PLEASE help us decide! We're counting on you!

[my4cuties]

We currently own a Starcraft Spacemaster 1999 PopUp.  We enjoy it, except it takes lots of time to set-up and take down each trip.  Our kids are getting bigger (oldest son is already 5'7" at age 13, and we also have a 10 yr old son, and 7 yr old boy/girl twins).  We also travel with an 80 pound yellow Lab named BAILEY!  So, our camper is getting quite cramped!

We're thinking about trading-in the Starcraft and purchasing a 2006 JayFeather... sleeps 8-10.  Only problem is, with a son old enough to get a part-time job next summer, plus other activities the kids are involved in, we wonder if we'll get enough use from it to justify the expense ($200 a month for a LONG time!)... should we trade-in, or do you have other ideas to add space and/or make our PopUp more live-able for 6 people and a Dog?  I saw this cool tent thing  http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2161669&cp=713364... have you ever seen it, and if so, does it work well?  Could THIS be a cheaper solution?

We really love our PopUp (except the set-up/take down hassle), and the space crunch.

PLEASE HELP US MAKE A WISE AND WELL-INFORMED DECISION!  Thanks.

Mark & Laurie, Pennsylvania
4 kids (3 boys ages 13, 10, and 7... and a daughter - twin of 7 yr old son)
Dog: Bailey!
1999 Starcraft Spacemaster

[AustinBoston]

Only you know what is best for you.  The difficulty is in trying to asses what your priorities really are (for us and for you).  Some other ideas:

Drop the trailer altogether, and rent a Class C when you make trips (might make sense if you plan on camping a lot less).

Get a larger pop-up.  Is there a pop-up larger than a Spacemaster?  Don't buy new if $$$ is an issue.

Get your two oldest boys a tent.  Make it their responsibility to work together to set it up, take it down, and keep it in serviceable condition.  Meanwhile, consider simplifying things that take so long to set up & take down with your pop-up.  We often don't set up our screen room, and sometimes don't even bother with the awning.

Learn to live closer together.  We spent two extended periods in our pop-up.  In 2001, we took 8 weeks and travelled over 10,000 miles together.  The kids ages were 17, 15, and 10 at the time.  Three years later, we lived in the pop-up for almost six weeks (that time, it included our dog, a small German Canardly) between when we sold our house in Massachusetts and when we finally closed on our house in Minnesota.  Imagine trying to register a 13 YO for middle school when you can't prove you live anywhere..."yes, we are going to buy this house, yes I know the PA has been ammended nine times."...then he has to use the dinette for homework.  If you really want to, you can make it work.

It may be cramped, but my bet (without having met you) is that you can live with that pop-up for a few more seasons, then decide what you want to do.

Austin

[kwatson51]

Here's my $.02...
You have a large PU already. If it were me, I'd...
1. Keep the PU..save the $$...the kids will need the money for college
2. Put the older boys (and dog) in the tent you found (that's a nice one)
3. Get more organized...assign set-up/take-down duties to each child, and hold 'em to it. That should lessen the set-up/take-down time. Use a check-list.

My wife and I can be set up in 20 minutes if we try, maybe less. We usually take our time though -- after all, we're on vacation!

[Old Goat]

Wife and I are both retired. She is 69 and I am 75.. In our years of popup camping we have developed an organized system for setting up and popping down our Coleman Niagara. It takes us about thirty minutes each time..No problems and the exercise helps to keep us young and fit.....

[Shawsee]

Another thing to take into consideration is that when your kids start getting "older" in their mid teens, camping for them is no loger "COOL".  Seems like when our son reached 15 he wasn't the slightest bit interested in camping because of his other interests like sports, girls, and his buddies. Our two daughters are 15 &13 now and its turning into the same ordeal with them. They would much rather stay home with Grandma while the wife and I go camping. Seems like the internet and the phone overrule camping for them.

I am just glad I don't have a lot of money invested in the pop-up because things are changing every day as our kids get older. Something to really think about.

[AustinBoston]

Another thing to take into consideration is that when your kids start getting "older" in their mid teens, camping for them is no loger "COOL".  Seems like when our son reached 15 he wasn't the slightest bit interested in camping because of his other interests like sports, girls, and his buddies. Our two daughters are 15 &13 now and its turning into the same ordeal with them. They would much rather stay home with Grandma while the wife and I go camping. Seems like the internet and the phone overrule camping for them.

I am just glad I don't have a lot of money invested in the pop-up because things are changing every day as our kids get older. Something to really think about.

I found exactly the opposite to be the case.  My girls are now 22 and 20, and both are more into camping now than when they were younger.  My son, at 16, is disappointed, sometimes deeply so, when Band or other interests interfere with potential camping.  Our oldest, now married and pregnant, is already planning on a bigger tent so they can take their baby camping.  If she was given a chance for her and her husband to go camping with us, she would jump at it.  Our second DD has joined us on camping trips with her [then boyfriend, now] fiancee.  It's something they want to do, and have always wanted to do.

We make it interesting by always camping somewhere different, and by seeing things or doing things they can't see or do at home.  If all you do is hang around the same campground (certanly a worthy reason to go camping), expect your teens to loose interest...unless they know they will see that girl that was there last weekend...

