Shadow Cruiser vs Popup

[topcat7736]

I started a new thread for this because while it pertains to a plus for units like the Shadow Cruiser, it also shows what happens to us when we get a popup.

I agree with most of the negatives on the other topic too. As for myself, I was perfectly happy in a tent. But, along came Peggy and my bad back. She wanted more than just a tent. Stove, potti, table, etc. To appease her so I could still go camping, we bought the Taos. Basically just a tent on wheels, but it had a stove, sink, dinette, beds that didn't kill my back and it made her happy. So far, so good.

Then came the AAR. OK, it's good to sit outside bug free.

Then there was the pot of hot water that spilled on my foot (because there wasn't a water heater). So, I added an electric water heater and mixer faucet.

Sometimes, with extreme bad weather, we'd be stuck inside the popup where there is NO ROOM AT ALL. Brought along a cd/cassette/am/fm radio and books to read but it wasn't enough. She wanted to watch her late Saturday night shows too. So, I added an amplified antenna and 13" TV. Keeps her happy.

There's no way I'm sleeping next to a potti, so for a long time I would set up a privy I bought for the toilet. But, the complaints of having to walk in bad weather to get to it and her fear of the 5 bears/mile in the area we stayed, convinced me to move it inside the AAR.

Still though, there's room for her "folding rocker" and my chair in the AAR.

When it gets colder, there's smiley (our tabletop heater) and the oil filled radiator. I still get cold. Was going to add the furnace but we moved up instead.

Thanks to her reading messages on the PopUPTimes message board, I had to add a microwave & refrigerator to the setup.

Now, I need to tow all this cr-p in the van. I spend the better part of 4 hours doing the unpacking, setup, tear down & packing.  And, there's still no "shower" for her to use.

The Taos weighs in at 1186#. With all the extra junk, we probably have 300# more. Say the total is 1600#. Plus, it's a lot of work.

While the popups are great to have, they're not HOMES....and women want HOMES ON WHEELS. The longer they're in them, the more they want. So, I think the guy who was looking at the Shadow Cruiser has the right idea. Get something that has a toilet & shower (with a door), stove, water heater, ac, built in am/fm/cd/whatever, amplified antenna, furnace, etc. and just pack clothes & food to go camping. If there's only a couple, the 13.9' unit would be fine. Everythings already there and ready to go.

Sometime, just read the dribble of "things" that need to be added to a popup to make it more "comfortable". Once it's all added, you've got a canvas sided TT anyway.

Geez, it's supposed to be CAMPING! A knapsack & walking stick & off you go. Where does it all end?

Yes, Peggy finally has what she wanted. We bought a 27.5' Sunline TT that has EVERYTHING in it. All the junk I towed around has been moved to a shed. But, the Taos, almost back to its original configuration, sits next to it and will be used on "trips" to back areas......without all the cr-p!

As for the price, when I total up all the junk I had to buy to add to the popup, the $9500 price for the Shadow Cruiser really isn't that bad. There would be more room to move around in it than there is in the Taos. Plus, I'd have room inside the van for baggage rather than having to use a cartop carrier on the roof rack!

I don't blame all the things that need to be added on women or stereotype them all to be like Peggy. (But, i must admit, they are!)  LOL  :J

[vjm1639]

I don't blame all the things that need to be added on women or stereotype them all to be like Peggy. (But, i must admit, they are!) LOL :J

nope..they're  NOT!!!   I'm the one who loved tent camping...easy camping.. Preferably a tiny tent and nothing that wouldn't fit in my backpack and a small cooler....but both this DH and the ex wanted the popup first, then with the ex it went to a TT.     I felt canned in the trailer.   The popup now, I do like,  but..I still prefer to do my cooking on the campfire.   I like having ac for the summer because we just wouldn't camp in the middle of the summer here...but..I don't want the propane grills, microwaves, showers in my campers, etc....I have no problem with a porta potty next to me, but I have no problem finding a tree in the woods either... My favorite non camping vacations are cabins our trail club owns that you have to back pack to....totally primative.  No electricity, no running water, an outhouse only....we go there once a year or so for a week and it's heaven.  
 
So...forget the stereotypes...some of us just love the outdoors a little more than others.  

[NightOwl]

... the Taos, almost back to its original configuration, sits next to it and will be used on "trips" to back areas......without all the cr-p!
...

Hey, Al--dont forget the Taos is also supposed to serve as a resting place for  Siblings from points West and South :W  :J  :W    (You cant escape us, we KNOW where the campground is )

[Gone-Camping]

Yep, DGF (Cindy) didn't go camping with me for 3 years after I bought the PU....She said it just wasn't camping. I think she like the closeness of the little tent. Be that as it may, she's come full circle last year, and really seems to like the Hybrid and all it's amenities. Go figure....

[B-flat]

Gotcha, well I have to say that I am probably different from some of the other camping ladies in respect to taking a lot of "stuff" in the popup.  I didn't have a microwave, hot water heater, TV (television), TV antenna, shower, toaster, built-in am/fm/cd, add a room.  I guess my camping style was a little different because I wanted to get away from having too much stuff.  I heated water on the stove, cooked meals on campfire or stove, didn't want a TV to watch, shower wasn't important because I could bath the old fashioned way with pan of warm water-soap-cloth or use the bath house, used the griddle to toast bread or better yet to fry bread, didn't care for a radio cause I was at music festivals anyway, had an awning to cook under or sit under in rainy weather.  Bugs were chased away by citronella candles or those skiter coils.  I always cleaned out and put on fresh sheets when popping down so it was ready to go on the next trip so that all we did was put in food and clothes.  

