Towable RV’s Part II - Camping Article

By:Dorrie Ruplinger

Towable RV’s Part II

There are two main categories of recreational vehicles (RV’s); motorized and towable. Towable RV’s include fifth wheels, travel trailers, folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models. Discussion of fifth wheels and travel trailers were covered in part I of this article. In this article, part II, discussion of folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models will be discussed.

FOLDING/TENT/POP-UP CAMPERS
Folding camper, tent camper, and pop-up camper are all terms for the same type of camper: a camper that folds down into a hard side base “box” unit, has pull-out sleeping areas with tent-like canvas sides and canvas camper sides with screened windows and clear plastic coverings for the windows. There are also hybrid models that have hard sides instead of the canvas sides, but still have the canvas slide-out sleeping areas on either end.

These campers have some great advantages. They are lightweight which makes them easier to tow than fifth wheels or travel trailers, have a low profile so they do not obstruct your view while driving, are easy to store because they do not take up a huge amount of space, and are the most reasonably priced towable camper.

Pop-up campers are a nice upgrade from a tent because they are more comfortable for sleeping and provide better protection from the elements. Most pop-up campers have heaters, and air conditioners can usually be installed as an option so the camper will be comfortable when the temperatures get cool in the fall and also when it’s over 100 degrees in the summer and you’re in a campsite with no breezes to help cool you off.

Pop-up campers are typically the first camper people purchase because of the lower cost.

The “box” part of a pop-up camper ranges in length from 8-18 feet. After the camper is popped up and the sleeping areas are slid out, the camper can reach a length of approximately 25 feet. In addition, some pop-up campers have slide-out options that add more interior space and many have optional screen room packages that add even more interior space. Depending on what model and brand of pop-up camper you purchase there are bathroom facilities in the camper along with adequate cooking areas, a dining area and relaxation area. Most pop-up campers also have a stove that can be hooked to the outside of the camper where grease spatters and food that boils over the top of the cooking pot are easier to clean up.

The sleeping areas are on either end of the camper and are much like a tent except that you’re sleeping on a mattress and not the ground or a cot or an inflatable mattress, and you have the benefit of heating or air conditioning if you have those features in your pop-up. One note about the mattresses in pop-up campers: they are often thin and not nearly as comfortable as a regular mattress. Buy an eggshell type foam topper for the mattresses. It will make a big difference.

There isn’t a lot of privacy in a pop-up camper though. The privacy you do get is obtained by pulling a curtain closed. And space is at a premium, even in the larger units with slide-outs.

Our family’s first camper was a Coleman popup camper and we loved it. It was easy to store, easy to tow, easy to maneuver into a campsite, easy on our pocketbook, and easy to maintain.

The biggest downside to a pop-up camper is the setup and takedown time. There’s no getting around the fact that they are a lot of work to set up. After you arrive at your campsite and have your trailer parked where you want it the camper has to be unfolded, usually with a hand crank although mechanical push button systems are becoming popular. The beds then have to be slid out and the support poles outside and inside need to put in place. The door needs to be slid down from the ceiling and put in place. And the entire inside needs to be unfolded and unpacked.

If you have two people working together and you get a system going, you can get your camper and campsite set up in about an hour, which isn’t bad. But you might get jealous if someone with a fifth wheel or travel trailer pulls in the site next to you and you see that it only takes them 10 minutes to get everything set up—including getting their campfire going.

Another disadvantage with a pop-up camper is inclement weather. Windy conditions may make you wonder if your camper is going to blow away like Dorothy’s house in the Wizard of Oz. Rain isn’t as bad but you need to make sure too much rain doesn’t collect on top of the canvas in the sleeping areas and collapse them. Rain is not fun at all if you have to take the camper down while it’s raining. If that happens you’ll have to pop the camper back up when you get it home to dry out the canvas or it will mold and mildew.

Even though there are disadvantages, pop-up campers are a good choice if you don’t have a lot of money to invest in a camper. And camping is a lot of fun. It’s worth putting up with a few inconveniences.

TOY HAULERS
Toy haulers, or sport utility trailers, are a fairly new type of towable trailer. They are a travel trailer or fifth wheel trailer with a cargo area either in the front or the rear for all your “toys” (think four-wheelers, snowmobiles, canoes, jet-skis, dune buggies, etc.).

They have a built-in ramp so once you arrive at your destination it is easy to get things in and out. And it’s a nice to be able to put things back in the cargo area at night for safekeeping or when its raining.

Other than the cargo area, they are pretty much like any other travel trailer or fifth wheel except the living area will be smaller. They also usually come with (or have the option of adding on) at least one generator, a fuel tank and a larger than normal water tank.

Some people who own toy haulers put furniture in the cargo area when they are going camping somewhere and are not taking any “toys” with them. The cargo area then becomes a spacious living room.

PARK MODELS
A park model is a lot like a small mobile home except it is designed to be transported and hooked up to utilities. But they are not meant to be transported frequently.

A park model is a good choice for a permanent campsite that is rented by the year. The trailer is transported to the site, set up, and left there for the year (or longer depending on the contract). They are also a good choice as a cottage if local ordinances allow it.

Park model trailers have all the amenities of home. Some have loft areas but they are definitely designed for children because the ceilings are very low,

How do you decide which RV/trailer/camper is right for you? Decide what your needs are and what you can afford. Then shop around and see what you like. Talk to people who already own RV’s. Find out what they do and don’t like about their camper. If you’re not sure you are going to like camping and want to try it out before you invest in an RV, consider renting one for a week so you can try it out without a huge investment. Or, if you have family or friends with an RV, ask to borrow theirs.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: RV, camper, camping, pop-up camper, tent camper, toy hauler, folding camper, park model camper

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Dorrie Ruplinger is the publisher of http://www.bestrvsite.com which provides information and resources about Door County Wisconsin parks.

