Why do we have PUPs?

[kwatson51]

After reading the thread on higher PUP prices (aggravating) and declining sales (sad), I searched the forum for a thread on why we have pop-ups. I didn

[wavery]

Mine is much the same as yours. I'll just add a few more:

FITS IN MY GARAGE :p

I can pull it with my, less than ideal, TV and get 18MPG

I love to hear the sounds of the outdoors at night. A lot of that is lost in other RVs.

Oh ya.......I almost forgot to mention............
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IT FITS IN MY GARAGE

[Kelly]

I agree with all of the above ~ including IT FITS IN MY GARAGE ...

In addition my PU ...
is manageable for a single mom
doesn't cut into the TV gas mileage a whole lot
makes a great clubhouse when we can't camp away from home
forces me to keep it simple when I travel ~ you can't take everything!
let's me take the kids places we may not otherwise be able to afford
and best of all ~ IT'S PAID FOR!   [/FONT]

[esclark]

You all are so correct!  I have never personally met anyone who has regretted buying a pop-up.  I want my kids to see the whole country and other parts of the world.  This is one vehicle that will help in that.  For the price of the larger RV's, I would rather stay in a hotel room.

[dthurk]

I don't have a garage!  

But I still have a PUP.  Camping's fun.  PUPing is easier than tenting.  PUPing is dryer than tenting.  Otherwise, PUPing is like tenting.  DW doesn't like creepy crawly things.  (DD and I never experienced them in a tent, DW doesn't believe they don't exist.)

[PITPOP27]

:tent: was the way we went for awhile.  Then we got a dog, and Yosemite doesn't allow dogs in housekeeping but they do in RVing...so off to look at rentals, and pups have a better sleeping arrangement than other for sleeping us and three children one of which is already adult size.

Then we thought hey, let's check into buying one.  Brand new was out of the price range, we just don't have that kind of dinero and a small TT didn't have the sleeping space AT ALL!  

We found a great one used and it's just been awesome.  It has all the immenities in it - So we are the only ones in our social circle with the smallest thing around them, but inside is comfortable , Hot showers and heater were my big requests.  

We fit it nicely in a friends driveway, and because of it's size he said, why don't you just leave it here it's not in my way   .  Good deal all around for us!

And you can't feel it AT ALL behind our TV!

[abbear]

We have always loved the freedom of just throwing our sleeping bags out but we are older now and my wife has difficulty getting up and down on the ground.  Our popup, while not offering the flexibility we had before (and being labeled as not camping by our oldest) allows my wife and myself to enjoy still enjoy camping.  We still carry very few extras with us (and are quite shocked to hear about the hundreds of pounds of gear some of you take) and are most happy in an out of the way secluded campsite.

But that's the way we like it and there are lots of campsites for lots of folks with lots of different ideas.

[GrizzlyTaco]

Keith, I agree with you on all the reasons why I like a PU.
I especially like the idea of sleeping in a tent without having to sleep on the ground.
Ed C.  :sombraro:

[balbrt1]

After camping for 30 yrs (not including when I was a kid) in a tent. the PUP is great:

gets us off the ground
keeps us dry  (already went through a rain storm this yr)
Nothing soggy from dampness
easy to keep things stored in it. only need to load food, bikes and clothes
will keep us cool in summer with a/c
stays warm for spring and fall camping
still feel like we are camping even though we have electric hookup
and for all of the above reasons already posted...

Camping 3 times in April !!!

Happy Camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :-()

[jclark]

Great question. The biggest reasons for me are:

- I love the 360 degree view!! I'm amazed how few windows TTs have.
- I love the whole process of popping them up.
- I do a lot of backpacking so I really appreciate the small luxuries such as (hot!) running water, lights for reading at night, cooking on a real stove and having a comfy place to hang out when it's pouring out.
- The engineer in me loves how they offer so much room and comfort in such a compact and lightweight package. I like figuring out how to make the most efficient use of the space inside.
- I like feeling a light breeze blow through the windows.
- I like that I can still talk to someone inside the camper while I'm outside.
- I like being able to see the beautiful view outside while lying in bed.
- I love that I can pop it in our driveway for our kids and their friends to play in.
- I like that we can tow it with our stationwagon.

I'm sure I could go on...

[cobbs1]

1) We wanted to step up from tent camping because it is much easier with a toddler (still have the tent, though for when he is a bit older).
2)  I don't have to "fall" in to bed like in the tent
3)  It fits in the garage
4)  We wanted to make sure our son spends a lot of time outdoors
5)  I wanted hot water and a potty without treking to the public bathhouse
6)  Price was right for a used pop-up
7)  In the area we live in, people spend tons of money on "stuff" for themselves and their children. My hope is that, by camping, we will balance that out some and expose our son to the beauty of nature and the outdoors. I want my son to respect nature.  
 Same reasons as listed above by other folks.
9)  Air conditioning in the heat of summer in the southeast.  We will be camping MUCH more now than with the tent.
10)  Cheap entertainment.  
11)  Nice and dry in the rain - as proven last Friday night in the pouring down rain. Not a single drip and we were warm, snug, and dry.
 
Hope everyone has a nice Friday. Spring is in full force here.  The azaleas and dogwoods are gorgeous, as well as the other spring flowers.  
 
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[Kelly]

- I love the whole process of popping them up.

wow!  I thought I was the only one ... it gives me great satisfaction to set up my 'home on wheels' ...

[AustinBoston]

We originally got a pop-up, believe it or not, to save time!

In August 1999, on the way home from a week tent camping in beautiful Prince Edward Island, we began discussing our "Long Trip" - 8 weeks across the country and back.  Years earlier, we had discussed getting a pop-up, but nothing came of it but talk.

But the thought of setting up a tent, moving packs, duffels, sleeping bags, etc. to the tent, cooking with a coleman stove, and taking it all down again to move on the the next place two days later, was beginning to loom larger and larger.

I calculated total setup and takedown time as almost a week out of that 8 weeks.  I told PJay, "I think we should get a pop-up for the long trip."  We've never longed to go back.

One more thing...

We have two 2-car garages, it will just barely fit in either garage, and it's still outside  :yikes:

Austin (too much stuff)

[fritz_monroe]

We just got our pup this year.  I camped a lot as a child and my DW had never camped.  After we got married and had our first kid, we decided to go camping because I loved it and want our kids to enjoy the great outdoors.  We were in a tent and having a 2 y.o. run around meant that I was setting up everything in the campsite because the DW was busy running after the DS.  That ended our camping until last year.  We tented again and found having the 7 y.o. keep the 2 y.o. out of trouble didn't really work out that well, and we both ended up watching what they were doing.  So that ended up with the DW keeping an eye on the DD.  Which left me doing all the set up.  We were using a huge family tent and it was not easy setting it up by myself.

Since we had been looking at RVs since we got married, we decided that a pop-up would allow us to get out camping now rather than later, so we got our 2006 Bayside.  Only took 1 trip so far, but it was great.  I can set it up fully by myself, but my DW is able to help out.  It only takes about 20 minutes to get fully set up.

[cobbs1]

We were in a tent and having a 2 y.o. run around meant that I was setting up everything in the campsite because the DW was busy running after the DS.

Hmmm - that sounds familiar.
Now, I chase the 2 year old while my DH sets up the PUP.  Takes less time, though and can easily be done by one person. Then, when it's set up, he plays with the 2 year old DS and I set things up inside.  Never could have camped in a tent with a toddler.  Exhausting!!
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