RVing vs. tent camping

[rjenkins]

Tents can be nice, if they're well made, have room to stand up and move around, and a small wood-stove in them. We tented all over the west for years, and really enjoyed it. But we spent about $2,500 on a nice Cabelas outfitter's tent, camp kitchen, porta-potty, wood-stove complete with 5 gallon hot water tank, cots with foam pads on them, lanterns, the works. It was comfortable enough to hold 2 adults and 2 teens. With everyone working together we could break or make camp in less then an hour. We never camped in RV parks, for one thing most of the RV sites weren't wide enough to pitch our tent in! But out in the NF's, we did have some anxious moments with bad weather and animal invasions. Nothing too serious, but I doubt the same situations would even be noticeable in an RV. And I am looking forward to having everything set-up and ready to go upon arrival. Just level the unit, break out the food, go to bed. In a real bed, not a cot or on the ground!

[Guest Caseyj]

Suggest you look at this site for more ideas.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=cargo+trailers+campers&client=firefox-a&hs=Iv1&rls=org.mo

 

Also, don't over look teardrop trailers such as https://www.golittleguy.com/forum

[StarDreamers.us]

So many different opinions- none are right or wrong for everyone. It is interesting that we refuse to let others share their experiences as experiences. As long time campers we have progressed along this pathway of camping. Many from very simple setups to some fairly complex and expensive RV setups. Sometimes I am very thankful for the experience, but I may not want to duplicate it again. Oh to be so young again!

 

Safe Travels!

[Bill/Marg]

After a few years of living fulltime in an RV, because of family, we spent the next 17 years in a stix and brix. The nomad soul of both of us could never be quieted with "stuff" and a big house that holds all our "stuff." Starting on the outside of the house today (we are not neat people) and taking off junk. So many ice chests, camping junk, so much hoarding. We pick up something and think "how can we get rid of this?" I did not hold a garage sale before, I burned things. The little RV is sitting in the driveway. He gets up later than I do, that is my computer time. He goes to bed after reading half the night. I suggested tenting. The soul of that man used to be inside a mountain man high in the Rocky mountains. We have seen Jeremiah Johnson at least 20 times. Wore out one and bought another. Tenting sounded wonderful to him. Cancer 33 years ago and the subsequent radiation left me with a colon rupture and insides that cannot be repaired. Legs, arms, fingers, brain (sometimes), and all the rest still work. Tenting was out though because of the disabilities, but while fulltime living in the RV years ago, we would still take the tent to places we could not go in the RV. One night on the Gila, outside noises kept bothering me. I hit the tent sides to run them off. I spent the rest of the night zipped up to the top of my head in the sleeping bag. Skunks were having a party and did not want to be disturbed. But, we loved tenting. Downsizing now is the problem. So much to get rid of. Lots of camping equipment, tenting equipment, we can still carry in the back of the truck. Sleeping at night to the sound of a roaring stream is the best "white noise" for a man with tinnitus, hard of hearing now because of hunting with a shotgun/rifle in earlier years, and we get lost in this big house. He calls, I answer, too many rooms, too much space. Loved tenting. If I had not loved tenting so much, I would not be RVing soon. Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

[Jimalberta]

I find that each person enjoys what they enjoy and dislike what they themselves dislike. I enjoy the great outdoors...been hunting and fishing for many years. Started dirt biking as a kid....as I got older went to quads and now we have a side by side RZR. That enables us both to see and enjoy the great outdoors in a way that we never could by hiking. We have never enjoyed tenting so we find a nice MH in a boondocking situation is ideal with a 4x4 truck to explore with and the RZR to get even deeper into the outback. We dont find it necessary to sleep out there. We see the outdoors in the daylight and get back to the MH to relax by evening and sleep in a nice warm confortable bed that night. Works for us.

[Kirk W]

I find that each person enjoys what they enjoy and dislike what they themselves dislike. I enjoy the great outdoors..

I too love the out of doors but there are many ways to experience that and each person must find his own best way. For me it has been a process, starting as a kid in old military cast-offs and home made equipment, up through the modern tents and backpacking stuff, horseback travels, off road vehicle travel, a couple of pop-up trailers, and so on up through the class A & fulltime RVing. But age and circumstances change for everyone and sooner or later it begins to take a toll. My backpacking, canoeing, horseback, and tent experiences are probably now all behind me, and most likely fulltime is also, but we still find new ways to experience the big world out there and look forward with great anticipation to each new adventure. Our latest have involved cruise ships and air travel, but we are not about to stop, just moving to something new!

[Retiredin1993]

I had my fill of tents when I was in the army. NOOOOOOOOOO way now, not even for 1 night. There is a place that leaves the lights on for you.

[Mariner]

Started out many, many years ago with lean-tos, then a pup tent, then what I considered a real tent, one you could actually stand up in. Then had a pop up I pulled behind my motorcycle. From there I inherited a 1972 17' Winnie. Now I have a Dutch Star. I've enjoyed all the different ways I've camped. But I will say the motorhome is the most comfortable. I believe it's a progression, when young I could sleep anywhere, or on anything. Now not so much. If I slept on the ground now it would take a few strong men to get me upright again.

[wa_desert_rat]

We are actually shopping for a tent for car camping (well, Jeep camping) in some areas where driving a diesel pusher with the radiator in the back probably is better off staying away from (e.g.: dirt roads). The areas we want to hit are all less than 300 miles and all primitive (or worse). No use driving the motor home since we'll be setting up camp off any motor home-able roads. Not even the off-road RVs would be making some of these camps (due to overhead issues with trees and such as well as off-camber issues where you need a very low CG).

