Discussion
Balmoral said:
I've never really understood them, yet I've worked in the industry and have sold them too.
All the disadvantages of a caravan, with few if any of the advantages.
All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
Caravans are great, but they have their disadvantages, tents are great too, but they also have their disadvantages. Combine both sets of disadvantages together however, and you have a trailer tent!
The equation doesn't seem to work the other way around, you can't really say a trailer tent has the advantages of both a caravan and a tent. Although if someone wants to have a crack at it, go ahead
I get the 'built-in' aspect of it, over towing a regular trailer with a big tent in it, if that's the usual way you transport all your camping gear if it won't fit in the car, and I get the fact that it can have a small storage footprint, but otherwise, they're a genuine mystery to me
pwiggles my love, just get a nice caravan.
I can't see the advantages of a TT. The advantages given are usually "sleeping off the ground" and storage - well I can still get up off a self inflating mat so I'm fine on one of those and so many TT users end up with a roofbox as well as in the photograph above. All the disadvantages of a caravan, with few if any of the advantages.
All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
Caravans are great, but they have their disadvantages, tents are great too, but they also have their disadvantages. Combine both sets of disadvantages together however, and you have a trailer tent!
The equation doesn't seem to work the other way around, you can't really say a trailer tent has the advantages of both a caravan and a tent. Although if someone wants to have a crack at it, go ahead
I get the 'built-in' aspect of it, over towing a regular trailer with a big tent in it, if that's the usual way you transport all your camping gear if it won't fit in the car, and I get the fact that it can have a small storage footprint, but otherwise, they're a genuine mystery to me
pwiggles my love, just get a nice caravan.
We stuck with a (large) trailer and a frame tent, the tent is a piece of piss to pitch (so long as you can lift it I suppose) and all our kit stays in the trailer so we just stick it on the back of the car and go.
With a TT you've got to pitch and peg the cabin and then the awning and then in most of them you end up sleeping so that one of you has to climb over the other to get out for a pee at night.
I can see the advantages for larger families, the underbed beds give great additional space but for two of us I can't see the advantage.
I'm quite attracted to the Camplets though...
Balmoral said:
All the disadvantages of a caravan, with few if any of the advantages.
All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
I disagree, to a degree. A couple of us have already listed disadvantages with caravans that you avoid by having a trailer tent. We have also listed advantages of trailer tents.All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
Piglet said:
...many TT users end up with a roofbox as well...
That is entirely down to my wife, who insists on taking approximately 800% more stuff than we need. We could comfortably get everything we need in the trailer and the boot of the car, but apparently we need 5 towels each and the entire contents of her wardrobe !Piglet said:
With a TT you've got to pitch and peg the....the awning
As with a caravan. Ok so you don't have to put the awning up, but then you're hugely limited on space, particularly if you have kids.Piglet said:
...and then in most of them you end up sleeping so that one of you has to climb over the other to get out for a pee at night.
As with a caravan. Plus of course you don't have to turn your living area into a bedroom each night as you do with many caravans.There is clearly a difference between caravaning and camping too. Much as some of the advantages of caravans appeal to me, it just isn't the same as camping. To a degree you may as well just go to a very very small B&B or hotel as go caravaning.
Also, part of the appeal for us is getting back to basics, we both have high pressure jobs so to be able to completely leave that behind is very theraputic. We've used a caravan before and we just didn't get that feeling at all. We actually enjoy putting it up and getting everything sorted on the pitch, and I'll often fiddle around with things for hours quite unnecessarily
crikey said:
Balmoral said:
All the disadvantages of a caravan, with few if any of the advantages.
All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
I disagree, to a degree. A couple of us have already listed disadvantages with caravans that you avoid by having a trailer tent. We have also listed advantages of trailer tents.All the disadvantages of a tent, with few if any of the advantages.
Piglet said:
...many TT users end up with a roofbox as well...
That is entirely down to my wife, who insists on taking approximately 800% more stuff than we need. We could comfortably get everything we need in the trailer and the boot of the car, but apparently we need 5 towels each and the entire contents of her wardrobe !Piglet said:
With a TT you've got to pitch and peg the....the awning
As with a caravan. Ok so you don't have to put the awning up, but then you're hugely limited on space, particularly if you have kids.Piglet said:
...and then in most of them you end up sleeping so that one of you has to climb over the other to get out for a pee at night.
