So i've given up the idea of a camper van for the time being, maybe later.
Talk to me about trailer tents. There's only three of us but it'd be nice to be able to get bikes in there as well. I'd be looking at the more capable ones with a stove and things built in. Second hand will be fine. I've looked on some if the camping forums but there's loads at what appear to be great prices.
Recommendations and things to look out for would be appreciated, thanks.
I cant help but think they get dank and rotten being packed up for 50 wks of the year....
Why not get a small Erde trailer that can take bikes and, say, a table/chairs, bikes and spend the cash on a decathlon/quechua multi room pop tent with bedrooom modules etc.
why not just get a caravan? I did, they're ace.
like a tent, but with a proper bed in it, and a radio, and doesnt blow about in the rain, and with a kitchen area.
could put bikes in it if you really wanted maye.
Caravan. Central heating & double glazing. Set-up / packed away in 15mins. Your own bathroom. And they usually have a 150-200kg payload, so a couple of mountain bikes wont phase it.
Caravans - mobile roadblocks.
Talk to me about trailer tents
Got one myself that my parents gave me but having no tow-bar and an old car I'd rather not but extra stress on, it sits in the garage.
They're great fun and very useful. Ours has a cooker/sink unit that attaches to the back of the trailer. The only problem I ever had with them is the time it takes to put the awning up on the front of it. You don't have to put them up, but it does give you allot more room. They do give you more space that most standard tents, and the sleeping can quite often be more comfortable.
The only way I've seen you can put bikes in them/on them while traveling is by using the bars in Stoner's post.
TandemJeremy - MemberBut you never drive anywhere TJ - and one would still be faster than you on the tandem...
Caravans - mobile roadblocks.
im not sure id bother with a trailer tent, tbh,
you have lower speed limits for one thing, then there is the potential hassle of finding a parking space big enough for a trailer.
this would probably be enough to put me off, id rather go down the decent tent/bikes on roof bars route.
(other opinions are available)
I know f all about trailer tents, but I like the look of this.
It's not sounding great at the moment then. I've already got a fairly hefty tent and a couple of smaller ones, I was hoping trailer tents were easier and quicker to put up but it doesn't sound like that's the case.
Not used one but for me they take the worst bits of tents (sleeping under fabric and so on) with the worst bits of caravanning - towing, manoeuvring, annoying people. At least in a caravan you can be warm and dry quite easily
Friends our ours had a Pennine Pathfinder for years and loved it. They "upgraded" to a larg caravan and didnt like it. They then bought a quite large (new) camper van, one of the £30 - 40k models.
They went for one week and broaught it back and took a hit taking it back to the dealer after less than 2 weeks.
They went back to the Pathfinder as they enjoyed the fact that they could sleep of the ground, have a lot of protection and comfort when the weather was bad plus they had a canvas roof which meant they felt they were still outdoors!
Works for them.
There was an awesome looking trailer tent on the gadget show last year. It had a full on kitchen on one side if I remember correctly. No idea what it was called, sorry. Perhaps that's enough to jog someone else's memory?
+ 1 with the caravan suggestions. Had mine a month now and love it.
Had a Conway one for quite a few years now.
PROs:
1. Can keep it in the garage. Not exposed to elements therefore lives forever. No caravan storage bills.
2. Very quick to put up and everything stays dry if its raining when you arive.
3. Can erect minus zip-on awning in seconds. Which is ideal for single night stopovers.
4. Comfy beds off the ground.
5. Stable off-the-floor kitchen area.
6. All contents (pans, lights, etc) stored ready to go. Less stuff in car = room for dog/bikes/whatever.
7. Bombproof heavy-weight cotton stays watertight. Everything off the ground in the main body means that a river can run under it and you won't get washed out.
CONs:
1. Inconvenience of towing something.
2. Need to erect and dry out at home if it goes away wet.
3. Can be erected solo but much easier with two.
4. Takes up bike space in the garage.
Hope that helps
my family had several trailer tents when i was a youth. Can't remember the models but one was a straight fold out tent, canvas roof, swing out removable kitchen tailgate. it was fairly compact and the areas under the fold out bed chambers made for loads of storage and doubled as an extra bedroom (there were 5 of us). The second one was a folding camper, different in that it had a pop up solid roof and a lot more room inside as well as a built in kitchen, it was quicker to set up and warmer plus there was a lot less faff to pack it away. folding campers also have the advantage of being able to take a bike rack on top. they tend to be based on bigger more stable trailer chassis as well. i think the second one was a Pennine, the first one was called a trailquest or something similar. They are an excellent solution to slightly more luxurious camping but at the time big family tents were less readily available. personally the trailer + family tent option would be my choice nowadays as it's far more flexible
thegreatape, got a link to that trailerdometentsydneyoperahousewith deckthing?
Had my conway havanah for 5 years now, and just had the first weekend of the season in it!
It is brilliant - love it to bits, but will be getting a caravan this year so we can go all winter too.
Ecky-Thump sums it up perfectly!
As well practised erectors we can get fully sorted in 2 hours without too much fuss!
Will be selling mine at some point
spooky, sorry for the delay, here's the link
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