small RV camping?

[DireWolf]

I kicked the tires on some small RVs, but they are so expensive. We ultimately built out the back of a used Suburban (similar to what https://www.suboverland.com/ is doing, but not as elaborate). I can still use around town when I need to run an errand. It’s got as much room as a teardrop, but no towing. Super easy to just sleep in a parking lot somewhere if I want to. It’s been a good way to test the waters as far as weeks on the road.

Haven’t spent 10,000 miles across like 15 states camping in it, about the only thing I’d prefer over it would be a converted van. I would never pay $100K+ for one, though. But I think I could buy a used (unconverted) van and convert it myself for far, far less and be content.

Another option we looked at was a smaller vehicle (probably a used 4Runner or Outback) and then a rooftop tent. My takeaway after seeing so many of those in campgrounds out west…spend the money on the “hard shell” ones that are so easy to set up (such as the iKamper).

 

[albireo13]

Well, closed the deal on a new Ford Ranger. Now, I am committed to a small camper. LOL

 

[corn18]

Well, closed the deal on a new Ford Ranger. Now, I am committed to a small camper. LOL

Those new Ford Rangers are great trucks. They can tow more than a small camper, too.

We started with tent camping, then a pop-up trailer, then a hybrid trailer, then a travel trailer and now a 36' fifth wheel. While we love the 5er, our happiest day ever was the first time we camped with the pop up in the rain. We thought we were royalty.

Make sure you know what you need before you buy. Having tent camped for years, we didn't think we needed a full bathroom, but that's what did in the pop-up. Momma didn't want to use the campground showers or bathrooms anymore. Now that we're at giant stage (and we're older) we love our rolling home.

 

[ElizabethT]

We are approaching Day 65 of our Big 2021 RV trip, and it's all been done via an 18 foot down / 25 foot up hard sided folding travel trailer manufactured by TrailManor. Trailer weighs just about 3000 lbs when fully loaded, and has a negligible effect on our tow vehicle's mpg - 18 mpg normal goes to 17 mpg when towing.

www.trailmanor.com

Low profile when folded, so no wind or height clearance issues. Super easy to swing up, maybe two minutes top? 100% hard sided, so no canvas to deal with. All expected trailer amenities, like A/C, fridge w/freezer, bathroom, heater, stove, sink, hot water heater, etc, and can be stored in our garage, saving us thousands a year in storage fees.

Someone mentioned cost of unit as being a negative. I'd offer that we save a minimum of $75 a night by not staying in a hotel. Plus we often have incredible views at $50 a night or less that we'd be hard pressed to have for less than $200-$250 in a hotel. The savings add up fast, and over time can come close to, or even exceed, the trailer purchase price.

 

[old medic]

We are approaching Day 65 of our Big 2021 RV trip, and it's all been done via an 18 foot down / 25 foot up hard sided folding travel trailer manufactured by TrailManor.

Over the years we have met over a dozen owners of TrailerManors... Everybody loves them... We have a 22 Ft Hybrid... mileage drops from 19 to 12.

 

[GreenEggs]

My brother bought a Trail Manor last year. He seems to like it, but has griped about a few little things. It came with Chinese tires which he just swapped out for name-brand tires. The design obviously doesn't allow access to the fridge while traveling. He upgraded the batteries to Lithium & the cheap OEM charge controller had to be upgraded because it wasn't compatible with Lithium, which he said only saved the manufacturer a few bucks.

Overall, they seem to be very happy with it.

DW & I chose a DIY converted 4wd Sprinter Van. I really like the Sprinter, but the DIY conversion has dragged out to taking a lot longer than it should have. Maybe I should just buy a Trail Manor to pull behind it...

 

[albireo13]

The TrailManor looks nice. Never knew about them.
We just put a small deposit on a new Little Guy Max.
Should arrive in a month.

 

[finnski1]

The TrailManor looks nice. Never knew about them.
We just put a small deposit on a new Little Guy Max.
Should arrive in a month.

The Little Guy Max is a very nice unit. Really like the interior layout and materials(nice maple cabinets) etc. Like that window over the bed.
Congrats. Very similar to the Nucamp 400.

