Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 24, 2018 - 06:56am PT
|
What do you call a fully built out Mercedes Sprinter with a young couple? Answer...Trustifarivan. Seems like Sprinters are all the rage and their are a lot of other campers out there from jury rigged vans and pickups on up to Sportmobiies.
About ten years ago my wife and I bought a used Sportsmobile fot ten grand and we have gotten a ton of use from it...95,000 miiles and counting.
Last spring we bought are first new car in thirteen years a Toyota Four Runner. We got to thinking....how about getting a small travel trailer to go with it. The Sportsmobile was showing it’s age and we liked the idea of having a trailer at a campsite AND a vehicle to travel from the campsite to destinations. Areas like Indian Creek and the City of Rocks are not set up for walking to climbing areas from a central campsite. So we just bought a cool little travel trailer... aT@B 400. Now we will be able to have a central campsite and a vehicle (the Four Runner) that will take us just about anywhere. Seems to me like more versatility and the total cost was considerably less than what most built out Sprinters cost.
Two different concepts...we tried one for ten years, looking forward to the other. Which way do you go?
|
|
HermitMaster
Social climber
my abode
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:05am PT
|
You'll appreciate the freedom a trailer gives you. Then you don't have to worry about anything other than who is breaking into it while you are gone.
|
|
johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:29am PT
|
Why didn't you drive the Sportsmobile from the campsite to the climbing site? That's what I do.
|
|
ealderson
Social climber
Hadley MA
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:30am PT
|
Have had camper vans and slide-in truck campers. A few summers ago we switched to a T@b 320 and love being able to drop the home and still be able to drive around. I love the T@b 400, congratulations on a super cool rig!
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2018 - 07:33am PT
|
When I have the sportsmobile set up it’s a pain to de rig it...plus the four runner will go places no camper van will. I just feel the trailer gives me more versatility...time will tell.
|
|
hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:41am PT
|
it's that folks with tall vans
aren't limited to rockin' side to side any more.
so everybody says we're way ahead of the crowd
... in our shiny sphere
|
|
Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:43am PT
|
Hey, Jim:
We've gone both ways but currently using an R-Pod trailer. Gas mileage sucks, but it is nice to have it rigged and parked. The main drawback is pretty obvious--lots of places you can't get to, so exploring remote dirt roads, et al., is too sketchy. For established areas with known parking/driving conditions, it's great! An added and unexpected benefit is that it's easier to level than a van.
Enjoy and post pics. We'll be at City o' Rocks next year with our trailer. This year, it needed a new axle and wasn't ready in time, so we dirtbagged it.
BAd
|
|
Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 07:57am PT
|
Nice Jim, looks pretty efficient, perfect fit.
Why didn't you drive the Sportsmobile from the campsite to the climbing site?
That works at places like JT. Some of the best climbing at IC is on roads that a van or sprinter can not easily drive on. You see a lot of vans parked at the main road, you are limited on access.
|
|
JLP
Social climber
The internet
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:10am PT
|
Van + motorcycle strapped to the back.
Everything has its trade-offs, depends where you go the most and what you do there.
|
|
tradryan
Big Wall climber
San Diego
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:11am PT
|
Hard to beat having a 4x4 with a detachable trailer for access to rough places and having a daily driver that's not "built out". We LOVE our Casita 17' deluxe (we'd probably just tent camp but with young kids it's much nicer to have a corral). My opinion is Casita easily compares to Airstream at literally 1/3 of the cost.
|
|
Don Paul
Social climber
Washington DC
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:13am PT
|
Mid 90s 4wd chevy blazer will expand your horizons to dirt roads those giant vehicles can't navigate and cost next to nothing. You want an old vehicle for those roads because it will get beaten up. My Jeep Wrangler was a wimp compared to the blazer - looks like it comes from the suburbs but the best 4wd living space imo.
|
|
ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:16am PT
|
About ten years ago my wife and I bought a used Sportsmobile for ten grand
uh Jim, seems like 10 years ago you'd had that van for at least 10 years already. Remember, time moves a lot slower for your reptilian species:)
Arne
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2018 - 08:27am PT
|
Arne...it has cost us $1,000 a year for the Sportsmobile. New ones are over $100, 000. A thousand a year would take over 100 years...looks like we did okay.
|
|
Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:39am PT
|
Did the same thing... started in a van, then got a slide in camper, then got a travel trailer. Best thing evah! Nothing feels as good as not having to pack up all your sh#t to drive two miles. The mega basecamp system is sweet after cragging.
|
|
ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:39am PT
|
You have done very well with it Jim. I know I've had some good times hanging, drinking a little red and listening to your opera playlist on the little stereo. Good times!
Arne
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
Redmond, Oregon
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:44am PT
|
Jim - same here. After having outfitted trucks with canopies/shells for the past 20 years, we finally bought a Jayco 19' Baja Edition. We pull it with a built 2012 Tundra.
Nice to be able to stand up, cook in a shelter and sleeping on a real bed is not too bad. Being able to drop the trailer wherever and take off down rough roads to access great areas with little to no crowds is nice too.
We are happy with the set up.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 08:54am PT
|
Just see the extreme opulence of America all while being at the mercy of the worlds poor to provide it .....
|
|
Jim Clipper
climber
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 09:16am PT
|
nice rigs all! this may be the best i got...
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 09:19am PT
|
yer legally limited to 55 mph while towing.
Legally? When did that stop anyone? You see more at 55 though plus it ain’t as stressful,
‘cept for all the as#@&%es passing you, huh?
|
|
Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2018 - 09:22am PT
|
My neighbor has a 16 foot Casita. It's very nice, super light and made to be towed with V6 motors. They're self contained, good clearance and made with marine grade parts. I plan on having one someday to coax my wife out.
There is a used Casita site I believe.
https://casitatraveltrailers.com/
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!