quick reccomendations -- specific popup needs

[kenn]

i've got a honda odyssey so i'm limited to 3500 lbs.  Here's what I am looking for:

an economical towable (popup) that will sleep 4.  My wife and daughter aren't going out without a toilet -- prefer to add a shower if possible.  My son is handicapped and doesn't regulate body temp as well as he should and I must have climate control -- a/c and heat.

As far as power, some sort of electricity would be nice but not necessary.

Ideally I would like to be able to go to the less dense campgrounds so I can camp 100 feet away from others instead of in a parking lot.  Is possible to get what I'm looking for?

Nice to haves: onboard electricity or a VERY quiet generator that can be used in noise controlled areas.

any vendor/model recommendations would be most helpful.

[Kelly]

i've got a honda odyssey so i'm limited to 3500 lbs.  Here's what I am looking for:

As far as power, some sort of electricity would be nice but not necessary.

***

Nice to haves: onboard electricity or a VERY quiet generator that can be used in noise controlled areas.

any vendor/model recommendations would be most helpful.

Hey Ken ~ welcome to PUT.

As far as I know it would be harder to find a PU without a converter than with one.  Most, if not all, come all ready for electrical hookups.

I would start by checking out the websites of the various PU manufacturers.  Dave has links to them here.  You can see what options are available for the different PUs.

I don't have an onboard potti or shower, so I can't help you there.  But I know lots of folks here have them and tow with minivans.  I'm sure you'll get the help you need.

Good luck and keep us posted ...

[fritz_monroe]

Welcome, and have fun picking out your pup.  It seems like most of the people towing with minivans stick to the 10 foot box models.  Just about any of the pups can have AC installed, and many offer heat.  Do you have any space requirements for your son?  Like wheelchair or wider aisles?

As was already pointed out, most have electric wired in.  For the toilet, do you need a permanent cassette or will a porta potty do?  

Take a look at the manufacturer sites already linked above.  Take a look at some of the floor plans to see if anything jumps out for you.

Personally, I like Fleetwood, Jayco and Rockwood.  They seem like they are built a little more solid.  But that's just my opinion.

[kenn]

Thanks for the responses.

The one I looked at I really like -- the XL1920 Chalet but that little dude is EXPENSIVE...

Room for a wheelchair, for now, isn't necessary becuase we have a special seat and would just use that on a folding chair.  He is still only 4 so is somewhat easy to move around outside of his chair.

I would prefer something a bit more permanent for a toilet -- i.e. a cassette that can be emptied externally rather than having to deal with a port a potty.

The shower is not mandadory, but would be nice.  With an onboard hot water heater and a towel, though, most "trail grime" comes off pretty easy and is part of the camping "experience".

I'll look at all the manufacturers on the links page and report back...

One more key thing is I have to sleep with my son and some sort of barrier for him to keep him from going off the bed so a large double or compact queen on one end with bunks or whatever on the other for wife and daughter would be fine.

[fritz_monroe]

I looked pretty hard at Jayco, Rockwood and Fleetwood.  I ended up with a Fleetwood, but it's a bit heavier than you are looking at.

Since I looked most at the Fleetwoods, that's where most of my info comes from.  If you need outside access to the cassette, you will be looking at the ones with the inside shower.  The ones with a cassette only sit sideways and you actually pull out the cassette from inside, but it does tend to be right inside the door.  We went with a cassette.  The hot water option gets you an outside shower also.

As for sleeping, we looked at nothing that didn't have 2 kings.  But the dinettes fold into a bed and if you have a sofa, it will usually turn into a bed.  We have a 2 year old that moves all over the place in bed.  I figure I'll be doing a mod immediately when we get it to keep her in bed.

Good luck with your search.  Also check out the forums on popupportal.com and popupexplorer.com for more help.  There's lots of helpful people there also.

[tlhdoc]

If you need outside access to the cassette, you will be looking at the ones with the inside shower.

Not always.  The Timberlake has an inside shower, but you can't access the cassette from the outside.  The tank has to be pulled out from inside the camper.
 
kenn the Timberlake would be a good fit for your family.  It has the cassette toilet and shower, a 48 inch bed in the back and a 70 inch wide bed in the front.  The dinette can also be used as a bed.  I don't like to use the dinette for a bed though.  The trailer loaded weighs in at 3000 pounds so you would be able to tow it.  As far as power a battery and propane allows you to use all common appliances (refrig, water heater, furnace, lights) except an air conditioner.  You need to have an electric campsite or a generator to run an air conditioner.  Yes you can camp away from other campers and have what you want.  My favorite campsite at the local state park is over 100 feet down off of the road next to a small stream.