As with a caravan. Plus of course you don't have to turn your living area into a bedroom each night as you do with many caravans.There is clearly a difference between caravaning and camping too. Much as some of the advantages of caravans appeal to me, it just isn't the same as camping. To a degree you may as well just go to a very very small B&B or hotel as go caravaning.
Also, part of the appeal for us is getting back to basics, we both have high pressure jobs so to be able to completely leave that behind is very theraputic. We've used a caravan before and we just didn't get that feeling at all. We actually enjoy putting it up and getting everything sorted on the pitch, and I'll often fiddle around with things for hours quite unnecessarily
We also like "making do" and can usually be found in a field with a portaloo and a tap! (oh and plenty of fire!)
I'd love a trailer tent, and if I could find a half decent one for £400 then I'd be in there like a shot... Pretty much my absolute limit
Agree with the whole kids/missus added kit argument, past couple of holidays have been an horrific complication of crap which has all been 'essential', makes carrying a half decent sized tent in the car an impossibility and even with the roof box it's been an interesting exercise.
Anyhow, I'm going to head back to gumtree and see what's out there....
Agree with the whole kids/missus added kit argument, past couple of holidays have been an horrific complication of crap which has all been 'essential', makes carrying a half decent sized tent in the car an impossibility and even with the roof box it's been an interesting exercise.
Anyhow, I'm going to head back to gumtree and see what's out there....
Oi U said:
We had one of these back in the '80s and it was brilliant. You could erect it in less than a minute and pack it away wet without getting contents wet. It was also very easy to tow.
http://www.holtkamper.com/en/flyer/
We used it for more than 20 years, towing it all around Europe and down to the Red Sea.
I had one of those too,sold it earlier this year. Fantastic bit of kit,pitched in under a minute!http://www.holtkamper.com/en/flyer/
We used it for more than 20 years, towing it all around Europe and down to the Red Sea.
Piglet said:
You've misunderstood me, I'm not advocating a caravan, I'm suggesting that I can't particularly see the advantages of a trailer tent over a tent and a trailer.
We also like "making do" and can usually be found in a field with a portaloo and a tap! (oh and plenty of fire!)
Gotcha. We also like "making do" and can usually be found in a field with a portaloo and a tap! (oh and plenty of fire!)
We prefer the TT as you get a fair bit more useable space without having to bolt on a series of extensions, we find it easier to put up, much more rigid, etc. etc. etc.
Each to their own though obviously. We have friends who come with us from time to time and they swear by their tent, something I don't understand >shrug<
All that said we spent a couple of hours looking at caravans this afternoon !
We've been using a trailer tent for the past few months, previous to this we had a large dome style tent (12 man).
The trailer tent is quicker to erect, easier to erect, far nicer to sleep in and provided much more space.
It's not just the benefit of being "off the floor", air beds deflate and are still in contact with the floor.
I've never been so warm in a tent as I have in the trailer tent and I've been camping for a great many years.
Eventually I think I'll go to a caravan but until then this is leaps and bounds ahead of a tent!
The trailer tent is quicker to erect, easier to erect, far nicer to sleep in and provided much more space.
It's not just the benefit of being "off the floor", air beds deflate and are still in contact with the floor.
I've never been so warm in a tent as I have in the trailer tent and I've been camping for a great many years.
Eventually I think I'll go to a caravan but until then this is leaps and bounds ahead of a tent!
Oi U said:
We had one of these back in the '80s and it was brilliant. You could erect it in less than a minute and pack it away wet without getting contents wet. It was also very easy to tow.
http://www.holtkamper.com/en/flyer/
We used it for more than 20 years, towing it all around Europe and down to the Red Sea.
They look awesome.http://www.holtkamper.com/en/flyer/
We used it for more than 20 years, towing it all around Europe and down to the Red Sea.
Just got rid of our Raclet Acropolis TT. Swapped it for a small caravan so we'll see how that goes.
We really liked the TT; took a while to put up but the wife particularly liked the sleeping off the ground arragement, but hated the fact that the awning was open to the elements - "ooh, bugs and spiders can get in" >hmmff<
We'll notice the drop in space between the TT and van, though, that's for sure.
Over all, I think I prefer tenting, if I'm honest - tin foil bbq and a couple of tinnies!!
Roll on the Britcar 24hr!!
Scott
We really liked the TT; took a while to put up but the wife particularly liked the sleeping off the ground arragement, but hated the fact that the awning was open to the elements - "ooh, bugs and spiders can get in" >hmmff<
We'll notice the drop in space between the TT and van, though, that's for sure.
