Family of four, wait five. Looking for the (as close to) ideal camping setup.

[Gravet and Family]

We just found out we'll be having another child in about 8 months (super excited!). All is good, except trying to figure out logistics for getting away and off the beaten path. My kids are 2, 4 and then the new one coming soon. We love to camp and go as much as the midwest allows. We are spoiled with a large pop-up camper that we love, but restricts us from doing long trips out west or anywhere off the beaten path. It's just too big and heavy to tow a long way or get to a non-camp ground type site. With the addition of another kid, it makes flying anywhere that much harder (and pricier) therefore we plan on doing more and longer road trips. And this popup, while nice, is just tough to pull long distances (say 200 plus miles). So I come looking for advise from the family man or woman with a bunch of kids, but still hitting the outdoors. Our vacation vehicle is Sequoia but we are open to ditching it for something else.

Here are a few options I've though about:

Ditch the popup and start tent camping
Pros:
Plenty of room as we can get a large tent
No issues towing anything which means we can go "anywhere"
Cons:
Really eats up the space in the vehicle
lack of creature comforts (we have been spoiled by the comfortable mattress, heat and other amenities that come along with a popup

Admittingly, this is my least favorite idea.

Buy a camper van (selling the sequoia)
Pros:
Customize to our needs

Cons:
Pricey
With 5 people, it will be tight sleeping

This would make traveling fun as we'd have plenty of room to move around, but I'm concerned with sleeping and not being all over each other. I'm guessing a ground tent would be involved.

Sell the popup and buy a smaller one?

Truck camper?


Any thoughts and ideas are welcome. Thanks, folks.

 

[EMrider]

For both function and economics, I would opt for getting a smaller and more off road worthy popup trailer.

That would enable you to keep the Sequoia, and still retain some of the creature comforts you enjoy, and need with kids.

A camper van like the SMB is great for 1-2 people. I have three kids and IMHO it is WAY too cramped with 5 people and minimal gear. We use ours for travel and sleep and in tents once we reach camp. An SMB with an off road trailer would be an ideal family camping setup, albeit quite an expensive one too.

Good luck
R

 

[calicamper]

I have a sequoia. Keep it and get smarter about the popup. Most trailers dont like dirt roads to start with. But 3 kids setup and pack to go time becomes a big factor if you even go to start with. #1 fast pack to go, and fast set up ='s higher chance you'll still go camping.

Pop up with an added bunk bed cot or something along those lines addresses the sleeping challenge. A pop up with an upgraded suspension probably does wonders for the trailer and towability. There is primitive campground camping off dirt roads then there is trail bashing camping two different things. Your current rig with some suspension upgrades to the trailer would easily do primitive camping.

 

[thefishhawk]

I'm curious what exactly is this popup camper that's hard to tow 200 miles with a Sequoia? I also have a popup and something isn't making sense to me there. You've got the towing capacity of a light duty truck, it should pull anything short of a large travel trailer.

My popup is pre the "jacked-up-off-road ones" but something very simple you can do to add some clearance is to flip the axle. Taking it from over the leaf springs to under gains you 4-5" for nothing. I agree with calicamper there, some simple mods to the popup should get you anywhere you'd want to go. I hate campgrounds so primitive camping is all I do.

Your wife, especially with the kids, is going to be way happier with some of the creature comforts the popup provides vs going the tent route. You want everyone to be comfortable. The only downside to a popup in my experience is it's great for basecamping, but it gets to be a bit of a hassle road-tripping. Setting up and taking down everyday. But it's still easier having everything together vs. a ton of lose car camping gear, especially since your kids aren't going to be much help for a few years. You are going to want to keep it simple, then when the kids get bigger you can get more adventurous.

 

[Gravet and Family]

Yeah, I think I've come to the conclusion that a popup is my best option, which I'm happy with as I love the things. We currently own a 2004 Bayside. The Sequoia has no issue hauling it, but it's really going to wear me out driving 2000+ miles when we want go explore the west. I'm guessing the gross weight is near 3500 lbs and it's a very long popup. I'm thinking finding something a little more compact and lighter while keeping the comforts will work the best. It would be nice to drop 700-800 lbs and 2 feet.

