# Pop Up Advice



## Tail Chaser

I've decided it's time to get my family a camper and think I want to go pop up style. The pop ups should do the job nicely as we've always been tent campers, so the added luxuries would be very nice (A/C, frig, possibly a potty, etc.) and should extend our camping season significantly. I'd like any advice you guys can give me on the pitfalls of pop up ownership and what to look for in a used model. Also, I'll need to store it somewhere other than my house. My boat is in the garage and that's not going to change! Would outdoor storage with a cover be good enough, or should I spring for a garage type unit? Thanks in advance 2cool!


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## SetDaHook

I'd go for covered storage if at all possible. The biggest problems on pop ups is roof leakage. Look for stains, too much caulk, etc. I've got a '97 Jayco and roof leaks are a constant source of problems because the Einsteins put a seam right down the middle of the roof. Also, try to get one with a shower and toilet if at all possible...well worth the extra cost. Good luck


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## Don Smith

The most miserable time I ever had camping was in a pop up. Cold as hell in the winter and hot as hell in the summer and no way to cool or heat them. For about the same money, you can get a used pull trailer and be a lot more comfortable without having to constantly fix torn canvass, rotten wood, and hardened and cracked plastic, and that rotten smell. And most of the pull trailers will have a real bathroom. Get the biggest one that your vehicle can tow. Camping is great, and being comfortable while camping is even better.


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## Tail Chaser

Thanks guys! This is exactly the type of info I need. My wife is of the mindset of Doc, and they say a happy wife makes a happy life. I'm a bit torn.


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## Don Smith

Better listen to momma. When momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.:rotfl:


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## chapman53559

I agree with Doc They are really hot if you don't have a good breeze and they will not hold any heat in on a cold night. Ours always had a molded canvas odor even though we kept it covered when not using it.


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## TexasBoy79

If your in Houston drive over to PPL Motorhomes and walk around and look. Lots and lots of trailers to look at and get ideas of what's important. There sale prices are food to when they have one. They also have a website if your not local with pictures and floor plans to gauze at.


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## wisslbritches

*Hybrid/expandable? The best/worst of both worlds*



Floatin Doc said:


> The most miserable time I ever had camping was in a pop up. Cold as hell in the winter and hot as hell in the summer and no way to cool or heat them. For about the same money, you can get a used pull trailer and be a lot more comfortable without having to constantly fix torn canvass, rotten wood, and hardened and cracked plastic, and that rotten smell. And most of the pull trailers will have a real bathroom. Get the biggest one that your vehicle can tow. Camping is great, and being comfortable while camping is even better.


We've never had a pop up (or tent camper) and I'm glad we didn't... for the reasons listed above. You wont be able to use it in the summer in Texas even if it did have AC. There is no insulation to keep the cold in and hot out. Hot wins all the time. IF it has a toilet you are still "using" it in the middle of the house so to speak. Imagine a porta potty in your living room.

It was our intention to buy one when we got our hybrid/expandable (needed something lightweight cuz we couldn't afford a new towing vehicle). Glad we didn't. The biggest complaint on the hybrid/expandable is the canvas and the problems that come from it. PLUS most families who start out small end up going bigger after a few years anyway.

http://www.adventuresportsrv.com/new/main.php?g2_itemId=3593

Here she is set up at Lake Somerville SP, Nails Creek Unit:


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## Tail Chaser

What length would yall suggest I keep my eyes peeled for? I have a Silverado 1500 with the 5.3L. It also has the towing package. What's it running yall to keep them stored?


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## jason101

I have a popup. When I bought it I was looking to get out of a tent and have a/c. It is what it is. A tent with a/c and a small kitchen. I bought it for 2 grand and have had zero issues with it. It is a 1993 model, has a king bed and a full bed plus the table that converts to another small bed. Used it this weekend on the beach with 2 other guys and it worked great. The camper will not hold a/c or heat but the 13,500 btu a/c will freeze you out at night and will keep it cool during the day. I typically use electric heaters and blankets in the winter so I don't waste my propane. It is easy to pull, cheaper on gas and can fit in my garage. Typically we aren't hanging out in the camper since it is small so it is used to eat and sleep. There are definately times that i wish I had the larger trailer but for the most part it is great. For about 2-3 grand, you can get a really nice one if you look around on craigs list.

Check out this forum and get a feel for what is out there before you rule out the pop up.

http://www.popupportal.com/index.php?action=forum


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## wisslbritches

Tail Chaser said:


> What length would yall suggest I keep my eyes peeled for? I have a Silverado 1500 with the 5.3L. It also has the towing package. What's it running yall to keep them stored?