[fritz_monroe]

Not always.  The Timberlake has an inside shower, but you can't access the cassette from the outside.  The tank has to be pulled out from inside the camper.

Yep, you are right.  I said it wrong.  I was trying to say that the ones that have only the cassette don't have outside access.  The only cassette pottys that have outside access are the ones with showers.

The Jayco 1006 would probably fit the bill also.  There isn't an inside shower, and looks like if would require a porta potty.  Double bed on one end and king on the other.  Dinette and sofa.  1890# dry.

There's also a couple Rockwood/Flagstaff models that might fit the bill.  Some of the smaller box models look nice, but I don't see any with showers or cassettes.

[Simpsonp]

Ideally I would like to be able to go to the less dense campgrounds so I can camp 100 feet away from others instead of in a parking lot.  Is possible to get what I'm looking for?

If you are looking for the less dense area perhaps an "off road" pup is more what you are looking for.  In this case three manufacturers will fit the bill:
1.  Jayco "Baja" series:
http://www.jayco.com/html/catalog/floorplans.php?prod_id=92
2.  Starcraft "RT" series:
http://www.starcraftrv.com/starcraft_folding_campers/starcraft_rt_series.html
3.  Fleetwood "Evolution" series
http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/evolution/

All the above are quality products and will take you out of the dense campgrounds.

[Azusateach]

Once again I make my pitch for Rockwoods, specifically the 1950.  It has everything you're looking for, in a package that comes in under 2000# -- easily.  Check them out.  I think you'll be impressed.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?page=rktc&nav=rec&choice=brochure

[maromeo]

Back in 2002 there was an article in the PUT Magazine how Viking worked and modified a Legends 2465ST model for a family whose child  was also wheelchair bound. That particular model has a seperate shower and cassette which will also fit your needs. If you can get a hold of the article, it was pretty interesting.

Find a floor plan that would fit your needs, talk to the dealer. Find a manufacturer that will stand behind their products. That is why we chose the one we did. We love our dealer, he has been the best and for us Viking has stood behind their product.

Give them a call, and ask questions. Hope this helps.

Mary Romeo

[Shelly]

One more key thing is I have to sleep with my son and some sort of barrier for him to keep him from going off the bed so a large double or compact queen on one end with bunks or whatever on the other for wife and daughter would be fine.

DH & I last year with our 2 & 4 yr old had a portable barrier for one side of our pup.  It was just a basic one you could buy probably at Wallmart etc & was a net with two arms that slid under the mattress.  We used it on DD's regular bed in the house and just moved when we went camping.

Shelly

[Kelly]

Back in 2002 there was an article in the PUT Magazine how Viking worked and modified a Legends 2465ST model for a family whose child  was also wheelchair bound. That particular model has a seperate shower and cassette which will also fit your needs. If you can get a hold of the article, it was pretty interesting.

I have the article.  Email me through here if you want me to send it to you.

(Good memory Mary!!)

[RKCRWLR]

I would advise erring to the lighter side on weight.  Once you throw in the rest of your goodies, the weight really creeps up.  Also, for your son, and I commend you for not letting challenges slow your family down, several PUs have decent length beds made from the bench/sofa rather than the dinette.  Its an easy thing to add a rail to the inside and the trailer wall blocks the outside (works with our little one).  I went with a Jayco Baja since our primary camping is Utah west desert primitive.  Although Jayco offers NO SERVICE after the sale.  We are 6 months in and still don't have the add-ons we ordered.

Tim

[Kavoom]

I own a Flagstaff which is identical to Rockwoods and the person talking about the Rockwood 1950 is right.  It has exactly what you said you were looking for.   And as I look, even a little more room at the one end for a stationary chair if needed...  

I mention the Flagstaff because depending upon where you live, you can play Rockwood and Flagstaff dealers off against each other for a better deal sometimes... (I did) and get the identical unit with the only difference being badging and vinolon colors (Rockwood w green trim, Flagstaff with Blue).  

Oh, and never forget the heated mattresses in Forest River products... Nice...