Set Up & Take Down

[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by WBrian

I never really time it, as it's part of the relaxing I do while camping. I tinker outside while the wife sets up the interior... Prob an hour at a leisurely pace.

Me too.

[mark0224]

Don't really time it is just a trying to get an order to make things as smooth as possible so I can relax quicker. Making things as easy as you can so its smooth, quick and painless for max enjoyment.

[sallugo]

You're doing fine! Take your time and enjoy! After doing set up and tear down many times, your time will naturally come down!


2014 Flagstaff Mac 228d
2004 Ford Expedition 4x4 5.4L
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[skirk55]

We left Pa and now we are in Calf. on a month trip. We have set up and taken down 8 times in 1 1/2 weeks. We have it down pat now. My wife is a big help. We pull from 8am to 8pm and that is enough for us. The more we use this pop up the more we like it. The set up after pulling all day is not bad. We did have to set up in a very bad storm one time! That's the life on the road with a pop up.

[4mula1fan]

Being in a hurry usually ends up in a screw up. Tearing the canvas, poking something through something, bending something....Relax and do things right. I really loved our pop ups...

[fmattox73]

Usually 45 minutes to an Hour for me (At age 73+)
Single axle pop up with two queen bunk ends, a car full of stuff
including my wifes three wheel scooter.
I'm retired and take a break or two during the process.

[loumichelle735]

Usually around 45 minutes for us. We usually aren't in any great rush and actually kind of enjoy it. Once we get the roof up and ends out we divide and conquer. My wife takes the inside and I do the outside.


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[caver]

hey all, got a new Flagstaff HWSC31TH ( the thing is a beast) that we have had out out about 5 times this year. This is the first pup thats ever had a slider on it so set up is strange still. Had a 98 Coleman, could set it up 20 min. no problem, this one 30-45 min. ( 30 min. by myself, 45 if the wife helps)
It gets better each time, but who cares, it aint no race!! The object is to have fun

[marsh]

First time....90 min...looked like total idiots I'm sure. After several trips we take about 30 min.

[skirk55]

After a month and 8500 miles my wife and I take less than 1\2 hr. But we had to get a hotel for one night due to very bad weather. I have set up in rain and the beds were dry. I was not dry!
We were in Texas and after two dust storms and 75 mph winds driving all day we drove into heavy rain and lighting. Time for a hotel. But after a month in a pop up and dealing with weather we are going to do it again in 2016.

[KamperKen1967]

I never time it. Like to go out ahead of family and set up while havin a few beers!

[MikeB64]

I get the kids (Age 11 and 6) involved. They each have some specific jobs they are responsible for, and capable of. It takes a bit longer than just doing it myself, but I want them to appreciate there is some work before the fun, and if we all pitch in it can actually be fun. They also seem to take some pride in showing off how well they did.

[DKRITTER]

It takes me 2 hopefully 3 beers.

Enjoy the ride.......

[RamblerGuy]

Originally Posted by skirk55

After a month and 8500 miles my wife and I take less than 1\2 hr. But we had to get a hotel for one night due to very bad weather. I have set up in rain and the beds were dry. I was not dry!
We were in Texas and after two dust storms and 75 mph winds driving all day we drove into heavy rain and lighting. Time for a hotel. But after a month in a pop up and dealing with weather we are going to do it again in 2016.

In 1972 I bought a well used (former rental) small Apache popup, made a rack on it for my dirt bike, and spent 6 weeks traveling out west. The popup was a very basic tent on wheels with beds that slide to the sides. It had no cabinets, stovetop, or anything else inside. I didn't have to unhook to set it up and could do it in about 15 minutes. I could lift a corner to level it and set the jacks.

On my last night during my return home, after three days of driving 12 hours, thunderstorms, taking an hour to make 5 miles crossing the Mississippi, I decided to get a motel room since I had enough money left. I pulled into a Holiday Inn, parked behind a car covered with "Just Married" decorations. As I went in a young couple came out and I heard the guy telling his bride that there were no rooms in town. I figured that if they turned away a honeymoon couple I had no chance of getting a room. I went to a KOA.

[phillip252]

Some of these post are to funny, it takes us (me) about 45 min 10 to setup the rest of the time is spent laughing at the wife. She is given me the evil eye right now.

