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  • Full Circle

    Hey there. It's been awhile since I posted on this forum. In years past you guys helped me reacquaint myself with tent camping. In that time I moved on to a pop-up camper, a hybrid travel trailer, and than a motor home.

    Last month we consigned our motor home and were lucky to have it sold in 2 weeks.

    Among the reasons we left the RV world was the exceptional cost that was in direct contrast to the quality of the units. In short our findings across multiple manufacturers was that the rigs are made cheap and are prone to failure. Also. We found ourselves doing less 'camping' and more sitting around in front of our electronics and TVs, no nature walks, etc. The ongoing maintenance on these types of things onerous too. In the end it just wasn't worth it to us anymore.

    So now I'm back where I started. We have a lot of gear from the RV that is useable for tent camping. I just ordered my Eureka Timberline 6 SQ (fond memories of my scouting years). I have my LLBean screen house (and fly). I have a few more odds and ends to acquire and we're heading back out.

    Nice to to be back with you all.

  • #2
    Re: Full Circle

    Got a couple of good chuckles when I read this. Something told me that this is what the title "Full Circle" meant. I never made it to the motor home, but I also went up the line from backpacking to car camping to popup and travel trailer and back to tent camping. But, unlike you, (chuckle #2) I haven't quite given up on the luxury side of things. I may be back into tents, but now the challenge is to bring as much comfort as I can and make it fit in the smallest pile in the truck.

    Anyway... welcome back to the world of roughing it and to the forum!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Full Circle

      Oh don't worry I plan on glamping. Exped Mega Mats? Check. 12 volt battery and Fantastic Fan? Check. Coleman Quikpot coffee maker? Check.

      I dont think I could really 'rough' it at this point. Heck the Honda EU2000 will be in the bed wherever we camp without a power post !

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Full Circle

        Originally posted by Jopopsy View Post
        Oh don't worry I plan on glamping. Exped Mega Mats? Check. 12 volt battery and Fantastic Fan? Check. Coleman Quikpot coffee maker? Check.

        I dont think I could really 'rough' it at this point. Heck the Honda EU2000 will be in the bed wherever we camp without a power post !
        Not sure why I assumed you'd go back to primitive - I guess I figured there weren't too many people trying to take out everything including the kitchen sink (which is actually on my back burner project list). I'll make another assumption and guess that you're also somewhere in the area of 50 years old. From the mid 40's on, my back told me in no uncertain terms that sleeping on the ground was out of the question.
        Last edited by MacGyver; 07-26-2017, 05:50 AM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Full Circle

          I'm in my mid 40s. Years of martial arts and heavy weight lifting has left my back 11.3% more stiff then the year prior. :glasses:

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Full Circle

            Originally posted by Jopopsy View Post
            Oh don't worry I plan on glamping. Exped Mega Mats? Check. 12 volt battery and Fantastic Fan? Check. Coleman Quikpot coffee maker? Check.

            I dont think I could really 'rough' it at this point. Heck the Honda EU2000 will be in the bed wherever we camp without a power post !
            Without the RV, folks open a wide range of "primitive" camping & remote travel options (with sufficient "Stuff" it turns to glamping...). The porta-pot and extreme cooler are the best things that I have added in several years... still resisting the genny (Yamaha) though...(so far the battery is enough to power the lights and stereo).

            Enjoy!
            Last edited by Happy Joe; 07-27-2017, 07:03 AM.
            2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
            For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
            Ground tents work best for me, so far.
            Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Full Circle

              I just discovered those Dometic Fridge Coolers that run w/o ice on 12v or 120AC. Now THATs some glamping right there, though to be honest i'd be worried somebody would walk off w/ it. The genny can stay in my truck bed, but the cooler would just sorta sit out in the open.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Full Circle

                ...Tried an edge star fridge, IMO Dometic is a better brand; works well but it would require me to bring the genny; or a relatively huge solar setup, to recharge the battery; a 35 AH (Amp Hour) battery is too small (only runs the edge star over night or maybe a day and a half; if I flat line/kill the battery)... I need to upgrade to at least 100 AH, the next time I replace the battery (next year or perhaps the year after) to be able to run the fridge for a weekend.
                A chain around a tree, for my cooler, keeps the honest critters, honest (that and if there are too many fears about theft I am in too "civilized" an area).

                Enjoy!
                Last edited by Happy Joe; 07-28-2017, 04:37 AM.
                2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
                For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
                Ground tents work best for me, so far.
                Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Full Circle

                  Welcome back. I was talking to a couple guys the other day about my recent camping trip and one of them showed me a picture of his RV saying this is how he goes camping. It was nice but I pointed out that there is no way that he could go where I go camping.
                  “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                  – E. B. White

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Full Circle

                    If interested in the cheapest 12 volt fridge/freezer, not the best quality, my EdgeStar is OK quality; some, like mine, have minor damage.. I expect camping gear to get a bit beat-up over time so it was no big deal for me. I got one from an open box sale at compact appliance...(I just checked and they have some available in the $460 range (availability varies); ...note; as mentioned above it takes relatively substantial power/support equipment to run these, or any fridge/freezer very long...
                    https://www.compactappliance.com/fp4...zer/FP430.html


                    ...No association with these folks, but they were good in replacing a missing cord for free...

