Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Off Road Pop-Up campers?

"Off road" can mean different things to different people.
I have a 10 ft. Lance Camper that I've taken on some pretty bad 4WD roads and up some pretty remote desert sand washes. It held up fine, but others I've seen tend to shake apart pretty badly from the rough roads. Trailers are no better. So, whatever you buy, make sure it is of a rugged construction.
True off roaders usually tow a Jeep type off road trailer with various setups for camping. Really not very different than a well equipped tent camper using a good 4WD pickup truck. E

I have had a number of pop-up tent trailers over the years and like them a great deal. Lots of room, lots of light and less of a boxed in feel than you get from a hard sided trailer or PU Camper.

Downsides include ease of entry, harder to heat (high volume, limited insulation and limited battery life to run the heater). Also, they will not stand up to a snow load of any consequence.

Still, they are great little rigs. My current tent trailer, a Coleman Santa Fe, makes for pretty cushy camping.

IMO the key is to have flexibility in your camp set up. All the ideas noted are great, just depends on your wants and circumstances. We got the camper for a little more comfort and convenience, it will get us most place we want to camp or hunt. I also have a 10 x 10 Kodiak canvas tent and gear should I want to venture a bit deeper off the beaten path where a trailer may not go. My ultimate escape is using my Marmot Limelight tent and backpack, or if the weather is good, cowboy it under the stars!

The other upside to all this is, its a great excuse to accumulate more gear!
Happy trails!
Razz

Fortunately the canvas on my Jayco is in very good condition because I've taken care of it.

L.W.

I boug the Banshee B2 and pick it up Saturday. I have several back packing tents, canvas tents but this will be nice for the late season trips and when the kids want to go. Off road, ok it has 15" all tarrain tires, shocks, and great ground clearance. Pretty self explanatory compared to the standard 13" doghnuts, no shocks or springs, low rider, no skid plateing. The Coleman Evolution, Jayco Baja, and the Palomino Banshee. These types are what I was asking about. Thanks all and I like the "Reason to get more gear". Almost as fun as using it!

Bighorn, that is a handsome outfit! But what do you do when you get into your campground at night and it is raining cats and dogs. I take it you have to go around and unlatch all the corners? Then shed your wet raingear? And then the next a.m. if you have to get on the road, do you just secure the wet canvas, and wait until you have a chance to pop it back up to dry? Just curious. Have never owned one, but like the set up. Have camped in a Jayco pop-up, and it was nice.

forepaw

I like the looks of the B2

It isn't what my wife wantd but for hunting and a base camp with water storage it will be perfect for my needs. I needed and wante the ground clearance. The used ones were almost new price is why I went used. They go for 13K, but I will get my usage. I almost went with a Travel Trailer Hybrid but I was concerned with weight and length on the one tracks. I pick it up Saturday and will take it through the paces next weekend. I am picking up a solar charger today, pretty excited. Come on October.....

a small honda generator would be a nice addition to that. My wife is a tough sell on campers for sure.

I'm fortunate enough that the one I inherited from my parents had the canvas replaced around 2000.

forepaw,

It takes about 10 seconds to unlatch the top, no big deal.
If the upper fabric gets wet, I just pop it up when I get home, let it dry out for a half day or so. Hallmark makes their campers out of good stuff.

Congrats and enjoy! Let us know how you like it.
Razz

Thank you Razz! Solar panels get here Tuesday and LED replacements next. 50+ days till I go elk hunting! I'll try it out next weekend.

Got it! It already has LED lights, so all that is left is fill it up and groceries. I almost got the Chalet but too small if the family went.

Buddy of mine has one of these. Pretty nice set-up, but I'll still take a wall tent and a utility trailer. He bought it used just before last year's deer hunt and was telling me how convenient and easy set-up was. By the time he had his wheelers unloaded, the trailer leveled and set-up, I had my 14x16 tent set-up, cots and sleeping bags in place, and was on my second beer...

Plus I can spit on the floor and wasn't tripping over someone for a week. Funny how every time we had time to "hangout", everyone was in the tent....

We will still set up the floor less cook tent. Mine will be used for myself and kids. For each is own and after this year I may agree with you. I think I'll like it and my garage is a lot cleaner.

Hunt: Did you look at the Jumping Jack trailer? If so, why did you pick the conventional pop up? Thanks.

The jumping jacks are aKodiak tent on wheels for a bunch of money, no heater, stove, water tank, less space, I could go on but I would have been better of with tents.

Yep, I never understood why anyone would buy a Jumping Jack Trailer. They want $5k for a smallish $1k trailer and a $400.00 tent.

Only true with the very old, canvas units.

Newer tent trailers, like the Coleman, use Sunbrella or another UV resistant rot-proof fabric.