We tow the one above with the 2007 F150 5.4 liter you see in the pic. It's a 5000lb payload. No problems at all on normal highways but we're gonna leave it at home when we go to the Colorado Rockies this summer. I have a bad feeling about the transmission and the high passes.... and the 10 MPG.

We pay $70/month for covered storage.


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## Tail Chaser

Thanks for the info Wissl! I've been looking around and I think I'm going to go for a 25' or less bunk house model. I'm not in a hurry so I have time to wait for the right deal, but hopefully it will happen before December. Thanks again guys, this is why 2cool is the best website in creation.


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## Salty Dog

I ended up buying a big 5th wheel bunkhouse model but I already had a 3/4 ton pickup. One thing to think about is that bunkhouse part. I have 2 kids and I thought it would be great for them to have a place of their own to sleep. it has 4 bunks so if they bring a couple of friends we have room. Great in theory. In reality the kids fight over who gets to sleep on the couch and often both end up sleeping on the couch. I wish i would have gotten one with a nicer livingroom area and a foldout couch for them to sleep on. It would have been alot more comfortable for us. Now I have a bunkroom that is essentially a huge storage closet.

Something to think about.

And as far as towing in the mountains, nothing to it. Our RV is a little over 10k# empty and I pull it with a SRW Dodge 3/4 ton. Summer before last we spent a month in Colorado and drug that sucker all over the place. I didn't have a single problem and I was very concerned about the mountain passes. Just take it slow both up and down. No problem at all. It was really far easier than I expected.


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## KingTut

The owner's manual on my pop-up said not to cover it as it will develop mildew.


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## Manchacan

I'm a fan, big fan, of pop-ups. Check out Pop Up Portal as one of the others already suggested. It's probably the best site on the Internet for the info you are asking about.


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## Reloder28

Floatin Doc said:


> The most miserable time I ever had camping was in a pop up. Cold as hell in the winter and hot as hell in the summer and no way to cool or heat them. Camping is great, and being comfortable while camping is even better.


I built my own for the same reasons. I bought a 16' Cargo Craft & rigged it out myself. Pulled the walls off & inset 1" styro in the frame, went back with 3/8" plywood, boxed bed in front, fold up bed in back where my two Honda's roll in, 21 CF fridge, 6' countertop, roof top a/c that'll freeze your hind end off in the dead heat of the summer and heat you into bliss in the coldest climate.

Built in 2003 and have a total of $5200 in it which includes the $3800 purchase price.

We love it. Easy to pull and easy to park.


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## rvd

Floatin Doc said:


> The most miserable time I ever had camping was in a pop up. Cold as hell in the winter and hot as hell in the summer and no way to cool or heat them. For about the same money, you can get a used pull trailer and be a lot more comfortable without having to constantly fix torn canvass, rotten wood, and hardened and cracked plastic, and that rotten smell. And most of the pull trailers will have a real bathroom. Get the biggest one that your vehicle can tow. Camping is great, and being comfortable while camping is even better.


X2


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## SpecklFinAddict

I pull this with no probs and the same set up you have...but in a 4X4! Like someone said...it is what it is! If I could do it over, which I will eventually...it won't be a pop up! This one set me back around $2500, and is a 2000 model. King beds on each end, and a slideout table area, which makes it a little bigger than most.


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## mas360

I had a popup for several years before going to a travel trailer. 
I love the popup for these reasons:
1) Store it at home in my garage.
2) Cheap and easy to maintain. 
3) Towed it with a Dodge 1500 and lost only 1 mile/gal with the PU trailing behind.
4) Being small it is fairly easy to maneuver and easy to tow.
After some years in it, my wife decided that it lacked:
1) Full bath.
2) Large size refrigerator and microwave oven.
3) just not enough comfort overall.

So, we bought a 28' TT. After towing it on two trips for a total of less than 800 miles, the Dodge blew its transmission. It barely had 49K miles on the clock. Mileage went from 17 miles/gal without towing to 8 miles/gal and the Dodge max speed on level freeway was 65 miles/hr. This is one with V-8 engine.

I sold the Dodge and bought a Ford F250 diesel. First thing I did was installing an extra transmission cooler. The F250 tows the 7,000 lbs TT without a hickup and fuel mileage has been steady at 12 miles/gal. Without towing it makes 18 miles/gal on highway.

The TT requires a lot more maintenance work than the popup and is not as easy to maneuver. It does provide a whole lot more comfort and convenience. But if I have it my way I'd stay with the popup.


