Tents v. Pop-Ups

[anortheastlife]

The long and short of it…

We started tent camping, which we enjoyed tremendously. Then, for some odd reason, I got the brilliant idea to buy a pop-up camper. The one we purchased was a Forest River MAC 206 ltd. A nice small pop-up which we liked, but… This isn't camping. At the end of the day, I found I enjoyed the experience of being in a tent so much more. Yes… the AC was nice, and no, the beds in the pop-up are not all that comfortable. The same could be said for sleeping in a tent I suppose, but if you are smart and creative, you can create quite a comfortable 'nest' in your tent. Anyway… the long and short of it is…. After only 6 months, we are selling our pop-up.

Walking around Winfield Campground, an Army Corp. park in Appling, Ga that we like this past weekend, I couldn't help but notice the large and beautiful RV's and pop-ups that dot the campground. Most are impressive. Yet, I found myself stopping and gazing at the sites where people had pitched a couple of tents, with a sense of fondness and nostalgia… Maybe it's a childhood thing. My Dad and I did have some great camping trips in our A-frame tent when I was young….

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. It's really up to what the end user wants.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. It's really up to what the end user wants.

This.

Decades back on a bicycle camping trip with my 3 or 4 y/o son and ex I met a family with several children. They camped in a pop up plus tents plus a washing machine. At first I thought the setup insane in a sneering manner. Then I came to realise that given the amt of kiddos the family had it was prolly the only way the family could have a breath of fresh air.They had lovely well mannered children and sometimes I wondered where they all are today.

[MWcamper]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I love tent camping, I always have. There's something to be said for hearing the sounds of the night, feeling the elements a bit more closely, being overall a little closer to nature. Certainly, there are places you can tent camp that just simply are not accessible to a trailer, even a small all terrain teardrop or tiny trailer. (BWCA comes to mind) That said I have also camped in small pop-ups once or twice, and big 5th wheel trailers on occasion. For me, simply put, I want both. I want to be able to camp in a tent when it's 75 during the day and 55 overnight. I want to tent camp on the shores of a Southern Minnesota lake that I had to canoe to. But if it's 95 or 100 during the day and 80 overnight ... a trailer with A/C and cooling memory foam mattress sure sounds better than a sweaty tent with an inflatable bed. Same goes for when it's 45-50 during the day and 30 overnight, I'd like a roof over my head. Maybe a little heat action.

I guess I just want it all, so sue me.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I worked my way up to a pop-up years ago. Started in a little modified pup tent, went to a 3 person dome, then to a canvas cabin tent. Around then I was married to a woman who seemed to have back surgeries as her main hobby. So we bought a pop-up to baby her back. Years later, I wound up selling it for next to nothing because too many things were broken or rusted and it became a money pit. But I have to admit I still kind of miss it. Sleeping way up off the ground, running water and a forced air furnace were great. I also liked being able to cook inside when the weather was particularly nasty.

With no money for another camper, I started looking at backpacking, mostly solo. I suddenly realized just how much nature I was missing and how much work it took to keep a camper up. Registration, license tags, maintenance on tires, the lift system, the plumbing, the heater... Glad to get away from all that. Plus, pulling a camper limited the places I could go. Anyway, history repeated itself and I've now worked my way back up to a canvas cabin tent. It sets up faster then a pop-up, is just as comfortable with a cot and a heater and, at 10x10, only somewhat limits the places I can go. I thought about getting a travel trailer but figure, if it's too hot to sleep in a tent, it's just plain too hot to be camping.

[James.]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I have never used anything more than a tent and have never wanted to. That is not to say that I never will but I don't like to camp in campgrounds and don't like to be limited in where I can go. That being said my wife goes camping for me, not because she has a love for it and I can't help but notice how she looks at the 5th wheels and RV's.

[Mike]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I think if you spend a rainy day inside a spacious dry pop-up, you would look out the window at the tent campers and say, "those poor bastards"

Then, if you spend a rainy day in an RV stretched out on a bed watching videos and nibbling on stuff from the kitchen, you would look out your window at the guys in the pop-ups and say, "those poor bastards" and look at the tenters in the remote distant part of the park and say, "those guys are crazy"

Meanwhile, the guys in the tents are either saying "I love this tent" or "I hate this tent"

[gr8brew]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

Mike and James,

I Have no desire to camp in anything but a tent. I keep my set up lean and simple. At this point its an easy task to load, setup, breakdown, and stow away. My in-laws gave me a spot in their spacious basement right next to the bulkhead aside from clothes and food I can load everything I need in 15 min.

