Set up and breakdown time

[pgandw]

I wasn't very good at setup when we had a pop-up - but we had kids, and bikes on the roof. And we seldom did 1 or 2 night trips - partly because of the setup and take down times.

Part of the appeal of the A-frame was the fast setup and take down which makes overnight trips not as grueling. But we found it was easy to lose that advantage and take over an hour. And I wanted to go camping by myself on occasion when DW didn't want to go. So we went on an efficiency kick.

First, got rid of stuff that was difficult to setup, or was heavy for one person to lift, or we just didn't use enough to justify. Example - we had gotten a fold-up camp kitchen from one of the sports stores. It was heavy and awkward, and we didn't use the features. DW cooks on either a Weber Baby-Q or a 2 burner propane stove on the picnic table, with occasional assist from the microwave if we have shore power. So we sold the fold-up kitchen to a hunter, which was a good fit for his camping style.

We went through several EZ-ups, awnings, shade shelters before we settled on a smaller EZ-up and a picnic table-mounted awning. For the EZ-up, I do it single-handed by pegging one corner in the ground, and then slowly walking the other corners out. Not as elegant as I would like, but it works. If the site is suitably shaded, we don't even use anything over the table.

We have tried to optimize the storage compartments. Chocks and leveling blocks are in rear storage, as are gray water bucket and hose, water hose, electrical cords and adaptors, dish washing tub, 2 food prep tables that mount on camper side rail, tea kettle, electric coffee pot, and a small tool kit.

Front trunk has all the stuff for the picnic table - grill, grill stand, propane stove, EZ-up, 3 chairs, 2 pots, frying pan, dishes, table cloth, and cold weather clothing.

Stored inside the folded down camper are a folding table, dinette table, clothing (we each have a gym bag for clothing), bedding, and stuff for the dog. Shower stuff is inside a cabinet. Fridge is pre-cooled and loaded prior to departure (yes I can crawl in and access while folded down - one part I dislike).

Dry food tote(s), a small cooler with a home-made Reflectix liner, and firewood go in the back of the minivan.

hope this helps
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
last trip: Black Hills, Badlands, Ft Robinson, Scott's Bluff (6 days in June)
next trip: Navajo Lake (5 days)

[flyerdp]

228D here 30-45 setup a little longer takedown mostly due to making sure things are right, clean and positioned correctly for closing.

Once the trailer is Unhook:

put down 4 corner stab jacks
Raise Roof/awning if we want it.
Add bunk supports and roof lift supports and pull out bunks.
I added stab jacks at the midpoint that are removable so put them on and lift.
Slide out Dining room
Raise Galley
Install Door
Raise table, seat backs and place cushions.
Walk the outside and make sure all velcro is in place

My wife is doing the bed linens by the time the galley is raised.

[Boscorelli]

Wow, this topic brings me back! When I was a teenager, my folks had a tent-topped pop-up trailer with an adder room. The tent was made of that thick, heavy canvas material that just about smothered you when it was hot out. (I can feel the sweat dripping down my face even now!) The tent top had a 3 pole system and snaps all around. Setting that up wasn't too bad. I could probably get it done in 20 minutes. The adder room, on the other hand, was a PITA! It zipped onto the tent part of the pop-up, and then had snaps that went over the zippers. Then there were at least a dozen poles to set up, and each pole had two guide wires and two stakes. I spent hours putting that thing up!
One summer we stayed at Burlingame SP in RI, while my dad was away working. Every two weeks we had to move to another campsite - park rules! That was an awful lot of setup, take down and setup! I vowed "never again". Now I own a TT with no pop-ups, no slide outs...nothing to setup at all. I park the truck and I'm camping.

P.S. I am now what my dad referred to as a "powder puff" camper!

[Grnsl2]

Originally Posted by flyerdp

228D here 30-45 setup a little longer takedown mostly due to making sure things are right, clean and positioned correctly for closing.







My wife is doing the bed linens by the time the galley is raised.

You guys don't leave your bedding put together when you fold up your camper? We definitely do. Bad enough to do that in my own driveway once in a while. :^)

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by Grnsl2

You guys don't leave your bedding put together when you fold up your camper? We definitely do. Bad enough to do that in my own driveway once in a while. :^)

We always remove our linens and store them in the house to avoid them getting musty. Camper linens (and towels) are stored in a box used only for that purpose. It goes in and out of the trailer when loading or unloading.

[Grnsl2]

Personally, I don't really mind the setup and tear down at campsite. What does bother me though is the full setup before you leave the driveway.

We end up setting up the entire camper before we leave so that we can put fresh linens on if needed, load the refrigerator, pull out the crock pot and add the grill if that's the food we're having this week top off other items etc. Once all that stuff is done button it up and a way we go.

