TRF is getting close, so I thought I'd start steering my posts and discussions into the camping realm. And besides, I got tired of seeing 'Potty Potty Potty' be the top thread in the forum. :)
Although it's not camping in the purist sense, I was thinking of purchasing a truck camper in the near future. Does anyone else have one? Pros? Cons?
I'm thinking of getting a popup style truck camper, since those are generally lighter, and have less drag.
I have a pop up camper and I love it , however I think I will be tent camping it, the comfort is there but I feel like Im missing something .... But yeah, It is def great to have a bathroom of my own and a roof over my head in the rain, lol.
Make sure you can get replacement tent canvas, as from what I hear, the stuff only lasts 1-2 seasons at most until it starts ripping.
This is the one I'm seriously considering, the Bronco B800 by Palomino:
http://www.cheyennecampingcenter.com/TC800
(http://www.palominorv.com/site/models/bronco/gallery/800-ext_372large.jpg)
Well I will tell ya what, you go ahead and get it and I will be happy to try it out for you so I can let you know if it going to work for you :)
I have never encountered a pop-up truck camper myself but they appear to have the same restrictions as most turck campers, not enough living space. Granted I'm spoiled as I was raised camping in a 28Ft RV that slept 6 comfortable and had a full back bathroom.
Now I tent it and I have 2 tents. One is my mundane tent from Wally's World which cannot keep out a drizzle and the other is my heavey canvas Viking Wedge tent which just stood up to tornado like conditions (the news words not mine). Personally If I do get a camper of my own I'm just going to get a Teardrop. Light easy to move and tow, and is basicly a bed in a box. Since I do most of my living outdoors while camping anyway, this is perfect.
My main motivation is to be able to 'up and go' to Festival multiple times during the season without having to do much prep-work (airing out tents, multiple box inventories) or onsite setup (pitching tents, blowing up air mattresses). With a camper, I can load it onto the truck Thursday night, and leave for Festival right after work. The great thing would be my 'camping footprint'; I wouldn't need to land-grab. So even if I get onsite late, all I need is a place to park. :)
Or so the thinking goes...
Uh oh...
Did some further 'shopping' and now I'm leaning back toward the pull-behind idea. Now I'm looking at this one:
(http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/images/2011_sportsmenclassicbg/KZ11_SprtClassBG_01.jpg)
I'm actually looking at the 14 RB version, slightly different than the one pictured. It has a toilet and shower, for the same price as a truck topper camper!
http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/2011_14RB.html
I looked at these . loved them but the only thing that i was not thrilled with is i want a table and a bed, this style only had one that converted. But that may just be a girl thing, lol
Quote from: batninja on July 26, 2010, 09:37:07 PM
This is the one I'm seriously considering, the Bronco B800 by Palomino:
http://www.cheyennecampingcenter.com/TC800
(http://www.palominorv.com/site/models/bronco/gallery/800-ext_372large.jpg)
My folks had a camper similar to that many years ago , I spent an entire summer in it when I did a road trip before going into the Army. Was great for 3 or 4 people.
Each has their own good and bad points but just for shear room ... I'd go with the pull-behind. I have an 18' one that's plenty of space for me ... actually more than enough but I also use it for family camping, too. Used to have a truck topper for a lot of years but there's just not enoug space in there for the money. For those times when I don't want to take the pull-behind, I'd leave the truck topper and just go with the truck shell with some mods for insulation and a sleeping platform in there. A good tarp setup extending out the back for a table (cooking, etc.) and it's ideal (and cheap).
Of course, having a pull-behind can be a pain to drive, get gas, park, repair, upkeep, etc. but if I'm needing more space or an air conditioner .... that's the way I go.
I have recently purchased a pull-behind and am extremely pleased with it. The main advantage of truck campers over pull-behinds is the off-road capability, though with smaller truck campers you can also pretend you're just a car and park in places where a trailer might be problematic (though in practice I have found that I can part the trailer anywhere except extremely congested areas where you have to pay for parking).
A fact to consider is that truck campers can be problematic to load, unload, and store. It is not uncommon for people to have a jack pull away as a result of loading or unloading improperly, causing thousands of dollars of damage.
Quote from: Lady Rochelle on August 01, 2010, 12:30:13 PM
I looked at these . loved them but the only thing that i was not thrilled with is i want a table and a bed, this style only had one that converted. But that may just be a girl thing, lol
I thought about that, too, and I complete agree (great minds!). However, as it mostly just be me and one other, I thought I'd leave the dinette in semi-permanent 'bed-mode' and bring along a fold-up table for the couch area. What'd I'd really like to find is one with a queen-size bed and a simple 2-person dinette. I don't need the whole family-style dinette that seems to be so prominent in most campers, regardless of size.
Quote from: batninja on August 01, 2010, 10:39:10 AM
Uh oh...
