# Why do you tent camp?



## kiteri (Jan 12, 2008)

Hey all! 

Maybe it is just to make sure I am not completely crazy.... altough we all know I am at least a little crazy... but I wanted to see if I could get some answers from my tent camping sisters/brothers.

Be honest!!!!!!


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## frank6160 (Feb 16, 2009)

There's just something about setting up my tent and campsite that I enjoy. A bit more work than a TT but that's OK by me. I've had my camp up and ready a quick as a few PUP campers on several occasions. Tenter's just need to be a little more prepared in case of bad weather but I can deal with that.


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## kiteri (Jan 12, 2008)

I just wish there were more of us tent campers!!!!

A part of me REALLY wants a pop-up or a travel trailer... but it is the same part of me that want to take cruises to the Bahamas or buy the 2009 Camaro!!!! Champaign taste on a beer budget.:rotflmao1:

Even thought it takes more time to set up, it suits my budget perfectly!!!


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## bassin (Jan 19, 2009)

I, definately, have mixed emotions about camping in a tent or a camper. Tenting is all I know. There are two possible old campers that I'm looking at, and coincidentally, they both have had there "guts" ripped out of them. It would cost a couple thousand dollars to re-install a kitchen and bathroom. Plus all the labor. It's just too much for such old campers.

I have, what I believe, to be the perfect compromise. A rainproof tent on wheels. As I've said in another thread, it would be just like a tent inside...just sleeping quarters. All of the fun is outdoors anyways, right? 

These small, old campers are very cheap. A couple to a few hundred $$, and your in business. Maybe I'll start my own rv business. I'll call it Shell Campers, cause that's all you have...a shell! With this economy, they just might sell. Okay, back to reality.

Even these stripped campers are convenient. Convenient in the sense that there is no tent to set up, no air mattress' to blow up, no making the beds, no hauling in all your clothes etcetera. The outdoor kitchen still needs to be set up, but, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Alright, I've babbled enough...next...


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## cricket2 (Nov 16, 2007)

Tent camping is not all I have done, but I grew up with it, and just really enjoy it. Dont get me wrong, I love the nice campers and 5th wheels too. I feel like I am in the middle of the wild when I tent camp, at least much closer to nature. Giving up all the luxuries I have at home. Listening to the night sounds, hearing the fire crackling in the backgroud, hearing the noisy neighbors, its just all part of it to me.


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## demonslaer (Sep 16, 2008)

I have camped in travel trailers. But always went back to tents because I like to go off the beaten path know that I have a cot tent. To keep me off the ground .:10220:


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## plaz70 (Feb 18, 2008)

I grew up tent camping although my parents did own a pop up for a short time. For us, the tent is for sleeping only. I don't allow the kids to play in it. Often the kids wake up and don't step foot back inside the tent until bedtime. The same goes for my husband. If we had a camper, I could see all 4 of them spending time inside when they should be outdoors. In addition, I don't like the idea of cooking or storing food inside our sleeping quarters.....something that would be hard to convince my husband not to do as he is looking at a fridge and stove.


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## orangecamper (Apr 1, 2009)

Partly for the relaxation of being outdoors and enjoying being in nature. Partly for the fact that EVERYTHING takes longer to do, so you HAVE to sit back and relax. I really need that sometimes. Partly so I can prove to myself that I can do things. I can't seem to balance my budget, but I can make a mean foil pack! I figure eventually, I will get a pop-up or something, but I am only in my 30's now, and want to enjoy the tent as much as I can. And I REALLY like playing with fire, LOL!


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## seeria (Mar 19, 2009)

We use the tent when we don't want to haul the travel trailer to certain areas.