 

[citrine]

We bought a 2021 Wolf Pup 16BHSBL and absolutely love it! It is big enough for all the necessities and our two large dogs and with minor changes works very well for us. We have a Ford 150 to tow with but some people are able to tow it with their Jeeps and smaller SUV's.

 

[bearkeley]

DW and I both turned 60 recently. Not getting any younger. We want to hit the road while we still enjoy biking, hiking, kayaking, etc. Plus, it looks increasingly likely that the kids are going to make out like bandits when we're gone. We need to "up" our spending game. So this is our BTD moment. We spent zero on travel in 2020 and not much planned for 2021. That pays for a good chunk of the van. Plus I keep reminding myself this is not really an "expense"... it's a depreciating asset with a rather impressive resale value, especially with the current RV mania.

Congrats! How long is your wait? It’s 18 months for a Panoramic right now. Been researching Class Bs for a couple of years now but decided it was best to pull the trigger in 2023, after we sell our boat and spend the summer in Europe. Hopefully by then, the craze will be over.

 

[Cobra9777]

Congrats! How long is your wait? It’s 18 months for a Panoramic right now...

Thanks. We don't really know for sure. The dealer can't commit to a date because PleasureWay is having difficulty getting the Transit chassis from Ford due to the auto chip shortage. Their best guess is Feb-Apr 2022, possibly longer. We paid the deposit in June, so that's 8-10 months.

 

[molly312]

We started in pop-up and had great fun. Then as we aged.....bathroom situation not to my liking. We ended up getting a 24' hardside with all the amenities, which we were able to use round the calendar - even when we visited kids in the winter and for visitor overload. There is consistent and regular maintenance required. The larger hardside made is possible to continue our wonderful camping experiences several more years. We sold it with very little $ loss. Keep bathroom, heat/cool in mind as you age. My spouse has passed away and we are all done with that phase of our lives. Many happy memories.

My husband drove a F-150 with no issues.

 

[CherylGrrl]

We are approaching Day 65 of our Big 2021 RV trip, and it's all been done via an 18 foot down / 25 foot up hard sided folding travel trailer manufactured by TrailManor. Trailer weighs just about 3000 lbs when fully loaded, and has a negligible effect on our tow vehicle's mpg - 18 mpg normal goes to 17 mpg when towing.

www.trailmanor.com

Low profile when folded, so no wind or height clearance issues. Super easy to swing up, maybe two minutes top? 100% hard sided, so no canvas to deal with. All expected trailer amenities, like A/C, fridge w/freezer, bathroom, heater, stove, sink, hot water heater, etc, and can be stored in our garage, saving us thousands a year in storage fees.

Someone mentioned cost of unit as being a negative. I'd offer that we save a minimum of $75 a night by not staying in a hotel. Plus we often have incredible views at $50 a night or less that we'd be hard pressed to have for less than $200-$250 in a hotel. The savings add up fast, and over time can come close to, or even exceed, the trailer purchase price.

We had a Trailmanor for years and spent up to 7 weeks on the road at a time. Very comfortable! As we aged, the need for a walk around bed, desire for more storage, and the allure of having a full-size refrigerator tempted us to move to a traditional trailer. We miss the TrailManor when towing, though!

 

[teetee]

Well, closed the deal on a new Ford Ranger. Now, I am committed to a small camper. LOL

How about truck bed camper? You don't have to tow and some has pop-up roofs.

Search 'Four Wheel Camper' on YouTube and there are lots of review video clips made about that brand. There are other brands as well.

I am not a salesman for truck campers but they do strike me as a more agile method for road trips since there are only four tires touching the ground.

 

[CaptTom]

How about truck bed camper?

I've looked at these off and on. I love the idea, but there are a few potential downsides. The biggest for me is that very few have a "real" bathroom. If I've got to use a public restroom or outhouse, I might as well be in a tent. I'm also not a fan of the "porta potty" arrangement. Another big issue is cost. To get what I want, I'd be close to the price range of a class B or C. To fit into the bed of the truck, they offer much less usable space than a comparable towed trailer.

Again, I want one. But any I've found so far don't seem worth the price.