Over all, I think I prefer tenting, if I'm honest - tin foil bbq and a couple of tinnies!!
Roll on the Britcar 24hr!!
Scott
Piglet said:
I'm suggesting that I can't particularly see the advantages of a trailer tent over a tent and a trailer.
My parents have always camped and when my sister and I were younger we had a large frame tent an a trailer. Since they both started to fall apart (physically), Dad's back, Mum's shoulder/ankle/back putting a tent up and sleeping a few inches off the ground became virtually impossible.
Buying a trailer tent was the best thing they could have done. It fits on their drive without blocking any light to the house, is easier to tow and is bigger than a caravan when it's erected, has two full size double beds with sprung mattresses, a table and two sofas, a fridge and a proper cooker.
Plus it takes my Dad about 10 minutes to put up (whilst Mum watches on with a glass of wine in her hand). In fact the thing that takes the longest is moving it into position, and the only reason it takes so long is because my Dad is still an 8 year old boy at heart and enjoys playing with the big remote control trailer tent (van mover).
Overall it means they have started to go away for a lot more weekends which is good for both of them
AlfaPapa said:
My parents have always camped and when my sister and I were younger we had a large frame tent an a trailer.
Since they both started to fall apart (physically), Dad's back, Mum's shoulder/ankle/back putting a tent up and sleeping a few inches off the ground became virtually impossible.
Buying a trailer tent was the best thing they could have done. It fits on their drive without blocking any light to the house, is easier to tow and is bigger than a caravan when it's erected, has two full size double beds with sprung mattresses, a table and two sofas, a fridge and a proper cooker.
Plus it takes my Dad about 10 minutes to put up (whilst Mum watches on with a glass of wine in her hand). In fact the thing that takes the longest is moving it into position, and the only reason it takes so long is because my Dad is still an 8 year old boy at heart and enjoys playing with the big remote control trailer tent (van mover).
Overall it means they have started to go away for a lot more weekends which is good for both of them
Are you sure they've got a trailer tent ? That sounds more like a folding camper.Since they both started to fall apart (physically), Dad's back, Mum's shoulder/ankle/back putting a tent up and sleeping a few inches off the ground became virtually impossible.
Buying a trailer tent was the best thing they could have done. It fits on their drive without blocking any light to the house, is easier to tow and is bigger than a caravan when it's erected, has two full size double beds with sprung mattresses, a table and two sofas, a fridge and a proper cooker.
Plus it takes my Dad about 10 minutes to put up (whilst Mum watches on with a glass of wine in her hand). In fact the thing that takes the longest is moving it into position, and the only reason it takes so long is because my Dad is still an 8 year old boy at heart and enjoys playing with the big remote control trailer tent (van mover).
Overall it means they have started to go away for a lot more weekends which is good for both of them
crikey said:
Are you sure they've got a trailer tent ? That sounds more like a folding camper.
Erm... I had assumed they were one and the same thing. However, every day is a school day, and apparetly the difference is that you don't peg out a folding camper... which they don't. So you are completely correct.
AlfaPapa said:
crikey said:
Are you sure they've got a trailer tent ? That sounds more like a folding camper.
Erm... I had assumed they were one and the same thing. However, every day is a school day, and apparetly the difference is that you don't peg out a folding camper... which they don't. So you are completely correct.
Piglet said:
You've misunderstood me, I'm not advocating a caravan, I'm suggesting that I can't particularly see the advantages of a trailer tent over a tent and a trailer.
A bit late I know, but here's one: you can erect the main cabin of a typical trailer-tent single-handed. Try that with an equivalent-sized frame tent in a wind-swept field I've just bought a frame tent off eBay. I knew it would be large packed up, but that's ok, I thought - we have a Picasso and there are only three of us. It'll fit fine.
I collected it last night. With the poles and pegs it takes up almost the whole boot. It's (hopefully) not too much of a problem for us as we can remove two seats if we need to, and of course we only need three lots of bedding, three chairs etc. but I now totally understand why some people have trailer tents, especially if they have a larger family. We don't have anywhere to store one, or a trailer though, which would make owning one a bit less convenient.
I collected it last night. With the poles and pegs it takes up almost the whole boot. It's (hopefully) not too much of a problem for us as we can remove two seats if we need to, and of course we only need three lots of bedding, three chairs etc. but I now totally understand why some people have trailer tents, especially if they have a larger family. We don't have anywhere to store one, or a trailer though, which would make owning one a bit less convenient.
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