bondebond
Central Kansas
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Joined: 07/16/2008
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After 14 years of tent camping with my wife (and recently the addition of 2 children), we got bitten by the RV buy when I pulled off and looked at a used PUP for sale on the side of the road.
My wife surprised the heck out of me by finding all kinds of funds in the budget (especially surprising, when nothing was there for the ATV I wanted). While not true tenting purists, we're avid campers.
Life is relatively easier. It actually takes less time to fully set up camp, from driving up to s'more-cooking fire coals. The "not having to haul everything into the tent" really saves time and effort. And a place to more firmly corral the kids is one of the biggest bonuses.
Life is cool and different and interesting in a PUP.
However, I still own 5 tents and don't plan on getting rid of them. I will dust them off, but a whole lot less often. I think tenting will always be a part of our camping experiences. I can't imagine hauling a PUP over to Madeline Island on the ferry...a tent will suit us just fine.
You can get a PUP, and still use a tent as the need/feeling suits.
Eric
Myself, The Boss, and two wanna-be Bosses
2006 Jayco 1007
There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who can count, and those who can't.
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Trailering Texans
Huntsville, Texas
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Joined: 01/01/2008
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They don't give you points for being a "purist" just for you and your husband enjoying your camping trips. If you can enjoy traveling more often in a PUP, you win.
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JudoJeff
Southwick, MA
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Joined: 08/06/2008
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Bumper sticker: "Rainy Weekends sell a lot of PUPs"
Go for it, and have the best of both worlds. Do everything outside unless the weather gods have frowned. I NEVER cook inside, the awning provides enough cover from the rain...but if you glance at the screened window, all those little faces are awaiting their dinner!
K1BE Jeff
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mzappala
Hinckley, Ohio
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Joined: 06/09/2005
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OK, so I'm laying in bed last night, contemplating all these compelling and persuasive responses, and I see a few more this morning, and I'm on the verge of trying it. Even went out to Ebay to scout out what's out there in PUPs. Found a PUP message board, and scanned a few posts. Then it hit me...the way we camp, (with me leaving a day or two earlier than husband) *I* would now need to pull the thing with the truck. I neither have towed anything, nor driven the truck (it's a big Ford F-150). We actually have two F-150's and a big commercial van for my husband's business. I've driven the old 1985 truck, but it has no air, it drives like a tank, and the seatbelts don't work. I've not driven the 2005 truck, which my husband says is like driving a luxury car, but the idea of having the kids and all the dirty camping stuff in the new truck makes my husband twitch. A lot. And I won't drive the company van. It's enourmous and you can't see behind you. And frankly, I'm totally lousy at backing anything up that's being towed. I can't even maneuver the little grass cart on the back of the lawn tractor!
So, if my husband wants the PUP, he's going to need to reconsider the division of labor of setting up camp! A minor point, but in his world, it may be a deal breaker!!
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jtbeck
Kentucky
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Joined: 04/23/2008
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I had never backed up or towed a trailer in my life until we bought our PUP. I hooked it up, went to a church parking lot and practiced until I felt reasonably comfortable. It's really not a big deal. You won't have any trouble at all with it.
This sounds silly, but it's true. To back up a trailer simply put your hand on the BOTTOM of the steering wheel and watch the trailer in your side or rearview mirrors. Simply turn the wheel the direction you want the back of the trailer to go. If the trailer needs to go left, you turn the wheel left. It's as easy as that. It will take some practice, but if I can do it, anyone can do it.
I do agree that your husband needs to step up to the plate and help with the setup, though.
Me (69), DW (69), DD (95), DS (00), DS (01) and 1 camping toy fox terrier (08)
95 Fleetwood Utah, 02 Ford Explorer Limited (V8)
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EmeraldIsle
MA
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Joined: 08/11/2008
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My husband and I started off tent camping when we were younger. But sleeping on the ground and weather changes, etc., started taking their toll on me, especially when we started a family. Later on we bought a popup and I absolutely loved it! Up off the ground from the rain, still had that tent like feeling with the bunk ends. But it was nice to be able to cook inside if I wanted or turn on the heat or AC depending on the weather. It extended our camping time and going out with the kids. Plus they are so easy to tow. As our kids got older and wanted more privacy and we developed more aches and pains we then went and bought a travel trailer. Couldn't handle sleeping on the foam mattresses in the popup because of my husband's back. So with the TT we were able to buy a nice bed and now self enclosed so the wind isn't blowing through as it use to with the popup. But back at the time even that was fine. Thingsjust change and you adapt. So go for the popup, they are really easy to set up and tow and you'll just extend your camping pleasure that much longer and easier! The setting up is really very easy and quick, honestly you'll love it and towing behind a newer truck...you won't even know it's back there!! Have fun!