 

[pb4uski]

We camped for many years when the kids were younger... first tent camping... then sleeping on the ground was not to our liking so we bought a Starcraft pop-up and then later bought a larger Jayco popup. We sold our pop-up camper when we bought our summer home.

Now DW has the itch to camp again... as do I. She doesn't want canvas so pop-ups and expandables are out. There is a Rockwood hardsided pop-up for sale near us for $8k that I could be happy with as a small step up from tent camping.

DW wants a travel trailer that doesn't need to be popped up... just park it, level it and put down the stabilizer jacks and any hookups. That is somewhat appealing but I'm not so sure... more $$$, perhaps even a need for a new, bigger truck, the potential of having to deal with blackwater, etc.

Time will tell, but DW usually gets what she wants.

 

[finnski1]

We camped for many years when the kids were younger... first tent camping... then sleeping on the ground was not to our liking so we bought a Starcraft pop-up and then later bought a larger Jayco popup. We sold our pop-up camper when we bought our summer home.

Now DW has the itch to camp again... as do I. She doesn't want canvas so pop-ups and expandables are out. There is a Rockwood hardsided pop-up for sale near us for $8k that I could be happy with as a small step up from tent camping.

DW wants a travel trailer that doesn't need to be popped up... just park it, level it and put down the stabilizer jacks and any hookups. That is somewhat appealing but I'm not so sure... more $$$, perhaps even a need for a new, bigger truck, the potential of having to deal with blackwater, etc.

Time will tell, but DW usually gets what she wants.

Hah That's funny. We recently bought an a frame as well. An Aliner Classic.
We also got ours for $8000. It was 5 years old but had been in storage for 3 years and was in almost new condition. They retail for around $20k new so it was a great deal for us.

Maybe she has visions of the old canvas popups when she says she doesn't want one of those. We love ours. Have used it on 2 shorter 3 day trips and are now booked for 11 nights in September up at Acadia National Park. Has A/C, furnace, hot and cold water, outdoor shower, microwave, queen bed, dinette, 3 way fridge,sink, 2 burner stove, heater and 8 feet of headroom in the center. We are very happy with it.
Oh by the way I can "pop " it up in only about 30 to 40 seconds.

No canvas to deal with. Weighs 1700 lbs. and I still get 18 mpg with my Tacoma when towing it. Hardly notice it back there.
For the only 3 or 4 weeks a year we use it it is ideal.

 

[teetee]

Hah That's funny. We recently bought an a frame as well. An Aliner Classic.
We also got ours for $8000. It was 5 years old but had been in storage for 3 years and was in almost new condition. They retail for around $20k new so it was a great deal for us.

Maybe she has visions of the old canvas popups when she says she doesn't want one of those. We love ours. Have used it on 2 shorter 3 day trips and are now booked for 11 nights in September up at Acadia National Park. Has A/C, furnace, hot and cold water, outdoor shower, microwave, queen bed, dinette, 3 way fridge,sink, 2 burner stove, heater and 8 feet of headroom in the center. We are very happy with it.
Oh by the way I can "pop " it up in only about 30 to 40 seconds.

No canvas to deal with. Weighs 1700 lbs. and I still get 18 mpg with my Tacoma when towing it. Hardly notice it back there.
For the only 3 or 4 weeks a year we use it it is ideal.

I bet her vision is glamping. It takes 2 mins to 'pop up' the aligner and park it. That is hardly any work at all comparing to all the cooking, hiking, and packing/unpacking activities during the same camping trip.

 

[NW-Bound]

DW wants a travel trailer that doesn't need to be popped up... just park it, level it and put down the stabilizer jacks and any hookups. That is somewhat appealing but I'm not so sure... more $$$, perhaps even a need for a new, bigger truck, the potential of having to deal with blackwater, etc...

I'd much rather deal with the black tank, then having to use toilets at campgrounds, or not having a toilet at all.

Not sure if I suffer from coprophobia , but before I bought my class C motorhome, researched thoroughly about the hazards of the black tank, and pitfalls in dealing with it. Yes, ignorance and carelessness can lead to horrifying disasters. I have personally witnessed one such incidence myself.

