Newbie Question

[Angelique]

Hi there! I love this forum, everyone is very helpful. I had a quick question and hope that you experienced popup'rs wouldn

[TheViking]

That is the most difficult question you can ask. You have to look at all the brands that catch your eye and pick the one that best suits you. IMO there are pros and cons to each. I owned a Viking and liked it alot but there were things that Coleman/Fleetwood had that I wish Viking had, etc. It's all about what you're needs are and what will fit those needs. To answer your question, yes, Viking and Coachmen are the same company. Good Luck

[fritz_monroe]

And don't forget that you have to determine what you can tow.  We just bought a Fleetwood Bayside.  We don't have Viking dealers nearby, so that wasn't even in the selection.  We narrowed it down to Fleetwood, Jayco and Rockwood.  These 3 just seemed to have what we wanted.  From there it was a tough decision to get to the Fleetwood.  It was fairly small things that knocked each trailer out of the running.  On the Jayco, we didn't like the sink.  And since both the Rockwood dealer and the Fleetwood dealer are known as being reliable, we went with the dealer that was closest to home.

If  possible, get to an RV show and sit in several of them.  Think about what you would do if you were rained in for 3 days with those boys.  Would it fit you?  As The Viking said, you just asked the hardest question there is.

Good luck with your search.

[OC Campers]

With 3 growing boys I would definately go with a 12 ft box.  We have 3 kids 5, 10 and 14 and our 12 ft box seems small at times.  I love it when my 2 older kids decide to sleep outside in a tent.  So much more room.  Only problem with the 12 ft box is they are pretty heavy.  Chances are 2 of your boys will share a bed and in a 10 ft box one bed is usually a full size.  There is no way my 2 older ones would be able to share that small of a bed and live to talk about it.   You will need a fairly large tow vehicle (TV) to tow these models though.  I would have to say the Fleetwood/Coleman models are the most popular.  

As far as brands go, I think they are all good.  Each brand has good and bad things about it.  Maybe make a list of (1) must haves, (2) would like to have and (3) don't care if it has it or not.  And then find a brand that has those items at the price you are able to pay.  An RV show is a good idea if you can find one.  Unfortunately, a lot of RV shows concentrate on travel trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes and not the inexpensive folding trailers.
 
This is a great website with a wealth of info.  You are doing great by asking questions before you buy.  We bought our popup first before we found PUT and had a hard time with it at first.  The great folks at PUT helped solve our towing problems and helped figure out how to fix it.  Just remember no question is a stupid question.
 
Jacqui

[SpeakEasy]

Let me begin by saying I love my popup. I use it a lot, and I love camping in it and  traveling with it. My travels are the highlight of every summer.

Now that that's out of the way, let me give you the bad news. I don't think any of them are built to withstand any kind of rough treatment. I bought Coleman (now Fleetwood) because, of the top players, they seemed to have the sturdiest design. Most others weren't even close, in my opinion.

Then we began to use our popup. Things break all the time. The basic construction of the box is flimsy. The framework is sturdy, and as far as I can tell, the lift mechanism is sturdy. But the rest of it is not.

These units have to put up with a lot of punishment as you haul them down the road at high speeds, hour-after-hour. They have to be light weight, or relatively light weight, or no one would be able to tow them. Therefore, there are compromises made in terms of durability. The stuff that REALLY matters is built tough, but the rest of it is not.

All of this is not to discourage you, but to warn you. A family with three young boys will be hard on a popup. Even the sturdiest units out there are not as durable as you will wish they are. I can only imagine how the poorly-made units hold up.

[Done Working]

Hello and welcome.
Viking and the Coachman Clipper are the same trailer except for the colour scheme. The Futura is owned by Coachman but the trailers are distant cousins from the Viking and Clipper.

The equipment on most trailers such as the refrigerator, water pump, air conditioner, electrical, furnace and other stuff are supplied to the trailer manufacturer and the manufacturer only installs them. Thus you will find that most trailer brands are equipped the same. What

[tlhdoc]

Welcome to PUT.  I second the good dealer being the most important thing in buying a PU.  Spend some time in any model you are thinking of buying.  Get the whole family in there for an hour or two and see if the floor plan, bed sizes, etc fit your family.  Good luck and ask any questions that you have.

[bmbkamp]

I'll chime in, too.  I just bought my new PU last summer.  I did some research, printed out floorplans, went over everything with the family, and then set out to see the PU's.  Our goal was to find a floorplan that worked for us (I have 3 kids, too.), see if any used models were available, and then buy new as a last resort.
 
The first dealer was within walking distance of my house, so I was looking forward to going there.  We weren't comfortable with the selection and the salesman, so we went somewhere else.  The salesman made us feel very comfortable - no pressure.  We took our time and bought a new model, because it had everything we wanted.  I found that, just like what was said above, that quality is pretty much the same.  It's the dealer that makes the difference.  Chances are, any repair work will happen there, so you need to feel comfortable with them.
 
Don't forget to include the kids in the decision making process.  It was great to see mine checking out all the different models and asking intelligent questions.  
 
Best of luck!

[Kavoom]

>>We have 3 boys ages 13,11, and 9<<

Have you considered an M1 Abrams?  I suppose this would be more in the TT category, but it might and I do mean might be able to stand up to the boys and you could tow anything you like and a couple you don't behind it also.  And the gun might come in handy... who knows...

I hear the sleeping accomodations aren't too good in them either...

[outdoors5]

We enjoy our PU and can't wait to use it again soon after winter passes.  We love our PU but also understand what it is.  It is a large tent on wheels with many conveniences built in.  This means that if your kids jump on things and play rough, it can and probably will be damaged.  Again it is a large tent with relativly fragile parts.  
You know your kids best but just a heads up that PU's are great but need to be treated with care.  
Also note that I have a 12 ft box which is relativly roomy if you are used to camping.  If you are not this can become small when stuck inside, due to wheather.  
If you are ok with the space and the possibility of durability issues then go for it, because it affords a wonderful way to travel and camp in comfort.  Not at all trying to scare you away but just want you to make an informed decision.  Good luck and keep asking questions.

[Starryart]

Hey Angelique! Welcome aboard!
We are south Texas campers too. Lake Texana SP is a favorite of ours. Close to home.
We have a '95 Rockwood PU and love it. Got a Coleman A/C on top that will blast out the cold air.
    Needless to say we pretty much camp all year long (except during 100+ degree/90 % humidity weather in August).
    Maybe we'll see you around a Texas campfire sometime.

[kwatson51]

If you haven