What's easier about a hybrid setup?

[Rustyone]

Hi everybody.

  Well, DW has me 'researching' hybrids now and I have to admit there's some pretty impressive ones out there, but one thing has me stumped.  After years of reading I've got a pretty good idea of the steps involved in setting up a PUP, and same goes for a hybrid.  Now I know everyone says a hybrid is sooo much easier to set up but I'll be dipped if I can see any difference aside from not having to crank the top up, and the drill stops that.  You still have bunk ends to do, leveling's the same, you hook up the same stuff.  Looks to me like it's pretty much the same.

What am I missing?

[side note]  We just got back from a four day tent camping trip smack in the middle of a sea of PUP's.  The weather was sunny with temps in the upper 80's low 90's.  Every last PUP within sight was zipped up tight, day and night, A/C blasting.  Kinda blows the "more like camping theory".

[hoppy]

Oh... Oh... Oh... methinks I know the answer to this one!

 The galley is all set up and in position (not to mention having to fighting with the drain system in the PU galley) a one touch awning system, and everything can be set up in the hybrid and stocked before heading out.

  Other than that, there is not a whole lot of difference.

 A seasoned PU-upper can probably get set-up in around 25 minutes, and a hybrid probably takes about 15 minutes. So not much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.

  All the other chores are pretty much the same between both styles.

 But the PU with the easier towing and being lighter get's to the CG about 10 minutes earlier anyway.  

[NCSunshine]

We don't have a hybrid yet, but are planning to get one next year hopefully.  The reason for my reply is the reasons for changing over for me.

When you pack to go camping, you do it directly into the camper.  Now I(with 3 girls) have to pack everything and load what I can in the PU but the majority of it goes into the tow vehicle.  Then after popping up you have to unload everything and set it up in the camper, with a hybrid it is already done.  Then when you pack to leave you have to unload the majority of the things and pack them back into the tow vehicle, then when you get home unload them again into the house.  Plus for the awning, we only use it if we have no shade because with my DH's disability it is difficult for us to set up (even more so for me to set up by myself).  Another thing that I want is to be able to get to the inside without popping up.  I can clean the camper after coming home without having to go through the steps of popping up.

These things may be trivial but I want the most of our camping time, not moving things around time and again.  

I have enjoyed our PU alot and have camped for with my children and my sister (and she does not help set up) than with my DH, which leaves everything to me and I didn't mind but I ready to enjoy more of my camping time.

Leveling, using the awning, hooking up to the utilities are the same for both.  

These are my reasons for looking to get a hybrid.

[GeneF]

After 4 popups and now having the hybrid for 18 months, I can say that there is a difference:

1. No more shuffling food boxes around.  Food is stored in the pantry.
2. Refridgerator is larger and the freezer is great for the ice cream.
3. No need to have boxes of stuff stored on the floor to be moved around while setting up.
4. Easy to access the fridge while on the road.
5. Same for the bathroom.
6. Larger awning is great for putting a picnic table under in the rain.
7. Awning is a 2 minute job to set up.  No pegs or ropes to trip over.
8.  Plenty of space to store clothing.  No need for a duffle bag.
9.  Lots of room to move around without getting in each others way.  At least it is that way in my 23B.

Those are only a few of the reasons why I like my hybrid.  

I enjoyed my four popups and would not have missed the opportunity to have owned and camped in them.  But now that I have the hybrid, I won't go back.

Dw and I did a 62 day trip last year.  It was a lot less work having the hybrid than it would have been in a popup.

As for towing, I towed the popups at 60 to 65 and do the same with the hybrid.

Towing is a bit different because you are longer and have to plan a bit more on how to get in and out of parking lots.  And yes, you will slow down on the big hills but then many do if they are towing popups.

Once you get used to towing the hybrid, it is just as easy as towing a popup.

[chasd60]

I can back into the site and hook up the power and not set anything up and not even unhook from my truck if it is raining. I can push the button for the slideout and then open the couch up into a double bed or sleep on the dinette.
   
