Why aren't there more Pop-up trailers here?

[oliverlove]

Hey y'all! Like many before me I have browsed the chronicles of EXPO for hours and while building m very own M416 trailer with a RTT on top was told by the boss(wife) that it wasn't going to be big enough. I have since been looking for the elusive off-road packaged pop-ups and am finding very little info on them. I turned to expo and am finding even less.

What gives?

 

[OCD Overland]

Mostly because they're big and expensive and there aren't too many companies making rugged pop ups.

Search for VMI and Kimberley. Both companies make a great pop up and there are several owners of each here.

 

[Throc]

I was in the same boat. Having 2 young kids, the wife wasn't going to allow me a nice AT Horizon so I pushed for an "offroad" popup instead. I searched for several months before finding one that fit the bill. Picked up a 2006 Jayco Baja 10C a couple of weeks ago. It's not my first color choice but it's in really good shape and the price was right. It also pulls well behind the new JKUR so I'm a happy camper for now.

 

[oliverlove]

Thats exactly what I am talking about!

I also found this guy online that looks similar but doesn't have the big cargo deck.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2015-Ba...0b937fd4:g:36UAAOSwx-9WyN7~&item=141928136660

 

[btate]

I bought one of the Fleetwood EVO1 trailers, it is light off road capable (metal vs fiberglass sides, and lifted)

We used it a few times, but I sold it recently to fund other projects. It might be worth looking into a used one

 

[Buddha.]

I saw a few little pop-ups at a dealer yesterday, last years unsold models for about 5k. Really got the gears turning...

 

[Throc]

A quick search in your area turned up these two on craigslist:

http://elpaso.craigslist.org/rvs/5468275003.html

http://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/rvs/5466655921.html

 

[yj-hank]

Here is my 1985 Coleman Colorado. Sleeps 3 plus carries all our gear. Best of all it only weighs 550 lbs.

Hank

 

[emtmark]

I'm in the same boat. Just needs a place to sleep me mine and the two boys. It's hard finding something that will take the abuse. I was tossing around an idea of putting a smaller pop up on a trailer transversely. Pop out to the sides... Dreams...


ETA:

Livin lite?

Sort of like this but less cargo and narrower, maybe a 5' "porch" single axle

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[jscusmcvet]

From my experience, it all depends on how you are going to use it. Standard pop ups (we have a 2005 Rockwood pop up) are excellent for campground camping. They are also usable on dirt/gravel roads and field/festival type camping. Benefits are relatively light weight, easy to tow, tons of room when popped up and a nice airy feel that you don't get in other style trailers. Drawbacks are that they are not very durable, cheap frames, etc... and they do not take kindly to off camber camping locations. The RV manufacturer off road pop ups address the frame issue, which adds weight but is needed. You are still a gravel/dirt road camper, not trails. The one standard manufacturer out there that might address some of this is livin lite with some of their models, such as the one that is Jeep branded. It is pricey, but made for how we desire to use it.

My wife is tired of our pop up. The work of set up, take down, etc... and dealing with wet canvas. We actually have looked at several alternatives, but have not come up with the right blend, so for at least this season we'll be in our pop up or in our little utility trailer/truck tent mash up.

John

 

[silvrzuki77]

Here is mine from our trip this last week.

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[Jeepinaaron]

Fleetwood Neon

I too saw the need for a pop-up camper for my adventure travels. I ended up buying a modified Fleetwood Neon from a fellow ExPo member. It was not without its issues, the suspension for one needed to be reworked. I took it to my fabrication guy and had him look it over, he said he felt the frame was stout enough for my goals. He redesigned the tongue and extended it, upgraded the suspension with better springs and shocks. It sits on 32" tires. I have came across some small issues through my abuse of it but have easily rectified the issues.

Here we are in Moab going through a tippy wash trying to get to our campsite.





Here it is deployed:



Here is an example of a benefit. Plenty of room inside, turn on the heat and relax.

 

[Trailerparksuperstar]

what I have now: Fleetwood Evolution E1

what I would love to have----v

http://www.vmioffroad.com/products/xtender-adventure-offroad-trailers/xtender-compass.html

 

[OGL]

My 2 cents:

When I was young and single I could take everything I needed for an extended trip in my Suburban and still sleep in the back.

When my wife and I were still young and crazy we could stuff the VW Jetta to the tippy top and get cozy in a 2 man tent.

Now we have 2 kids and a dog and the family truckster is a Subaru Forester. The Foz is slightly modified with skid plates and 1" lift. Primarily for the better springs. We have a popup that is slightly modified with better axle/wheels/tires and ground clearance. I stiffened the frame some but still...

We LOVE the popup. But set up and take down is BY FAR the biggest negative. And at least twice every season I go around the interior and replace and reinforce miscellaneous screws and brackets that have popped. But it's a 1985 Starcraft which I got for a song so I'm more than happy that we got our money's worth.

FTR we've traveled at least 10k mile in it the first year we had it. The most extreme location was Tuweep campground on the the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I would confidently do that again and perhaps even further explore that region with this combo.

I have an idea that an old gutted Scamp would be my ideal next trailer. We don't need the shower/toilet deal. Weight is good for our needs. Setup would be minimal and would provide more than enough shelter. Also we could carry more in the trailer than the car which could provide more recreational opportunities.

 

[Bushcoat]

I won't sleep in a pop up anymore. I always roll to the outside and it always seems to rain, so I wake up wet and cold. Not to mention, I'm scared a bear will rip through the canvas and eat me.