When I'm done camping I am done. Consumable items replenished and its forgotten. Nothing to maintain or licence.

I'ts been my dream goal to bring these ideals to my whole life. I'd like to have less to maintain both with time and money.

[ArizonaSportsman]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

When I was young, my parents moved fairly quickly from tent camping to a pop-up and then when the boat came.....a truck camper. It was nice - and because I didn't remember much about tent camping....camping in a camper was all I knew.

Once I was in college and did a few tent excursions and backpacking trips I fell in love with tent camping. I find that despite now being 42 and having kids of my own....I want to stay in a tent as long as I can stand it. Sure, we have a giant tent when the whole family goes....but I love being on the ground - and being closer to nature, etc.

I'm sure at some point my wife will push for an RV of some type - and by that time I'm sure I'll be ready for a bit more comfort too. Until then, I'm going to enjoy our tents.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I began as a tent camper, largely because it is cheaper, and most of my camping was by motorcycle. Then one winter, a buddy let me sack out in his pop-up. We are both quite tall, so his unit was a larger one with beds that actually fit those of us well over 6' tall! I slept in another buddy's pop-up the next year, but the beds were shorter and wouldn't accept my weight on the 'pop out' beds, so I was limited to the converted dinette bed that was also too short - made for a rough night. I like to stretch out. So basically pop-ups are not for me. That larger one is more than my minivan can pull.
I have since gotten a Ford E150 van that I am converting to a camper. It will suffice when I want more comfort, and can pull the trailered motorcycle to explore other areas the van can't reach. So I can use both.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I have never used anything more than a tent and have never wanted to. That is not to say that I never will but I don't like to camp in campgrounds and don't like to be limited in where I can go. That being said my wife goes camping for me, not because she has a love for it and I can't help but notice how she looks at the 5th wheels and RV's.

There's a man in my life who lusts for any kind of RV he can get his hands on since tenting, no matter the type, is not his cup of tea. I'm in the process of buying one for him as a "Geeze we put up with each other for 20+ years with a minimum of blood shedding!?!" anniversary/retirement present.
Eventually,compromises must be made.

[James.]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

There's a man in my life who lusts for any kind of RV he can get his hands on since tenting, no matter the type, is not his cup of tea. I'm in the process of buying one for him as a "Geeze we put up with each other for 20+ years with a minimum of blood shedding!?!" anniversary/retirement present.
Eventually,compromises must be made.

It might go that way for us in the future but for now I am working to making tent camping something that she will enjoy.

[Shortpants]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

I have been a tent camper all my life, with the occasional RV experience dotted here and there. I really do love tent camping, the whole experience is just beyond words. But I will admit to window shopping on Craigslist and the local paper ads for a pop up or old VW camper as of late. Hubby is not as avid a camper as I, and although he enjoys himself when we are there and set up, I think he mostly goes because the girls and I love it so much. What a guy! LOL! We did upgrade to a new tent and air mattresses last summer, so it is MUCH more comfortable now. Hubby is 6'6" and about 350 lbs, so my old 7'x7' Coleman dome tent was downright comical to watch him, me, our Basset Hound and 3 year old daughter (at the time) pour out of. hahaha! It was a little snug in there! Although I love looking at the pop ups and RV's, I think I'm pretty much a tent camper for life.

[anortheastlife]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

Some great responses guys. Thank you. The discussion rages on in our house, and since posting this thread we have camped 2 weekends... in the pop-up. Still, I have a few tent camping trips set up, and hoping I won't be going solo. At the end of the day my wife loves the pop-up, but enjoys camping even more, regardless of what we are sleeping in... :-)

[Bigdog57]

Re: Tents v. Pop-Ups

Must have looked like a 'clown tent'....... hehehe..... ;-)

I am 6' 4", and a bit north of 350lbs myself. A three-man dome just about fits.... ME! :-) ALONE! Just enough room for my gear on the side of my twin-size air mattress.
I do camp in my minivan at times, but it can't get to the places I really like. I also use a one-man 'bivy-tent', which I call my "Bodybag with a view".