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PopBeavers
San Jose, CA
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Joined: 03/19/2005
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You could move to where it doesn't rain. It rarely rains around here between May and October. 
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
On a more serious note, if the rain is coming in the sides, there is a problem with the rain fly. If it is coming in the bottom you set it up in a bad spot or you need a floor liner.
If you just need more room to hang out then take a second tent for the living room/kitchen.
A popup certainly solves the problem of water coming in the bottom. I don't understand why the fabric walls of a popup are going to be more water proof than a decent rain fly on a tent.
We switched from tents to the folding TT when the ground got too hard to be comfortable and it got to be too hard on the knees to get up and down. This had nothing to do with rain for us.
Wayne in San Jose
TV1:2002 Chevy 1500HD 4wd Crew Cab,Valley Odyssey brake ctlr,McKesh mirrors
TV2:2008 GMC 2500HD long bed 4wd Crew Cab,GMC brake ctlr,GMC mirrors
TT:Trailmanor 2720
Honda 2000
Yamaha WR250R,Polaris Sportsman 700 X2,Polaris Scrambler 500
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burgess001
Springfield, MO USA
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Joined: 04/08/2002
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Hey Kid,
I bet, since you are a "hands-on" kind of camper, you would get into the towing groove very quickly. Don't worry about the truck. It is only "stuff"...and it will clean up. Are the kids big enough to help with the setup? It would make it easier, unless you get one of the "one-touch" setup units that you don't want anyway.
I know whereof I speak. My wife is not quite so..."hands-on" with that kind of stuff, but she learned to back the boat. It doesn't take much practice. You might want to pick and choose your sites a bit more carefully at first. No backing around too many corners. There are a lot of places with pull-throughs. I think you can do it.
Jerry and Katie
More than 20 great years motorhoming and still loving it...
2004 DSDP 3810 (more than I needed...less than I wanted)
2004 Trailblazer (too heavy but well worth dragging)
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Chock Full o' Nuts
GA
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Joined: 02/02/2007
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jtbeck wrote:
I honestly LOVE our PUP. It's the best of a travel trailer and a tent all mixed up in one convenient little package.
This is so true. I love the smell of canvas. I love cooking outside. I don't want to be cooped up in a box. We tent camped with the kids for several years before we "gave in". We needed something lockable, to keep our autistic son safe at night(he couldn't figure out the lock mechanism, but he could sure unzip a tent!) So we bought a small PUP, big enough to sleep our whole family plus one. No potty or shower, just a little fridge. We did all our cooking and living outside, just slept off the ground at night. That took me about, ooooh...12 minutes to get used to. It actually took us less time to get ready because we kept the pop-up loaded all the time, except for food. Towing was a snap (we had a mini-van)Set-up took us about 20 minutes, unless the kids were helping. Then it was 40 minutes.
Due to diminishing health we have since moved on to a hard-side. We miss the pop-up, but our camping rules are the same--we cook outside, we live outside, we sleep off the ground ( albeit, on a queen-size feather bed now.)
"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956
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bondebond
Central Kansas
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Joined: 07/16/2008
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I've never had confidence in my "backing up a trailer" skill (ha!). I had only towed a trailer twice before, pretty much only pull throughs. Never really backed it up.
As mentioned, I asked a commercial truck driver friend for advice. Two things: as mentioned above, steer from the bottom of the steering wheel, especially when looking backwards. Tricks the brain.
Second, make small steering corrections. He says everyone oversteers to try to correct, then has to swing so far back the other way. I've found that bit of advice to be the most helpful.
The other part of backing up that we're (DW and myself as a team), is for her to help straighten or turn well in advance of needed correction. Example: she tends to wait until the wheel is far enough over to the edge of the pavement, but I still have to straighten out. I either have to pull forward again and repeat, or manhandle the PUP off the hitch. Just a learning curve for the both of us on communication (15 years of marriage and still working on that!).
If the kids are along, you can back into most sites. It's mostly a confidence thing, and taking the time and not letting others rush you.
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