Standard pop up or Offroad pop up?

[bearman512]

More information and answering some questions.

Primary Uses:
Weekend getaways to lakes, mountains, rivers.
All of these will be on maintained dirt roads or using campgrounds.


Possible use would be to head to the beach once a year. No idea if this will happen, but possibly.

Unfortunately in the great state of Texas there are not a lot of trails with camping in the middle of nowhere. There are a few, but not many. So primarily, this camper would be on maintained roads or pavement and used as a basecamp for biking, hiking, and fishing. Might make it out to a hunting lease a couple of times a year in the fall.

Thansk again for all of the replies.

Something like this is perfect for what you are looking for, you can later do a spring over conversion that will cost less the $100.00 if you can have someone weld on the new spring perches.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/rvs/4032459587.html

 

[skersfan]

Speaking as a long time owner of a pop up, some are much stronger than others. The major problem with a pop up is set up time, smelly canvas, bugs, and if older, overall smell.

Take a serious look at a Chalet. It's total set up time is less than 30 seconds. They have them in various sizes and are available on craig's list I am sure. The true advantage of them is the hard walls, and weather proof fitting. I drug mine all over the country, some off road stuff that it handled with no problem. They have a box tubing main frame and sprung axles. The Aliner a life version runs a torsion axle, but have heard there are problems with the tongue design on it. I have never seen one fail though, just heard they do.

I think the Chalet is the top of the line in pop ups, strength, quality and design. No matter the roof line, there is adequate room for a normal adult to stand and sit in them. The roof line is very deceiving.

I would start with the basic mode how ever you go. It sounds like the highway models will work just fine. As you grow with it, make the changes you see you need and want.

One thing about the Chalets, are they are much quieter and more secure. Mommy will feel safer in it.

Bob

 

[Ozarker]

I agree with Longtallsally and others, that you really don't need off road mods to a decent popup, stock our old DeVille tent trailer had more capabilities than the vehicles we pulled it with. In any rough area, just slow down, crawl if you need to, do you carry lumber to level the trailer(?) lay it out changing the angle of attack/departure over an obstacle, adapt to those rare occasions as they come.

IMO, off road capabilities are over blown to "overlanding" the "standard" by which vehicles and trailers seem to be set by those in North America, western states, the rock guys, Mohab, bolder crossings, compared to the entire world, these trails are very limited but because they are there it skews the reality of what most actually do. IOWs, camper manufactures aren't stupid, they build a product that provides customer satisfaction to 90% of campers, even the backwoods, off road, boonie campers, dragging their trailer through low waters, sandy beaches, through gullies, fire roads and through your back yard. The only reason people go through Mohab is because it's there, same reason a mountain climber climbs a mountain. You can always go around that mountain and continue on your overland trips. Setting the standard at rough terrain crossings is commercially set, specialized trailers, vehicle mods and equipment to do things that you'd never encounter from Canada to the tip of South America, which has been done my small motorcycles, VWs, even vans and luxury type cars. It's all about the money serving the fascinations of a few who actually climb the mountain. Fun to do, watch, read about but in reality, do you need such capabilities to travel? No, you don't.

 

[skersfan]

Since the new walls have been made, the fiberglass/aluminum/Styrofoam, trailers and motor homes have become considerably stronger. Older ones not as good, but as Ozarker states, should be good enough for your adventures. The number one problem becomes you growing with confidence in your abilities, the trucks abilities and then the trailer. Most that have trailers fall into two categories. I want it sound and really have no desire to do the Rubicon with my trailer. KOA, state parks, National Parks, trail heads by fire roads are their limits and live with in them. The other side, challenges him/herself, their tow vehicle and the trailer. The second group are the ones that may require more than just a off he shelf popup.

Unfortunately for us in the west, that is what our trails are. Our mountains are treed, but not to the level of the Ozarks or the east coast or even Colorado. More sparse with rocks and narrow trails to over come. Sharp rocks, severe drops offs and lips to climb up and over. Twisting, turning, drops and hard steep rises, put a tremendous amount of stress on the trailer... The other option for us is wide open desert trails, and high speeds across washboard and deep holes. The larger tires are for those reasons. Having the same tire on the trailer helps with flat situation. I have had two flats in one short trail run. Carvacre trail. http://aspenxtrails.com/videos/

You need to figure what type you are, you will either fall I love with the trailer and use it until the wheels fall off, or decide it is more trouble than it is worth. Most that use these things, it has become a way of life. Or it is a necessity for what they do.

From your comments again, I think any popup will work fine for you. The manufacturers that claim to make both, really are not that much different form highway to off road. IE the main manufactures, Fleetwood, Coleman. They just put larger tires on them, a larger drop on the axle and some fiberglass/rubber or diamond plate on the front. Nothing structurally is different.

 

[teejaywhy]

post pictures! Are you in the Phoenix area? The littledealer near my house always has a couple of offroad popups that catch my eye. Haven't been able to decide if I want that or a hard side though.
Also, since it was new...did you go through a dealer? if so would you mind posting the price you were able to walk away with? If not, no biggie!

Sorry for the delay to answer, I don't check in here often.

We live in Gilbert. Bought through Kempton's in Mesa (now defunct). I think we paid ~$8800 (in 2005). We also looked at the E1's, Little Dealer had them but were unwilling to budge on their price (closer to $10K). Wife didn't care for the industrial look interior either. The nearest Starcraft dealer was on the west side so we never made it over there. Kempton's worked with us on price and add-ons (brake controller and wiring) so that's what we did. We looked at many used ones as well but most were in kind of crappy shape and I wasn't looking for a fixer-upper.

I tent camped all my life, including 20+ years of married life and raising a family. Wife was suffering from some arthritis issues and insisted on getting a trailer. I was not keen on the popup idea until I saw the off-road model. Could keep mama happy and still look cool! ha ha. The nice thing about a popup, when they are opened up they are pretty roomy and lots of windows to let the breeze flow thru. So it is still technically a "tent." We still maintain our camping style, setting up the outdoor kitchen etc.

The downside for a popup is the setup factor as I mentioned before. Not great for overnighting.

A couple pics from a spot on the edge of the Rim

Site was a bit unlevel, more that my stack of levelers could compensate for. Some redneck engineering was required.

Here are some from another trip. We setup the shower/potty tent because we were with a group of others. Normally we don't bother

 

[skersfan]

Nice looking set up TeeJay!!! The outside shower/potty made my other half very happy. Are the pictures near Flag or ?

 

[teejaywhy]

The first group are in the Coconino north of Pine/Strawberry off the 87. The last two are in the Apache-Sitgreaves, about 15 mile NW of Woods Canyon Lake.

 

[Firesong]

Old thread but very valid in terms of need vs actual use. I originally was interested in an off-road pop up trailer and looked into them. Being up in canada the ones available were the evolution series (for the most part). I found they were all pretty heavy unloaded.

I think my decision to purchase a Kamparoo instead was the unloaded weight was 700 pounds. And that it's the same width as my Delica 4x4 van. We end up driving down old trails that are quite narrow (trees) to get into mountain lakes etc. The larger pop ups would be breaking brush and the rock beaches would be hard on them.

So yah, your end usage realistically should help make the decision. Not just cool factor I'm a sucker for cool factor.

 

[Waygoner]

I had a 1985 Scamp that I picked up for $900. Flipped the axle so the springs where on top, which didn't cost a dime. Added bigger wheels/tires and used it for 10 years. I pulled it over some rough Colorado two tracks and it never missed a beat. The factory off-road popups are nice, but I don't think the extra expense is justified. I sold the Scamp last year for $850.