I don’t know how people camp with an SUV tow vehicle

[hikingcamera]

My kids have joined in the debate. Jury’s still out…

[Dennis C]

That blue SUV is way overloaded. It’s unstable and will surely crash. It also doesn’t have room for my generator.

[hikingcamera]

I dunno… scale has it well within it’s 16 ounce GVWR, even with a full load of passengers and cargo…

[Dennis C]

Good objective analysis. The scale doesn’t lie.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Good objective analysis. The scale doesn’t lie.

Yea, but I can't determine which hitch he is using in the picture; looks a bit week?

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by hikingcamera

I dunno… scale has it well within it’s 16 ounce GVWR, even with a full load of passengers and cargo…

Now that's just funny!

[barnhawk]

Love it!

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Good objective analysis. The scale doesn’t lie.

Oh, that's an easy answer: it's the Fischer Price True Depth, Safe Tow 5000

[propchef]

Blue pulls harder than orange, everyone knows this.

[Bobbo]

Originally Posted by propchef

Blue pulls harder than orange, everyone knows this.

Tennessee and Texas may dispute that!

[propchef]

Originally Posted by Bobbo

Tennessee and Texas may dispute that!

North Carolina won't.

[Dennis C]

Neither blue nor orange pull hard in Denver Broncos country lately…

[Countryboy59]

[QUOTE=PatLee;2617737]

Originally Posted by field & stream

Wow, this really begs the question what does “camping” mean on this website?

With genuine respect for all styles of travel, I don’t get how a 28’ long, three ton trailer with a microwave, oven, sound system, two televisions, air conditioning and a hot shower is “camping” and that bicycles, kayaks and fishing gear are “crap” in the context of camping.

To each his own, but it would be nice if words had a more common meaning.[/QUOTE

Touche'! field & stream!

If your vehicle looks like the Joads’ truck in Grapes of Wrath and it takes hours to load and unload a bunch of crap, that ain’t camping. I need A/C, hot and cold water, internet and TV at a minimum. Some folks I know can’t even fit a car in the garage because it’s full of crap (kids toys, bicycles, kayaks etc). Watching them load and unload for “camping” makes me tired.

I actually switched to a Class C because I hate carrying all the towing crap, hitching and unhitching. Within 10 minutes of arrival at a CG, I’m hooked up, leveled, blasting the AC, watching the Sopranos and sipping an iced bourbon, usually Blanton’s.

[gypsydad]

[QUOTE=Countryboy59;2656462]

Originally Posted by PatLee

If your vehicle looks like the Joads’ truck in Grapes of Wrath and it takes hours to load and unload a bunch of crap, that ain’t camping. I need A/C, hot and cold water, internet and TV at a minimum. Some folks I know can’t even fit a car in the garage because it’s full of crap (kids toys, bicycles, kayaks etc). Watching them load and unload for “camping” makes me tired.

I actually switched to a Class C because I hate carrying all the towing crap, hitching and unhitching. Within 10 minutes of arrival at a CG, I’m hooked up, leveled, blasting the AC, watching the Sopranos and sipping an iced bourbon, usually Blanton’s.

Typically, so are we with the 28'FC and the F250! Except, I have along some additional "options" for the trip as needed; propane fire pit, propane bbq, charcoal bbq, 12' screen "clam", kayaks, extra electric cooler...difference is, I don't have retract awning and stabilizing jacks to go to town; I just jump in my TV! It's all good...as long as we all are enjoying life!

[Countryboy59]

[QUOTE=gypsydad;2656573]

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

Typically, so are we with the 28'FC and the F250! Except, I have along some additional "options" for the trip as needed; propane fire pit, propane bbq, charcoal bbq, 12' screen "clam", kayaks, extra electric cooler...difference is, I don't have retract awning and stabilizing jacks to go to town; I just jump in my TV! It's all good...as long as we all are enjoying life!