[JackFrostWinter]

Well , not sure about anyone else here , but seems to me we should be asking --- are we in a rush or something ? I never timed it and honestly never even thought about how long it took . As the infamous saying goes ... it is what it is and it takes how ever long it takes to get the job done

now wait a minute here - is there someone there at the CG with a stop watch timing me ?

[Ford Idaho]

Not bothered to time how long it takes, I am in no hurry.

Power hookup takes about five min, plug in the Surge Guard, pull out the power cord, check surge guard to see if it is done testing power up.

[pgandw]

This was the critical element in our decision between an A-frame and a PUP last March.

Having owned 2 PUPs before, setting up or taking down in or just after a heavy rain was my least favorite. And the time required to pack before the trip, the 30-60 minutes (plus more for setting up interior) for the initial setup made us reluctant to do weekend trips with the PUP. Because we were/are going to be limited to overnights and long weekends for the next few years, quick setup/takedown moved to near the top of the list in priorities.

The A-frame's quick setup and takedown won out over the preferred ambience and space of a 10ft box PUP. The hard walls are a plus in the Colorado winds.

Of course we made a lot of changes in routine that would help setup/takedown with either style camper. The bed is pre-made and left that way when folded down. The camper is set up upon return home. Any needed repairs or cleaning is taken care of. Paper products and other consumables are re-stocked (we use paper plates and cups and some plastic silver) as needed. Camp clothing such as sweat shirts and rain jackets are packed in the camper. Camper has its own took kit and a minimal set of cooking and cleaning gear. Drain water if not going camping again for more than 2 weeks - we have well water which gets stinky in the hot water heater after a few weeks. Then the camper is closed down and stored in the garage for the next trip. Insulated garage stays above freezing, so no winterization.

When we are leaving, I plug the camper in the night before (or 2 nights before) to pre-cool the fridge and fully charge the batteries. Air pressure is checked in all tires (TV and camper).

On the morning of departure, we each have a gym bag for clothes, which goes in the back of the minivan, along with the 2 medium coolers packed with the food and drinks. Also in the minivan are the folding chairs and the EZ-up. Disconnect power, push the camper out in the driveway, if there is no water at campground fill the water tank, hook up, switch fridge to DC, and go.

Upon arrival at site, determine camper location, read the cross-wise level (calibrated in inches) installed on the camper front, set the correct number of Leveler blocks behind the low wheel and back on. Chock wheels and turn off fridge, unhook, level fore-and-aft. Stabs down, pop the A-frame up. Less than 15 minutes to shelter (no awning due to Colorado winds) with half of that unhooking the WDH and putting stabs down. When weather permits or comfort dictates, connect shore power (if used), turn on propane, put fridge on AC or propane, hook up water or turn on pump, turn on water heater, hook up gray water (typically hose into bucket).

Set up camp site: EZ-up if wanted (we prefer shaded sites so often not needed), folding chairs, stove, coolers at/near table. We may/may not move cooler contents into camper fridge depending on bear situation/camp ground reqmts. Later, dish washing stuff and propane lantern comes out to table.

That's our current style, and we're happy with it for "get-away" weekends. In the past, with a 10 day trip in the PUP, complete with bicycles or a canoe on the camper roof, set up and take-down was always hours, not minutes.

just my thoughts and experiences
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122
2008 Hyundai Entourage with Equal-i-zer WDH/anti-sway.

[KDHfan]

This might seem odd... But set up is probably my favorite part of camping. I draw it out as long as I can.... If it's just me and the kids, about an hour to 1-1/2 hours (they get antsy). If the wife is along, I take more beers breaks and it usually runs about a 3-hour process from leveling to camp fire.


2015 Coachmen Apex 288BHS
2014 Toyota Tundra 5.7L CrewMax

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[DKRITTER]

Originally Posted by KDHfan

This might seem odd... But set up is probably my favorite part of camping. I draw it out as long as I can.... If it's just me and the kids, about an hour to 1-1/2 hours (they get antsy). If the wife is along, I take more beers breaks and it usually runs about a 3-hour process from leveling to camp fire.

This man has it figured it out.