What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

[kazzepink]

Its been decades since I went camping in a pop up trailer tent. Last year I went tent camping and realized how much I miss the whole camping experience.

I am seriously considering a pop up trailer tent...mostly because I cannot afford the lux rvs out there and it would be easier to store.

I went to the Hershey trade show last year and see they run in upwards of thousands of dollars. I am guessing to get what I want I will spend a couple of grand anyway.

So what I am asking I guess is what to expect for what price. If I want something new or barely used...sleeping 4-6/heated/gas stove/fridge.
Any brand that is better then others?

Also, from what I have seen on online ads and local papers, they appear to have a good resale value. I see some that are over 20 years old selling for a grand.

Thanks!

[Banage]

I would go used if you're not goin to use it much. Maybe find a pos that you can live with for a year or two and only spend a few hundred. You can see what you like and don't like so you know what to look for when you spend big.

[Bigdog57]

One thing important to ME (being a BIG guy!) is whether one of the beds FITS! I am 6'4" tall - few Pop-ups have a bed that will give me a comfy night's sleep - I do like to stretch out. I cannot sleep all night balled up!

Also, can I get into and out of the bathroom/shower easily? Some are ludicrously tight!

Even the door can be uncomfortably tight!

These things apply to ALL trailers - P'ups, TT's, Toy Haulers...... When my riding/shooting/huntin buddy went shopping for his new Toy Hauler, he had me come along to 'test fit' these things.... Nice to have a buddy that thinks of these things!

Of course, having propane-powered heat and fridge are good - not all campsites will have full hook-ups or electric. Heating and cooling take a LOT of E-power.

[rxcamping]

I would look for the following in this order.

1. Smell free - Often times people will close up the canvas and not get it dry giving the trailer a permanent musty odor.

2. A small fridge

3. A couch that comfortably seats your family - You may spend some time in it if you have a long rainy day.

4. Air - This is my personal preference I would rather sleep comfortably during the summer when it is really hot.

5. Heat - Not so important if you have good sleeping bags

6. Stove and a sink to me not as important either. Part of why I like camping is cooking outdoors. Part of why I cook outdoors is I like to make greasy pot sticking down home meals. If I cooked in a trailer it would stink like grease in no time. I also like to wash my dishes outside. I have a travel trailer now and have only used the galley sink to wash my hands and lit the stove on the test drive and will most likely never light it again.

7. If you are looking to spend more than 3-5 thousand I would get it a hard sided trailer with a pop out bed. Best of both worlds more room to move around no roof to crank out and you only have to pop the bed out when you are ready to sleep. Plus you get all the amenities of a bigger trailer for the same price.

[capsfloyd]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

I'm big guy also , we bought a bayside by coleman . King size bed on each end . No shower.. wide door to get in and out of . Find a floor plan you like , have the person open the pop up . ck under and inside for water damage ?

[JohnJohn]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

Buy used. I have a 1993 Coleman for about 6-7 years and we love it.

[kurzi]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

I just borrowed a Palomino from my brother. I wanted to try one out and I really liked it because of the easy set up and easy towing. Would suit my small family nicely.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

Something to think about as far as the kitchen aspect of a pop up goes. It's my observation that few people use more than the sink (if that) in a pop up. I constantly see "pop uppers" using an outside grill just like tenters. I suspect it has something to do with the cooking smells being too close to the sleeping quarters.

[Marie99]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

This is very true. In our pop up we can take the stove outside to cook. It hooks on to the side of the camper and is very easy to move and use. I'd rather be cooking outside anyway so it works out well for us.

[Bigdog57]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

Also, if in bear country, you do NOT want food smells inside the pop-up! Mr. Bear might take it as an invitation.....

[farout]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

I have been looking for a Popup for about a year. I have yet to find one for less that $4,000. that was just good condition. In Missouir a 93 fleetwood/coleman with torn canvas and tires pretty rotted condition was $3,000. I am amazed that some popups are as costly as sometravel trailers new. Do you hear of many people getting robbed? The canvas is pretty easy to get in to. I think it's just a bit above a tent, is this true?

[caheaton]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

My father has a pop up (though my wife and I are tent campers), neither of us have ever been robbed. If anything is particularly valuable, it gets locked in the car. My father does lock the door to the pop up if he's going to be out all day (not much security though since the windows are usually up so that there's only a fabric screen to protect the interior :-) ). We've also left our laptop in the tent on occasion, but it gets slipped underneath the air mattress so it's out of site. Never a problem.

It sounds like the prices for used campers in your area is high...my father bought his pop up about 10 years ago used (at the time it was maybe 10 years old). I believe he paid $1,500...and it was in good shape, no problems with canvas (a couple of tears that had been properly patched).

Craig

[swebob]

Re: What should I look for in a pop up trailer tent?

I was looking at Jayco Pop ups at a local North trail RV dealer and they went from $8000 to $12000 new and the $8000 didn't even have a potty.

I have to agree with another post that a pop up is nothing more then a tent with wheels and aluminum siding. I also questioned the same thing about cooking inside smelling the camper up. I could get a 10 x 14 canvas tent and cook outside and still have all the space and more room to walk around then the confined area of a pop up. That's just my 2 cents.