My awning is under recall so I don’t use it 😂

[ROBERT CROSS]

[QUOTE=Countryboy59;2656670]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

My awning is under recall so I don’t use it 😂

RECALL?...What could possibly go rong on such a new unit.

Bob
🇺🇸

17 yrs sfsg

[bobzdar]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

I’m not knocking SUVs and I’m not starting a debate about the towing capabilities of SUVs vs. trucks. Each has their advantages and disadvantages and I understand why some people want to use their daily driver SUV as a tow vehicle. That’s not what this thread is about.

I use my Airstream for recreational camping, usually taking place in the Rocky Mountains. We use it as our mobile base for fly fishing, hiking, camping, rafting, etc. We don’t live in it or travel for extended periods of time. It’s a camper.

I just returned home this afternoon from a fly fishing trip up in the mountains. It was fantastic, but it rained quite a bit on Saturday afternoon and overnight into Sunday morning. It was an absolute mess breaking down the campsite this morning, and lots of dirt and mud got into the Airstream. I had to fold up a wet, muddy outdoor carpet/mat and toss it in the back of my truck with my wet fishing waders and boots. I put the wet Weber Q1200 and wet Yeti cooler back there too. It was messy.

I can’t imagine tossing this mess into the back of an SUV, especially a luxury SUV. I’d hate to mess up the carpet! I’d never want to toss all that wet stuff into the back of our Jaguar SUV. I don’t know how you do it!

Again, I’m not knocking the SUV choice. I know lots of people make it work. I’m sure many people also camp like the couples shown in the Airstream brochures who are always inside of a perfectly clean Airstream while they slice vegetables and prepare a gourmet meal.

To all the SUV people out there, I commend you for the efforts need to keep things tidy inside your vehicle. Im glad it works for you and your camping style. I’m happy I have a truck though.

Shrug, I keep a moving blanket in the back, so anything messy gets on that. Simple answer to that issue that doesn't involve changing vehicles. Truck has a limitation if I need to carry more people that there is no simple answer to...But in general, camping stuff goes in the camper, people and people stuff (or dogs) go in the SUV). If stuff needs to go in the SUV and it's messy, it goes on the moving blanket. They make some nice fancy rubber cargo mats for it as well if need be, but the blanket has worked fine so far.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by bobzdar

Shrug, I keep a moving blanket in the back, so anything messy gets on that. Simple answer to that issue that doesn't involve changing vehicles. SNip <><>

Now that sounds like a good idea....

Bob
🇺🇸

SUV's rock

[richard5933]

We've got the WeatherTech full cargo tray in our Suburban. It has a three-inch lip all the way around and does a great job of keeping any messes from going beyond the top of the mat. It gets pulled out and hosed off as needed after carrying dirty camping gear. Pretty simple to contain anything dirty in the rear of the Suburban.

Normally when we travel with the Airstream we've got the third-row seating pulled out and use a cargo tray which covers the entire cargo area, but we also have the shorter cargo tray which can be used behind the third-row seating. When we are traveling in end-of-season weather where things are expected to be particularly messy we'll bring along the shorter tray nested inside the longer one so that messy items can be further contained in the very rear of the cargo area and not leak onto other items carried further forward.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by bobzdar

Shrug, I keep a moving blanket in the back, so anything messy gets on that. Simple answer to that issue that doesn't involve changing vehicles. Truck has a limitation if I need to carry more people that there is no simple answer to...But in general, camping stuff goes in the camper, people and people stuff (or dogs) go in the SUV). If stuff needs to go in the SUV and it's messy, it goes on the moving blanket. They make some nice fancy rubber cargo mats for it as well if need be, but the blanket has worked fine so far.

Been there;done that also with our Tahoe's with cargo mats in our early 25's...world of difference however when we got the F150 with the bed, for cargo however. Loading up firewood, adding charcoal, getting in bed to load up kayaks on racks as an example; not to mention increased payload. Love the SUV for driving around and traveling in, but on long trips, a truck has a lot of plus's over the SUV when towing, IMHO.