Ok so Im thinking of getting a trailer to take camping cause honestly, that tent shit can get old, especially after a week or two of it. So I've devided to look into buying one. Now about the only thing I know so far is that, like boats, never buy new. The other thing is what ever I get, I want it to have A/C. I dont know if I should get a pop-up, a goose neck or third wheel. Im kinda leery about the third wheel cause I wont be towing enough to take the bed of my truck out of commission. So anyone have any thoughts, tips, hints?
My family used to have one of those pop up trailers. It was fine till we were driving through high winds in Wyoming and the top of it ripped off on the highway.
Some of the new pop-ups are really nice - and close down tight. I wouldn't buy a 3rd wheel either unless it's something you will be doing often. and unless you also get a dolly to take your car along, a motor home isn't a great idea, either. We've considered a pop-up, but we don't camp enough and when we do, it's usually just the weekend.
We camped for many summers in a 23-foot trailer. Seemed like plenty of room. I really don't know if brand matters. We started out with a 14-footer, but that was just too damn small for a family of 4. Mom demanded we step up from the 6-person tent we started with, after we returned from an evening of sightseeing to find our campsite and tent had been shredded by "Old Satan," the local black bear.
When I was a kid, we camped in an Apache pop-up camper. The interesting thing about it was that unlike most pop-ups, which have screen or netting type "walls", it had hard plastic ones that slid/rotated into place once you cranked the thing up. What my dad liked about that was that he could take it with him when he went hunting in the winter. He once took it to Colorado. It was still cool in the summer, though. Personally, one of these days I'm going to buy one of these babies and turn the radio box into a camper.
My folks used to have one of those Starcraft pop up trailers. It seems like every time we went camping, my dad spent an hour or so fixing the cable that raised and lowered the thing because it would come loose or break. We were camping up in the Smokies when Elvis died.
The fifth wheels will pull a lot better than a large bumper trailer, how big are you thinking? What do you mean by third wheel? My youth was spent in a 24' fifth wheel (goose neck) trailer, with a bathroom in the rear (unheard of) instead of right inside the front door. Once their kids were gone, and they bought a Harley, the downsized to a 20' fifth wheel with a door/ramp in the back for the bike. It's basically a utility trailer with a kitchen/bath/bed in the front. It also serves as a nice write off for my mom's trade shows. Personally I would worry about the recent campers with numerous pop outs. It's just a gut feeling on my part, no real experience, but those pop outs strike me as the first thing that will give problems on those trailers. You've got seals, plus the mechanism, likely electric. These things aren't built for a long life, trust me. Our old trailer became a specially modified, jury rigged Millennium Falcon. Personally I'm still in tent phase, but put a couple coins in my pocket, and I'll probably start looking at those new pop ups.
Tents work for me. Even though I've many, many expenses to take care of first, I'm already dreaming of my first slice of heaven once we get settled in to N.C. Okay, so I was looking for a used pontoon boat, but considering the hat and shirt I couldn't pass that picture up!
I've got nothing against tents, the idea of a trailer is more for efficiency than comfort. Pack all my shit, and keep it in the trailer. That way, there is no fucking packing, vacation is hooking up a trailer and driving out the drive. Stop off at Wal-Mart for beer and hot dogs.
Instead of spending grandma's (or whoever it was) big cash wedding present on some old condo, you could always get a nice house boat. That way, if you get tranferred, you could take it with you.
I bought the camping enclosure for my Pontoon boat. I fuckin' love it. I've got my grill, a king sized bed, two twin sized beds, a table, three coolers, and a full bathroom w/sink and fresh water, AM/FM-CD w/4 speakers, all my gear incl/night fishing gear, and I'm on the water. However, I'm looking at getting a pop-up w/AC so I can go more places, again, like farmer, not for the comfort factor, but having everything in once place.
The "everything in one place" factor is why I want a Unimog so bad (that, and it's got better offroad capability than a Humvee). As it is now, I've mostly got all my camping "stuff" in one place, but it does take time to load into my truck. I could keep it all in the 'mog and, as Farmer said, just stop at the store on the way out of town to pick up food and beer.
Now add three kids and a fucked up back (Thanks Uncle Sam) and you see why I like the idea of a pull behind (convenience and comfort). Yeah you are right, I meant 5th wheel not 3rd wheel. Apparently my mind was on strike at the time I wrote that
Something to remember about popups... You can NOT use them in winter weather. Except maybe in Florida.
^ My dad did. He even took ours hunting in Colorado in the snow. That said, unlike most other popups I've seen, ours had solid walls and not that mesh/screen stuff.
Some of em also have insulated blanket type thingies that you can snap into place. But I thik a pop up will be too small for myself and the clan. That is unless I make the kids camp outside...Hmm. I may be on to something.
My friends (whom we go camping with) always put the kids in their own tents. I guess it's like their own room ...
My folks eventually went with the full 33-foot motor home with all the luxuries. Dad even got a mini pickup to tow so they could wander around after they settled into their Florida campsite. Quite a progression from the old Army tent when I was a kid.
I'm talking with a buddy in eastern Tennessee at a salvage yard. He is having to buy a bigger truck because his Ford with a 4.6L can't handle his camper. That's something to keep in mind.
No, he shoulda just bought a better engine. I've driven Crown Vic's with that 4.6 for years and while they're okay towards the top end, they have shitty low end torque. My Titan will out accelerate any Interceptor I've driven 0-60mph.
Those were his words... F150's aren't the best heavy haulers either. 250's have better transmissions, suspension... and don't come with little gay 4.6L's. That said, he is sadly looking at a 3500 Series Sierra. He needs a Tundra.
No shit. You do understand the difference between 1/2-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1-ton trucks, right? If you ask a 1/2-ton truck do to a 1-ton truck's job, you're gonna be disappointed every time.
Thats why I have a GMC Sierra 1500HD with the 6.0L. Totally off topic, I cant believe GMC even made a 1500HD at one point. For a difference of $5,000 and 300 lbs in the bed, I had for all intents a 2500. And they wonder why they lost money.
Here is mine. I pull it with a 2.3L ranger pickup truck and get between 16-19 mpg. Its a small one but great for just me and the wife.
