Off road Ready Popup Recommendations

702krawler

Adventurer
I have a friend at work who I've slowly been introducing to the whole over landing concept. Now he's looking to get a pop-up tent trailer that can do light to moderate off road duty. He needs room for five (wife and three kids). Ideally he'd like to stay under $12k, and would buy used. He wants a kitchen inside, a dinette, but no bathroom. He has neither the skills nor time to build one himself (partially or from scratch).

Based on the research I've done, the Jayco Baja and StarCraft RT models seem like the best fits. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Do any of you own one of the above trailers and care to comment on their durability and suitability to off road travels?
 

highlandercj-7

Explorer
I like the Aliner version of pop ups. Their off road package is stout. They upgrade the frame from 2x3 to 2x6 tubing, among various other things. They also don't have a tent to go bad. They have a lay out that sleeps 5 people; in two beds 2 and 3.
Not near you but gives you the idea of what they are:
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/rvs/4691925719.html
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fast_suv

Adventurer
Pop ups

If he can keep his eyes open for a Rough Out Products pop up that is what i have and it is pretty great... although i got lucky finding it... I have only scene 2 before, mine and one other online, but i bet there are a few out there ...although, it would be a little tight with 5 in there though....
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I also had a Palomino Yearling 1401 with a 3 inch lift and it was fairly capable on easy wide trails... 5 would be a little better in there...

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The coleman/feetwood E series are cool too...
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but really for anything more than a pretty mild trail you will need to do some improvements to the off the lot popups ..... my 2cents...

what is he looking to use as a tow vehicle? that can help boil down what he can and cant tow in and out of places....
 

702krawler

Adventurer
He's going to be towing with a Nissan Armada (4x4). Low range, but no lockers, and it's pretty big, so nothing too technical or tight. Really wants to be able to handle washboard dirt and an occasional wash crossing. A good example is the road to Hole in the Rock in Grand-Staircase Escalante. nothing really technical, just a long, washboard road with a few wash crossings and a few small rocks to crawl over.
 

702krawler

Adventurer
Also, the Rough Out looks cool, but very short lived. Did you have any issues with yours? I'm wondering if the target market was too small, or if there were quality or other issues that put them out of business?
 

fast_suv

Adventurer
Also, the Rough Out looks cool, but very short lived. Did you have any issues with yours? I'm wondering if the target market was too small, or if there were quality or other issues that put them out of business?
I have only had mine for a few months and taken it our twice, one nice easy dirt road and last weekend to Flagpole Knob in GWNF (little more challenging) and it did awesome.
I am betting the advertising was not great. I can t find anything but a random youtube video with a young girl narrating it.

It could use a few improvements; that i have been kncking out a little here and there and a few custom items i want to add but all in all its pretty sweet... A trailer builder here local did some welding for me and seemed interested in trying his hand and putting one together. I told him if he could keep it under 5-6K and build it well he should be able to find buyers... I mean people pay 5K or mor for m416 style trailers with RTTs and what not...

I had a renal 2010 Nissan Armada for a few week for work while exicuting some training in Serri vista AZ and we took it up and down some pretty crazy trails (we got the extra 10.00 insurance) and it did ok for the first day or to and the slowly the hubs started to click and fail. and the T case started to slip... not sure if it was just bad maintenance or just to much for the truck to handle....

but for mild stuff i bet it will do fine pulling a little pop up... we were pushing it hard... (along with 3-2010 yukons and a 2011 grand Cherokee.. all new at the time)

again, if you just do a little upgrading on shocks and spring and maybe an axle flip a lot of the pops will do fine for what he wants..

My torsion axle trailers rand really smooth on wash board roads... may be something to keep an eye out for or research when looking at trailers...
 

702krawler

Adventurer
Any idea what the Rough Out cost when it was new? And if you don't mind me asking, what did you pick yours up for? I like the A lines, but I think they are going to be a little smaller than he is looking for. He's a big dude at 6'4" or so, and while his kids are still fairly small, he'd like something he'll be able to use for several years to come as they get bigger.
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
The E series is awesome. I have a scamper 10ft pop up that I am putting a lift in. I am planning now, using some recommendations from follower pop up'ers here on how to proceed. I would just grab a cheap used model around locally, and do the necessary modifications and save thousands!
 

fast_suv

Adventurer
Any idea what the Rough Out cost when it was new? And if you don't mind me asking, what did you pick yours up for? I like the A lines, but I think they are going to be a little smaller than he is looking for. He's a big dude at 6'4" or so, and while his kids are still fairly small, he'd like something he'll be able to use for several years to come as they get bigger.

From all the looking i have done, It looks like they were around 12K new... I actually stumbled on a post here on Expo from 2008 where someone said that.

I got it from a guy in NC that really needed it gone; Great dude. With buying the trailer and the little bit of work i have in it thus far I'd guess I'm at the 2800.00-3100.00 range... I'll prob sink another 500-1000 into it making it exactly what I want...
 
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takingatrip

New member
I bought a 97 10ft pop up with a queen /full bed and a twin where the dinette is, sink, heater, fridge stove ect. for 2 grand in super clean shape. Had my trailer repair shop add a fantastic fan and a spring over axle lift with the largest trailer tires that would fit and electric brakes for another 1300 bucks. All the pop ups are built with the same crappy wood and staple construction so beating up a new one seems like money wasted to me. uploadfromtaptalk1413489843916.jpg I towed this with an underpowered Jeep 4 door so a Nissan Armada should have zero trouble
 
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