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## racecple (Feb 1, 2009)

We have been camping ala-tent for many years.We camp to get away,not to take it with us.We have gotten our system down to being able to leave home with in a few minutes if we get that(urge).Being out doors to us means hearing birds wake us up at dawn,crickets sing us to sleep at night.We camp right beside a river and can hear the fish jumping as the sun comes up.
Our seven year old daughter asked us last year a very good question as we were tending our fire one night.She cuddled up to her dad in his chair and sighed loudly."Dad?" she asked."That trailer over there?"she pointed a couple of spaces away."Yes hun what about it?"he answered."I saw two kids there when they came in.They sat and played video games on the table while the mom and dad set up."she said."While you and i were fishing,and mom was cooking they never moved."she said.
You and Mom took me for a walk and played games with me,and we read books under that tree by the river."She said quietly."Yes hunny?"My husband smiled at me.He knew what was coming."And now its dark and we are sitting by a nice warm fire and making smores and its so quiet and nice out here."She sighed."Sure is hunny"He said holding her closer."Now they are in that trailer watching TV and making all kinds of noise"She said looking up at her Dad."Why would they come out here if they didnt want to have fun?"
I sat there and watched as my husband smiled and looked at the stars holding our daughter snuggled on his lap.And he said something to her that i thought summed up why we tent camp and show her the simple way of life."Sweetheart some people just dont know how to just relax together and breath."He said.Mom and i bring you out here to get to know you and you to know us better.And teach you that life can be quiet and happy with out all that (STUFF) at home."He said softly."And besides,he hugged her more,We would miss the shooting stars for you to wish on."He laughed softly.She reached up and kissed his cheek and said "Love you Dad."
Thats why we tent camp...


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## mammafox (Aug 20, 2009)

I really enjoy tenting. You can leave on a moments notice and throw your stuff in your car and just go. Besides I don't mind roughing it without electricity. I usually go to different state campgrounds, where there are some creature comforts of hot showers and bathrooms, lol. I guess you can call me a tenter not camper lol!


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## wheeldweller (Aug 17, 2009)

bassin said:


> I, definately, have mixed emotions about camping in a tent or a camper. Tenting is all I know. There are two possible old campers that I'm looking at, and coincidentally, they both have had there "guts" ripped out of them. It would cost a couple thousand dollars to re-install a kitchen and bathroom. Plus all the labor. It's just too much for such old campers.


There IS another alternative; I'm using it.

I worked out a 14' trailer from Pace as part of my agreement to return to a consulting job back in 2001. It was about $3,000. You might not think that's much space, but it works out: you get to leave out all the 'crud' of the usual RV's.

Mine has a kind of 'closet' with the usual fridge, microwave bay and batteries. But it also has a built-in computer, a full-sized computer workstation, a QUEEN sized bed, and a shower that's 3ft by 4.5ft.

The furnace is controlled by the onboard computer, it's also the security system. A camera on it will record when I'm in or out, because I expect I'll be traveling alone most of the time. And rather than windows that lose heat and attract bandits, I'll use cameras for that, too.

There's no rules on a cargo trailer; it's literally whatever you want to make it. Take a peek: Photo Gallery: The CounterMoon

Enjoy!


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## bassin (Jan 19, 2009)

That trailer looks great Wheeldweller. A true custom job. Does the $3000 cover the trailer and all of the custom work and materials? Seems like it should cost a lot more.
Die hard tenters will disagree, but I believe that I have the perfect tenting compromise. I finally got a dirt cheap, 1950's Alma, 15' camper in my back yard, stripping it down to it's shell. I'll customize it for our camping needs. It will be a towable bedroom plus some small kitchen electrical appliances. NO PLUMBING. The sink(kitchen) will be outdoors with the grill and table. To me, it will be the best camper possible without plumbing. No need to blow up the air mattress', make the beds, set up the tent, move and organize all the clothes etcetera. I'm already looking for more older campers to do this to. Unlike the one that I have now, if I find one worth keeping the bathroom and sink, I probably will. The one that I have now just had a sink but it wasn't plumbed. To me, it's not worth having plumbing if there isn't a bathroom with it.
It's an aluminum tent with some electrical convenieces...no tvs...just a frig, toaster.


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## wheeldweller (Aug 17, 2009)

bassin said:


> That trailer looks great Wheeldweller. A true custom job. Does the $3000 cover the trailer and all of the custom work and materials? Seems like it should cost a lot more.


