How long does it take to set up a soft floor - basic setup

[topcat]

It's not the tent, it's all the other crap that we all have to take, that takes the time.

Just back from 10 days of continuous overnighters (Melb to Birdsville and back). After 3 years owning a soft floor, the tent is no problem - now looking at how not to have to unload / load all the other crap - lido cooker, pots / kettle / pan, clothes, etc. Looking at a sliding drawer for all the crap, traveller awning for overnight stays, cooker built into the kitchen bench, 12v power sockets flush mounted next to bed, etc.
You'll get a great soft floor for much less than a great hard floor - I have one!
My 2.2c 
Tony

[Jeepers Creepers]

Ours can take up to 5 or 6 hours to set up

It is very difficult to do too, as i'm often cowering under the CT while Mrs Jeepers stalks around it trying to poke me with a tent pole whilst calling me names.

Its funny too ya know, it will all be going so well until I say, NOT THAT FARKIN POLE, YA DOPEY WOMAN, THE OTHER FRIGGEN POLE.

[ScottT]

It's not the tent, it's all the other crap that we all have to take, that takes the time.

Spot on !

[swanny]

I think the first thing you need to accept is that it takes a little time to set up, when you have accepted it, it will go up faster each time.

I think the key to gettting it set up quicker is a little refinement to the process each time you do it, until you have a process worked out for you and your wife to rip thru it.

Ive just done 7 odd weeks on the road with my 2 kids, 7, and 3, and other swaggers on the cape trip, we had occasions were wouldn't get into camp until late arvo and the race would be on, so you can imagine 8 odd CT going for it.

Don't rush the set up initially take your time and develop a procedure that works, and while it might sound corney to develop a procedure, if you stop and think about it that's what we are doing while setting up.

The other area to refine is what you need for the overnight stop, but also were it is in your CT, I went with minimal gear for an overnighter, sometimes we would compromise on tables and chairs for the kids to a seat for them, maybe bugger all lighting gets set up etc, also for us we wouldn't set up the awning, just to much extra stuffing about for an overnight stop, think about how your CT is set up, have it set up in such a way that you have the overnight stuff at your finger tips, which is really no different to setting up for an extended stay, again this needs to be developed by going camping and seeing what works.

The other thing is get the kids involved if you can, it serves 2 purposes, 1 keeps them busy and gives them a focus, which gets them from under your feet, 2 whilst they maybe little and not able to set up larger items, anything they can do is a help to you and your wife, which helps set up a touch quicker.

You'll be right in any event, have fun.

Swanny

[speewa158]

lts easier to understand the Good Woman when she slows down their talking speed so l can concentrate on each word .
Usually it ends up directing me to a place with short clear instructions on what to do upon arrival . Even l cannot F#$% that up . Though l have come close 

[paceman]

can agree with everyone here in regards to extraneous gear that has to be packed away...

one thing i have found useful (for us, anyways), is making up 'kits' for different parts of the setup:

pvc pipe with screw on ends for annex ropes and pegs, main ropes and pegs, tarp ropes and pegs.

poles with coloured spray paint for different parts of the setup also work wonders.

[scarps]

lts easier to understand the Good Woman when she slows down their talking speed so l can concentrate on each word .
Usually it ends up directing me to a place with short clear instructions on what to do upon arrival . Even l cannot F#$% that up . Though l have come close 

buy Fe a couple of spray cans of builders line marking paint - flouro orange. If you get Fe to spray the ground where the CT is to be placed, you'll be in even less trouble.......maybe

[GUEY]

It's not the tent, it's all the other crap that we all have to take, that takes the time.

This!!!!  The more stuff you don't take the quicker the setup pull down.
Still working out how to leave the kids behind...

[Rodt]

Agree with the extra crap is what takes all the time. I have a cage on top so have to unpack that first and remove, then get all the stuff (chairs, food, BBQ etc) out of the trailer prior to actually rolling the tent out. On saying this though we can basically be sitting down and having a drink in 2 - 3 hours. 

[oldmate]

This!!!!  The more stuff you don't take the quicker the setup pull down.
Still working out how to leave the kids behind...

lol, we just drop ours to the kennel 

[GUEY]

lol, we just drop ours to the kennel 

Yep, I can leave the kids there no worries but then I'm still stuck with the mutts.

[DannyG]

There is a thread with a heap of setup videos in it which will help you see the time and process.

Some tents are a lot easier to set up than others.

The thing I have found is that it doesn't matter if your setting up a 5 minute kmart tent, roof topper, camper trailer or caravan, after 20 or so setups and pack ups in the one holiday your just about over it doing it regardless how long it takes

Most camper trailer tents as you are reading don't take that long, its probably more important to be more organised and good systems in place for everything else you use.

[robsjack]

I have just sold my 9' soft floor for the exact reason that it is all too much for short stays. It's easier with more than one person but would still take me 15-20min to do the basic tent. Our annex was left connected to the main tent so it's another 10-15min to get out all the poles and ropes and put up the annex roof. Add another 10-15min to put in the floor and the walls. Then you have to get out your fridge/esky, stove, gas bottle, utensils, table, chairs....the list just grows. It used to take me about 2hrs to set up properly including tarps over the top of everything.

Fine for week long stays but too much for short stays. I went with the Jayco

rob

[hargs]

We are on holidays with our hard floor cub ...30 seconds to put it up ..  Extra 15 minutes for the floor and verandra ..

[chester ver2.0]

Honestly no matter what camper you go for it is all relative

For example the goldstream is 10 mins to setup HOWEVER

This can be come 45 to 50 mins if

I roll out pole and peg the bedflys
Put the sunbuster shade on the kitchen side and peg it down
Connect the other sunbuster shade to the fiama awning

Now you might say why would you do that for an overnighter well when you pull up at port hedland and it is 42 degrees outside those bedflys make a hell of a difference in internal temps

So in the end it is all relative i have rented a few and owned one soft floor and the only rule of thumb i have found is the bigger the tent the longer the pack up is. If you can go a smaller tent with just 3 bows that concertena out and no upright poles and an annex that can either be zipped on and off or left folded over the top you will do allright.
As other have said if you pay a little more for a proper kitchen this also helps reduce time as everything is in its place but once again this is all relative using the above example at port headland in 42 degrees our dinner for that overnighter was a salad sandwich and water

[NewieCamper]

Or 12ft soft floor can be up in about 15min including the annex, roof only. Maybe another 10min for the end wall included in the annex. The annex roof is left on and flipped over the top, all the poles are sorted into pole carriers on the front of the trailer. The tent has been modded so there are three hoops on hinges, not the normal two. The fourth just needs pushing out and slotting into the pockets on the floor.

It probably takes another 1/2hr to adjust everything after that including putting out a few spreader poles. I haven't put up the full pole setup yet, and don't intend to after the previous owners said they never did.

I packed it up solo in about 30min one trip while our friends took near twice as long with three of them with the same size tent and a gazillion poles etc. they were also amazed how quickly it went up, I didn't see theirs go up as they arrived a day before us.

As plenty before me have said it's all the other stuff that takes the time to pack away and if we were to be travelling with our camper I'd be spending some more time working out how to pack most efficiently. Things like at the moment our table is on top of everything, and must come out first so I t needs to change. Finding a more permanent spot for chairs etc.

[weeds]

Set up times is not the concern, it's the pack up time. I have two kids 7 &3 with 13 foot tent, from when I wake up to on the road is 2 hours without messing around. Best I did was 1.5 hrs.
Regards
Angus.

I'm with you DP..........set-up can be spread out depending on length of stay and the amount of daylight left. It's the pack up and getting on the road which is the killer.

We have three 10,13 and 14 who have their own tent and we have the camper......for overnighters we allow 2hrs to get on the road from wake up, generally come under this time.

[Nay-DMAX]

I'm with you DP..........set-up can be spread out depending on length of stay and the amount of daylight left. It's the pack up and getting on the road which is the killer.

We have three 10,13 and 14 who have their own tent and we have the camper......for overnighters we allow 2hrs to get on the road from wake up, generally come under this time.

True I think the big thing that effects this is if you are free camping or caravan park I think if caravan park you do more the night before but free camping unless you have to be somewhere the next day can seem to take longer as no time limit.

[DaveCQ]

Recently returned from the Cape towing the Trackabout. As others have said, it's not the tent, it's the additional stuff which takes time. If I had a Hard Floor, I would still need all these additions anyway.

Buy a good quality tent and cut back on the crap. That's my tip for the day.

[Jakster1]

Some great reply's.
 

[smartyingreen]

Tonight took about 10 mins including the kids room on our Cameron Concept soft floor not going too hard at it.
At the risk of repeating others pack up is the issue. 90 mins after the alarm had gone off (3 of them aged 6, 7 & 10) SWMBO may have risen to help get the day underway and this morning took about 25 mins to get packed away. Not bad given the -6.5c at Yunta overnight!
I don't see these times as excessive, just part of the journey.

Sent from my GT-N8020 using Tapatalk

[swanny]

I don't see these times as excessive, just part of the journey.

Sent from my GT-N8020 using Tapatalk

Couldn't agree more, sometimes that's what you do to go camping, particularly with kids....!!!!

[jclures]

I know my camper is getting easier each time I set it up, My method, open beer,   press button, drink beer,  finished.

[edz]

" Show off "    and job  bloody well done too JC.

[johnyd]

By myself around 5-10 mins for the main section, add 20 for the awning and sides. 9 foot tent.

With the usual help around 30 mins for the main part and two hours for the awning and walls...