FWC to pull behind

[Remote1]

Anyone here went from a FWC, Hawk, to a pull behind pop up kind of thing? Pros and cons of the change? The spousal unti wants something a bit bigger and less confining.

 

[windy]

We have added a small pull behind (Casita) to our “quiver” for added flexibility / comfort. I hate to admit it but I think it is something that comes with age.

We still have the ability to boondock with our vehicle alone so you could say we have the best of both worlds.

As much as anything else, it seems to be psychological. It involves a different kind of camping as your options become more limited with regard to the places you “could” go with a trailer. Once you accept that, and embrace the positives that the trailer adds (space, amenities, comfort, etc...) it sure can be luxurious and pleasant. For us, it has expanded the amount of time and the range of weather we are willing to get out in.

As an example, we are meeting up with our kids/grandkids this weekend on the Washington coast during what is forecast to be a less than desirable weather forecast (45 degrees, 20-30mph wind, and 100% chance of rain). Something we would never have considered with just the truck camper or van.

 

[camper rich]

The grass is always greener! We have the FWC Grandby (self contained) as well as a Casita trailer also. It give us the flexibililty to do a variety of trips. When we pull the Casita, I put a topper on the truck to take all the extra gear we haul along. The downside of a trailer is you have to pull it. The important thing is keeping your wife happy.

 

[Cottonww]

I have gone the other way(I am 80). We went from a Chalet A-frame type of hard-sided camper to a Hallmark Milner. The major motivation is that if something happened to me my wife can't and won't learn to back up the trailer. She could be stuck out somewhere. The pluses and minuses are as follows. Yes, the Chalet has more floor space. But the Milner bed is big enough that we can sleep N/S and not have to crawl over one another in the night. The kitchens are about a wash with similar 3-way fridges and freezer compartment(wife likes that). The cookstove is a 3 burner in the Milner which is a plus. Set up of the Chalet is a bit faster as it has a big lever arm to lift it(about 3 min vs 5 min), while we use a drill to lift the Milner which my wife can do but slower. Access to the dinette is better in the Milner as even though my wife weighs about 115# she had trouble getting into the side of dinette near the kitchen cabinet. We have already boondocked at sites that we couldn't with the Chalet. We carry two kayaks which we loaded on racks on out pickup. Now we pull a kayak trailer which is easier to load the kayaks. If we run into a tight spot we just unhook it and roll the lightweight trailer around. You can't do that with the Chalet! Wife is happy with the Milner or the Chalet but the bed makes her happier and doing a dosi-dow in the Milner doesn't bother her that much.

 

[camper rich]

I hate to admit it but my wife refuses to learn to back our Casita trailer also, so, last year, she purchased a Pleasure Way Class B MH. similar to this:
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2009-Pleasure-Way-Excel-Rd-5014506113
Our trailer is sitting in the back yard right now, not sure when we'll use it again. I like camping in it more than the MH because the MH lacks the storage and the bathroom is smaller.

Like I said, "the grass is always greener"

 

[LuckyDan]

I have a Grandby and more recently purchased a near antique pop up trailer. Actually I’ve owned two, the one I have now and a smaller near antique trailer. They were purchases of opportunity more so than targeted ones. Years ago I even put the Grandby on a trailer a time or two so I could use my Expedition’s expanded seating for trips. As for pros and cons I offer the following in no order of priority:

1: There is more room/floor space for certain. It’s easier to sleep several grown people. Some models have basically a king bed or two facilitating N/S sleeping.
2: If you do more base camp/excursion type camping, IMO it’s handier to drop my trailer and set camp and not haul the camper everywhere.
3: Depending on what size pop up you are considering, the choice of tow vehicle expands.
4: For some, especially the mobility challenged, climbing into the trailer bunks is a lot easier than the overhead. Kinda is the same for getting in and out of the two units in general.
5: If you put stuff on the roof, it’s obviously easier with the trailer. That said they don’t take a whole bunch of roof weight, much like an FWC.

Generally storage between my trailer and my Grandby is a wash. An advantage specific to my trailer is the galley counter cranks straight up and down leaving the whole isle-way available for totes, bags and so on. Most trailers, the galley lays down or flips into the isle.

6: Putting away wet and drying out takes more effort than a FWC. Overall the Hypalon, or whatever material FWC/ATC uses for the soft side is IMO superior to the pop up trailers.
7: The flip over galley is a PITA IMO. Some have low counters.
8: If you’re an Overlander or tour type camper, It’s hard to beat an FWC.
9: Pop up trailers may be banned from camping in some bear intense areas. While I’m nowhere near as well traveled as many here, I’ve never been banned in a FWC although it’s technically soft sided.
10: I think it’s easier to heat a FWC easier than a pop up trailer, but not by much.
11: There is more set up with a trailer. Getting them level is more important as raising the top un-level messes with the lift system.
12: Most aren’t built as durable as what we’re used to. While I’ve pulled mine over Hart Mtn Refuge from the Catlow Valley side, The Steens Loop Road, All over USFS and BLM roads, with few exceptions they are not an off-road camper.
13: You never hear of rodents chewing on the soft sides on an FWC or ATC when stored. It’s one of the biggest fears pop up trailer owners have.

Good luck with your decision.