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## Dmelcher

mas360 said:


> I had a popup for several years before going to a travel trailer.
> I love the popup for these reasons:
> 1) Store it at home in my garage.
> 2) Cheap and easy to maintain.
> 3) Towed it with a Dodge 1500 and lost only 1 mile/gal with the PU trailing behind.
> 4) Being small it is fairly easy to maneuver and easy to tow.
> After some years in it, my wife decided that it lacked:
> 1) Full bath.
> 2) Large size refrigerator and microwave oven.
> 3) just not enough comfort overall.
> 
> So, we bought a 28' TT. After towing it on two trips for a total of less than 800 miles, the Dodge blew its transmission. It barely had 49K miles on the clock. Mileage went from 17 miles/gal without towing to 8 miles/gal and the Dodge max speed on level freeway was 65 miles/hr. This is one with V-8 engine.
> 
> I sold the Dodge and bought a Ford F250 diesel. First thing I did was installing an extra transmission cooler. The F250 tows the 7,000 lbs TT without a hickup and fuel mileage has been steady at 12 miles/gal. Without towing it makes 18 miles/gal on highway.
> 
> The TT requires a lot more maintenance work than the popup and is not as easy to maneuver. It does provide a whole lot more comfort and convenience. But if I have it my way I'd stay with the popup.


 X2.
I'm on my second pop up. It's a high wall with a slide out and hard wall shower & potty. As far as being hot in the summer, went to lowe's and got a roll of radiant barrier blanket looking stuff and lay it over the canvis. It makes a HUGE difference. Winter time the butane heater does a great job in keeping it nice and warm. Storage, I have a three car garage with a carport. Camper, boat and one car in the garage, the other cars under the carport. A pull behide would be nice but with what I have Life Is Good!!


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## kcbrockett

We used to have a 26' travel trailer that I used my 2002 F-150 Supercab with a V-6! Just depends on how you drive the vehicle! Weve taken many trips up to Inks Lake and never had a problem other than loosing some speed going up the hill, sold it to get a boat, now pulling a 21ft Bayliner about 4,000lbs..... Travel trailer was about 3700 empty....Never serviced transmission or engine and have over 150,000miles on it now and still runs like new! So if your thinking truck might not handle it, think again cause it probly will.


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## mas360

kcbrockett said:


> We used to have a 26' travel trailer that I used my 2002 F-150 Supercab with a V-6! Just depends on how you drive the vehicle! Weve taken many trips up to Inks Lake and never had a problem other than loosing some speed going up the hill, sold it to get a boat, now pulling a 21ft Bayliner about 4,000lbs..... Travel trailer was about 3700 empty....Never serviced transmission or engine and have over 150,000miles on it now and still runs like new! So if your thinking truck might not handle it, think again cause it probly will.


I am not sure what you mean by "how you drive the vehicle". I floored the pedal and it made 60 miles/hr max. It had 3.73 differential and was a V-8. The trip out to Garner State Park I never got past 55 miles/hr. Thank god the transmission did not blow until after we got home from the trip.

I now have a Ford F250 7.3 diesel for the tow job and I do not even feel the trailer behind me.

It could be the Dodge being a poor truck. I heard a lot of good feedback on the F150, but decided to go all the way for a diesel. In the long run if I decide to go 5th wheel I don't have to change vehicle again.


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## TexasBoy79

mas360 said:


> I am not sure what you mean by "how you drive the vehicle". I floored the pedal and it made 60 miles/hr max. It had 3.73 differential and was a V-8. The trip out to Garner State Park I never got past 55 miles/hr. Thank god the transmission did not blow until after we got home from the trip.
> 
> I now have a Ford F250 7.3 diesel for the tow job and I do not even feel the trailer behind me.
> 
> It could be the Dodge being a poor truck. I heard a lot of good feedback on the F150, but decided to go all the way for a diesel. In the long run if I decide to go 5th wheel I don't have to change vehicle again.


You shouldn't be towing a TT over 55 mph for safety reasons. Most trailer tires are not rated for over 55.


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## kcbrockett

mas360 said:


> I am not sure what you mean by "how you drive the vehicle". I floored the pedal and it made 60 miles/hr max. It had 3.73 differential and was a V-8. The trip out to Garner State Park I never got past 55 miles/hr. Thank god the transmission did not blow until after we got home from the trip.
> 
> I now have a Ford F250 7.3 diesel for the tow job and I do not even feel the trailer behind me.
> 
> It could be the Dodge being a poor truck. I heard a lot of good feedback on the F150, but decided to go all the way for a diesel. In the long run if I decide to go 5th wheel I don't have to change vehicle again.


Um yes I think it was vehicle, I was able to hold 65 fine, could even get to 80 if needed! Lol I still pull boat at 70, also gotta be able to tell when you're stressing the moor and when its stressing, use hills as an advantage!


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