 Yeah, the _hull_ was $3k, the rest was a little more, but not much. The computers are refurbished, the software's Linux, the wood is new, and so was the 'upholstery'. That's navy blue vinyl covering the ply for a warm, comfortable and clean interior. In my case, I'm trying to catch a slice of modernity from the rest, and take it with me, wrapped in an unassuming shell of a cargo trailer. But that's just my personal trek.



bassin said:


> Die hard tenters will disagree, but I believe that I have the perfect tenting compromise. I finally got a dirt cheap, 1950's Alma, 15' camper in my back yard, stripping it down to it's shell. I'll customize it for our camping needs. It will be a towable bedroom plus some small kitchen electrical appliances. NO PLUMBING. The sink(kitchen) will be outdoors with the grill and table. To me, it will be the best camper possible without plumbing. No need to blow up the air mattress', make the beds, set up the tent, move and organize all the clothes etcetera. I'm already looking for more older campers to do this to. Unlike the one that I have now, if I find one worth keeping the bathroom and sink, I probably will. The one that I have now just had a sink but it wasn't plumbed. To me, it's not worth having plumbing if there isn't a bathroom with it.
> It's an aluminum tent with some electrical convenieces...no tvs...just a frig, toaster.


Well, see? You're pretty much on the same track; I've seen some _really_nice_ re-converted Airstreams, for example. It's about finding a 'hull' you can live with, and customizing the interior to your own tastes. So many times the durned RV places just are too 'cookie cutter', ya know?

And no, it's not odd or weird to leave out everything with a power cord: this isn't my RV, it's yours- that's what makes it great! GoodOnYa! :thumbup1:


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## matrix14 (Sep 11, 2009)

I tent camp because I love the outdoors. Tent camping gets you to enjoy the outdoors. I live in Oregon were it rains once in awhile. I have been camping in the rain with no problem. I grew up tent camping then my partents got an RV. We still spent our time outside the RV. Then when I moved away I went back to tent camping. I feel more in touch with nature and the beauty that is around you. I have seen RVers hide in there RV's after the sun went down while I was enjoying the campfire and S'mores


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## wackyotter (Sep 18, 2009)

I enjoy camping in a tent better than a camper. It feels more like camping to me. Hanging out with friends in front of a campfire only to go to bed in a camper doesn't seem like camping to me. It feels like going to a party and then going to sleep in my bed at home. Tenting is the only real camping to me. Anything else is too much like being at home.

The Wacky Otter
[email protected]


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## skwrly (Feb 9, 2011)

I just started tent camping last September--only twice so far. We've had a popup, a C Class and now a 35' RV with a slideout. I find that I kind of miss the popup and feeling like I'm really outside. So, I borrowed my son's tent from his Boy Scout days and my old totes of stuff from my popup camping and went out on my own to a favorite state park. I took my dog with me, too. It was WONDERFUL!! I practiced setting up the tent at home so it only took my about 10 mins. to do it. And I was used to cooking outside from all my other camping--even in the RV I cook outside. To fall asleep listening to the critter noises was so nice! I really miss that with the RV! I'm planning on doing one tent camping trip a month this year.


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## SMOKEY2348 (Jan 4, 2011)

I like the feeling of having nature all around me, especially when I set up next to a stream or river to hear the water all evening is very relaxing!


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## ketchingup (Feb 16, 2011)

Because tent camping is camping. Everything else is just driving or pulling in a motel room.

Tom from

Tents n Stuff


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

I like doing it all. Tent Camp, RVing in near luxury, or Backpacking to go way off the mainstream. I can check all the boxes but for the purpose of this survey, the middle choice fits the bill when I'm using a tent.


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## Toddster (Dec 12, 2010)

My wife and I have a tent camper (pop up) so it's been awhile since we've tent camped. Tent camping is fun because it feels like you're "roughing it". Camping in a lavish RV isn't really camping. It's like moving your home to the campground.


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## jennyb (Mar 7, 2011)

You don't get the same feeling in a camper. In a tent, it's the best sleep you can get, something about breathing in that cool fresh night air all night long. Not the same in camper. In a camper?? Always though might as well stay at home and crack the window open-same thing.


