I want to hear from others who have more insight.

1. "Buy a camp". PRO: I love the idea of having my own little space to escape to. I would like to be able to throw a duffle bag together and just scurry off to camp. All the daily necessity stuff would already be there. CON: We would really be "stationary". I love to explore different areas and find new and exciting attractions. Once you buy it, it is yours to keep AND maintain. I better be sure I LOVE it!

2. "Buy a camper". PRO: I have always wanted a camper. Our own "vacation home" that we can take to wherever we want to vacation. I could get the same perks as a camp by setting it up on a seasonal rental lot, and still get the freedom to explore. CON: It is expensive to buy the camper, rent the seasonal site, keep a vehicle that can tow a camper, and maintain all of the above. After the recent gas hikes, I worry about taking a plunge into ownership of something that could cost SO much to tow! Campers also depreciate so much, and probably as much maintenance as a cabin.

3. Continue to tent camp and rent state park cabins during the off season. PRO: I already have the equipment for this. No start up cost, no mortgage on a camp or loan on a camper. It doesn't cost anything to store my tent in my basement. It doesn't affect my gas mileage to haul my tent in the trunk. I get to leave the cabin maintenance to the state parks. CON: I am a slave to the weather in a tent. If it rains, my whole weekend could stink. It does take a lot of work to set up and tear down camp, so much so that it makes a normal two day weekend more work than pleasure sometimes. You can also never get a cabin on short notice. You have to plan months (sometimes a whole year) in advance to snag a reservation.

4. Priss out and stay at hotels wherever we want to visit. It is sad that I consider this an option, since I love camping so much. BUT... with the way gas soared this past year, and the way my kids are growing so fast and driving me crazy that they are BORED all the time... I can't help but wonder if this isn't something I should consider. PLEASE convince me that this is not a good option! hehehe PRO: No advance planning needed. The weekend that they don't have a ball game or a dance practice, just pack up and pick a hotel. No set up or clean up. CON: The price!!!! OMG hotels are expensive!

Well guys... what do you think?

 

[happiestcamper]

First vote!

You can get a lightweight camper or pop-up that won't require too much of a vehicle, and you and the kids can stay dry (and the sites cost the same no matter what you put on them). Now if you go for a toy hauler and bringing a golf cart - wait, that's another thread :rotflmao1:

 

[kiteri]

Hehehehe!!

I actually thought about a pop up toy hauler, but it wouldn't be a good option to leave on a seasonal spot.

There are too many options!:shrug:

 

[happiestcamper]

No, you wouldn't want to leave a popup on a seasonal lot. What are your storage options? Do you have enough room in your backyard? That's where mine sits, I don't have to pay extra to store it, I can work on it whenever I want to, and I go wherever I want when I'm ready.

Another thing about leaving one on a seasonal lot is you wouldn't be able to leave it covered. I'm a firm believer in covers, for the reason someone once said - if you do have an undetected leak in your roof, it will cause trouble much quicker if it's out in the elements full time. I guess that goes back to our old cabin tent days - always had a tarp over it so the tent never got wet or UV, and I still have that 18 year old tent - almost good as new (except for the roof, where someone borrowed the tent, packed it up wet and left it in their car trunk for 3 months - now the tent has pin holes all over it :bang: - and that "friend" has never been allowed to borrow anything since then).

 

[amy0807]

I second happiestcamper's vote. A camper can be costly, but right now prices are better and gas is going down. We bought a good used fifth wheel for a really good price...and there are tons of gently used units out there. I don't have a seasonal lot either. I like camping in different places and having a different view out of the windows when I wake up.

And forget a hotel room...you'll have your own hotel room ready to go when you are!

 

[happiestcamper]

Plus all your kids' friends think you're the greatest parent when you take some of them with you :10001:

 

[amy0807]

Bonus points for coolness factor! lol

 

[kiteri]

I can't store it in my tiny yard, or I would already own it!!!!

Yeah... I understand exactly what you are saying about loaning tents! I lent my old nylon tent to a friend so she and her kids could camp beside me and my kids in the canvas mansion. Her kid threw up all over my air mattresses and tent, and she didn't clean it up until the day it was getting packed up. A couple days of July heat had that baby smelling RIPE. No more lending of my camping stuff!!!!

No, you wouldn't want to leave a popup on a seasonal lot. What are your storage options? Do you have enough room in your backyard? That's where mine sits, I don't have to pay extra to store it, I can work on it whenever I want to, and I go wherever I want when I'm ready.

Another thing about leaving one on a seasonal lot is you wouldn't be able to leave it covered. I'm a firm believer in covers, for the reason someone once said - if you do have an undetected leak in your roof, it will cause trouble much quicker if it's out in the elements full time. I guess that goes back to our old cabin tent days - always had a tarp over it so the tent never got wet or UV, and I still have that 18 year old tent - almost good as new (except for the roof, where someone borrowed the tent, packed it up wet and left it in their car trunk for 3 months - now the tent has pin holes all over it :bang: - and that "friend" has never been allowed to borrow anything since then).