                    Enjoy!
                    Last edited by Happy Joe; 07-28-2017, 05:33 AM.
                    2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
                    For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
                    Ground tents work best for me, so far.
                    Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Full Circle

                      What kind of power are we talking about? Little generator during the day, 100 amp hour battery during quiet hours? Would a 90 amp hour (group 27) battery last only through the night or could I get some hours out of it during the day?
                      Last edited by Jopopsy; 07-28-2017, 06:03 AM. Reason: edited amp hour/battery

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Full Circle

                        Originally posted by Jopopsy View Post
                        What kind of power are we talking about? Little generator during the day, 100 amp hour battery during quiet hours? Would a 90 amp hour (group 27) battery last only through the night or could I get some hours out of it during the day?
                        The write up at compact appliance says 5.4 amps @ 12 volts however that is not continuous since the fridge cycles on and off... I measured the current draw and, if I recall correctly it was less than 5.4 amps after the fridge was cool, I don't remember by how much though.
                        I would guess that a 90 amp hour battery would run it for several days assuming that you start out with it pre-chilled at home (115 volts @ 0.75 Amp).
                        Remember if you draw your battery down below 25% (some say 50%) it will, probably (almost certainly, IMO), reduce its life to some extent.
                        I have noticed that some folks say that the standard automobile cigarette lighters don't supply enough power/current/voltage, although it should; many folks with portable fridge/freezers (assorted brands) run a dedicated power wire from the battery to to the fridge.
                        The folks that seem the most happy are those that travel in the vehicle every day to recharge the battery, many claim satisfactory recharging with 100 watts of good quality solar panels (although since I like shady campsites this does not work all that well for me; I end up chasing the sunlight with the solar panels to keep them oriented to the sun and out of the shade).

                        I figure (guess) that running a genny to recharge the battery (and power the fridge daily would be fine with a less than 100 AH battery (warning; this is just a guess)... although the ambient temperature will almost certainly affect the performance; 40 F in the mountains is going to be a much smaller load on the fridge than 120-130 F in the desert (or a closed up vehicle in the sun).

                        ...Hope it helps...

                        Enjoy!
                        2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
                        For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
                        Ground tents work best for me, so far.
                        Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Full Circle

                          From what I've read on RV forums, I think this is very common. Tent campers will move to a popup because they "want to retain the true camping experience". Then, after they've enjoyed the convenience of a trailer, they move to a hard sided trailer to reduce the set up and take down time.

                          That's the point where it can fall apart. If they buy into the arguments of "RVers", they start thinking they need more room in case it rains and they're stuck inside, and they need the tv and dvd player, and they need the toaster and hair dryer, and they need the walk around bed, and they need the 100 gallon fresh water tank, and on and on. Suddenly, they find they are in an RV and not a camper...

                          If they fight against those arguments, they stay with a basic trailer that works as a tent/tarped area and restroom, and they continue to camp as they always have.

                          With my clipper, I find the windows are what keep me from falling into that trap. I have a large picture window on both sides and the rear, and the windshield in the front. Plus the front and side windows in the overcab bed. Shades/curtains are drawn only at bedtime. This means that no matter where I am in the clipper, I am always looking out at the outdoors. I can't forget it's there. It reminds me why I went camping...
                          “One could not be a successful scientist without realizing that, in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of scientists, a goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.” - James D. Watson

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Full Circle

                            They have portable propane fridges now. I think they run about the same in pricing as the one above.
                            “One could not be a successful scientist without realizing that, in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of scientists, a goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.” - James D. Watson

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Full Circle

                              Originally posted by Happy Joe View Post
                              Without the RV, folks open a wide range of "primitive" camping & remote travel options (with sufficient "Stuff" it turns to glamping...). The porta-pot and extreme cooler are the best things that I have added in several years... still resisting the genny (Yamaha) though...(so far the battery is enough to power the lights and stereo).

                              Enjoy!
                              I've done the same. And agree.
                              2020: 7 nights 2019: 5 nights 2018: 20 nights 2017: 19 nights 2016: 20 nights
                              Spring->Fall: Marmots: Limestone 6P and 4P, Stormlight 3P, Tungsten 3P; SlumberJack Trail Tent 6P, BA Yahmonite 5P
                              Fall->Spring: Cabelas Instinct Alaskan Guide 8P, Field & Stream Cloudpeak 4P, Eastern Mountain Products Torrent 3P
                              Every season: Kelty Noah's Tarps- 20, 16, 12; REI Camp Tarp 16; BA Three Forks Shelter

                              sigpic

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