Picked up my Runaway camper trailer today

[SoulRaven]

Seeing you were uncomfortable in the trailer I'd think a van would be the same even with a high top.

I'd think you would do your self a favor and look at class B and C units. Certainly understand finances could be a factor but it's my thought.

Best of luck on this.

Mike R

I see what you mean and I am looking at the possibility that a van might be like you said with being uncomfortable for me also. I have thought of the B and C but like you said that is more expense. Thanks for your view on this. I need to look at things realistically.

 

[GotSmart]

I see what you mean and I am looking at the possibility that a van might be like you said with being uncomfortable for me also. I have thought of the B and C but like you said that is more expense. Thanks for your view on this. I need to look at things realistically.

I hate to say this~~~

Nothing is perfect.  Everything has some kind of trade off.  

Just figure out what you will not do without, and make do with what you can.  In my case I absolutely had to have some kind of power for the CPAP.  After 9 months on the road, I am back in a sticks and bricks working on plans to do the next round. This time my list will be different.  

It looks like you want to be able to stretch out, and move without bumping your head. Take it from there.  A high top is the first thing to look at.  

Look in the different contraptions being built here.  Everything from a prius to a bus.  U=haul vans, :huh: :huh:  

Have fun with your next project.

It is not the end of the journey, but the experience during the trip.   

 

[skyl4rk]

I have my 4x8 cargo trailer all set up and could take off at any time, or just use it to go fishing/camping on the weekend. But my wife saw my rig and got really jealous because she now wants to go along to.

Her idea is a Class C or A with slideouts, which I don't want to pay for. I would like to get a Promaster and set it up simply for two people, similar to the way I did with my trailer: cots, exercise mat for the floor, pail toilet, camping stove, water jugs, folding table, screen tent set up for tent camping when the van gets too small, etc.

So now we are in kind of a stalemate because she wants only the best and I don't want to spend any money.

I'm lucky I still have my trailer, so I can use it any time and not have to wait until the perfect rv comes along.

 

[Almost There]

I wavered all over the place for almost a year while deciding which set up would suit me best. I considered everything: B or C, cargo trailer outfitted, p/u with camper, p/u with topper and a travel trailer and a van with a high top (that was never in question). Standing up straight was absolutely critical, I'd experienced living in a mini van before!!

In the end I ruled out towing anything, been there done that, found it limited my on the road freedom. I've never found a B that I liked the layout of, they all seemed lacking in storage and tight on space since the builders tried to include everything that would be in a big A into the space of a van so that went by the wayside. C's were nice but the gas mileage would limit my travel budget. A pick up with the camper would give me the travel freedom I want but my body is older and climbing in and out of the overhead bed unit put me off, also that there was no place to relax in one except at the dinette or in bed.

After mulling it over, changing my mind more than a few times, writing down pros and cons on paper endlessly, I came back to my initial thought of a full size van with a high top.

By doing the interior myself I get to include what I need and only what I want as opposed to buying a B. The bed is where I want it - not up top where I have to climb in to it like a truck camper. I have full standing height which was really, really important to me. I get the gas mileage, while not great like a car but still better than a C, that allows me the freedom to travel and stay within my budget. AND I'm not towing anything.

Once it's complete I'll have a bedroom, 2 pc bathroom, kitchen and living/dining area on wheels with more than adequate storage for all the things that matter to me. Okay, it will be a studio apartment more so than a full house but that's okay, I never close the doors around here anyways...

Make a list of what is really important to you then work from there!

 

[offroad]

Almost there - which van? Ford or Chevy.

 

[Almost There]

Almost there - which van? Ford or Chevy.

Ha, neither! Well, okay, Chevy with a different sticker on it....

 I was raised a Ford girl and didn't think much of Dodge. When I was shopping age, mileage and condition were at a higher priority than make.

I ended up with a 2002 GMC Savana 2500 that was in excellent condition with only a 100,000 kms on her. Big bonus points was that she already had the high top I wanted! SOLD!!

 

[oldogre]

Kinda having same issue here, I would like to have a little runaway to pull behind van since I am planning to set van up as a home also, just like the idea of having separate quarters that I could leave dog in if I made a quick trip to town and it was hot, I could run my genny and keep her cool, or if had to do laundry I could bring her and run gen while doing laundry / shopping or what ever, so for time being I will keep my little trailer, it's only about 400 lbs heavier that the runaway, but is just a tad higher than my safari van so all in all should not be bad at all to pull with my v-6, plus I figure if I was to need to have repairs on the road that could not be done in a day, I could sleep in trailer at shop and not need a hotel or transportation, kinda drives you crazy trying to plan for things that will happen, but these things can and will happen and want to prepare and err on the cautious side, especially when traveling with a pet.

 

[SoulRaven]

Well, I have come around to the idea that to be fair and not do something hasty that would leave doubt as to selling the Runaway may have been a mistake, I am into the second week of a roadtrip traveling up the Natchez Trace, as a test of whether it is truely a good idea to either keep or sell this thing and make a fair hands-on experience with it for an extended time. 

I have camped and lived out of it the whole time. No cheating with motels. Although in the first few days I did stay at places mostly state parks with developed facilities, electric, showers, etc. For the last 6 days I have camped in the Trace campgrounds with bathrooms and water supply. No showers. Not really boondocking but somewhat pretty good test for finding out how comfortable this Runaway would be in real life experience.
Here is what I have come to decide at this point. It is way too confining and inconvient to live in or out of. Although it may be one small step up from a tent there are plenty of other things that negate that advantage. Hooking up and setting up involves just as much time as a tent. The humidy in these things is bad. You can't stand up, towing it limits some places you can go or makes it harder to get into and out of at times. Everything like cooking, getting cleaned up, showering, etc. has to be done outside just like tenting.  And it does drag mpg down. At least 4 mpg. I will post more things as I discover them.
On a positive note... The Natchez Trace is beautiful and well worth doing. Just give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it. 

I am at the Jeff Busby cg and will probably be here till the holiday passes. The campgrounds on the Trace are free and pretty well maintained. There are 3 of them. I am going to stay in all 3 through this trip. After that I will probably go from Nashville on to Cincinnati. I may stay with friends there to rest up from this little journey.  In my opinion the Runaway trailer did not make my trip any easier than if I would have just used my car with some tenting here and there with a few motels along the way. I will probably sell it for sure now that I know that it just doesn't meet comfortable needs of travel...... and for that matter camping in camping in general. There are too many additional things that have to be done as you go to make it halfway work. 
Now... This is just my opinion based on this extended trip with it. I probably need something a little more advanced to meet my most basic comfort needs. Maybe a class B or some sort there of.

 

[LeeRevell]

Your best bet on selling it will be to aim it towards the Teardrop crowd, maybe offer it over on the Teardrops&TinyTravelTrailers forum site. Basically what you have is a TD without the rear kitchenette.
A buddy has a vintage TD that he loves, but his wife has medical issues and doesn't go along. If she did want to camp, I get the idea they'd soon have a larger TT for her. The little trailers just aren't for everybody.