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## Judy Ann (Mar 3, 2011)

mammafox said:


> I really enjoy tenting. You can leave on a moments notice and throw your stuff in your car and just go. Besides I don't mind roughing it without electricity. I usually go to different state campgrounds, where there are some creature comforts of hot showers and bathrooms, lol. I guess you can call me a tenter not camper lol!


I'm with you mammafox! I wasn't sure if I would like camping, but there is something about going to different states and seeing some beautiful country on a dime that I wouldn't trade. I'm considering trying backpacking this year for an overnighter while hiking the AT in VA.


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## Gus (Mar 30, 2011)

Consider this ... of all these responses, how many tent campers have you read that extolled the virtues and amenities of their tents? 

and of all the non or sometimes tent campers, how much of their response was about the the same virtues, features, and amenities of their campers?

Not getting on the RV camper folks, (I like a soft, warm, dry bed too), but the proof is in the pudding ... there is nothing like tent camping. Put an RV camper on-site next to a tent camper and it's a safe bet that when discussing their camping weekend it will be like they were speaking different languages.


*Gus*
"Of course I trust my political representatives ... just not with my liberties or my wallet" :GAW


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## hideout (Feb 12, 2011)

because i can not get my 30 foot trailer in to my hunting spot,with out making a mess of it,and my sweet truck.:thumbup1:


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

When I drag my RV along and we're with tent campers, and it's raining or it's windy, we're discussing the differences of these camping styles while we're all sitting in the RV drinking freshly made coffee, sitting on recliners, sofas and real chairs while sitting next to the fireplace, ceiling fan spinning and watching whatever is on the tele via my satellite system setup.

Otherwise it's parkas, jackets, thermals on folding chairs and hopefully I remembered the large tarp to use as a cover we can all crowd under. But I'll always love tent camping and leaving the RV at home.


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## Gus (Mar 30, 2011)

artmart said:


> ...(edit)...while we're all sitting in the RV drinking freshly made coffee, sitting on recliners, sofas and real chairs while sitting next to the fireplace, ceiling fan spinning and watching whatever is on the tele via my satellite system setup.
> 
> Otherwise it's parkas, jackets, thermals on folding chairs and hopefully I remembered the large tarp to use as a cover we can all crowd under. But I'll always love tent camping and leaving the RV at home.


LOL - you got me there, guess it is good to get out of the house for a change


*Gus*
"Of course I trust my political representatives ... just not with my liberties or my wallet" :GAW


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## GlitterHiker (Mar 5, 2011)

The fresh air, the connection to nature, and for R&R. The best night's sleep I've had over the past year have been outdoors.


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## Merlin (Apr 14, 2011)

kiteri said:


> Hey all!
> 
> Maybe it is just to make sure I am not completely crazy.... altough we all know I am at least a little crazy... but I wanted to see if I could get some answers from my tent camping sisters/brothers.
> 
> Be honest!!!!!!


When you rise in the morning and look out onto an open space with tents all around ,there is a softness that fits in with nature, that all other forms of camping unit's just don't have, in my opinion.
Regards
Merlin:thumbup1:


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

Except when you find your vegetarian neighbor's nearby had beans and asparagus for dinner and you are on the wrong end of the wind direction. If the noise from their bodies extracting the difference in air pressures from what they ate and the altitude we are enjoying doesn't get to you, the odor will.


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## Merlin (Apr 14, 2011)

artmart said:


> Except when you find your vegetarian neighbor's nearby had beans and asparagus for dinner and you are on the wrong end of the wind direction. If the noise from their bodies extracting the difference in air pressures from what they ate and the altitude we are enjoying doesn't get to you, the odor will.


Hi artmart
The nitrogen released from human apertures as a similar smell to the releases from our wild friends or the farmer spreading the dung from his domesticated cattle,but out in the wilds that are hard to find in the UK, 
We do not have those wide open spaces you are blessed with in the USA.
the smells that you speak of, are diluted with the fragrance's from the wild flower and herbs that grow in both our country's.
best regards
Rex.


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

I got some bad news for you.... it's not nitrogen (there might be some nitrogen in it, but that's about it) in them there apertures.