 I went camping several weeks ago with just DD and I. We opened 1 bunkend after 3 days and we used it to put our laundry on. We had plenty of room with the dinette and we kept the heat out that way. It was a drycamping site at Acadia NP.
   
 I just reach up and lower the bunkends, snap the tenting on the end and put the bungies across the bottom. My door never sticks and is always aligned. I don't have to remember which bench things are under because they are all in cabinets in the open. Everything inside my camper was setup before I left home. The only thing I have to do inside is open the fridge and grab a beer........OK maybe I have to push the button to open the slide or press the button to turn the water heater on but that is about it.
   
   Setting my awning up takes about 2 minutes.
   
 I guess the big thing is that the inside is ready to go before I leave my house and we can stop on the road and eat in the camper. It sure is handy for a roadside potty stop too. I have heard of people pulling in to a motel for an overnight stay when towing their popup on a long trip.......why??? To avoid setup.

[6Quigs]

Having also owned a popup and now a Hybrid, we are amazed at all the little things that make camping so much easier.

First, getting packed with the hybrid is nice. It is always open, so you just step in, and whatever you are loading, it goes straight to it's place, and remains there. With the popup, everything went in boxes, which had to be squeezed into the popup, go in the back of the van, or in the front storage trunk.

When you arrive at a site, backing up and leveling are much the same. The big difference with the hybrid is that once we are in position and level, we can let the kids out of the truck, the trailer is open, anyone can use the restroom, and help themselves to a drink from the fridge, even I can have a beer, and take a break.
I can put the stabilizers down at my leisure, same with letting the bunk end down, as we still have full access to the inside of the trailer.
Not so with the popup. The kids still had to stay in the truck. I would first have to take the bikes off the roof of the popup.
Empty everything from the front storage trunk.
Crank up the roof half way. Stop to unroll the awning. Continue cranking up the roof, slide out the two bunks.
Pop up the tenting and put the shepards poles in place.
Take all the boxes from the floor of the popup, and put them in their place.
Pull up the gallery.
put the curtain around the toilet.
Slide out the dinette, put the seat backs in position.
Empty all the duffle bags from the truck and put in the popup.
Take the food from the truck, and store it in the popup.
Finally, now I can let the kids out of the truck, and I can have a beer.

So Rusty, even though it appears that the only difference is raising the roof, with a Hybrid, it is not having to deal with all the stuff that we bring camping that we have to move around. When you go to pack up, a popup has the same problems, everything has to go in its place, and not be put away out of sequence. I am a more relaxed camper with the Hybrid, I arrive at the site, and once leveled, I feel I am there, and might not even pop the bunk end out till hours later, as I am too busy having fun!!

[Rustyone]

I think I understand.  Looks like a matter of semantics.  It's not that a hybrid is that much easier to set up, it's a matter of a hybrid being so much more convenient.

Even though set up is similiar, the real advantages are the conveniences the hybrid offers.

I'm losing my phobia of the dark side.  Now if I could shake the dread of pulling a house behind my pick up.  

Thanks everybody:
Russ

[ForestCreature]

Not so with the popup. The kids still had to stay in the truck. I would first have to take the bikes off the roof of the popup.
 Empty everything from the front storage trunk.
 Crank up the roof half way. Stop to unroll the awning. Continue cranking up the roof, slide out the two bunks.
 Pop up the tenting and put the shepards poles in place.
 Take all the boxes from the floor of the popup, and put them in their place.
 Pull up the gallery.
 put the curtain around the toilet.
 Slide out the dinette, put the seat backs in position.
 Empty all the duffle bags from the truck and put in the popup.
 Take the food from the truck, and store it in the popup.
 Finally, now I can let the kids out of the truck, and I can have a beer.
 

Yawn----->   I'm wiped out just reading that process !  Maybe if you had the Beer first  

[calstate360]

Yawn-----> I'm wiped out just reading that process ! Maybe if you had the Beer first

It was a sight to see! Especially when they changed sites.:yikes:  Everyone in our group watching and worrying they were going to break something with the roof up and the beds slid in.
 