Top Camping Articles
1). Cooking Tips When Out Camping By : Kadence Buchanan While we were kids, my brother and I, had the opportunity of traveling around the countryside with our father and explore everything our home country had to offer to the three musketeers, which was our code name.
2). How to Avoid Mosquito Bite By : James Hunt Camping and activities in the outdoors can be hindered greatly by a pesky mosquito following you around. If you’ve ever been camping or even just hung out for awhile...
3). Towable RV’s Part I By : Dorrie Ruplinger There are two main categories of recreational vehicles (RV’s); motorized and towable. Towable RV’s include fifth wheels, travel trailers, folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models. In this article, part I, fifth wheel campers and travel trailers will be covered. Part II of this article will discuss folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers and park models.
4). Different Types and Ways of Signalling By : Mitch Johnson When you go for camping, it is very important to know how to give a signal, in case if you are in some trouble. Signaling can be done in different types. In this article you will know more about signaling.
5). How To Organise Great Boot Camp By : Dan Sherman One of the most difficult tasks that many women face is losing the extra pounds they gain while they are pregnant. I was faced with an eighty-pound weight gain during my pregnancy.
6). Easiest Way for Managing Cooking Sites in Camp By : Mitch Johnson When we go for camping, surely we have to adjust ourselves with the nature. Unlike our home, when we go for camping the gas stove probably is not always available, that you have to build a fire place for any cooking purpose. Find the tips below on how to manage to cook or bake when you go for camping.
7). Trends in Stylish Swimwear By : Nicky Pilkington Do you remember when the only choices for swimwear were a bikini or one piece? Those days are long gone. Nowadays, swimwear features more styles and color selections that people often choose to own not one, but several different styles.
8). Signaling with Drums and Fire By : Mitch Johnson From the ancient days people mostly used signaling with drums and Fire. Fire signaling is very much useful and important. It is also sometimes a sign of victory. When you are out in camping fire signaling will prove to be great in use. Learn more about fire and drum signal in the following article.
9). Peninsula State Park in Door County Wisconsin – My Idea of Paradise By : Dorrie Ruplinger My husband and I are fairly new at camping. We’ve only been doing it for four years but we already have a favorite place that we make sure to go every year. That place is Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin. If you look at a map of Wisconsin and look at the thumb-like piece of land on the right hand-side of that state that jutting out into Lake Michigan, you are looking at Door County. Door County, Wisconsin is a 75 mile long peninsula.
10). Towable RV’s Part II By : Dorrie Ruplinger There are two main categories of recreational vehicles (RV’s); motorized and towable. Towable RV’s include fifth wheels, travel trailers, folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models. Discussion of fifth wheels and travel trailers were covered in part I of this article. In this article, part II, discussion of folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models will be discussed.

New Camping Articles
1). Hiking and Camping in the Rain By : Julien Raynal Hiking is a standard form of walking and is best done with some hiking tips. It is a popular outdoor activity, an emblematic form of sports where one walks through the untouched wilderness for the purpose of discovering the scenic beauty while hiking.
2). Tips to Recognize the Animals Tracks By : Mitch Johnson When it is time to go for hunting, e need to learn to read the tracks or traces of the animals. As we need to discover if we are on the food trails or on danger trail. Find some tips to recognize the animals in this article.
3). Finding Cheap Camping Trailers for Sale By : Daniel Lesser Even though I had frequently dreamt of crossing the continental U.S. (to the point of having my route pictured in my head), I never gave much thought to the kind of vehicle I might be in. Read my story on how I found cheap camping trailers for sale.
4). Summer Camping in California By : MITCHELL HAMPSON In one respect, one might think that with the environment of such a state, with the natural surroundings and numerous, many free or hugely affordable recreational and educational offerings,
5). Tips to be an Excellent Stars Reader By : Mitch Johnson The Indians used the star Alcor in the constellation Ursa Major (the Larger Bear) as a test for good eyesight. Whoever was able to see it had good eyes, and that holds true today.
6). Tracking Using the Moon and the Sun By : Mitch Johnson When a person is tracking or trailing the animals, there is a chance that he will get lost in the woods or forest. But he can use the sun and the moon to get back on his way to the tent. In this article we will learn how to use the moon and the sun as the guide.
7). Signaling with Drums and Fire By : Mitch Johnson From the ancient days people mostly used signaling with drums and Fire. Fire signaling is very much useful and important. It is also sometimes a sign of victory. When you are out in camping fire signaling will prove to be great in use. Learn more about fire and drum signal in the following article.
8). Different Types and Ways of Signalling By : Mitch Johnson When you go for camping, it is very important to know how to give a signal, in case if you are in some trouble. Signaling can be done in different types. In this article you will know more about signaling.
9). Easiest Way for Managing Cooking Sites in Camp By : Mitch Johnson When we go for camping, surely we have to adjust ourselves with the nature. Unlike our home, when we go for camping the gas stove probably is not always available, that you have to build a fire place for any cooking purpose. Find the tips below on how to manage to cook or bake when you go for camping.
10). Cooking Tips When Out Camping By : Kadence Buchanan While we were kids, my brother and I, had the opportunity of traveling around the countryside with our father and explore everything our home country had to offer to the three musketeers, which was our code name.