what popups do I need to be looking at that are somewhat decent?
facebook marketplace around a few grand

really just want to dip our toes in to see what its all about.
wife and I backpack camp quite a bit, lot less after our first daughter and
none now with the arrival of our second.

really just a box on wheels that we can hook up to the family van

Really make sure its what you want. Its basically a tent on wheels. I would suggest a small travel trailer. Pop ups are kind of a pain with the canvas and weather, sweating issues etc..

My dad had a popup for a couple of years.  Problem is: when it’s hot, it’s hot inside.  When it’s cold, it’s cold inside.  I would look for a hard sided camper first, if that’s an option.

Owned several JayCo's and a Forest River.  

Would purchase either again if I was in the market.  

That said, once you go all aluminum ATC you never want to go back plus you can haul your toys.   Nothing to rot.....

We have a late 90's Coleman Sun Valley popup.  Wish we had bought one with a potty in it.

Know that you will need to replace the canvas in it at some point, but the AC / Heat has been solid and we have used the hell out of it.  Great value for our family of 5.  Wish we had bought one earlier but looked for a used one in good shape for several years before picking this one up.

We have camped in 30 degree weather as well as 90 degree weather in a pop up.  Just know that you will have to deal with things like condensation and not being able to 'put it away wet' or you could have mold issues.

Plenty of camper-related forums out there as well, they have helped me with heater problems and the like.  Great resource.

thanks

see both jaycos and forest rivers pop up but get snagged quickly
same for colemans

not too worried about summer as we tend to not camp much
and figure winter will be ok
if nothing else can buy another EE down quilt

It’s a gimmick for simps.
Junk

https://aliner.com/
The up side is these tow like a pop up but no canvas it’s hard sides. My brother has one. I have a HiLo camper that is the mother of all fly traps (ugg).  A small travel trailer is a good option I’ve had a 24 ft would prefer smaller. Cars and trucks are not the tow vehicles they were twenty years ago. Used campers don’t have much wear on them typically. You are almost better off with a cargo trailer and install a window AC.

Only advice I can give is from my RV mentor that owned many different campers from pop ups to big 5ers over his decades long experience.

If you are thinking about a camper, do yourself a favor and bypass the pop up phase.

They have a myriad of problems, some as mentioned, but a big concern is moisture. Using any camper causes moisture, but then fold that camper up and it becomes a moldy mess. Many times they are prone to leak further exaggerating the issue.

Think of I like this. A pop up for a beginner camper is like giving a kid a .410 single shot shotgun. It is designed for an experienced hunter to use and is only discouraging for the beginner.
By the time you realize you really want something different, you e only had the experience of using something that has not given you a great experience.

As someone that got into camping late with older kids, I wish I had the chance to go back and go camping like this when they were little.

I don’t know just what you can tow with a van, but even a small single axle camper will give your family a great experience without worry of the weather.

Rent to try one if you must. If the bug bites you, I guarantee you will find yourself shopping for hoses, surge protectors, leveling devices, and a truck to pull it. And you’ll love every bit of it.

They can be basic or very well equipped.  I've had a couple.  If you're looking at used ones make sure the canvas is in good shape and the lift mechanism works as is should.  Other than that get the features that work for you.

Light weight and easy to tow.
You can see over them when towing to see if you have traffic behind you.
Kind of a PITA to set up but not bad when you get it figured out and with practice.  Usually takes me 15-20 minutes.
Can be roomier than a small travel trailer.  Once you pull the beds out the center is for living.
No insulation.  Best in mild weather.  Windy days suck.

That said I like them.  They work if you keep in mind their limitations.  Certainly better than sleeping on the ground.

Attached File

Sixty years ago my family had a simple Apache popup.  We put thousands of miles on it.  Loved it.

If you are planning any long distance trips, Yellowstone has areas where only hard sided campers are allowed because of bears. I don't know if other national parks have that same rule but it may be something to check into. I agree with the people that say to get a small travel trailer. It's nice to have a real roof over your head when it's raining, and really nice if there is any hail, LOL.

I had one many years ago and the family really enjoyed it. When we were done, I gave it to one of my brothers and his family enjoyed it for some years, before just leaving it in his backyard to deteriorate. As others mentioned make sure its dry before putting it away for the next trip and do proper maintenance on it.

Thanks all
Keeping an eye on marketplace but the good ones seem to go quick

Not against a cargo trailer conversion but can’t get too heavy

03 odyssey so really want to stay around 1000lbs or so

Look at hybrid travel trailers. They have real bathrooms, not that wet bath cassette toilet junk.

Owned several over the past 40 years, it's better than a ground tent but then again, just about anything is better than a ground tent. It is light, which was the major criteria for me, (fishing trips on the beach required pulling the thing with a 4x4 for 20 miles) but they are a compromise on practically every other aspect.

You'll spend a lot of time maintaining the thing and replacing parts.  Build quality was never even mentioned at the factory.

Honestly, when micro campers came into being I dumped the pop-ups and never looked back.  Right now I have a 19' hardside. For the wife and  it's everything we need and is only 600 lbs heavier  than the last popup, with offroad tires and a better suspension.   The wife also gets a bathroom with a door, which is a make or break it sort of requirement.

Our last trip to the coast had us caught in a cold front that brought 60 mph winds and a temp drop from 70 to 27 overnight.  We were perfectly comfortable.  With the pop up it would have been a frantic tear down and run for a motel.

I realize your towing is limited, so maybe you should look at buying a full size truck along with a larger camper. A used Suburban or Expedition for example.

This is a better option, but you still have moisture issues and temp issues with the fold out bunk ends

another ride is certainly in the cards but not right now

So for now just helping eyes peeled for pop ups/  teardrops

Thanks all for the help

I had a Palomino pop up for several years. It was OK for the most part, but like others have said, hot in the summer, cold in the winter. Hot I can handle, but in the winter the heater would kick on and off every 10 minutes and that got to be annoying.

Closing it up in the rain sucked. And at some point you WILL wind up closing it up in the rain. Then you have to open it back up when you get home and let it dry out.

I finally had enough, bought a 19 foot TT, and it's been great.

If I were new to it, I'd skip looking at pop up's and go with a small TT.

ETA: Forgot to mention that some campgrounds don't allow pop ups due to bears in the area.

Bought first Coleman pop-up in 1985.
Towed all over the US.
Bi-yearly trip from Michigan to Maine.
Camped for a month every fall.
Pop-up was worry free until after 25 years, a leaf spring broke.
Replaced with another Coleman and used that on for another six years.
Replaced with a class B+(C) six years ago.

Advantages:
Inexpensive
Easy to tow.  Towed with a Subaru.
Lots of room.
Big tent that keeps you off the ground.
Simple

Disadvantages:
A little more difficult to set up.  We averaged less than 10 minutes.
Minimal storage.
Difficult to heat and cool.  We usually camped in the fall so not a problem.
We didn't have a shower or bathroom but all campgrounds have them.

So you can see we loved our pop-ups after 31 years.