Why do we have PUPs?

[kampingkoge]

2 main reasons why we bought and why we bought new.  First reason is we started tent camping with friends a few years ago, 1st year we borrowed a tent, next year we bought our own tent.  Friends we went with had a small TT then they upgraded to a larger one, while we still were sleeping on the ground.  Yes a bit of envy was there.  But the main reason was we have some property up north in the Gladwin Michigan area and until we can afford to build a house and polebarn we wanted to use the property and have easy access to a shower and more impotantly heat and a toilet, without bugging the neighbors .... so buying a new PUP was not a hard decision.  This is were we mostly use our PUP along with 2-3 camp ground trips a summer.

[griffsmom]

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

Wayne, I thought for sure you were going to say that it floats.
 
As a young child, my mom (divorced and supporting a family of four w/o alimony or child support) had a Starcraft PU. It was the only way we could afford to take vacations. Of course, I didn't know that as a child; I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Mom gave me memories from those camping trips that I'll treasure forever.
 
Fast forward to meeting DH 14 years ago. We were :tent: and would go 3 or 4 times each year. Then our now-5 y/o DS came along, and it seemed we never went camping anymore. Tent camping can be hard enough work without having a baby and all his needs to take care of as well. I just couldn't bear the thought of it!
 
When Griffin was about 14 months old, DH looked at me and asked if we were ever going to go camping again. Bottom line for me was not with a toddler in a tent. I brought up the PU idea, having had such great times in mom's as a child. DH was resistant at first, but I finally talked him into "just looking" at them. After we walked into the first one, his response was "Hey! These are pretty nice!" I had my PU within a month.
 
Although we are now starting to think that less set-up time would be nice and have begun thinking about a hybrid, we love our PU. Having the camper has extended our camping season since we can get out of the weather--and we do have weather even here in "sunny" So Cal! We now go camping at least 10 to 12 times each year and have made absolutely marvelous friends from this Web site (meanwhile, we tell our 20 y/o to never meet people in person who you "meet" on the Internet!! :eyecrazy: ) My mom, who will be 80 (!) this year, still loves to go camping and always comes with us--it's the least I can do after all she did for me. We love the time it gives us as a family together away from the chores and routine of being at home, and Griffin LOVES to go camping with his "camping friends." In fact, he's a bit disgruntled if we happen to take a trip w/o any friends joining us! I also love the conveniences that our PU offers, but mostly, I just love the memories that it's creating for Griffin. I hope that he will treasure them like I treasure the ones from when I was a kid.

[fritz_monroe]

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!!
A

For us, the kids stay in the TV until I'm unhitched.  I don't want to have to worry about them running around while I'm concentrating on backing up.  Then I get the put to the point of having the bunk ends and slide out pulled out.  DW puts in the shepperd's poles and sets up the inside while I continue on the outside.

The one thing that was nice in the tent is we were able to close off a portion of the tent for the DD to sleep while we were still outside.  With the pup, we haven't figured out how to get the DD to sleep while me, DW and DS are still awake.  We'll figure it out eventually, but don't have it yet.

[RockHound]

For a few years my DW and our two DS's camped with my inlaws, 1st in their Coleman pop up, then their 27 ft TT.  The sleeping space was much better in the Coleman.  TT's just don't have the sleeping space of a pop up.  This was okay for a while, but on our week-long trip to Ocean Lakes CG in Myrtle Beach last year, it was the six of us plus my brother in law, plus the inlaws new dog.  The DW and I decided it was time to move out on our own.  We figured on going with a tent at first.  That is, until a massive afternoon storm came through the CG.  Every one in a tent got flooded.  Inside their tents was soaked, their clothes, their food, everything.  We said "nope, no tent for us, thanks".  A month later we came across a good deal in a new looking 12 foot '99 Jayco Eagle.  We only got to use it twice last summer, but I doubt we will ever second guess our choice.

[Lonewolf212]

I've tent camped my whole life until I was about 45. I started realizing how much work was involved. Also, after a summer campout in florida, the DW and I figured if we wanted to camp in the summer, AC was a must. We bought a small Starcraft PUP and it was great...later got the fever and moved "UP" to a TT.
We now have a 2006 Niagara. The reasons...
1. Has AC and heat.
2. Has shower and potti.
3. Stores in the garage, we can be more spontaneous in camping.
4. Better mileage than pulling a TT.
5. Feels more like camping!

[Buzz]

All of the above plus

I can stand up to put my britches on

[kwatson51]

All of the above plus

I can stand up to put my britches on

That is sound wisdom, and the best reason yet!!
 Wish I had thought of that.