Did some further 'shopping' and now I'm leaning back toward the pull-behind idea. Now I'm looking at this one:
(http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/images/2011_sportsmenclassicbg/KZ11_SprtClassBG_01.jpg)
I'm actually looking at the 14 RB version, slightly different than the one pictured. It has a toilet and shower, for the same price as a truck topper camper!
http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/2011_14RB.html
That rocks. I like the size of that trailer because it is small enough to be easily handled and parked, but it is big enough to have a shower, bathroom, kitchen, and a decent bed. A nice compromise of size is http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/2011_16BH.html (http://www.kz-rv.com/sportsmen_classic/2011_16BH.html).
I see very few small RVs that are cleverly designed. These seem to be one of those.
I started with a semi pup up like the truck camper shown, graduated to a 24' Jayco Bunkhouse model then moved on to a 28' Starcraft Toybox.
The biggest restriction (and expense) on what you get will be the vehicle you will need to pull the trailer or load the camper on. If you can afford a good truck, go for it, if not, err on the side of a smaller unit.
You can get away with towing the tent-on-a-trailer (true pop up) with a midsized SUV but forget about a trailer. Read the specs for your vehicle and make sure you don't buy an RV that is more than what your truck/SUV can handle. For most towing functions you will need to beef up the towing package, a bumper hitch will not be enough.
I looked at this. Here are the lessons I learned while shopping for a travel trailer:
If a travel trailer person says your vehicle can "get by" even though the trailer's GVWR is higher than your tow vehicle's rating, run.
Don't use a bumper hitch. Get a real frame hitch. Reason? You need that tongue length away from the back of your vehicle so you can turn the trailer at a sharper angle. Otherwise, it will tear up your bumper.
Make sure to hit a locksmith and get your trailer's locks (door locks and such) rekeyed. The reason is that some trailer makers use the same key where one key fits all models. It also doesn't hurt to have two axle locks and a secondary one on the tongue of the trailer. Especially if it will be parked in the same area for a while.
If you can, find LP gas appliances. The more stuff that runs on LP gas, the better, as you don't have to have a generator on.
Quote from: dfloyd888 on August 03, 2010, 09:09:19 PM
I looked at this. Here are the lessons I learned while shopping for a travel trailer:
If a travel trailer person says your vehicle can "get by" even though the trailer's GVWR is higher than your tow vehicle's rating, run.
Don't use a bumper hitch. Get a real frame hitch. Reason? You need that tongue length away from the back of your vehicle so you can turn the trailer at a sharper angle. Otherwise, it will tear up your bumper.
Make sure to hit a locksmith and get your trailer's locks (door locks and such) rekeyed. The reason is that some trailer makers use the same key where one key fits all models. It also doesn't hurt to have two axle locks and a secondary one on the tongue of the trailer. Especially if it will be parked in the same area for a while.
If you can, find LP gas appliances. The more stuff that runs on LP gas, the better, as you don't have to have a generator on.
I figured the salesperson would try to sell you a unit too big for the tow vehicle, I have never been shopping for an RV yet that they haven't tried that tactic. Sucks. The practice is rampant and just amazes me that someone hasn't tried to sue yet. It's not like the car dealer who sells you more car than you need, this guy is selling you something that he knows will cause your truck to self destruct. >:( As a buyer you are on your own.
To those who are shopping for an RV:
If you have any doubt that your truck can pull/carry the load, call your local car dealer. The guy in service will tell you what's what. He gets to fix the damage, and he is just as mad about it as you would be.
Good point about re-keying. JayCo doesn't do that, but I can see where some of the others would. Hitch locks are
absolutely needed.
LP appliances are great for when you don't have electrical hookups, particularly the fridge. ;D
A lot of folks don't realize the 'other' expenses involved. Bumper hitches are good for exactly squat. I think they install them so people can hang ornaments from them. Unless your truck is brand new I wouldn't trust the bumper hitch to take anything close to what the book says, if your truck is used or a few years old, the mounts could be rusted or compromised from a previous accident or overloading. Not worth a liability lawsuit should your RV part company in traffic.
If you don't already have a tow package on your truck you will need that.
Here's a good link:
http://www.specialtyhitch.com/index.cfm?event=pageview&contentPieceID=1824#bumperstyles
U-haul charges about $700+ to purchase and install a complete after market frame receiver type tow kit. I don't recall if that includes electrical hook up kit for the lights and RV battery recharge while you drive. Weight distribution (WD) and sway kits are extra, and you need those for larger trailers, as well as a trailer brake package.
If your truck has to have all the above done before you tow, you are looking at 1500-2000 out of pocket expenses to just get your vehicle ready. On top of the purchase price of the RV.
This is excellent information, you guys! Definitely thing I'll need to consider before the purchase. I'll need the frame hitch for certain. Now I miss my old V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee. :(
I E-mailed kz-rv.com and asked about replacement tent fabric for recent models. They can ship extra pieces if you buy one of models with a slide-out tent bed, so if it gets torn up or mildewed, the fabric is easily replaced.
Just a random piece of info. The guy was VERY nice in my E-mail, so I might be considering a trailer from these guys, once my finances settle down a bit.