popup tent campers

[Brenda2016]

Hi Everyone
my name is Brenda I'm a newcomer, and I have a question that I need some advice on having a popup camper to bring to the winter RTR. from what I've read on the blogs is that the AZ desert winds will rip up tents. popup tent camper is most likely what I'll be getting to leave the city and come join the tribe. So I need some advice and some input.

 

[BradKW]

I shopped those for a bit...what are you planning on spending? I was left with the opinion that there's a lot of really good deals on pop-ups...people buy them for family weekends, kids grow up, and $1500+ can get you something that's probably been used 20 times in it's life. And of all the "used RV" type ads, the pop-up sellers seem to be quite forthright with any issues, most related to canvas deterioration and seam leaks...

 

[29chico]

Are you referring to a pop up tent camper that goes in the bed of a pickup or one that is a trailer?

 

[ZoNiE]

Popups suck in the wind, and worse in a sand storm. They have gaps everywhere, and the wind can lift them off the bed boards and then you have a flappy mess. If you plan to spend anytime in the desert, get something hard sided.

Been there, done that.

 

[highdesertranger]

I used a pop-up tent trailer for a couple of years. yes the wind buffets them. but mine was a lot better then most regular tents. mine saw wind, rain, and snow. I was always comfy inside out of the weather. they tow easy. mine was modified for off road driving. however like Zonie said a hard sided trailer is a world apart. much more comfy. highdesertranger

 

[ZoNiE]

Setup and takedown can get to be a pain, and you really have no upper cabinets to put anything, although many newer ones have hanging nets.

 

[sushidog]

If considering a pop-up you might want to look at the A-frame hard sided pop-ups.

Here is a Blog entry here of my experience with an Aliner that may be of help. http://www.cheaprvliving.com/which-vehicle-to-live-in/living-traveling-pop-aliner-trailer/

They are easier to heat and cool (a 5,000 BTU AC cools it just fine) and they pop-up in about 30 seconds with a spring assist so even the fairer sex can do it easily. They come in various weights and sizes. Mine is a medium size unit with all the amenities at around 1,500lbs dry, but you can get them from around 1,000 lbs up. Once erected they can take pretty high winds, more so than a flat sided camper, but you should wait till the winds calm down a tad before putting them up or taking them down as they are vulnerable to high winds until you get the roof latched in place - which only takes a few seconds.

Chip

 

[Brenda2016]

Are you referring to a pop up tent camper that goes in the bed of a pickup or one that is a trailer?

on a trailer

 

[29chico]

If you are camping in a pop up tent trailer and anything above moderate winds develop it can be next to impossible to sleep due to the fabric walls flapping.  It happened to me several times on an extended trip around the southwest in late spring of '07.

It was a joy to tow and had plenty of room when in camp mode.

 

[Almost There]

Keep in mind too that a pop up camper will limit where you can park overnight while you travel.

Setting one up in a rest area, a truck stop or a big box parking lot is pretty much out of the question so you'll end up having to either travel further to find free camping or pay for a campsite each night.

That is one of the freedoms that those of us who have other rigs/combinations don't have to worry about.

If you already owned it then I might say hang on to it but if you're in shopping mode, you might want to rethink this as a first choice.

 

[highdesertranger]

couple of points. yes the wind does flap the fabric just like on any tent. this doesn't bother me but I could see it bothering some people. I look at it like it's just Mother Nature, you cant tame her so just live with her. not only does it not bother me but as sick as this may sound I kinda like it. I also like the sound of rain, and creeks. I have also set up my tent trailer in a parking for a overnight sleep. we got there late and left early. no one bothered us. however I think there are few places where this is possible. highdesertranger

 

[ZoNiE]

It doesn't just flap it separates up over the bed rails and then you have an open tent

 

[johnny b]

I bought a used pop up several years back....half and half with a buddy.....for comfort at bluegrass festivals.
Our inaugural weekend was at Gettysburg Pennsylvania and we parked in the 'general camping' area "open field" with mostly tents as neighbors.
A storm blew in that was a really nasty localized windstorm along with a moderate amount of rain.
We hunkered down inside our 'new' camper and literally rode it out....we were moving to one side then the other 'cause we were sure the thing was going to blow over.....we felt like we were on a catamaran on the water.
After the worst had passed, we ventured out and saw that every tent in the field was down except for one big one that looked like army surplus with one inch diameter ropes.
Upon reflection, we realized that if we had tied some guy lines to the uprights and staked it out we would have been much more secure....which is how we did it from then on for about 10 years or so.
Never had it in a real dusty scenario, but that pop up served us well and never let us down.

 

[SoulRaven]

I love pop-ups.  We lived out of one in an RV park outside of Tucson in the rural area for 5 1/2 months starting in April one year.  We were in it in high winds and rain through the monsoon season.  Ours was a Coleman and it weighed almost 2,000 lbs empty.  It rocked in the wind, but we never had any canvas come loose.  We currently have a pop-up and went through a storm at the lake here in KS with wind and hail.

For me, the limiting factor is security and, of course, it would be difficult to set-up for overnights at the big box/rest areas, but I have heard that people do it.

We used the plastic totes to organize our things, we had a hanging organizer and cupboard.  The larger units can hold a lot of stuff although it is harder to access.

I remember the 5 1/2 months we spent in the pop-up as one of the best times of our life.  I love adventure.

