Pop-up camper vs heated tent for a base camp

[1_pointer]

I would like to get something that would serve as a base or main camp. Use would vary from car camping trips in the summer with the wife and dogs to setting up a camp at a trailhead to spike or day hunt out of. Which would you prefer? A pop-up camper (not a tent trailer, but an over the cab kind) or a wall tent (or at least similar).

Cost: The tent appears to have this hands down. The local dealer is asking $8K for a new pop-up camper. Even for the most expensive tent I've looked at I'm under $1500.

Ease of set up: Though I've never set up a wall tent or Kifaru tipi, the pop-up camper I've used for school could be set up in 10 minutes.

So, which do you think is a better setup? What have been your experiences with brands of either type? Right now I'm leaning towards the tent setup.

 

[Whiskers]

I would think affordability would be the first consideration. Secondly, pick up campers are usually space limited. I have a friend has one. With hunting gear, food, and etc. it is cramped. Third, how much do you use the truck once you get your camp set up. Do you use it to get to different hunting areas, or to haul game out, to get to the bar? My personal choice would be the tent. I have seen my buddy rock n rolling that camper back rough roads, and worrying about clearances on trees.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-23-2004 08:07: Message edited by: Whiskers ]</font>

 

[dgibson]

If you get the over-the-cab camper thing, you MUST have the little feet things that let you drive out from under the camper when you wish. Otherwise, like Whiskers says, your truck is stuck where your camp is. I hate that, even if I don't plan on going anywhere.

Thinking of hunting, I should think a tent would be more useful because you can pack it into the wild on horse trips if you want, so on and so forth. In terms of camping with your wife, she'll love you more if you get the camper with battery converter & air conditioning.

 

[pawclaws]

1pointer; we all too often let our pocket book be the first ruler of our decision making process in error. Look at it this way. What is it that you want the item to do for you? Make a list of all those things. Next ask: What features must the item have? add these to the list. Now go over the list and rate the items in terms of importance. Actually prioritize them assigning them numbers from the most important to the very least important. It is OK to add more items; oh except cost!! Review the list to make sure it is complete. Now list all of the "things or items" you can find that you wish to consider. Be as specific as possible because pop ups vary a great deal and so do tents. Draw a matriz with all of the desired features listed down the left side and all the tents, popups, fifth wheels, etc across the top. Now for each one of the items bounce the features against it asking yourself; "On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, how well does this item meet this particular feature?" Enter that number for each feature for each item. Some answers may be Zero orindicating the item will not meet the feature possibly eliminating the item from consideration early on. Now add the totals of each item. This will give you a numeric value of "benefit" for each item. Look at the numbers of each item representing the "most important" features and see if there is a pattern. Next perform a simple cost benefit analysis by taking the price of each item and dividing it by the total benefit value of that item. This will give you a simple dollar cost per benefit ratio for each item and help to tell you how valuable the purchase is to you in terms of value met rather than expense. It is really helpful and often reveals that the most expensive items are actually the best value for the money spent in the long run.

Here is a starter feature list to get you started.

The Items should:
Provide shelter from the elements
Should be durable and last for 5 years.
Should be easily set up
Should be easy to repair or maintain.
Should be easy to store when not in use.
Should fit in my garage.
Provide bed space for 4 people.
Provide storage space for 275 cubic feet of gear.
Provide dry storage for 3 weapons.
Be constructed of fire retardent matarial.
Etc.

Good luck.

 

[dgibson]

Paws, I'd sure hate to go to the grocery store with you. "You want corn flakes or raisin bran?" "Well, let me work up a matrix of the pro's and con's...."

 

[pawclaws]

The shorter your income; the smarter it has to be! I buy generic corn flakes!!

 

[RogueWarrior1957]

Ditto, Paws! Me too!

About the camper thing, I had a trailer type pop-up that when opened fully had about the space of a 20'+ fifth-wheel. I loved it. It was a delight to tow, since you could see traffic behind you over the top, and it was light. The only drawbacks I noticed were due to having to fold everything down, storage space was "different." There were no conventional closets to hang things. Also, when towing it, there was no way to transport the boat. On the plus side, it was easier than a tent to set up, once set up, you could drive away from it leaving your vehicle free, it was easier to heat, and it was fairly bug-proof. The one I had was a 1985 Jayco (made in Pennsylvania by the Amish). Funny that the Amish do not drive cars, or use electric lights...but they build one heck of a camper that you can tow behind your car complete with electric lights.

As from the factory, this one would sleep 6 comfortably. I bought it used for $3000 and it came with a separate toilet/shower shelter (looked like green phone booth), and also featured a 11 X 8 Add-a-Room. It still looked brand new when I bought it...and when I sold it to a friend. I have regretted selling it, as it was great to take on vacation. My oldest brother and I had a blast camping out in his front yard in it the last time I went back east. We let the ladies have a "girl party" in the house, and we exchanged hunting yarns way into the night.

Depending on which model of cab-over you are considering, they could be a winner, as long as you get a set of camper jacks as someone else suggested so you will be able to use your pick-up for running around. If the factory price is a bit high, look around for a nice used one at a bargain price. The one I had didn't appear to have been used over a dozen times at the most. The old gentleman's wife had passed away, and he had lost all interest in camping after her passing. I doubt that I will ever pay new price for any vehicle given the fact that the moment you drive off the sales lot with it...depreciation sets in.

Good luck in your endeavor,

-RogueWarrior-

 

[pawclaws]

....and after you decide what you want to get; go rent one that is similar before you buy it!

Lots of deals around on Ebay, and at yard sales too. Folk tend to trade up in the Spring and rid out in the Winter so watch the papers too!

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks for the input, I'll chew on it a bit.

Matrices??? WOW!!

Beings that I'm not in a hurry to buy one, I may just have to try that.

 

[GLW]

Are you camping or going on vacation?

I like the old military canvas tents! Now thats a base camp! Get one about 15'x20' and you can take all your relatives too!
A small generator, fridge and a kerosene heater will make ya right to home! Room for an indoor john and a card table for when the weather turns against yas! No tripping over each other either. A nice cot with a blow up mattress(or whatever else you elect to blow up

) You gotta rough it a little to appreciate it!

 

[Elkhunter]

pointer, myself, I like the cab over camper deal. Setting up camp for me is as simple as taking the gas grill out of the camper. I keep it stocked with food from the time I put it on (may) till the time I take it off (Nov). It has a fridge, freezer, furnace, stove and oven, and a sink. I very seldom use the furnace as it is plenty warm enough. I converted the little closet of=ver to a pantry. For the two of us and the dog, we are always warm, dry and get to sleep on a comfortable mattress. During hunting season I drive to the trailhead and park for 10-12 days at a time. When MEATHEAD came out, we enjoyed being warm and having a table to sit around while we played a dice game with the lights on, a radio and sometimes a good old movie. I sometimes will run a tarp off the side to give us shade when sitting around camp in an area with little or no trees. I have done the tent routine, I have done the sleeping in the horse trailer routine and now the cabover camper and I like that the best for comfort. Of course, I have a separate truck for work and Michele has the JEEP, so I can leave the camper on it all the time, which a lot of people do anyway. If you decide on a slide in camper and decide to leave it on all the time, I would recommend having air bags put on for your suspension. It takes all the weight off your springs and make the truck more stable.

A couple that camps with us, swears by tent camping, but in the morning when it is cool, they are always to be found at our table where it is warm and the coffee is brewing.
You can pick up used cabover campers for relatively cheap if you keep you eye on the classifieds.