[cobbs1]

All of the above plus
 
 I can stand up to put my britches on

HA!  Rolling on the floor laughing. Amen.
A

[fdtd]

I have camped for years (usually a sleeping bag on the ground with a tarp or bivy sack for protection).  I wanted to get the family involved (wife had camped as a child), but with our 2yo, tents were out of the question.  We were afraid of her unzipping the tent and off she'd be....I also wanted the "outdoors" feeling of a tent, so that left a pu.  So we found a used one at a good price last year.  Even took it to Maine as a first outing.  Not really a problem for my tow vehicle.  

When I was looking the one salesman tried to talk me into a TT and asked how used to "Roughing" it I was...I told him sleeping bag on ground.  He responded "Oh this will be like the Mariott for you then"...He was right!


By the way, I am new to this forum and was wandering what's up with the "D" as in DH (I figure that the H is for husband)?

[kwatson51]

By the way, I am new to this forum and was wandering what's up with the "D" as in DH (I figure that the H is for husband)?

My understanding is "Dear Husband" or "Darling Wife", "Dear Son" etc.

...and Welcome to the forum!

[Kavoom]

>>I can stand up to put my britches on<<

An obvious former tenter, small tent also...

It is nice, isn't it.

[fdtd]

My understanding is "Dear Husband" or "Darling Wife", "Dear Son" etc.

...and Welcome to the forum!

thanks, that explains alot

[DoubleD]

I take my recreation seriously.  I recently started realizing how much effort it took to go camping, loading the car, setting up the tent, setting up camp, and then everything in the reverse order.  By the time the car was unloaded at the end of the weekend, I was BEAT!

I started thinking about how to minimize the work and maximize the fun and came to the conclusion that if I didn't spend so much time loading and unloading the car, I could spend more time enjoying the great outdoors.  I then started thinking about the reality of setting up camp in the dark and realized that it would be much easier to set up a PU in the dark as compared with setting up a tent.  Last weekend, we took less than an hour to load the coolers and clothes into the car, go to the storage facility (we live in a condo with no garage) and be on the road.  This was our first 'quick getaway'.  We arrived at camp and leisurely set up the PU and had dinner cooking well sooner than we would have if we had the tent.  The process of camping has suddenly become much more relaxing for a longer period of time.  It is so much easier to drop off the camper with 80% of our gear loaded into it and then unload the coolers and clothes when we return home.  Took 30 minutes to fully unpack.

We also have gotten to get more nights camping in March and April than we did all year last year!  DW loves the furnace, the ability to keep our home away from home more clean, and to have a potty in the camper for those late night and early morning pit stops.  I like being able to sit in a comfortable seat while I eat at the table or just relax at the end of the day.  The cheapskate in me forces me to use that 'investment' often, so I now am compelled to camp more often, plus it is so much easier to camp.

[wavery]

I take my recreation seriously.  I recently started realizing how much effort it took to go camping, loading the car, setting up the tent, setting up camp, and then everything in the reverse order.  By the time the car was unloaded at the end of the weekend, I was BEAT!

I started thinking about how to minimize the work and maximize the fun and came to the conclusion that if I didn't spend so much time loading and unloading the car, I could spend more time enjoying the great outdoors.  I then started thinking about the reality of setting up camp in the dark and realized that it would be much easier to set up a PU in the dark as compared with setting up a tent.  Last weekend, we took less than an hour to load the coolers and clothes into the car, go to the storage facility (we live in a condo with no garage) and be on the road.  This was our first 'quick getaway'.  We arrived at camp and leisurely set up the PU and had dinner cooking well sooner than we would have if we had the tent.  The process of camping has suddenly become much more relaxing for a longer period of time.  It is so much easier to drop off the camper with 80% of our gear loaded into it and then unload the coolers and clothes when we return home.  Took 30 minutes to fully unpack.

We also have gotten to get more nights camping in March and April than we did all year last year!  DW loves the furnace, the ability to keep our home away from home more clean, and to have a potty in the camper for those late night and early morning pit stops.  I like being able to sit in a comfortable seat while I eat at the table or just relax at the end of the day.  The cheapskate in me forces me to use that 'investment' often, so I now am compelled to camp more often, plus it is so much easier to camp.

Ya....all that stuff too but..................did I mention...............

I CAN PARK IT IN THE GARAGE

 .................... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ........ ...............

[Kay in NC]

most of the reasons posted already.  But I wanted my kids to know what it's like to go on vacation and enjoy family time together, enjoy a campfire, walking in the woods, seeing, smelling and experiencing nature.  These days kids and parents don't know how to "slow down" and LIVE! They now know that you CAN have FUN without electricity!

plus it's cheaper then buying a cabin by the lake