re: Towable camper owners.... Not the OT millionaire glampers

My parents bought a pop up in the late '70s and we went to the Smokey Mountains. We did Gatlinburg, Look out Mountain and Cumberland Mountain but nearly crashed the car with Dad riding the brakes on the way down. On the way we camped somewhere in Alabama and my brother was almost killed by a cable that came crashing down. I don't remember the area but apparently they had a cable car set up and it hit his right shoulder. Funny now but was scared at the time.

We used the pop up to go to Jellowstone near Hammond and some place up towards MS.

We also did Percy Quinn a few times before it say for awhile.

It sat in the driveway for awhile and Dad sold it.

Last year, I bought a little enclosed trailer that was about 75% converted to a camper, for $5,000. I think it’s a 7x14 tandem axle. Spent roughly another $1,500 completing the conversion. I love it. It’s not overly fancy, but I’m not paying a note on it either. I use it as a mobile hunting camp and spent a total of about a month in it last season. I previously owned a 26ft toy hauler, and definitely prefer this one over the bigger one. Especially when it’s not being used, it’s small enough that it’s not in the way when parked behind the house.

Last season I pulled it 2-4 hours from the house for my trips. This season I plan to pull it 12-13 hours to Missouri for a 2 week hunting trip. If you get one, go with a tandem axle. I’ve heard the single axles will sway over about 70mph.

south Louisiana is unfortunately not the best place to be a camper

I rent one every so often, would never buy one.

We have a small square-drop camper that we bought after 20yrs of tent camping. Bought it used about 2 years ago.

Use it 4-6 times a year so far. Just returned from a 6+ week trip to Utah hitting the big 5 National Parks.

Hope to keep it 3-5 years then move up to something bigger (Class B maybe) as we get older (early 60s now).

Had a popup, then a 25' and now a 37'. Used to be a tent camper but then kids came along. We would go about 5 - 6 timers per year anywhere from 50 to 300 miles away. I have also lived in them a couple of times when we had to move across country. I live in one now Mon - Fri and travel home on the weekends, one more year to go and then retirement.

The one I’m moose likely to buy is a full toy hauler with two bath rooms and a clamper but that’s because I’m going full time and working out of it.

We bought a 5th wheel in 2017 when my kids were 8 and 6. We figured our time/money would be better spent camping with them multiple times a yr vs wasting our money at Disney once every other yr. We have met other families that we still camp with today. We mainly stay on the I-10 corridor or south of I-20 due to pulling it with my 2500 gasser.

Our first 5-6yrs, we used it 6-12 trips a year. When not using it, it's plugged in with AC's set at 80 and its under a pole barn. Now that my kids are in high school, we use it more for travel ball than camping trips. It's paid for but I can see us selling it in the next few yrs.

That said, I'd do it all over again. Some of the best memories we have were made on these trips. Both my kids first solo bike rides were accomplished while camping. After every trip on the ride home, we would keep a journal and have the kids tell us what their favorite/least favorite parts of the trip. I love going back and reading those journal entries.

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Honestly, how often do you use your camper?

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However much you are finding your way to nights in the woods now is the same amount you'll find yourself doing it after the brief honeymoon phase... unless you're committed to a new pattern that will work with with/family.