 

We have given up sleeping on the ground (and i keep rolling off those big air mattresses they are selling for camping now). We use good camp cots and self-inflating mattresses with a blue-pad foundation.

 

We have an upper rack for our Jeep Wrangler (a neat trick with a soft top... the supports are the rear bumper and the front door hinges) and will carry the tent up there along with the cots. Outdoor kitchen with a 10x10 pop-up canopy, a couple folding chairs, an LED lantern and my Kindle. And nobody around who didn't get there in a high clearance 4wd vehicle.

 

I might even take my QRP ham rig and an antenna!

 

What's not to like?

 

WDR

[motojavaphil]

Tent camping in the SKP forum, very awesome! I have two tents, one for motorcycle camping and the other for Jeep camping. Respectively they are the Eureka Tempest and the Hobbitat Four Man with the garage. Sleeping arrangements are a pad and sleeping bag for the Tempest and cots for the Hobbitat. I will be 67 this August and yes I feel everyone of those years especially in the Eureka. That said I was in the Scouts, retired from the Army and it is what I have always done. Camping by a stream under some pines and listening to night sounds has always been a calling for me. Sometimes I get stinky, unshaven and sore but it washes off and to be honest I have seen worse from some folks who were in RV's. I also enjoy the RV and never complain about the soft bed, shower or toilet. There is a time for all things and as long as I have health it will be what I do. If you can no longer tent camp it is OK as you have the memories to share around the campfire.

[Kirk W]

We are actually shopping for a tent for car camping (well, Jeep camping) in some areas where driving a diesel pusher with the radiator in the back probably is better off staying away from (e.g.: dirt roads). The areas we want to hit are all less than 300 miles and all primitive (or worse). No use driving the motor home since we'll be setting up camp off any motor home-able roads. Not even the off-road RVs would be making some of these camps (due to overhead issues with trees and such as well as off-camber issues where you need a very low CG).

I did my first tenting as a young Boy Scout in 1954 and have done some sort of camping most all of my life since then. Even after we bought our first RV (first two were tent-top) we continued to go some places using our tents that even the pop-up could not be taken. I think probably the most memorable tent trip would be when our family and that of another Scouting family spent two weeks traveling on horseback in the Bob Marshal Wilderness of MT while using backpack style equipment to minimize the number of horses needed. As a Scoutmaster and in various other BSA positions I have continued to have an interest in that type of camping, even though I no longer travel by tent.

 

I do enjoy reading reviews of new tents and equipment and rather envy those tenting today with the amazing array of vastly improved equipment available and particularly the light weight and weather durable new tents. But tent travel can be done on a budget or it can be done in a very expensive fashion just as RV travel can be. My former boss is very proud that he takes a camping trip nearly every year, but his are guided trips with a crew and a cook and the only camping work that he has to do is to pack up his own personal equipment. He doesn't even carry any of that! Believe me that he spends far more on his style of tenting trip than we do on our RV travels.

[SpaceNorman]

I've been a backpacker all my life ... hiked all over Banff, Jasper and Yoho in the Canadian Rockies, walked the length of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore several times, hiked Michigan's "Porkies", covered Ontario's Bruce Trail, etc. To me ... that's camping.

 

My wife and I bought our first (and likely only!) RV about two months ago - a 2012 HR Endeavor 43' DFT. It's got all the comforts of home and then some. I won't lie - I struggle whenever somebody asks me where we've camped in the new RV. In my mind, traveling and living out of the RV has very little to do with what I consider camping. To me, camping and RVing are to uniquely different activities. Both very enjoyable - but different experiences.

 

I suspect my backpacking days are pretty much behind me. RVing is definitely where my future is at. However, I'm not ruling out at least a few more nights in a tent when it fits. My two sons and I are planning to ride this year's DALMAC ride (a 350..ish mile bicycle tour) - during which we'll be overnighting in tents which get ferried from overnight spot to overnight spot as by the ride's support staff. There will be other occasions when I'll tent camp again. Heck, we also keep a small backpacking tent, as well as a couple of sleeping pads and bags in the "basement" of the coach - just in case a guest ends up not wanting to drive home after a visit. For the time being - it's for guests ... but hey, as big as my coach is - I could still end up in the doghouse with my DW and find myself out in the "guest house" on occasion. Best to be both flexible and prepared!

[Kinsa]

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread by mentioning that we just completed ten days of tent camping. We did Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier in a tent.

 

Three things that made it tolerable - nay, even enjoyable this time:

 

1. We had fantastic weather. Beautiful. Gorgeous weather.

 

2. We slept on Coleman camping cots/matresses instead of on the ground, or even on an air mattress. What a world of difference!

 

3. We timed the trip so monthly womanly issues wouldn't interfere. :-/

 

We pulled a utility trailer filled with gear. We had the perfect combination of blankets and sleeping bags to stay warm but not hot. We also had a portable canopy for added shade.

 

We had a wonderful time.

[StarDreamers.us]

Tents are great when you are younger. As the hair grays so do the joints weaken. We do prefer the RV now. But whatever makes you happy go for that choice! Great to live in a country where we can still make that choice. Remember our VETS on this 4th of July!

 

Safe Travels!