But if one knows what he is doing, and takes his time, it's not a big deal at all.

 

[albireo13]

Loving the Ranger but, had to back out of the camper deal. A few days after putting down a deposit, our daughter got hit with unexpected medical expenses of 5 figures. That plus my son now needs surgery and will also need financial help with that. We want to help them cover that so, we nixed the camper. Oh well, it was a great idea while it lasted. Maybe next year.

 

[Born2Fish]

Loving the Ranger but, had to back out of the camper deal. A few days after putting down a deposit, our daughter got hit with unexpected medical expenses of 5 figures. That plus my son now needs surgery and will also need financial help with that. We want to help them cover that so, we nixed the camper. Oh well, it was a great idea while it lasted. Maybe next year.

You clearly have your priorities in order!! You can always buy another camper.

Hope all goes well with the kids.

 

[CindyBlue]

Loving the Ranger but, had to back out of the camper deal. A few days after putting down a deposit, our daughter got hit with unexpected medical expenses of 5 figures. That plus my son now needs surgery and will also need financial help with that. We want to help them cover that so, we nixed the camper. Oh well, it was a great idea while it lasted. Maybe next year.

Wow, so sorry about your daughter and son! Keeping you all in my prayers...

 

[CindyBlue]

We camped for many years when the kids were younger... first tent camping... then sleeping on the ground was not to our liking so we bought a Starcraft pop-up and then later bought a larger Jayco popup. We sold our pop-up camper when we bought our summer home.

Now DW has the itch to camp again... as do I. She doesn't want canvas so pop-ups and expandables are out. There is a Rockwood hardsided pop-up for sale near us for $8k that I could be happy with as a small step up from tent camping.

DW wants a travel trailer that doesn't need to be popped up... just park it, level it and put down the stabilizer jacks and any hookups. That is somewhat appealing but I'm not so sure... more $$$, perhaps even a need for a new, bigger truck, the potential of having to deal with blackwater, etc.

Time will tell, but DW usually gets what she wants.

We bought a small, used, older Aliner (the Classic) two years ago and it's just what we need. We are converting from tent camping, and we were looking for basically a "rolling hardsided tent" that we didn't have to take a lot of time to set up - especially that the beds are all ready to go (smile!) It sets up in no time!

It has the fridge and furnace and sink, none of which we use.We also use no hookups. The only appliance we use - and love! - is the propane stove - ahh, so easy to get hot water for morning coffee and instant oatmeal (smile!) It heats up the camper in the morning, too.

Now...if we could finally get out to camp! Everything is so booked up that we can't just decide on the spur of the moment to go, as we could when tent camping...sigh...

 

[teetee]

We bought a small, used, older Aliner (the Classic) two years ago and it's just what we need. We are converting from tent camping, and we were looking for basically a "rolling hardsided tent" that we didn't have to take a lot of time to set up - especially that the beds are all ready to go (smile!) It sets up in no time!

It has the fridge and furnace and sink, none of which we use.We also use no hookups. The only appliance we use - and love! - is the propane stove - ahh, so easy to get hot water for morning coffee and instant oatmeal (smile!) It heats up the camper in the morning, too.

Now...if we could finally get out to camp! Everything is so booked up that we can't just decide on the spur of the moment to go, as we could when tent camping...sigh...

For some reason I am excited for your planned Aliner camping experience. Slim potatohead earlier YouTube videos still have it's effect on me.

The public and private campsites near me are also nearly fully booked without good spots open. Our state doesn't have any dispersed camping area so I am in the same predicament.

 

[CindyBlue]

For some reason I am excited for your planned Aliner camping experience. Slim potatohead earlier YouTube videos still have it's effect on me.

The public and private campsites near me are also nearly fully booked without good spots open. Our state doesn't have any dispersed camping area so I am in the same predicament.

I'm hoping that maybe in the future, things will settle down a bit in the camping world and we'll be able to find a place to camp again. But...I think a lot of people who had not considered RVing have found it during the pandemic, and are enjoying it as much as us "old timers." This is actually a good thing, even if it makes finding a spot harder.