We have a tendency to gravitate towards nature and history, but what I'm going to describe works with any broad area of interest.  We have tried to keep them thinking.  It's not unusual for me to ask questions like "What's different about the trees here?" or "When this village was being settled, what was going on in Mystic?"  Or I'll just make observations.  "Did you see these flowers?  I've never seen anything like them before." or "This old mill uses a turbine.  You can see how the water comes down the shute first, then strikes the turbine.  Turbines replaced water wheels because they were more efficient.  It was one of the driving forces behind the industrial revolution."  PJay has tried to engage them in similar ways.  

She has also sought their ideas and opinions about destinations, and made them a part of the process, giving them some ownership (and therefore more enjoyment and satisfaction in the actual event).

Another way to make things interesting is to hook into local culture.  Everywhere we have been, there is music, food, or period clothing that is different from what we have seen elsewhere.  Our oldest was often seen buying a bonnet, hat, or some other small article of clothing for a souvenier.

Even if you take my advice, they may loose interest.  Every kid is different.  If you don't start early enough, it can be difficult or impossible to change their thinking later on.  Beyond what I have said, I don't know what we have done that is different form others.  

Ausitn

[wynot]

We're thinking about trading-in the Starcraft and purchasing a 2006 JayFeather... sleeps 8-10. Only problem is, with a son old enough to get a part-time job next summer, plus other activities the kids are involved in, we wonder if we'll get enough use from it to justify the expense ($200 a month for a LONG time!)... should we trade-in, or do you have other ideas to add space and/or make our PopUp more live-able for 6 people and a Dog? I saw this cool tent thing http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2161669&cp=713364... have you ever seen it, and if so, does it work well? Could THIS be a cheaper solution?
 

I used to sell JayFeathers (among a lot of other campers), depending on what model you're talking about, I would be curious to see any of them actually sleep 8-10 people.  I'm assuming you are either in a 29 or 31 ft model.
 
Just as a general note, because they are relatively light for the size, I used to see a fair number of them back for problems (lightweight materials tend to not hold up quite as well).
 
That said, only you can decide if the convenience is worth the inconvenience - if you trade a popup for ease of setup & leaving, you then buy a wall rolling down the road behind you, get less fuel mileage, aren't as manueverable, and might eliminate some campgrounds that can only accomodate smaller units.
 
Would you be buying in PA?

[danjo67]

When we were thinking of switching from a PU to a TT, I did read a lot on the web about people not being happy with those ultralite campers.  If towing is a concern, I would upgrade to a larger pop up also.

[my4cuties]

I think we're going to stay with the PopUp, and get a tent to add extra sleeping space outside when weather permits.  My husband and I just can't see taking on an extra $200 a month payment for several years, especially since we don't know how often we'll realistically get to go with the kids getting older and into more activities.  We know that work schedules can be fit around camping trips, but we're also involved in sports and other activities, and we don't want the guilt (or feeling of buyer's remorse) if we purchase a new TT, only to not use it enough to make it worth it!  I also suggested to my husband that if we, as a family, have a short weekend or overnight coming up that doesn't make sense to spend the Assemble/disassemble time of the PopUp, that we call ahead to check on Cabin and/or Camping Trailer availability so we can still "camp", just not bother with our PopUp.  The extra $$ we'd spend occasionally wouldn't be as much as paying for a new TT over time!!

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR INPUT!!  Once my dh gets home from the UK (hopefully this afternoon), we'll make our final decision, but from our cryptic phone conversations this week, this seems like the best way to go (I suggested spending some of that extra $$ on getting someone to cut our lawn each week so we have more free time to camp!!!!)

[yooper81]

We currently own a Starcraft Spacemaster 1999 PopUp.  We enjoy it, except it takes lots of time to set-up and take down each trip.  Our kids are getting bigger (oldest son is already 5'7" at age 13, and we also have a 10 yr old son, and 7 yr old boy/girl twins).  We also travel with an 80 pound yellow Lab named BAILEY!  So, our camper is getting quite cramped!

We're thinking about trading-in the Starcraft and purchasing a 2006 JayFeather... sleeps 8-10.  

We are in the same position. Three kids, oldest 14 (soon to be 15) and now 5'11". Also DD age 11 and DS age 9. We currently have the Jayco Qwest 8ft PU 2004. The smallest they made that year. Of course the kids have all grown, etc. Our PU claims to sleep 6, but I don't know how that would be possible, even w/counting kids!  We looked at TT, but found that the sleeping spaces are actually tighter overall for a family of five. We have allowed our kids to take turns bringing a friend, and the one w/friend stays in a tent we set up on our campsite. We also are going to sell our current PU and look at getting a larger one.

DTB

[badabing67]

we did the same thing, we went from a 99 coleman timberlake to an 01 terry 30ft. bunkhouse tt and as earlier stated by wynot you end up with a wall behind you and lower (8-9) mpg. then we found we couldn't get into some of the places we really enjoy, can't use it in the woods with no hookups not enough windows to open to get a breeze. so after all of that now we are back to an 06 fleetwood niagra and love it.

[Kelly]

(I suggested spending some of that extra $$ on getting someone to cut our lawn each week so we have more free time to camp!!!!)

Excellent Idea!!