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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Oct 26, 2018 - 06:11am PT
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Anyone who's lived in San Diego knows about custom built Callen Campers- light and tough, made for Baja. I customized a water proof tool box into a bear proof galley for the luxery trips.
The Toyota Sienna is for vagabond surfing and ranger dodging on quick stike cragging trips.
Still plan on a Casita camper someday for peakbagging and fishing.
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
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Oct 26, 2018 - 06:56am PT
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Tradman:
No camper in Chile. Used public transit & hitchiked. Like Patiperros.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Oct 26, 2018 - 07:27am PT
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Notice with the Motocamper that you never see him actually get IN it? That POS would tip so effin' easily. Great thread.
BAd
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2018 - 07:37am PT
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There is no best answer, individual needs and desires vary. We went the camper way and now are embarking on a car with trailer. Each mode has considerable pros and cons. Pitching a tent next to the car is another option and still the most common. I did that for thirty years before getting the camper.
Needs change....someone mentioned that the tent worked fine until he got married. The important thing is that car camping (no matter what method you choose) puts you out there where you want to be.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Oct 26, 2018 - 07:49am PT
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Just gotta say- That "Motohome" camper-motorcycle is the dumbest vehicle I've ever seen. Guy almost biffs-it multiple times in the performance video. Scetchy...
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Oct 26, 2018 - 08:25am PT
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This is an interesting thread, as I've been going through this decision making process myself. Currently have a 4runner and a regular tent.
But I've certainly thought recently about a trailer(something relatively small and rugged).
At least here in UT, it's interesting to see how things have changed over the last 5 or so years. I see so many of those converted Sprinters...it amazes me that there's that many people with that much income.
The other option I'm starting to see a lot of that hasn't been mentioned is the roof-top tent. Easier to set up than a regular tent, and a lot less than a trailer. And you can put it on top of a jeep or 4Runner if you want to go somewhere really hard to get to.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2018 - 08:41am PT
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Yeah steverep we ponied up for a new Four Runner and Trailer and still paid considerably less than what a built out Sprinter will set you back. You already have the car and you could get a used Casita for around 10,000....Mal Daly loves his. I ran into a couple camped at the Black Canyon that had a 15 year old Casita that looked like new.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 26, 2018 - 12:00pm PT
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How much you use it and how much you want to spend are of course factors. If I was retired and spending 6 months a year living out of something I'd buy something new or low miles and bigger. For what I needed I spent less money on our truck camper combo than many people spend on just a regular car. It's a 3rd car for us so it doesn't get many miles per year. I also use the truck for pulling trailers, and other big hauling jobs.
4x4 is often overrated. You spend 99%+ of your time on the road, but many people gear their needs for off road and sacrifice so much for it (mpg, handling, ride, comfortable freeway speed). Of course for some it's needed, e.g. you have true 4x4 roads to your favorite destinations. I also use my camper for skiing (CA only, so stock heater is fine, I have the "winter" package, a friend installed a boat heater that doesn't use a fan in his camper and can crank the heat without wearing out the battery and has taken it to Utah, etc.) and I take it to the beach (deep sand) so I bought 4WD. But for long road trips I wish I had 2WD. There's also AWD (which would get you to skiing for example, vs. high clearance 4WD. AWD with less suspension / weight difference is less of a trade off. A 2WD truck chassis based rig can still have plenty of clearance for dirt roads if you don't need awd/4wd.
Another option is a pop up tent camper. I know someone who got an old barely used one for $500. Probably much less mpg hit than a hard side trailer.
If you buy a high value used (i.e. older but in excellent condition) trailer or camper you can often use it for a few years and sell it for what you bought it for. So you could try out some options or upgrade later. A truck camper is great because it's just considered part of your vehicle so no sales tax or registration fees, and no separate insurance.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Oct 26, 2018 - 12:05pm PT
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4x4 is often overrated
Not when yer stuck
at night
and out of beer.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:25pm PT
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My niece and her hubby went to Alaska for 3 months in a camper that was almost un used that they bought for 2,200> Dan already had the F250 so a tow behind in great shaper for super short money was a no brainer.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:32pm PT
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I used to crash in the back of my honda civic or just sleep in the dirt unless I was going to be somewhere for a week and then I would maybe pitch the tent. these days I like the luxury :)
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:37pm PT
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anyone making trailers and hitches specifically for off-road use?
Xcon,
My So Cal Teardrop is built for off highway use, it has Old Man Emu suspension and has the same wheels and tires as my jeep allowing me to use the spare on it if needed. The hitch is a Max Coupler that allows full articulation in all angles. I think the next best hitch would be a pintle hitch but those are pretty harsh sounding off road, lots of banging around but great articulation.
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:40pm PT
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4x4 is often overrated
Depends on where you live/recreate, the weather, etc.
I see more tear drops, r-pods and slide-in campers these days. It seems like the sprinter isn't the best travel rig for the job up here, at least that is what I am hearing from the Bros-in-the-Knows. However, a face-to-face meeting on a narrow loggin' road is way harder with a trailer, at least for me it was/is. Those Casitas and Scamps are pretty cool too.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:40pm PT
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Hell, Batman, even I could turn that rig around there! 😁
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:43pm PT
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When my kids were young we used to pull an eighteen foot travel trailer which was great for family comfort and convenience but a drag to have to tow. As soon as they were old enough to sleep in a tent without supervision we went back to a truck and topper - two of us in the truck and the kids in the tent. Sleeping in the back of my truck went on for 10-12 years.
Now that there is just two of us we bought a four season 9 1/2’ truck camper. Stove oven refrigerator table heater lights running hot water shower toilet and a queen size bed. And it’s still the back of the truck- the same space that held a 3” foamie is now the Taj Mahal.
No looking back now.
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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Oct 26, 2018 - 01:51pm PT
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4x4 is not overrated when climbing and skiing in winter. This is the trip I did with a friend that finally convinced me to pull the trigger and buy a truck camper
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Oct 26, 2018 - 02:04pm PT
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I need AWD or 4X4 just to get to my house thou I will likely end up with a 2WD camper and only use it in the summer.....
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Oct 26, 2018 - 04:11pm PT
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I dug myself out of sand or salt-covered mud slicks or other ruts enough times in the Prius that I was pretty adamant about power to 4 wheels and much higher clearance. It is nice to have on tap.
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
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Oct 26, 2018 - 06:07pm PT
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4 x4 also not overrated for access to places where even a Ford Crown Victoria can reach. To wit:
1. Long, bumpy, rutted desert roads where I want to go dead slow in my rig to avoid pounding the crap out of my vehicle and camper. That's when I sink into low range, first gear and literally crawl no faster than a slow walk;
2. Modestly steep dirt with major washboard. Once you have to resort to speed to get up a bumpy hill, the rig starts to bounce and the rear tires will dig and overrev on the jump/bumps (which is what causes the wash boarding in the first place) and pretty soon the big rig is slowing down and can get stuck (even where the Crown Vics and Honda Accords keep going). If I put the Wildebeest into 4WD hi range, no problem to go a slow speed and no tire spinning on the washboard bumps.
So the 4 WD isn't just to get that last extra hundred yards down the road; it's useful to avoid pounding, wear and tear, tire gouging, etc.
I learned all this hard way when I first bought a 2WD pickup to tow my 16 foot long llama trailer on relatively easy Arizona desert dirt roads - and got stuck and stymied on easy, barely-steep pitches of washboard. Amazing how much of my "wisdom" was learned through "bad" experience that derived from ignorance, hubris and egotism. Why couldn't I figure out the obvious in the first place? I just don't know.
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