 

[rcintx]

Congrats on the new arrival!

I am a family of 4 myself with a 5yo and 8mo. We also just bought a pop up. After tent camping with the wife and 5yo (when he was 3 and 4), I can't imagine going back to that. Of course, we haven't used the pop up yet. How does your family sleep in the pop up? I am especially thinking about my 8 month old. Do you just sleep in bed with the little ones?

 

[Butch1979]

We used a small pack and play in the front of our Sprinter van for the first few years. I think the best point made yet is the ability to quickly get on the road (setup and tear down). We had a homebuilt off-road camper that was a HUGE pain to setup. It took the fun out of it.

Having the camper pre-packed and ready to roll should help ease some of that stress. Good luck and congrats!

 

[calicamper]

Yeah, I think I've come to the conclusion that a popup is my best option, which I'm happy with as I love the things. We currently own a 2004 Bayside. The Sequoia has no issue hauling it, but it's really going to wear me out driving 2000+ miles when we want go explore the west. I'm guessing the gross weight is near 3500 lbs and it's a very long popup. I'm thinking finding something a little more compact and lighter while keeping the comforts will work the best. It would be nice to drop 700-800 lbs and 2 feet.

Three kids vs miles ='s time or lots of night time driving. I have two kids and a grand parent about 1/2 the time so were kinda in the same boat. When were 5 butts in seats we use the Sequoia. When were just 4 we use the Subaru. Our trailer is the original Lifetime Tent trailer. My biggest issue is set up and tear down time. We pack all our gear in bins on the trailer that adds time to the set up and tear down. If I could do it different I would go R-pod bunk bed lay out with exterior rear kitchen. Set up time would be 10-15 minutes max same for tear down. Towing is towing as long as its under 4000lbs it doesnt matter if the rig is 1500lbs or 3500lbs its still a trailer rig and you drive it as such with the sequoia. Having said that!!! My Subaru and trailer combined are just shy of 24ft long which case we can fit into tight spots. The Sequoia and that trailer no dice were long. Trailer is 12ft tail lights to hitch. We ran 15mpg on last summers big Eastern Sierras trip 5 people, gear and trailer. The subaru we used on 4 trips last summer coastal trips 4 people and gear 18-21mpg. Bikes on roof we do 18mpg. No bikes just trailer we do 21mpg.

 

[Gravet and Family]

Congrats on the new arrival!

I am a family of 4 myself with a 5yo and 8mo. We also just bought a pop up. After tent camping with the wife and 5yo (when he was 3 and 4), I can't imagine going back to that. Of course, we haven't used the pop up yet. How does your family sleep in the pop up? I am especially thinking about my 8 month old. Do you just sleep in bed with the little ones?

Congrats on the new purchase! We've done about a dozen camping trips with our little ones in the popup and have a blast. Currently, we split up kids. One is sleeping with Mommy and one is sleeping with Daddy. The beds are huge when considering you are camping in a "tent" so we all typically sleep good. Once the new one comes along we'll start giving my oldest (she'll be 4 in june) the option to sleep on the twin bed dinette.

We used a small pack and play in the front of our Sprinter van for the first few years. I think the best point made yet is the ability to quickly get on the road (setup and tear down). We had a homebuilt off-road camper that was a HUGE pain to setup. It took the fun out of it.

Having the camper pre-packed and ready to roll should help ease some of that stress. Good luck and congrats!

Agreed. Our popup sits ready to roll. We bought everything we need and just leave it all packed away nicely in the camper rather than bringing stuff in the house after trips.

