advantage of buying new PUP instead of HTT? Help!

[cndlzrus]

Well the hubby has gotten in his head our next camper (new) is gonna be a HTT.  Because of the size and the kids having their own bed (3 beds)....  I not sure about this.  Although a new camper would be great, a New PUP would be just fine with me.  I don't mind the set up, I don't mind the take down.  I really like having a Canvas around me and a 360 view out  of the PUP.  

So help me stack my deck, so I can convience him of new pup is better.

[mountainrev]

Here's a few advantages of a pup over an HTT that come to my mind:
1. Ease of towing (is your TV up to pulling an HTT?)
2. Better gas mileage (or to be more honest, not as bad gas mileage).  
3. Ease of backing into spots.  
4.  Many can store their pups in their garages.  I don't know too many with garages big enough for an HTT!

[wavery]

Well the hubby has gotten in his head our next camper (new) is gonna be a HTT.  Because of the size and the kids having their own bed (3 beds)....  I not sure about this.  Although a new camper would be great, a New PUP would be just fine with me.  I don't mind the set up, I don't mind the take down.  I really like having a Canvas around me and a 360 view out  of the PUP.  

So help me stack my deck, so I can convience him of new pup is better.

The obvious advantage is tow-ability. The PU is much easier to tow and back-up, due to lack of windage, weight and improved visibility. Of course, fuel economy is better for the same reason. Wear & Tear on the TV is less with a PU also.

Storage is our BIG issue. We store our PU in the garage.

Having said all that, we will be upgrading from the PU as soon as we move into a place with appropriate storage.

[AustinBoston]

A new pop-up is less money.  The pop-up itself may not cost much less, but it will require much less of a tow vehicle.  There are not may TT's that can be towed with a vehicle rated for 5,000 lbs.

A new pop-up is more fuel efficient.  All else being equal (weight, tow vehicle, etc), you will take a hit in fuel consumption with that parachute called a travel trailer behind you.

It requires a lot less planning to use a pop-up on the spur of the moment.

There are probably more reasons.

But before you try to get us to gang up on him, tell us WHY he wants a TT, and please be honest.  

Pop-ups are not for everyone, and maybe he has been tolerating your current pop-up until you could get a replacement, or maybe he has his heart set on a new pickup and a travel trailer is a way to justify one.  These are perfectly legitemate desires and should not be ignored.

Austin

[cb]

How old are the kids?  Our observation is that in early-to-middle teen years, the kids either prefer a tent of their own, or have activities they like better than camping with the parental units.  Then, before you know it, they're grown and gone.  (To me, the "outdoor" feeling trumps everything else.)

[CajunCamper]

For me the biggest disadvantage of a TT is that you're pretty much locked into staying at campgrounds that resemble a trailer park. Yuck. With the PUP your options are more open.

[sacrawf]

I really like having a Canvas around me and a 360 view out  of the PUP.

It is all about the outdoor experience!  There is nothing like the view that can be attained from the Pop-up camper short of taking the sleeping bag out under the stars.  Even the majority of tents cannot match the view and closeness to nature that can be afforded by selectively opening curtains or screens on the pop-up.  The travel trailer hard walls (and even the hard walls of an a-frame camper) insulate me too much from the nature that I am there to enjoy and that you would want your kids to experience.  Inside a hardside RV bed with it's limited view and no windows next to the sleeping area, you wake up to nearly the same view every morning, which is the same view that you have when parked in your own driveway.

As I have just finished washing my Pop-up camper and am about to go out to the garage and finish putting another coat of wax on the top, I would think that maintainance time would be a big factor.  For someone who wants to take great care in maintaining their camping equipment, it would have to take a lot more time and effort cleaning and waxing a large travel trailer, motor home, or 5'er than I spend on my pop-up.  Not to mention, a lot less time on a ladder!

[kathybrj]

We had 2 pups that we used and loved for a total of 7 years. With two kids of the opposite gender that still love to travel with us, and my now widowed mother that also wanted to travel with us, more sleep space was one reason for us to move to a hybrid.

As far as campgrounds go- we have stayed at everyone we ever stayed at with our pups and in the same sites. Since we dry camp exclusively, this hasn't been an issue.

For us, the HTT makes it MUCH easier to just take off on the spur of the moment. The frige can be packed quickly and everything stays in the pantry. Clothing is put in drawers and waredrobs without having to lift the roof. This is my favorite aspect of the HTT- and the bigger frige makes coolers obsolete.

I thought I would miss the open feeling of the pups, but with 3 large foldout beds, it hasn't been an issue.

***However- you have all the standard (and very good) arguments to present FOR a new pup- gas mileage, tow vehicle, storage, more canvas. What makes camping and RVs so great is that there are so many to choose from- because we all value something different in our travel experiences.

Keep steering your husband to the new pups if you are looking. He'll get the idea soon enough. Going to a new and different unit is a big step and lots of work. Only you two can decide whether it's worth taking that step or not.

Good luck!

[Hackker]

Storage is our BIG issue. We store our PU in the garage.

Thats the main reason why we went with a PU.  Even with the Niagara being 19'3" it still fits in the garage easily.  I live in a newer subdivision, so no outside RV storage.  If we had a TT, I'd be looking at probably $50-75 a month in storage fees nearby.  Plus the hassle of having to drive out, bring it home, and then the reverse when coming back from a trip.  PU was just more convenient.

And like others said, less of a hit towing, being able to tow with my current Frontier, and the ease of towing something smaller.

The next house we build, we'll probably buy enough land to stick a big pole barn out back thats big enough for a class A motorhome.

