Show of hands....

[colby]

We jumped straight from a pop-up to a TT. I was done with the pop-up after spending 45 minutes in the rain and dark getting setup on the Gaspe coast a couple of years ago. Took some time to convince my DW that it was time to move on. I heavily leveraged the indoor plumbing to persuade her... "Aren't you tired of going outside at night"...

I finally succeeded and we will be doing the initial trip with the new TT in July.

[michael.g]

We started in a Pop-up. Went to a Hybrid the next year. Camped in the Hybrid for 4 years before moving to a Class C. Use it for 8 years, then went to a Destination Trailer. May will be the start of our 3rd year in it.

-Michael

[Wisco Dude]

Went from a tent to a hybrid to a destination trailer on a seasonal site. Loved how easy it was to back the hybrid into any campsite, but did not like constantly dealing with the tent ends and the issues they bring.

[castolon]

Hybrid


Definition:


A Frankenstein camper assembly with the following attributes:


a) Towing wind resistance of a full-size trailer
b) Fabric flapping in the wind, wet fabric in rain, and lack of security of a pop-up


A combination of the worst negatives of both types.


How this appeals to anyone is a mystery.

[Brightwhite]

Owned a 2012 x20e for 6 years. Ended up sleeping on the kitchen table since I couldn't sleep with the tent ends open (I suck at sleeping). Just picked up a 2007 29fbs, CANNOT wait to sleep in an actual bed!!!

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by castolon

Hybrid


Definition:


A Frankenstein camper assembly with the following attributes:


a) Towing wind resistance of a full-size trailer
b) Fabric flapping in the wind, wet fabric in rain, and lack of security of a pop-up


A combination of the worst negatives of both types.


How this appeals to anyone is a mystery.

I take it you've never had one, nor have ever slept in a tent. Security? Where do people camp that canvas is such a security issue?

[bluegill1]

Typical progression for the majority of us is:
Tent......Popup.......TT

[BikerMike]

My wife and I started out with tents, then a tent trailer and on to a hard side.

We love our hard side but we both still wish we wouldn't have traded the tent trailer. We have a number of places that we go to or can go to that the tent trailer is ideal. It never leaked, was relatively warm on cold nights and you could poke it into tiny camping places. We keep looking for a good deal on one so we can pick up another.

[Johnynorthland]

We started out with a 24’ class C sprinter from Thor. Wanting to go smaller so as not to tow anymore we down sized to a 21’ class B Winni. Drove great!! Wife hated its size, so we went back to a 28’ class C, JayCo RedHawk 25R. Wife always wanted an outdoor kitchen. As for me, it’s much more to handle and I am back to towing! But I have to admit the size, function and layout are far better than anything we’ve had! I’ve added air ride to the rear and now planning to add a track bar to the rear and upgrade that front crappy, hollow, OEM Ford sway bar. But nothing drove like that class B!

[Malyhupe]

We also did the same things, started with a pop up trailer, changed to an Hybrid witch we only keep for one season, moved to a TT, from there to a 5th wheel and now a nice Class A Motorhome Jayco Precept 35S

[dave89]

Had everything from the ground to a hybrid, which we have now. Enjoy the unit very much. It suits my wife and I so we won't be going to anything else.

[TAK14Swift]

We went from years of tent camping to small 1971 TT with no bathroom. Even with no bathroom it was good to stay dry. Went to our 1989RD five years ago. We plan on staying with it.

[tazz46]

We did alot of research ( a year of it) before we decided on a trailer. We looked at all the advantages and disadvantages of all styles.
We decided that price was not going to determine what we purchased.
We ended up buying a 34ft 5th wheel .
It was the perfect choice !

[Heady]

We started with a pop-up, moved to a hybrid x20e and then on to the current Jayflight. Each trailer had it's pros and cons.

[Murff]

1983: Bought a tent from Sears Surplus. Set it up in backyard, took it down and returned it. Starting shopping tent trailers. Bought a "bargain" Starcraft trailer for $1500 that needed some "minor" repairs. Minor turned out to be a new roof, some canvas with zippers, tires, surge brake etc. All totaled, the bargain became a $3000 investment. Towed it around Mt. St. Helens in the fall of 1983 with friends that had a motorhome. After spending dinner meal time in the MH, we decided solid walsl were better than canvas. Traded Starcraft in on Nomad Bunkhouse. Dealer that did the work on the Starcraft gave us a fair trade in.