 

[happiestcamper]

Wait a minute - you have a pickup don't you? Have you looked into a pickup camper?

 

[kiteri]

I am not really interested in a pick up camper. If you want to drive to a local attraction, you have to take the camper with you. I also couldn't park it in a season lot and camp in it.

 

[mailfire99]

I like the idea of a popup as well. Only because 2 main concerns are that of gas and tow vehicle. With a popup, as mentioned, you can tow with about anything. The gas will not be much more either, unless you are traveling in hilly terrain.

Definitely wouldnt want to leave it on a seasonal lot, but you dont do seasonal now do you? Thats the great thing about tent camping now, right? Being able to mobile. So you can get more good than bad out of a popup (IMO). Thats my 1 1/2 cents worth.

 

[kiteri]

You are right... I don't have a seasonal lot now. I mentioned the seasonal lot, because I can't store a camper (even a pop up) at my home.

I have a 40 foot by 100 foot yard, and to get to it, you have to walk through my house. The houses were all built up and added on to until there was no access for a vehicle to the yards from the street.

I can rent a seasonal lot for about $800 a year and that lets me store my camper on the lot (after winterizing) during the off season.

I have grappled with tent versus popup because it just doesn't seem like enough of an upgrade for the costs. If I am going to pay to store a popup, I might as well pay to store a travel trailer. If I am going to have to run to the bath house in the middle of the night from my popup, I might as well be running from my tent. I just don't know!!!!!!!:smack-head: hehehehe

 

[amy0807]

Check out the expandables or hybrids like ctfortners. Complete bathrooms and lightweight.

 

[glenn]

My first pop-up was a small Coleman that weighed under 1000 pounds. We pulled it with a 4-cylinder Ford Ranger, or my wifes 4 cylinder Ford Tempo. We realy didnt hauf it in the mountains for obviuos reasons. We were able to store it in our small garage. We were able to store a lot in the camper befor we closed it up for the trip home.With our big Viking we were able to store almost every thing we needed. Now that we are older and have a 35-foot Sandpiper, we are at a permanent site at Shangri-La by the Lake near Pymatuning State Park. If you can find some one close by who will rent you a garage at a reasonable price, that would be great to store a small pop-up in. I don't envy you at all. My wife and went through the same thing about 14 years ago. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

 

[ctfortner]

Check out the expandables or hybrids like ctfortners. Complete bathrooms and lightweight.

I do like ours, however its not as light as some. I wouldnt try to tow mine with an SUV. Pulling it with the big bad Ram 1500 4x4, I can really tell its there. But like I said, they make the "light" versions, which I dont have, and will next go around.

 

[happiestcamper]

And remember that the advertised weight is not accurate - that weight doesn't include options (A/C, microwave, fridge, etc.), freshwater, gray water, black water, propane, cargo, and just about anything else. The vehicle's rating (truck and camper combined) is also based on a 170 lb. driver, no passengers, and no cargo (not sure about full gas tank or not).

 

[kiteri]

Wow... there is SO much to think about... and I don't trust the salesman trying to get a camper off the lot, or the salesman trying to get me into a bigger tow vehicle to give me good information!!!!

I worry about my growing kids too. I don't want to start small and outgrow it in one season.

I get a sneaky feeling that I will be sticking to the tent and cabin rentals... as much as I would LOVE a camper!!!!

 

[heruide]

Kiteri,

There are lots of resources here that will protect you from either an RV or TV sales person forcing you to drive off their lot with something you might be unhappy with. Having said that it would be helpful if you could share what vehicle you have now so we can figure out your towing capacity. Also is is possible to store a camper in your garage?

One point of clarification. There are lots of Popups with toilets and showers so you don't have to get a travel trailer to have those option.

One other point. Since you said you are a slave to the weather, recognize that a Popup or a hybrid has the same limitations as your tent when it comes to camping in the rain. At some point after the weekend you will have to set up and dry off the canvas. A HiLo or A liner does not have that limitation but the A liner might be too small for you and the kids.

Hope this helps.

Ruide

 

[kiteri]

Thanks Heruide!!!

I have a 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500. It does have a transmision cooler, and hitch, but nothing "extra". Just the standard issue lot model. (GVWR 6400 lbs and GAWR 3750 lbs)

I don't have a garage, or even access to my back yard to park it.

I would purchase a seasonal rental lot at a campground that would store it over winter. As such, I can store a popup or a 35 foot trailer just the same!

I was checking out the Hilo's but they are SO expensive, and don't have options for slide outs or anything... which can make me feel sort of claustrophobic. I checked into Trailmanor's also... but again they are SO expensive and there seems to be so much room for the open and close mechanisms to go wrong.

The A frames are a bit small.

I actually went "retro" and looked at Airstreams, but they are really expensive also for something that is 25+ years old.

I just have to find that one that "speaks to me"

 

[happiestcamper]

Okay, maybe start small - Tent Trailers - From Trailer to Tent in 5 Minutes! (and there's your toy hauler also).