 

[sushidog]

Keep in mind too that a pop up camper will limit where you can park overnight while you travel.

Setting one up in a rest area, a truck stop or a big box parking lot is pretty much out of the question so you'll end up having to either travel further to find free camping or pay for a campsite each night.

That is one of the freedoms that those of us who have other rigs/combinations don't have to worry about.

If you already owned it then I might say hang on to it but if you're in shopping mode, you might want to rethink this as a first choice.

That's another advantage of an A-frame camper. We pop-up our Aliner in rest areas and parking lots all the time, for quick potty or lunch breaks, as well as overnighting, as it only takes 30 seconds to put up or take down and it doesn't extend outward or sideways as some hard sided standup (box) campers with slides do. Anywhere you can stop a small travel trailer an A-frame is welcome. I sometimes pop-up while refueling to access cold drinks in the fridge, get a bag of chips, take a leak, etc. I've never had an overhead clearance problem with gas station canopies, and since it takes just a few seconds, I'm usually finished before the little 12 gallon gas tank on my 4 cylinder car is full. Of course there's not much floor space inside, There's plenty for one. Doable for the both of us (the king sized bed helps) but like a pickup camper, too cramped for 3 or more people. Plus there's no need to find a dump station to empty my toilet waste. I just slide out the cassette (accessed from the outside) and dump in any available toilet. It holds about a weeks worth of waste for 2, (about 3 gallons) so can get a little heavy of you wait till its completely full. We usually dump weekly, as it's so easy and light then. However if boondocking, you have the option of removing the cassette, and hauling it off in your TV without breaking down camp and moving the camper.

Chip

 

[Brenda2016]

I wish to thank you all for your great input, I think that a hard sided pop up is what I'll end up with. I think my dog Xena will like it better also. I hope to meet you all some day, my plan is to hopefully be at Quartzside not this winter but next.

Thx again
Brenda & Xena

 

[ZoNiE]

Yeah, those little Aliners are a nice confluence of a popup and hard sides.

 

[SoulRaven]

I really am considering a popup myself. I had one before but discovered after I purchased it that I had missed water damage and got rid of it at a loss. But.....it was very roomy inside with the slide out end beds extended. It was pretty easy to set up, and had ac, heat, sink, fridge, etc. I liked the convenience of towing something very low profile, and could hardly tell it was there on the road. I was using my 2014 Ford Escape csuv.
I am sure that it would be kinda noisy in big wind storms, but how often will that happen? And if it is supposed to be very strong winds you can always put the top down and stay in the car for the night. A little inconvenient sometimes but maybe worth while for the roominess and amenities they provide as opposed to other things. They are nice to stretch out in, cook, sit at a normal size table, sink, storage drawers etc.

What I also loved about it was it had screens all the way around. Popups are very airy with all the windows open and comfortable (plenty of ventilation and fresh air). You could even set up a shower facility inside and porta-pottie.

So I am very much considering springing for a $1500 to $2000 used popup again. Of course this time I will check them out with a fine tooth comb. I have learned pretty much about them since I was taken the last time.

As far as the Aliners are concerned, I am finding that they are lots more expensive than the regular canvas pups, much heavier, and have less inside space.

So, if I go back down the popup route again and test it out around here in Florida and maybe a little further out, I may just head on out to the winter RTR to give it the desert test as well. I mean.....what's the worst that can happen? If it gets too windy I will drop the top on the pup and ride it out till things calm down in the Escape. In other words escape to the Escape!!! I lived out of it (Escape) for a month and survived, so a day here or there every once in awhile won't be bad.

Maybe if they catch on and they are a pretty good living arrangement Bob can set up a special popup category under Choosing the Right Vehicle. Well........maybe not.

 

[VanForNow]

There is ongoing confusion in this thread which needs to be clarified. 

As an earlier poster mentioned, there are actually TWO types of "popups:" (1) popup tent TRAILERS which are always pulled behind a vehicle, and (2) hard-roof popup TRUCK CAMPERS, also known as popup "slide ins," which always sit in the bed of a pickup truck.

Please make clear which type you are referring to when posting.

As for myself, I am considering the purchase of a used popup truck camper, made by established companies such as Four Wheel Campers, Northstar and All Terrain Campers. 

Popup truck campers, according to my research so far, appear to have a number of advantages: (1) They have much less wind resistance than a conventional non-poptop truck camper, allowing improved gas mileage and fewer "sway issues" during high winds. (2) They set up and collapse easily and quickly in just a couple of minutes, without mechanical winching, (3) They are stealthier than non-popup truck campers, since when collapsed they have a much lower profile. (4) They tend to weigh less than the larger conventional truck campers. (5) The smaller ones can be slid into the back of a 1/2 ton pickup truck such as a Toyota Tacoma (although they need heavy duty springs or air bags.) (6) They tend to have fewer leakage issues than conventional truck campers. which are often built to poor standards. The collapsible synthetic canvas sides (usually made from the rugged hypalon  fabric) do eventually wear out, but only after years of even decades of use.

Before going ahead with my planned purchase of a used popup truck camper (PTC), I would like to hear dissenting viewpoints, to help in making my decision. I am surprised there have not been more discussions of PTCs on this forum.

 

[SoulRaven]

Brenda wrote
popup tent camper is most likely what I'll be getting




I think the OP was talking about a popup camper that is on wheels and is towed behind a vehicle.