Three years later, traded the Nomad in on a new Terry Taurus 24C with a "revolutionary" front kitchen. Had this one 10 years and that was when we bought several trailers that were brought into the membership campground where we purchased a camping lot. This type of campground, no one else uses your lot, just you. So, RVs can be left "permanently". In 2000, this lot got a 1986 Wilderness Cimarron placed on it and is still there. During that period, we had several "guest" trailers on the lot that included a 90s Jayco pop up, a KIT brand bunkhouse, a Komfort 30 footer and a Prowler Lynx. (The Taurus, KIT and Komfort became "permanent" trailers on other lots within the campground).

We are quite happy with the the 2015 20MRB that we now own as there is just the two of us. We dumped the campground membership last summer after a number of the stupid campground members took over the day-to-day operations and, if you have ever been part of a home owners association, you know what it can be like dealing with stupid people.

Murff

[castolon]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

I take it you've never had one, nor have ever slept in a tent. Security? Where do people camp that canvas is such a security issue?

Hybrid? No, never had one, never will.


However, I owned a pop-up that I used extensively for 6 years. Prior to that I spent years tenting in everything from mountaineering tents to wall tents. After that, a van conversion, travel trailer #1, then a slip-in pickup camper, then back to my current travel trailer (#2).


As for 'security' that is a broad topic. Canvas is a security issue for casual pilferage when unattended but, more importantly, a canvas/nylon structure in predator territory (places I go have mountain lion/bear) is not the best of options.



In all the years I have camped I only ever have spend a single night in a developed RV park. Save that one exception I solely boondock and eschew places where 'campers' are 'roughing' it with hookups and cheek-by-jowl neighbors.

[Lynn Bauer]

Welcome to JOF!!

We are Jayco faithful! We went from a 2004 Jayco PopUp (top of the line) to a 2015 Jayco Eagle 21FBS TT, then decided to full time in a 2017 Jayco 28.5RSTS 5er. After 2 years traveling, we are wavering on purchasing a brick and mortar, or moving up to a larger FW.

[dopplemeyr]

We had a small Hybrid as our first camper and we loved it! We really enjoyed the feeling that we were sleeping in a tent with the comfort of AC, Heat, full bathroom, etc. The main reason we traded up was for more storage room and we went from 1 to 3 children. Eventually, I would love to downsize to a hybrid again, but not for 15 years or so.

[Chet & Marie]

Originally Posted by Badbird2000

How many of you started with a hybrid and moved to a TT? We bought our 19XUD March of last year. We love it, but....a few trips have ended in rain, thus requiring a set up when we got home to dry everything out. The dinette is only useful for people under the voting age. Non of these things keep us from going and using it, but I think a trade up may happen in the next year or so. My wife and I sleep in the rear bunk, and it's a chore to make up and even get into after awhile.
Just wondering who here upgraded.

Thanks!
Wayne

We had Jayco pop ups for many years and then went to a hybrid for one year. Got real sick of tents and putting things away wet so we traded up to a Jay Feather 23rlsw which we have had for two seasons now and will love it. Wish we had gone to the travel trailer years ago.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Before kids and while kids were growing up we tented. We used top quality tents, bags, and other equipment. It makes a huge difference. After retiring we thought of a trailer and bought a struggle up. A year later, after a total of three years looking and studying we bought our little hybrid and we love it!

There is a security issue, particularly with bears, but we have camped in grizzly country in a tent and our hybrid while practicing bear safety and have had no problems. Bad guys will find us pretty well defended. We really like the fresh air, and rain, if that is what nature brings, and the feel of being in the outdoors in a tent. Rain and wind, including 50 mph storms really haven't bothered us; it's certainly more secure than a tent in the wind. Our tents are heavy vinyl that sheds water well. We still have great sleeping bags - and one for the hound; 26F nights and waking to 3" of snow was just fun and exciting.

One problem we had was parking at Walmart where we couldn't open a tent. For that Ruth and the hound now sack out on the table and I sleep on the bench thanks to a 13" wide side extension and a nice cubby for my feet. (Old LST sailors doesn't need much sleep room.)

We've seen some really nice trailers, but haven't been tempted in the least. We really enjoy our little hybrid and hope it lasts as long as we do. : )