Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

[pitmaster]

Re: Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

if i camp in an RV, i have pots and pans. if i camp with the family in a tent, i have pots and pans. if i trail camp with the boys, we use mess kits (still pots and pans). if i camp in an RV, i have heat on my pots and pans and the same while tent or trail camping. i use water with either of the 3. i do all activities outside regardless of which of the 3 it is. i sleep out of the elements, regardless of which 3 it is. sounds like the 3 have a heck of a lot in common with different modes of being out of the elements, but still using the necessities to cook (although some may be more elaborate) and drink and sleep. either way, like mentined above, it's like the Harley versus Metric bikes, Ford versus Chevy, and so on...and yes, it can be compared to as oranges to broccoli, but when it comes down to it, it's just a different way of being in the outdoors and simply camping within the means of what you want, have, or can afford. either way, it's to be enjoyed and for building memories. if i owned a camper, i'd rather build a memory at some state park or national park versus building a memory watching television. compare, rag it, bash it, whatever, camping is camping just in different styles by different people..imagine, differences make the world go round, cause if we were all like me it would be one big boring place due to no variety...camp in whatever you want and build a memory that can not be built any other way in another place by any other replacement, especially watching television..it's an endless and pointless argument that has no winner...just my honest opinion

[renodesertfox]

Re: Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

Earlier stated and still bent towards tenting. The big difference isn't what one does while camping, that's a given. The difference is noise abatement. In a tent there aren't insulated walls and doors to keep another camper's noise away from your area. A bear can easily rip apart a tent. In an RV, no so. Most people who choose to use an RV respect the rules in a regulated organized campground, however, when we choose to winter camp there have been times when RVers believe that those guidelines don't apply to them. Every winter when we camp, the campgrounds that we visit have the tent sections closed, but the RV sections remain open. Late at night, the temperature drops and quiet hours are begun, one can always hear the low vibrating drone of a RV's generator pumping heat into the RV. In a tent, that noise is heard plainly and loud even if we camp as far away as possible but still in the RV sections. Get 5 generators running and it sounds like Times Square at mid-day. So one goes to file a complaint and the loudest generator noise is coming from the campground host's RV. Time to pack-up and leave and our nice quiet winter camp has been taken from us.

Another reason that the two forms(tents vs RVs) differ is that a tent is pitched on dirt while a RV is parked on pavement. Try to pitch a tent on pavement or blacktop and you'll find that tents and RVs aren't the same. RVs also block scenic vistas, tents do not. Tenters usually camp from cars, suv, motorcycles, or trucks and obey the driving laws of the land professionally. Every RV driver that I have witnessed on any narrow two lane road, hog well over the double yellow line. And going around very narrow curves I have been run off the road too many times to count. RVs on two-track(4x4) trails where the vegetation is dense, upon those trails an RV needs a sizable area to turn around, not so with a tenter's vehicle. Vegetation easily gets destroyed with a RV(again, witnessed to many times to count & so too the RV to the dismay of the RV driver). The tenter's vehicle is more respectful of the forest. Tents and RVs differ that's my point.

Another difference is lighting a campsite with lights. With an RV, one simply has to turn household lights on with a switch. With a tent one normally uses lanterns, headlights, or flashlights. There is more work involved when tenting.

Restrooms or bathrooms - With a RV there is plenty of privacy and modern toilet features also with light switches for turning lights on and off, flushing toilets and instant running water. With a tent there are none of these modern conveniences.

Sleeping quarters: Rvs use a framed bed and modern mattresses, some RVs even have water beds. In a tent a person sleeps on a pad, an air mattress or a cot and usually in a sleeping bag as opposed to sleeping under fancy linen sheets and a blanket that has never seen a speck of dirt on it ever.

Another difference is that is easier to turn a tent around, re-pitch it if there is a problem with wind direction, etc.... An RV needs a huge area to turn it around which means having to cut down more trees and paving a forest with blacktop or a manicured flat dirt road.

What one does while out in the boonies doesn't matter a twinkle. I prefer a tent! For me a tent is beauitful and RV is a monstrosity! In winter now we avoid organized campgrounds altogether and camp dispersed, usually chains and 4-wheel-drive low gets us where we won't see any RVs. Oh, yeah that's another difference but now it's your turn to rant!

[Jarrod01]

Re: Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

Hi JohnJohn,
I am new to this forum and I'm glad to know about these things. I feel so good being aware of this. thanks.

[thitch]

Re: Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

New to the board, but appreciate the civil back and forth that exists between the members. I, personally, used to be strictly a tent camper, but have since had my mind changed based on many of the amenities some of the new versions of the RV has to offer. The newer tear drop trailers are definitely the way to go IMHO. Anxious to hear anyone's thoughts on those

[campfirefun28]

Re: Recent issues concerning Tent - vs - RV camping

One thing I've noticed is that it is uncomfortable to tent camp text to RV campers. They are generally loud and with the buzzing of air conditioners along with lighting, RV campers really steal away from the pure feeling of being out doors. To each his own but I feel that RV campers should be kept away from tent campers.