Author Topic: Camping (not camper) trailer  (Read 11895 times)

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Offline chisel

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Re: Camping (not camper) trailer
« Reply #25 on: August 07, 2016, 10:30:52 PM »
I've actually had 2 mates sell their campers and go back to tent camping.. the speed of setting up some soft floors is no quicker than setting up a tent and the garbo that goes with it.. thus why both have gone back, and its also cheaper..
I've gone back to tents, but for multiple reasons.  The camper is good but has a bunch of hidden time-wasters such as the time to find a level site and the correct orientation, the time to pack up the canvas (soft floor) and tonneau which is significant.  The awning is time consuming too but so is a tarp for when we are tenting so no real winner there.  The rest is pretty close to even.

The camper costs more to get to Moreton, Fraser and Stradbroke Islands which is where we mainly go.  It also restricts access to some difficult spots when beach camping ... and creates concern about bogging or getting stuck in a dead end.

I would love a camper if it was (a) lightweight, (b) had a hard floor, (c) was able to sleep 3 kids easily without additional tent sections, (d) was inexpensive.  Camprite kind of fits the bill ok but they are just way too expensive to own and have depreciating in the garage for 11 months of the year.  Cost per camping trip would be astronomical.

For the OP - I basically like your idea, and have thought about doing similar myself, but one question ... are you planning on sleeping directly on those quick-fold stretchers?  As soon as you have mattresses to roll up the time starts to balloon a bit especially when the sleeping bag time is added to that. 

Offline Alan Loy

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Re: Camping (not camper) trailer
« Reply #26 on: August 08, 2016, 07:19:22 AM »
As soon as you have mattresses to roll up the time starts to balloon a bit especially when the sleeping bag time is added to that.

I've wondered if using self inflating mats and sleeping bags rolled up together like a swag would save time?

Offline Alan Loy

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Re: Camping (not camper) trailer
« Reply #27 on: August 08, 2016, 07:49:20 AM »
Just thinking through what we have had.  We moved from a trailer to carry our stuff, to squeezing it into the 4wd (hard with 2 kids easy when it's just us) to a rearfold soft floor Outback Canning.

The trailer & 4wd setups took ages as everything had to come out, your camping trailer design removes the kitchen part of this.

Our camper trailer removes the need to set up our bed but would still need the kid's setup

The tent needs folding out and 3 poles inserted, probably as quick as any tent

Our awning is a sail track and 3 poles, probably as quick as what you're planning

Overall I doubt you will set up much quicker than we do but note our camper is an old style without the large tent areas and other stuff that comes with many modern designs.  I think the rear fold design is a bit easier than side fold ???

We bought ours 2nd hand for $6500  which includes a high quality trailer, tent, awning, kitchen, bed etc I suspect a camping trailer with the same stuff would be no cheaper.

The most important question is which suites the way you camp and that is of course a personal decision

Offline Onion

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Re: Camping (not camper) trailer
« Reply #28 on: August 13, 2016, 03:15:30 PM »
Thanks everyone for the thoughts. Anyone have any idea about size for framing timber?
Trackabout owner.

Offline GeoffA

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Re: Camping (not camper) trailer
« Reply #29 on: December 01, 2019, 07:11:24 AM »
......
Am I crazy? Should I just suck it up and buy a camper trailer?
......

Thread dig...

How did this end up?
I suppose your sig line answers that.

Did you have a go at building your own?

 :cheers:
« Last Edit: December 01, 2019, 07:27:27 AM by GeoffA »
Geoff and Kay

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