This may help me understand some of you better.

[spicyville1]

We use our awning all the time. Just makes it easier in Texas to keep the sun of of you when you can. It is not too much trouble even though it is a 14ft awning. Have the buckets with concrete in them for the poles so it does make it easier.

I will tent camp every once in a while then when done wished we would have brought the pup.

Dry camp when we can. The DW does not like to very much though

[wavery]

Putting up our awning used to be a pain. Making it stay put used to be a bigger pain (tie downs and weighted buckets). We cured that with a new awning that attaches directly to the PU instead of sitting on the ground. It sets up much easier and will take more wind without becoming airborne.

Enclosures haven't been an issue with us because we camp in SoCal where bugs really aren't an issue in most areas.

We don't have any issues with dry camping. The trick (for us) is having the proper equipment to dry camp without giving up comforts (big battery bank, inverter, generator). We would dry camp without this stuff but it does make it more pleasurable for us.

If you have the ability to dry camp comfortably, it opens up a lot more places to camp. We save enough money, by staying at more reasonably priced (and more desirable) CG, to pay for the extra equipment.

We both grew up dry camping in very remote places. Even hiking and horse packing back into remote lakes etc. I think those opportunities aren't as available as they used to be and that type of camping doesn't appeal to us any more. As we get older we appreciate more our own bed, comfortable dining area, electric lights, running water, heat & AC etc. We just don't like limiting our camping to CG with plug-ins.

[Hargus]

Another good post cajuncamper.

We alway put up our awning for trips for 2 or more days. We also attach our add-a-room for longer trips. I enjoy being able to still be outside if it rains and not be stuck in the camper. Our add-a-room allows us to do meal prep work outside without the bugs (mostly). My pu has a 12' box so the awning is a pretty good size. We we were buying our pu that was one of the selling points when the owner was going to include it. I didn't tell him that though.
My dw and I tent camped for many years before we got the pu.
We enjoy our hookups when we camp because that keeps all parties involved happy for the trip. We're not big on electrical gadgets but you will find a coffee maker as well as a toaster in our camper.

[flyfisherman]

I'm an old tenter from way back. In fact, still carry a tent with me when we're out. There are a few federal and state campgrounds around that only allow tents; and they happen to be right next to or very close to some good fishing areas. One of my very favorite things I still like to do is load the tent and some gear aboard the canoe and just meander along, fishing as I go, stopping off here & there. Carry the frying pan along, too, even if it's only for a day trip. Nothing like a freah caught fish dinner along the bank of a river. Admittedly we only do this when the weather is at it's best and the tent stays are usually only overnighters. - And not so far that we could'nt really dig in the paddles and get back the same day to where we have the popup set-up downriver if need be.

Unless I'm setting up for just an enroute quickie overnighter, or if the wind is blowing strong, won't put up the awning. Although my PU came with only one stove, one of those "indoor/outdoor" jobs, I leave the thing inside all the time. Then I have a two burner Coleman (L/P) stove, which I take along when tenting, and I set that stove up under the awning (right by the PU door). Do the vast majority of cooking outside and only make the morning coffee on the inside stove, or maybe to heat water or soup.

Not only do I set-up the awning, but also have gone the route of covering the entire PU with one of those large plastic tarps. Even though it looks like red neck villa when you come to see me, but that tarp vastly enlarges the awning covered area, plus keeps the bird poop and the pine sap off the camper canvas!

Another thing I started to do this season, which I only heard about awhile back (and seems to be working so far), is that I spray the campsite under the awning/tarp area (and inside the camper) with Listerine mouthwash using a spritz bottle. There were some skeeters out and about, plus those little gnat flies, but the Listerine kept them at bay. True, if you were to have come over to visit you'd have thought I was practicing extreme oral hygiene! But we had zero problems ... will be giving this a further test as we  progress along this season.

One other thing about the tent (that I forgot to mention), is a lot of places I'll also pitch the tent along with the PU to use as a storage shed ... keeping stuff out of sight while away from the site.




Fly

[cjpoppin]

Well first off I have tent camped since childhood and so did my husband and his family.  I was a girl scout leader for almost ten years so I've slept on the ground and hiked and cooked over the open fire, etc.  As for the awning and screen porch my husband sets them up in a jiffy.........With a little help from me......

We added some velcro on the screen part and on the pup so it makes a tight fit next to the trailer making it harder for the bugs to get inside.  It does help when the bee's,flies,etc...are out in full force.
We are starting to think about getting a TT now it's starting to get harder for my husband to set up and take down the pup.  Plus we want to have the beds made and ready for a rest stop nap when we pull off the road.  Things we never had to do before.  We'll keep the pup for those times when we just need a close to nature camping trip.





















 :-()  :-()  :-()  :-()

[A2SuperCrew]

We also tent camped for years and loved it!  To us, the PUP is a tent on wheels, as well as a single place to keep all our camping gear together.

The awning only goes up if we're staying more than one night, or rain is forecasted.  It only takes a few minutes with my son's help while DW is setting up inside.

At this point in my life, I can't imagine upgrading to a hard sided trailer.  We love sleeping under canvas.  It's one of the best things about being outdoors!

[garym053]

Cool questions!

My wife and I tent camped some as kids. We tent camped once as a couple, then bought a pop-up! Not because we didn't like tent camping, we just could not pass up the deal on a new Jayco Qwest 10 at the time under $3,500.00 from a dealer. We still tent camp several times a year when we go to Acadia Nat'l park and other spots in Maine.

I've never had trouble setting up any tent we've had, nor have I had trouble with or minded setting up the awning and/or screen room on either the Jayco or the Starcraft.

My DW however, who by the way doesn't help with the awning or screen room, thinks they are a PITA! If you can figure THAT one out, please let me know!!!

[2happycampers]

We were tenters for about 28 years and after many rain-outs our "tent" had grown to the tent, tarps to protect the tent and a screen room for a dry shady spot to cook and eat.
Then, on a trip to Cades Cove in 2003 we were having our post set-up beer( after about 45. mins of setting up) and a PUP pulls into the next site. As we watched two women (one of them had never done this before) set this thing up and were cooking in about 20 mins.
That was it! We had to have one. We ordered it and had to wait out two hurricanes but we got it and are loving it. No problems with the awning but it does catch some wind. We are thinking about adding a screen room in the near future or with out next PUP

Great topic