Sal

[PopupSgt]

Rusty,

 Rusty,

I will totally agree with each response that was given about the hybrids.  I went from a popup and then purchased a hybrid last July.  When we owned the popup it would take us literally 2 hours to packup prior to being ready to hit the road.  My DW would complain so loudly that our other camping friends had hitched up already and left, but we were still there packing up.

With the hybrid I back it into a spot:
*Check Level and level if needed
*Unhitch and level front to back
*Drop the bunkends if we want or leave them until it's time to hit the hay, especially nice when it's raining to climb inside the camper, turn on the a/c and hang out until it stops raining.  No need to crank a roof.
*Slide out the side if we want or leave in the travel position.
*Extend the awning, possibly one minute at most.

When we leave:
*Put the bunkends up, takes a total of about 10 minutes (I have the cable support system).
*Slide-in the slideout (electric, about one minute).
*Retract the awning, about maybe a minute or two.
*Unplug, back the truck up and hitch, then off to the dump station.

Of course we still have to put items aways like folding chairs and such but there is no need to pack stuff in totes and try to squeeze into the camper like we did with the popup.
We also place our bikes inside the hybrid with lying blankets on the inside and the bikes lay on them.  All-in-all a much more pleasant experience with the set-up and take down of the hybrid with camping.

Regards,
[/b]

[dee106]

ditto to all!
 but you forgot a couple of things,,,,,,
 
 1) hot shower
 2) mircowave oven
 3) gas oven
 4) closets
 5)large storage draws
 6)place for the tv and a power antenna!
 7)automatic start for hot water heater, no more matches!
 8)guages to see when your tanks are full

[GeneF]

Camped this weekend with another couple.  Rained all day long one of the days.

It was real nice that all four of us could move around and do what we wanted without being in each other's way.

Dw and friend spent a good part of the day knitting or reading.  I enjoyed listening to the stereo and doing some reading.  Other member of our party enjoyed taking an afternoon nap.

That evening, still cool and raining, we enjoyed playing whist around the u-shaped dinette table.  Each of us having one side each.

[Dee4j]

well everyone pretty much covered the bases..I took the kids on a 2 1/2 week trip  which I couldn't have done with the PU..I don't handle heat well and the PU set-up would nearly kill me sometimes and I'd be exhausted before I'd start my weekend. Oldmoose, gryffsmom and our family are caravaning up to the Yosemite rally next week , we will be able to stop make everyone lunch and use a CLEAN potty.  the Hybrid saves me at least $20 and a bunch of aggrivation every trip as no matter what we do we seem to be ready to pull out at lunch time..now with the Hybrid I get packed up, hitched up ready to pull out and make lunch and then go.  each trip we would have to PU 3 times..to pack before we go,at the campground, and when we get home to unpack. now I back her in the driveway , plug it in, get everyone showered and empty my leisure.

[Camping Coxes]

We also place our bikes inside [/b]

Ooh, more ammunition.  Even though we have the Pro-Rack, it's something DH has to do basically because I can't lift the bikes up there and I'm not as proficient with using tie downs (ya mean the tire spoke isn't the ideal place to use the tie down on??).  If we could put the bikes inside, the kids could even do it and no wheel would have to be uninstalled/reinstalled!  Hmmmm.  I'm liking this idea.

[Camping Coxes]

we will be able to stop make everyone lunch and use a CLEAN potty. the Hybrid saves me at least $20 and a bunch of aggrivation every trip as no matter what we do we seem to be ready to pull out at lunch time..

A clean potty/shower was a factor in our sudden desire to get a hybrid.  After staying at a CG that you dreaded using the facilities at, we thought, If we had a hybrid we wouldn't have this problem.  Also, we spend a lot of $ on food on the road.  I'd much rather pull into a rest stop, make some good old PB&J and save my cash for vacation.  Plus, when we go to a far destination (Tahoe for example) we stay the night at a hotel to cut the driving down in a single day, as well as the fact DH doesn't want to drive 10 hours, then still have to set up when he's exhausted and in the dark.  That runs us close to $100 usually, plus food.  We could etiher find a CG on the way, or cheaper still, visit Camp Wal-mart for the night.  
 
Hmmm, wonder if DH will buy my logic.  :screwy: :J