It's methane!!! It's flammable!! It's NOT odorless! As I experienced when I warned Boy Scouts about it. There is no amount of flowers and herbs that can disguise that fragrance (as you call it) combined with every kind of flame, lighter, match (Thank God they didn't try flint and stone) as these idiots validated my teachings.

The worst thing about Boy Scouts is they grow into older men with greater imaginations. No wonder, women think of the male gender as pigs. I'm glad I'm not like that.


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## Merlin (Apr 14, 2011)

artmart said:


> I got some bad news for you.... it's not nitrogen (there might be some nitrogen in it, but that's about it) in them there apertures.
> 
> It's methane!!! It's flammable!! It's NOT odorless! As I experienced when I warned Boy Scouts about it. There is no amount of flowers and herbs that can disguise that fragrance (as you call it) combined with every kind of flame, lighter, match (Thank God they didn't try flint and stone) as these idiots validated my teachings.
> 
> The worst thing about Boy Scouts is they grow into older men with greater imaginations. No wonder, women think of the male gender as pigs. I'm glad I'm not like that.


Hi art
:thumbup1:
Rex


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## PB3 (Sep 24, 2010)

I have experienced both worlds of camping. Each has their pros and cons. I just enjoy camping and being in the out of doors. :thumbup1:


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## samaza (Jun 2, 2011)

I enjoy the freedom of picking a random spot, and its cheaper!


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## Flibitygiget (Jun 4, 2011)

I just like the outdoors, I mean that is why go camping, so why sleep indoors. Every time we camp and set up our tarps in a new configuration to work with the current environment I stand back and look at them and there is a small sense of accomplishment and a little bit of art.


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## JGPR80 (May 26, 2011)

I suppose im a bit bias because ive never camped in anything but a tent. but i have good reason; when i hear the word 'camping' i immediately think of a tent, sleeping bags, and a campfire. RV camping just seems too easy, its not really roughing it. dont get me wrong, to each his own, but for me nothing beats tent camping


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

RV camping ain't camping, it's RVing. I love tent camping, too, but I try and be flexible. The wife loves the comfort of RVing but we don't get to go some of the places we tent camp. If she wants to rough it we now use a truck bed tent (she's off the ground that way. Then there's backpack tents which means you can get to some places you can't tent camp. I've even been known to sleep under the stars, but the bugs and the weather have to be just right.

Like you said, to each (their) own and I'm able do them all. I will be flexible with whatever the outing and the others who are along on my trip. If I'm ever where you are I'll be glad to bring a tent.


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## jjbuck (Sep 6, 2011)

have 2 kids, 9 and 4, and know if we had anything "more comfortable" than a tent, that they'd try to spend way too much time inside it. 

waking up in a tent makes it much easier to want to get up and out and enjoy the day. We camp mostly at state parks, so water and warm showers are always close. We never pay extra for electricity. We car camp out of a 3/4ton suburban, so having everything we need and more isnt a problem. But ... it's usually all outside of the tent!

We eat great in the woods, and sleep great too, kids each have their own air mattress and sleeping bags, wife and I share the queen aerobed and adam/eve sleeping bag. As comfy or more so than sleeping at home.

But unless it's storming, there's a better alternative outside the tent than in. Our tent is a 2 room coleman with a screen room. The screen room does see some use. Especially when it's raining.

there are some camp grounds that dont have good tent sites, sooner or later we'll get a small popup to hit those too, but will wait till kids are older, most of those sites do have room for a small dome tent, so we'll go high tech and the kids will share our first 3 person dome.

The kids do help set up/tear down camp as much as they can(or as much as we force them to), I like the idea of them eventially knowing how to set up a tent by themselves. Life skills.


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## hideout (Feb 12, 2011)

my wife said to let all you campers know,that it is not camping unless you do it in a tent.:10001:


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## peanut (Aug 24, 2011)

We tent camped for several years before we bought our first camper, a Pop-up actually. We have a handicapped child who figured out the tent zipper one 25-degree night in the mountains. That marked the end of the tent camping! 