Three kids vs miles ='s time or lots of night time driving. I have two kids and a grand parent about 1/2 the time so were kinda in the same boat. When were 5 butts in seats we use the Sequoia. When were just 4 we use the Subaru. Our trailer is the original Lifetime Tent trailer. My biggest issue is set up and tear down time. We pack all our gear in bins on the trailer that adds time to the set up and tear down. If I could do it different I would go R-pod bunk bed lay out with exterior rear kitchen. Set up time would be 10-15 minutes max same for tear down. Towing is towing as long as its under 4000lbs it doesnt matter if the rig is 1500lbs or 3500lbs its still a trailer rig and you drive it as such with the sequoia. Having said that!!! My Subaru and trailer combined are just shy of 24ft long which case we can fit into tight spots. The Sequoia and that trailer no dice were long. Trailer is 12ft tail lights to hitch. We ran 15mpg on last summers big Eastern Sierras trip 5 people, gear and trailer. The subaru we used on 4 trips last summer coastal trips 4 people and gear 18-21mpg. Bikes on roof we do 18mpg. No bikes just trailer we do 21mpg.

15 mpg isn't too bad! As you know, once we load the truck with all the stuff required by 5 people for a week, it gets heavy. I'm thinking that 700lb loss will help with that. I also want a POPUP without a slid out. As you guys have said, more setup time = more trouble. The slid out is something we don't love or need.

 

[JJEH]

Our vacation vehicle is Sequoia but we are open to ditching it for something else.

[...]


Any thoughts and ideas are welcome. Thanks, folks.

We have a large Rightline Gear tent (they don't sell it anymore) with 2 rooms for the kids and we sleep in our SUV. We also have a Rightline Gear sport 3 roof top carrier for our equipment. It's somewhat tight in the vehicle but we make it work. If you have a trailer hitch you can also add a cargo rack.

I now want to add a roof tent to our truck so that we adults don't have to sleep in the vehicle anymore. Plus we can utilize the bed for all of our equipment. And the SUV can stay home. I would post links but it doesn't let me.

 

[thefishhawk]

Honestly, I think you have a great setup with the basics covered for the family. Not sure what if anything you have to gain changing it up when it comes right down to it. I think you might be underestimating what you can do with it. Plus, it's more versatile than a couple of your other options since you can unhook and explore if you need to. Kids take up a lot of extra room, with the trailer and SUV you'll have it covered.

Mine is of the coleman/fleetwood variety too and it's been from Arizona to Montana, Idaho to Iowa with thousands of miles on dirt roads in between. Just go for it.

 

[calicamper]

I have a huge Kelty screened porch tent also. I found in more remote locations here in the west, you either end up pitched on the parking pad or you need your own D9 dozer to scrape a flat spot big enough for the tent. LOL. Great tent but dang its tough to find a big flat spot for it.

 

[Gravet and Family]

Just talked to the Wife. Game on for a smaller pop up and I am pumped. Goal is same amenities as the bayside, just smaller. Heater, AC, indoor cooking and hot water heater. We found the HWH to be a blessing with the young kids. After a day of playing, throwing them in a rubbermaid full of warm soapy water in front of the camp fire was not only fun, but a good prep for sleep. I also enjoyed a good warm shower every night.

Going to the RV show next week to figure out which one we want.

 

[rcintx]

We have a Rockwood 2280. All the amenities plus indoor and outdoor shower that you mentioned. I believe dry weight is just shy of 2000 lbs. Seems to pull easy enough. We will see after putting another 1000lbs of people and gear in the truck.

 

[rcharrette]

Your set up, a Sequoia with a 3500LB trailer really is nothing to tow. You just need to get comfortable with it. We have a Land Rover LR3 and tow a 5000+LBS travel Trailer all over the place. We base out of Colorado and tow to California, Idaho and Utah regularly. Our Camper is 27' long and here in Colorado (and Utah) we can dispersed camp anywhere we want with no other campers in sight (or at least far away). Although we can not drag our camper on extended 4X4 adventures we can use it as a "base camp" for whatever we want to do. That's our consolation to keep the family happy and it works great for us.
Good luck and have fun!
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