Brought Home The New Camper Yesterday

@DWDavis (25797)
United States
February 28, 2016 7:56am CST
K and I, after two years of camping in a pop-up camper, have upgraded to what the industry calls a hybrid or expandable camper. It has a body like a camper but the beds fold out from the ends into tent-like areas similar to a pop-up. The nice thing is they are much easier to set up than a pop-up, and the interior is much roomier. Our new home-on-the-road also has a full, if small, bathroom complete with shower. It also has a nice kitchen with a 3-burner gas stove, a one rack oven, and a microwave. We picked up the new camper yesterday and brought it home. It pulled fine behind our pickup and I was able to back it into the driveway with a minimum of difficulty. The only problem arose when we tried to unhitch from the truck. The safety latch on the new trailer is different than the old and it took me going into the RV forums on-line to figure out what I wasn't doing to get it to release. After that, it was a snap. Now we are looking forward to our first camping trip over Easter Weekend.
14 people like this
13 responses
MARILYN
@Marilynda1225 (91076)
• United States
28 Feb 16
Your new camper looks complete with everything especially the bathroom!
5 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
One of the shortcomings of the pop-up was not having a bathroom. That 3am walk to the bathhouse on a cool morning was no fun. We won't be having to do that anymore.
3 people like this
MARILYN
@Marilynda1225 (91076)
• United States
1 Mar 16
@DWDavis I'm a BIG fan of indoor plumbing so camping never appealed to me. However, after seeing your camper it looks like it would be fun.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (502429)
• Italy
28 Feb 16
This floorplan looks beautiful, it is very well designed with plenty of room in the middle.
3 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
We did a lot of research and looked at a lot of campers before we decided this was what we wanted at this time in our lives. It has everything we need and several extras we really like.
2 people like this
snowy
@snowy22315 (208882)
• United States
28 Feb 16
I have always wanted to get a pop up camper. I really don;t see an RV in my future.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
My wife and I talked about getting a pop-up for 25 years before we finally did. Over those years we did every kind of tent camping imaginable, from back packing to tailgate camping. After two years with the pop-up, as much fun as it was, we knew we were ready for the next step.
1 person likes this
snowy
@snowy22315 (208882)
• United States
28 Feb 16
@DWDavis I don't mind walking to the bathroom, but you have to have a vehicle suitable to pull it.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
@snowy22315 Our pop-up pulled easily behind our Tacoma pickup. The new camper is near the top of what the Tacoma can pull, with about a 20% safety margin.
1 person likes this
Nancy Zink
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
28 Feb 16
@DWDavis Congratulations. My husband and I had RV's for many years starting with a 24 foot one and eventually going up to a very large one When the gas kept going up we decided to get rid of it as it was way to expensive to run. I still miss it.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
Now that gas prices have dropped, have you given any thought to getting back into RVing?
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
29 Feb 16
@ramapo17 That's too bad. My wife and I love the RVing scene.
2 people like this
Nancy Zink
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
28 Feb 16
@DWDavis I would love to but my husband doesn't want any part of it any longer.
2 people like this
DianneN
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
28 Feb 16
It is like a tiny house on wheels! I stayed in one when I visited my cousins in the Sierra Nevada Mts. It was like a doll house to me. Good luck and enjoy it on many safe travels!
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
K is so tickled with the new camper she's already planning on how she's going to set up the cabinets and the meals she's going to cook on our first trip. A tiny house on wheels was what we really wanted when we moved up from the pop-up. It will serve double duty as a home-away-from-home and a place for me to write while we're recreating.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382036)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Feb 16
Is the plan of your camper? It sounds very nice. There are some lovely campers on the road over here now.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
29 Feb 16
The picture is the floor plan of our new camper. We are very happy with the layout. There is so much more room and lots more amenities than in our pop-up, and it is a quantum leap above our tent camping days.
2 people like this
freak369
@freak369 (5112)
• United States
29 Mar 16
Do you have any idea what the weight limits are on the beds? I would love to get an RV but I would need something that is converted to hand controls. Its hard enough trying to find a car with those type of alternative controls let alone a 'pleasure vehicle"
1 person likes this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
29 Mar 16
According to the manufacturer's specs, their is no weight limit on the beds due to the use of aircraft grade cable and the method of attachment. That was a concern for me as I am a big fellow.
Steve West
@zebra2222 (5268)
• United States
28 Feb 16
I hope you get a lot of good use from your new camper.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
I'm sure we will, Steve. From March until October we usually go camping at least once and sometimes twice a month, and for at least a week in the summer.
1 person likes this
Blondie2222
@Blondie2222 (28610)
• United States
1 Mar 16
That's awesome. Enjoy your new camper, i want one some day as I go camping quite a bit
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56207)
• Canada
28 Feb 16
The floorplan looks like you'll have lots of room in it. I hope that the weather is favourable for camping over the Easter weekend.
2 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
28 Feb 16
We are looking forward to having enough room for both of us and the two dogs without having to take turns moving about.
1 person likes this
Deborah-Diane
@DeborahDiane (40846)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 Mar 16
Our family used to do a lot of camping when we were younger. I am sure you will get a great deal of enjoyment out of this camper!
1 person likes this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
1 Mar 16
I've been camping most of my life, beginning with a summer camp when I was 8 years old. Until my wife and I bought the popup a couple years ago, it had always been tent camping but now, in our older years, my wife and I have decided we like more of a roof over our heads and something more of a bed when we camp.
Scindhia H
@Scindhia (1906)
• India
29 Feb 16
The floor plan looks great. Have a great camping trip!
1 person likes this
Scott Ganschow
@teamfreak16 (43586)
• Denver, Colorado
29 Feb 16
I got my share of "camping" when I was in the Army. I'd need something like what you're describing to go now. No more sleeping on the ground for me.
1 person likes this