After having a PUP for several years we traded up to a small camper, then later a bigger camper which could accomodate our two teens, their friends and our Standard Poodle. We really liked it, but sometimes I really missed being closer to nature. I took to doing most of my cooking and eating outside and turning the A/C off during the day to force the kids outside. Then last year we rolled the camper & SUV in a terrible wreck. We immediately bought another PUP, thinking that it would help us regain our confidence but it hasn't worked out that way. Not only has it not helped(we're still experiencing PTSD), the PUP is a PITA to put up. We no longer camp with our kids, so we really don't need all the room nor the amenities. 

So it's back to tent camping for us. We don't get to go camping near as often as we'd like, but now that it's cooler, the campgrounds are calling me. DH and I have decided to camp separately, as we rarely get a weekend of respite for our boy. And he just cannot camp with us safely anymore--it's like camping with a 5'10" butterfly; he flits from one place to the other with no concept of danger. The last few times we took him, he was injured in falls. Hence the separate camping. It won't be as much fun and camping together, but the lake is only about 25 min away and we can get together for a few hours during the day perhaps. DS is a sweetie, but 4 hours of taking care of him in a non-child-proofed location is exhausting. It will be a nice little break for whoever gets to stay at the campground.


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## silverz51 (Jul 27, 2011)

*I like to have options*

I decided to take a road trip to see the Grand Canyon (I live in Atlanta, GA) and camp along the way for economic reasons. I was going to take my old F150 and a truck tent I bought cheap, but to save $$ on fuel (the biggest expense) I decided to get a 2 man tent and drive my car (40% better mpg).

Anyway, the convenience and ease of using the tent is really nice, as long as the weather cooperates... I definitely enjoyed my trip even though I had to stay in motels twice due to torrential downpours. Driving a car and using the tent definitely saved a lot of money and allowed me to take my trip. I also enjoyed staying in my tent, setting up camp etc.

However, I can definitely see the advantage and convenience of something like a truck camper or a trailer. The weather would be much less a factor in the trip. I would have been able to camp with more comfort during bad weather. Also, there is the possibility of pulling into any Walmart parking lot and staying a night when the situation logistics requires an emergency stop...

If I had the budget for it, I would definitely want to have a camper of some sort for long road trips. OTOH, the tent is very small, easy to carry and set up, etc. I like both options really. Even if I had a camper, I might still take the tent just in case.


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## edwinjd (Sep 8, 2011)

I started camping and grew to love camping using a tent. But that doesn't mean to say that I don't fancy owning a camper in the long run. When the time comes and I got kids of my own, I think having a camper will be really handy to have while they're still young.


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## Shadow (Oct 24, 2011)

When I go camping, I want to get OUT of the house, not bring one with me. I have camped in a camper before, and I found little difference between that and visiting a ******* friend who lives in a trailer park. 

When I camp, I usually try to get a water-only site with no electric. I bring only a little more than I would if i were backpacking. Mainly just bulkier versions of the same thing.. Lanterns, camp stoves, etc. Half the time I don't even end up using half of it. Dinner is cooked on a skewer over the campfire. I like sitting by a campfire at night, not under an awning with color xmas lights strung up around it. 
This is what tent camping feels like to me:










This is how RV/trailer camping feels like to me: 










Some people just have to have all the amenities with them, and if I was disabled, retired, or planned to stay at a campsite for over 3 weeks at a time, being in a camper might be more luxurious. Maybe if I moved around the country camping for months at a time, a camper would be a practical thing to do, but until I am physically unable to set up my tent, I'm sticking to it.


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

I have enough to do all the above and then some... It's about freedom to pick what works for you. Some types are better than other types at different times.


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## Gordie (Apr 12, 2011)

I love being immersed in nature. I always go to the backcountry, solo most of the time. You would be amazed how much wildlife you see when you are alone. In the backcountry, I am away from people and their machines, it is the only way I can camp.


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## Gus (Mar 30, 2011)

I tent camp because it makes me feel self-reliant. Of course I enjoy camping for all the obvious "nature" related reasons, but I choose to tent camp because it is gratifying to know I can do what I need to do if I had to do it. 

Second to that would be the ability to camp where any type of RV camping equipment could not get to.

*Gus*
"Of course I trust my political representatives ... just not with my liberties or my wallet" :Camping with Gus


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