I guess that moving on to a TT like the shadow cruiser or other hard side would be more convenient in that I wouldn't have to crank up or set up a bunch of stuff, even if it is raining.

[chasd60]

I started a new thread for this because while it pertains to a plus for units like the Shadow Cruiser, it also shows what happens to us when we get a popup.
 
I agree with most of the negatives on the other topic too. As for myself, I was perfectly happy in a tent. But, along came Peggy and my bad back. She wanted more than just a tent. Stove, potti, table, etc. To appease her so I could still go camping, we bought the Taos. Basically just a tent on wheels, but it had a stove, sink, dinette, beds that didn't kill my back and it made her happy. So far, so good.
 
Then came the AAR. OK, it's good to sit outside bug free.
 
Then there was the pot of hot water that spilled on my foot (because there wasn't a water heater). So, I added an electric water heater and mixer faucet.
 
Sometimes, with extreme bad weather, we'd be stuck inside the popup where there is NO ROOM AT ALL. Brought along a cd/cassette/am/fm radio and books to read but it wasn't enough. She wanted to watch her late Saturday night shows too. So, I added an amplified antenna and 13" TV. Keeps her happy.
 
There's no way I'm sleeping next to a potti, so for a long time I would set up a privy I bought for the toilet. But, the complaints of having to walk in bad weather to get to it and her fear of the 5 bears/mile in the area we stayed, convinced me to move it inside the AAR.
 
Still though, there's room for her "folding rocker" and my chair in the AAR.
 
When it gets colder, there's smiley (our tabletop heater) and the oil filled radiator. I still get cold. Was going to add the furnace but we moved up instead.
 
Thanks to her reading messages on the PopUPTimes message board, I had to add a microwave & refrigerator to the setup.
 
Now, I need to tow all this cr-p in the van. I spend the better part of 4 hours doing the unpacking, setup, tear down & packing. And, there's still no "shower" for her to use.
 
The Taos weighs in at 1186#. With all the extra junk, we probably have 300# more. Say the total is 1600#. Plus, it's a lot of work.
 
While the popups are great to have, they're not HOMES....and women want HOMES ON WHEELS. The longer they're in them, the more they want. So, I think the guy who was looking at the Shadow Cruiser has the right idea. Get something that has a toilet & shower (with a door), stove, water heater, ac, built in am/fm/cd/whatever, amplified antenna, furnace, etc. and just pack clothes & food to go camping. If there's only a couple, the 13.9' unit would be fine. Everythings already there and ready to go.
 
Sometime, just read the dribble of "things" that need to be added to a popup to make it more "comfortable". Once it's all added, you've got a canvas sided TT anyway.
 
Geez, it's supposed to be CAMPING! A knapsack & walking stick & off you go. Where does it all end?
 
Yes, Peggy finally has what she wanted. We bought a 27.5' Sunline TT that has EVERYTHING in it. All the junk I towed around has been moved to a shed. But, the Taos, almost back to its original configuration, sits next to it and will be used on "trips" to back areas......without all the cr-p!
 
As for the price, when I total up all the junk I had to buy to add to the popup, the $9500 price for the Shadow Cruiser really isn't that bad. There would be more room to move around in it than there is in the Taos. Plus, I'd have room inside the van for baggage rather than having to use a cartop carrier on the roof rack!
 
I don't blame all the things that need to be added on women or stereotype them all to be like Peggy. (But, i must admit, they are!) LOL :J

Certainly is easy making it seem like you had no part in the progression to the TT;) . Looks like a severe case of denial Al.

[NightOwl]

Certainly is easy making it seem like you had no part in the progression to the TT;) . Looks like a severe case of denial Al.

I'm with chasd60, about the TT, Al.  In addition, I remember back on the old, almost-original, board when you kept blaming HER (SWMBO)  each time another "luxury" item was added  to the list of  features you just had to have  when you camped.  Took us old-timers awhile to  see through these claims and realize that you are just as hopeless a gadgeteer as Robert (2MT in Fla.) and that the long line of "improvements"  was made up of toys YOU wanted, too!!    :W

[topcat7736]

Don't blame any of the junk on me. CamperJones is to blame! She's the one who made everybody buy more & more stuff. I was FORCED to pacify Peggy & CJ! (innocent face smilie here) And don't pick on poor Robert who keeps buying stuff to pacify his DW too!  

[tlhdoc]

Well I am not sure where I fit in your stereotype.  DH will not camp at all.  Roughing it to him is a hotel that only gives you one pillow.

I do have a shower and that means a water heater, cassette potty, furnace and fridge in my PU, but no microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker or other electric appliances.  Most of the time I dry camp and the reason for the shower is some of the parks we go to each year don't have showers.  I am not camping for one to two weeks, swimming in the ocean and not taking a shower.  If you can do it then more power to you, but keep your distance after the first week. :eek: