Motorhome VS Camper Poll

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Hey Ol Blue, is yours mobile?

Mine isn't mobile but that one is cool!

[lowrollin70gmc]

While I voted for camper, I agree with a few previous posters that there is a lack of build quality in both campers and RVs (until you get to actual motor coach based units). They nearly all have water damage, and if they don’t they will. While you’re in Cali it may not be as large of a worry, but I’ll never own a stick built travel trailer/RV/camper.

My suggestion, especially if your wife currently tent camps, is a well built slide in camper. There are companies that build aluminum framed and sided campers that will far outlive 1x2 stick built campers/RVs. They are available with small bathrooms and can be removed from the truck at campsites so the truck can be used to run into town/around. Also very manueverable and if you want to pull a trailer with toys you still can.

Another benefit is that you can drive the normal speed limit in Cali and not the slower 55mph towing limit. Many don’t obey this law, but it is another consideration.

[Coley]

A word about RV toilets....lol.

Unless you are a senior citizen I recommend using the bathroom space to store a set of golf clubs or camping gear...as many do, in order to avoid people using the toilet facility.
Or, have everyone who uses it participate in cleaning it out at the end of the camping trip...lol.....not just Dad.

The point being that getting the family campers to walk a minute or two to the campground facilities is well worth it time wise, etc.
Its not like a family home sewer/septic system....whatever you put in that tank is there with you all weekend...it didn't magically leave the room...lol.
My wife and I have an agreement is that if she has to 'go' in the middle of the night I go for the walk with her....no problemo, glad to go for a quick walk myself with the trusty flashlight, lol.

Then at the end of the weekend we don't have to worry about finding sanitation stations and giving everything the rubber glove treatment for 30-40 minutes....something no one likes to do.
Noting that it takes longer to clean out the holding tank at the end of the weekend than to simply walk to the campground facilities during the weekend......for for thought!

All good
Coley

[100%Chevy]

A lot of the better camping places like Thousand Trails/Naco,etc. are very nice camping areas,are nationwide and usually have a "honey wagon" that comes around to take care of the tanks for you.
State parks are excellent places to stay as they are almost always cheaper than the other places.Many have guards and curfews!
And,many states have free dump stations in the roadside rest areas on the interstate highways.
A funny story---Once when we were in Colorado,my wife decided she had to have a tumbleweed to take home. I finally got it in the trailer!
When we got home,I managed to get it back out and threw it in the yard.
She was happy until the wind blew it up against the neighbors pasture fence,where the horses ate it!
Mike.

[Dirt's72]

My lady wanted to look at Lance truck campers after reading up on the reviews. We have a bumper pull and would have to take another truck to pull the boat. We wanted to put the truck camper in our 17 tundra. After looking I made the mistake of checking out the 1172 model that only goes in a dually truck. We now have a new ram dually and since sold my 72 Cheyenne super c30 chassis mount rig and soon will be selling our bumper pull. The 72 was just not modern enough she said... We've taken the lance out on ten trips in the last six months. No regrets

[leddzepp]

Every campsite I’ve been too (including the one I’m at now) is either free or very low cost.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Every campsite I’ve been too (including the one I’m at now) is either free or very low cost.

Yeah, but you are saving so you can retire at 50 aren't you?

[special-K]

I voted slide-in camper for these reasons:

*You have a C/20

*Your wife wants to camp

*You, not so much

*Cheaper alternative

*It's your initiation into motor camping and you will learn which way you want to go from there, what is best fpr you

*The slide-in you can sell with less depreciation to an abundance of people with heavy duty pickups

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I bought a cabin about 15 years ago. It giving s me an emergency meeting place for the family in case of natural disasters. Plus I don't have to pack so much because a lot is already there. I haven't used my cab over in 10 years...come and get the cab over and its yours.....

Thanks Dale. That's cool. I wish you were a little closer.

Well my wife and I drove down to Bakersfield yesterday and spent the day looking at campers, trailers, and motorhome's. We found a clean vintage motorhome that we both really liked, but we just couldn't get together with the seller on the price. It needed a few things that may or may not end up being expensive to fix. So we offered accordingly. We were only a few hundred bucks apart. But he wouldn't budge that far and that's all we weren't willing to give. We were stretching the budget already. Without the issues with it, it would be in my driveway right now. He's still chewing on my offer. We'll see.

The others were all too messed up and overpriced IMO for what they were.


If my wife saw this. I might have to get it. Totally her style.


This is the one we like. YES, I KNOW IT'S A FORD! But it's really clean. It still has the original paint on it.

[special-K]

For me it would be a vintage frame mount camper and slap a diesel in it. That is what I wanted to get to replace my '71 w/slide-in. Also planned (still) to get an 8' low-profile 4 Wheel Camper for the K2500. The '71 served my family well. I still cooked outside whenever possible and also used a 6-man dome tent to expand our space. Also have a few 2-mans so we could wilderness camp with the camper used as base camp. Always nice to return to a comfortable dry place. But I couldn't tow with the slide-back bumper and the roof was too high to haul kayaks. A motorhome can tow and so could the 8' camper as well as haul kayak up top and go off the beaten track. I had hoped that would be a great father/son unit when my two older kids had moved out. Just a shell on my K2500 does fine for my needs now. Stll have tents, too

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

I voted slide-in camper for these reasons:

*You have a C/20

*Your wife wants to camp

*You, not so much

*Cheaper alternative

*It's your initiation into motor camping and you will learn which way you want to go from there, what is best fpr you

*The slide-in you can sell with less depreciation to an abundance of people with heavy duty pickups

All good points.

I've stayed in campers before. My wife had a 5th wheel when I met her and I really liked it. Maybe because there was a blonde in it.

And I don't plan on selling it. I rarely sell anything even though I should.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by davischevy

Yeah, but you are saving so you can retire at 50 aren't you?

55

My goal when camping is to get away from people, you can’t access places like that in a motor home or rv. Yes it is uncomfortable sleeping in a tent and it is somewhat cold (40 here right now), but the hiking and scenery is awesome and worth it in my book. In a motor home you are staying in a place with lots of other motor homes and lots of other people With a slide in camper on a 4x4 you can have comfort as well as access to more remote areas, so I vote for that. If I get too cold and uncomfortable now, I just sleep in the back of my suburban and fire up the heater

[Coley]

Good thread....some interesting takes on camping here.

It appears that how you camp or how you define camping has as much bearing on the process as what you camp in.

Some folks never really leave the paved road to camp and some folks always leave it to camp...hmm, go figure, lol.

C.

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

55 Yes it is uncomfortable sleeping in a tent

The older we get this is true. We used to set up in the truck when the weather was foul. Now we head out in the little trailer. Having a heater & toilet does keep Mama happy!

[Mr_Rich]

I voted for camper simply because of the traveling/ mobility aspect. If I/ you're traveling and intend to stay in an area for a longer period of time I think I would prefer a motorhome over a camper.

[kingsolver72]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

55

My goal when camping is to get away from people, you can’t access places like that in a motor home or rv. Yes it is uncomfortable sleeping in a tent and it is somewhat cold (40 here right now), but the hiking and scenery is awesome and worth it in my book. In a motor home you are staying in a place with lots of other motor homes and lots of other people With a slide in camper on a 4x4 you can have comfort as well as access to more remote areas, so I vote for that. If I get too cold and uncomfortable now, I just sleep in the back of my suburban and fire up the heater

My wife and I went to Utah last October in our suburban. We mostly slept in a tent and some in the suburban, one night in a motel. It was a blast. A couple days ago I bought a Skybox for the suburban. I told my wife that it looks like a coffin. I’m ready to go again. I like camping with my wife this way. When by myself I do a minimalistic style of camping.

[leddzepp]

Looks like the twin to mine I have another rack that plugs into the receiver on the bumper too.

[72c20customcamper]

I tent camp and have a 2003 Newmar Dutch star rear diesel pusher Cat v8 . Tents are for motorcycle trips . 2017 me and the wife left NY end of July went to sturgis then headed to California. 7 weeks 1100+ miles. Mostly KOA campgrounds and the occasional hotel. Picture with my wifes bike somewhere in Ohio. Chevelle and motorhome at the Syracuse nationals. There are plus and minuses to both . Tent Camping gets tireing after a few days. But the mobility is nice. Motorhome its park and have a beer. Lots of fuel but it has over 100k on it and never had a problem with it.

[special-K]

I've always been a tent camper, even when I had a camper I still prfer it because that is camping. Everything else is sleeping in a different bedroom. When I got out of my '71 Custom Camper/20...

...that my wife drove to bike events with my son while I rode...

I had those other plans for campers. But, in the meantime I was content with traveling in our '99 ZR2 extended cab pickup with Leer cap and sleeping in a big tent in campgrounds. I put a that bed carpet that conforms to the bed floor, it could tow, good good fuel economy, and we had just as much fun as people who spent gobs of money more than us. Sleeping in the tent never got old and my kids loved it traveling around the country. I'd like a 4wheel camper for my K2500 but since it's usually just me, and air mattress in the back of my '95 Suburban K2500 or '72 K2500 with $80 used cap suits me just fine. Nothing to brag about, but that's not what I'm all about. Just love to enjoy life. I did a lot of off the beaten path camping/fishing in the '85 Jimmy Diesel I had, but that is gone.

[GOPAPA]

Tim ...Did ya have the bucket seats in the custom camper? thats my favorite of your trucks pictured.. You must of just stopped for a bite to eat ,, not the best camping spot ,unless thats what she wanted ,, a place to look at the cars go by.. J/Kidden .

[FleetsidePaul]

Well I bit the bullet and bought the yellow F350. It was just too clean and the price was right.

I would have rather bought another Chevy. But this puppy is so nice. I looked at a lot of overpriced junk and nothing came close. So I've got another 70 Ford to go with my 70 Mustang.

There's lot's of camping/campgrounds where I live. So I'm sure I'll use it a lot. I live in a resort town. People drive here from all over to camp. All I have to do is go down the street, put the beer on ice and fire up the grill. It'll be tough, but somebody's got to do it.

Ah. The great outdoors! (with air conditioning and a DVD player)

[kingsolver72]

Congrats! That F350 looks solid.

[GOPAPA]

Here ya go guys and gals ..

[davischevy]

This is the way I do it. Mama quit tent camping years ago.

This was last year in Kentucky on the bourbon tour.

[WorkinLonghorn]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

Well I bit the bullet and bought the yellow F350. It was just too clean and the price was right.

I would have rather bought another Chevy. But this puppy is so nice. I looked at a lot of overpriced junk and nothing came close. So I've got another 70 Ford to go with my 70 Mustang.

There's lot's of camping/campgrounds where I live. So I'm sure I'll use it a lot. I live in a resort town. People drive here from all over to camp. All I have to do is go down the street, put the beer on ice and fire up the grill. It'll be tough, but somebody's got to do it.

Ah. The great outdoors! (with air conditioning and a DVD player)

Congratulations! Looks sharp.

"Twin I-Beam Suspension"? 390 2v? Make sure you check the age of those tires. -BA