[cndlzrus]

We had 2 pups that we used and loved for a total of 7 years. With two kids of the opposite gender that still love to travel with us, and my now widowed mother that also wanted to travel with us, more sleep space was one reason for us to move to a hybrid.

As far as campgrounds go- we have stayed at everyone we ever stayed at with our pups and in the same sites. Since we dry camp exclusively, this hasn't been an issue.

For us, the HTT makes it MUCH easier to just take off on the spur of the moment. The frige can be packed quickly and everything stays in the pantry. Clothing is put in drawers and waredrobs without having to lift the roof. This is my favorite aspect of the HTT- and the bigger frige makes coolers obsolete.

I thought I would miss the open feeling of the pups, but with 3 large foldout beds, it hasn't been an issue.

***However- you have all the standard (and very good) arguments to present FOR a new pup- gas mileage, tow vehicle, storage, more canvas. What makes camping and RVs so great is that there are so many to choose from- because we all value something different in our travel experiences.

Keep steering your husband to the new pups if you are looking. He'll get the idea soon enough. Going to a new and different unit is a big step and lots of work. Only you two can decide whether it's worth taking that step or not.

Good luck!

Kathy,

You gave me something to think about.... No cooler, leaving on the spur of the moment.. having things already packed.... 3 fold out beds would be the only way I would go into a hybrid.  My kids are 11 yr old boy, and 10 yr old girl, so they are at that picking at each other stage, where you just want to ring their neck...  hmm I got more homework to do...

[cndlzrus]

Thats the main reason why we went with a PU.  Even with the Niagara being 19'3" it still fits in the garage easily.  I live in a newer subdivision, so no outside RV storage.  If we had a TT, I'd be looking at probably $50-75 a month in storage fees nearby.  Plus the hassle of having to drive out, bring it home, and then the reverse when coming back from a trip.  PU was just more convenient.

And like others said, less of a hit towing, being able to tow with my current Frontier, and the ease of towing something smaller.

The next house we build, we'll probably buy enough land to stick a big pole barn out back thats big enough for a class A motorhome.

My current TV is a Ford Explorer with a V8.  It hauls the Cheyene perfect... I don't  know if we could fit a HTT in our driveway, our neighbors driveway and ours butt up next to each other, they are nice enough to move their cars out of the way when we get ready to leave on trip now...

Your Niagara, is it about the same height as your TV?

[Hackker]

My current TV is a Ford Explorer with a V8.  It hauls the Cheyene perfect... I don't  know if we could fit a HTT in our driveway, our neighbors driveway and ours butt up next to each other, they are nice enough to move their cars out of the way when we get ready to leave on trip now...

Your Niagara, is it about the same height as your TV?

The top of the AC unit is probably as tall as the roof of my Frontier, but PU's roof is a decent chunk shorter.  

And I defiantly like having it stored in a garage vs. being stuck out in some storage lot in the weather and always wondering if it'll get damage by someone else parking their rig next to it.  

[cndlzrus]

One more question...  can you lock up your pup when its set up and you are gone enjoying the campground amenties?  Our Cheyene has the flip down step that can be locked up while we are gone.  I see in the picture that your Niagara has a step under the door.

If I really had my pick to get a camper it would either be a Arcadia or a Niagara...  But not sure if they would fit in my garage.  The Cheyene just fits in the garage now.. So I have to measure that and see how long it is from back to hitch.  I may end up going for Saratoga...  But that doesn't get the kids their own bed like the Arcadia does.  

And the only reason I want to stay with Fleetwood is the dealer is town is excellent with thier customer service.

[AustinBoston]

One more question...  can you lock up your pup when its set up and you are gone enjoying the campground amenties?  Our Cheyene has the flip down step that can be locked up while we are gone.  I see in the picture that your Niagara has a step under the door.

That depends on what you mean by "lock."  For keeping little campground kids from getting in to your camper, most any pop-up made in the last 20 years is going to be adequately lockable.

But for keeping out a thief, there's no such thing as a locking pop-up.  Every pop-up I've ever seen had at least one of the following (in order of ease of use):

1) Velcro attachment points that could be opened instantly.
2) Bungies or snaps at the bunk that could be removed from the outside and opened instantly.
3) Canvas or other tent material that could easily be cut with a knife or scissors.

There are only three forms of personal security in a pop-up:

1) Trust your neighbor;
2) Rotwiler or other large dog;
3) Brute force mechanism of your choice.

BTW, security in a HTT is only slightly better.  Most can be entered without keys in a few seconds.

Austin

[kathybrj]

Kathy,

You gave me something to think about.... No cooler, leaving on the spur of the moment.. having things already packed.... 3 fold out beds would be the only way I would go into a hybrid.  My kids are 11 yr old boy, and 10 yr old girl, so they are at that picking at each other stage, where you just want to ring their neck...  hmm I got more homework to do...

I'm happy with our choice. We absolutely loved our Utah, but with our time getting more and more cut into lately, having the rig all ready to go is really great. I leave all the linens in the rig, the pantry is packed. I even leave clothes in the drawers (during the season) so that all I have to do is throw in a few things and we're off.

The frige cooling down takes a while, but I've packed it with cold foods and gotten to the campground and had things still cold and getting colder. Even frozen foods stay frozen while traveling even if I haven't cooled the frige down for 24 hours before.

With our son wanting to see this college campus and that one, it's been great to just throw stuff in and go without too much planning.

It also helped a lot that Blaise was ready for a change in tow vehicle. We gave our Safari to our niece with 3 kids and we picked up the F150 Blaise has been wanting for a while.

Going to a larger, heavier rig takes planning and-as you say- homework.