Show of hands....

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Badbird2000

My wife and I sleep in the rear bunk, and it's a chore to make up

We have owned, barrowed, rented just about every type of camper. I think we have never used a class A MH. We have a 23B right now. Next might be a living quarter horse trailer, setup to haul our model T.

Wayne, how do you make up your bunks? We tag team it. DW is inside, I'm outside helping with the screen window unzipped. It is quick and easy with no stress. We also use the front bunk, as it is easier to get in and out.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

We have owned, barrowed, rented just about every type of camper. I think we have never used a class A MH. We have a 23B right now. Next might be a living quarter horse trailer, setup to haul our model T.

Wayne, how do you make up your bunks? We tag team it. DW is inside, I'm outside helping with the screen window unzipped. It is quick and easy with no stress. We also use the front bunk, as it is easier to get in and out.

We rarely use our back bunk and then only as a "junk room" for longer stays. Ruth and I have a very regimented precise set-up and take-down routine for every camp. To put the tent up, she closes all the zippers, removes center pole, and pulls in mattress. From the outside I shake out the fabric to release the end arch bar and get the tent ready to fold in. If there is water, leaves, or debris we first use a huge thin beach towel to wipe down the tent working the towel down from side to side. Then we each carefully push up a side making sure all the fabric is folded in including the top. The process is easy and takes just a few minutes. It's well worth the huge amount of open air and extra room the bunk provides. Besides, as soon as we're set up the tired old hound can't wait to jump into the open bunk for a nice nap or to check out the scenery after a long day's drive.

Each type of RV has its pros and cons. A hybrid tent is susceptible to noise as well as fresh air, and it's trickier to get to the bathroom at night, but we really like our little unit and have never looked back.

[O'Man]

Went from a popup to a small hard sided TT. Used that popup for years, but after 3 trips in a row of having to deal with wet canvas, I couldn't take it anymore.

there is water, leaves, or debris we first use a huge thin beach towel to wipe down the tent working the towel down from side to side.

FWIW, get a cheap chamois from walmart's auto department. They work better than a towel and take up less space. Also there's no wet towel to deal with. Just wring it out when done, and put it back into the container that comes with it.

[DocBrown]

One thought about "making beds" in a hybrid. I've never quite understood why some folks go through the extra work to do that. We throw down a sleeping bag flat and unzipped then pillows and comforters on top. Two minutes to "make" the bed.

Originally Posted by castolon

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.

And that I totally understand. When we went out west we made sure to stay in places that were bear safe. Those were the rare times we would have liked a hard sided trailer. We used to boon dock when we tented and had the pop-up camper. Haven't done that in years. Don't feel I have to prove anything to anyone anymore. I just want it nice and simple and relaxing now.

But don't judge a hybrid by your pop-up experiences. Two different animals. We had our pop-up for 10 years. I don't miss it in the slightest.

[Flyrotor]

We went from Tents to a popup, hoping to reduce how much work we spent setting up and breaking down camp, but it seemed like our workload increased when you factored in setup/takedown before the trip, setup/takedown during the trip, and setup/takedown after the trip. Not to mention if you had more than one destination... ugh!

But the real kicker was one trip in Yellowstone park at Lewis Lake Campground we were visited by a grizzly at 2 o’clock in the morning, the bear stood up, putting a paw print on the door... the loud thump was earth shattering!!! That was the final straw, and the popup was sold before our next trip.

That experience changed the way I camp, not the locations where I like to camp.

My current trailer is what fits my needs, setup/takedown is fast and simple.

I don’t miss anything about the popup, and occasionally I will still tent camp with traditional tents just for the fun of it.

[Nitehawk]

We went from a scamper hybrid to a 2007Jayco 29x. Unfortunately we are now in an 2018 keystone Outback 293bhs. It is ok but not as sturdy as our jayco was. We could walk on that roof . The outback is to fragile to do that with.