I think that's 1 huge advantage a TT has. Least it's up and you can walk in and out whenever needed. With a couple kids and limited vehicle space, hard to do it any other way.

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by Grnsl2

You guys don't leave your bedding put together when you fold up your camper? We definitely do. Bad enough to do that in my own driveway once in a while. :^)

Sometimes, yes however I have a got a 4 inch foam topper at sams last fall and cut to fit on the king side that we leave on the bunk so with the added bedding its a little tough to close. As it is with that I have about 1 inch I have to push down.

Often we leave bedding on for the return trip and take off when we open up at home and empty out but it is still easier to strip the king side with that topper so it closes better. Going out we don't always set it fully up just load the fridge if needed and gear on the floor and go.

We do keep a large damp rid canister in there and it definitely pulls moisture out of the air but I don't think I would leave bedding in there because I swear the thing smells like breakfast/bacon inside that think... lol.

[SomeName]

I see everyone has their own way of doing things. Having only camped once in our popup and not having a good place to open it at home we’ve come up with a system to streamline packing, setup and takedown.

We have the Flagstaff 625D (Rockwood 2516G) that has a large storage compartment on the front and externally accessible storage under the dinette benches. We created plastic bins that can be accessed through the external dinette storage hatches that includes bedding, etc. things that we’d like to keep in the camper but need to come out for cleaning.

In the front storage compartment is the BBQ, screen room, tools, lawn chairs, 15 gallon waste water tote, potty chemicals, bunk supports, power cords and accessories, clean water hose, grey water hoses, and other things. It’s a great compartment that holds way more than it would seem possible.

Leaving for camp involves packing food into a cooler (some items will be transitioned to the fridge at camp), packing clothes, loading bikes, etc and pulling the trailer bins from the basement and putting them in the dinette storage. Off we go.

During takedown at camp we’ll clean and make it ready for the next camp but make bedding accessible for washing. No need to raise the roof at home this way and packing is as easy as grabbing things and putting them in compartments.

[Amartin453]

Originally Posted by Grnsl2

You guys don't leave your bedding put together when you fold up your camper? We definitely do. Bad enough to do that in my own driveway once in a while. :^)

Nope!!🤮

[Patty56]

When we had one it was pain in butt. You can't setup or put away in rain.
It took just to much time.
I bought RV

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Patty56

When we had one it was pain in butt. You can't setup or put away in rain.
It took just to much time.
I bought RV

Patty, a popup is a RV, as is travel trailers, 5th wheels, Motorhomes, truck campers. They are all Recreational Vehicles.

[Patty56]

I know that. A pop up is a lot of work

[highgreen]

I have a 2012 Palomino traverse grand Teton HW and with this thing everything is big and heavy. My wife and i are in our 60s and love the trailer but it takes us almost 3 hrs from start to dinner to get it up. Thats slide out sewer hose bathroom inside ect. The bad part about the whole thing is you have to set it up to load it put it down then set it up to camp put it down then set it up to unload it then put it down. WOW! I do leave it up in my driveway during the summer but when fall starts coming you have to be right on to put it down before it starts raining for days. Dont put away wet.

[Jharness81]

This has been an interesting thread to read! Lol. We also own a 2015 2516G, and it typically takes us about 30-40 minutes to have everything completely setup and ready to use after unhitching. I installed a ProRac bike carrier on the front of the trailer this season so we’ve got bikes I have to take down now, but it’s a great system so it doesn’t take long to stow/remove the bikes. If it’s just me opening the camper up to clean or repair something, I can usually do that by myself in 15 minutes or so. Tear down usually takes a bit longer, as like many others we like to ensure that the camper is clean on the inside and that the vinyl has been wiped down on the outside. Since we had such a warm winter there’s been tree pollen and all sorts of “tree crap” as my kids call it (lol) all over the outside of the vinyl. This is usually only a step we perform if we’re sitting under trees in a shady spot. But closing her up takes us about 15 minutes once we get to that point. Having a good system makes all the difference when it comes to setup and tear down of pop-ups!

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by Amartin453

Just curious on getting some averages for set and breakdown time on your pop-ups.

I have a 2016 Rockwood Premier 2516g. The
Set up & breakdown time for me is between 1 & 1.5 hours.

That’s me unhooking/ hooking up to the vehicle. Setting up the entire outside, including water hose, propane hose, electric, grill, chair, table mat and awning.

While wife is inside setting up the beds, fans, shower and hanging wardrobe/pantry. Then kids bring her all the linen, clothes, food and miscellaneous things that we brought.

It’s never a quick process for us and I’ve had the camper since 2016. Use to stress me the hell out, now I enjoy it (unless it rains)!

Should've seen me pack up at Pioneer Village in Minden NE. about 34 years ago. SEVERE STORM on it's way....Tornado's had been spotted. Packed entire site, 2 year old son, wife, popup down, hooked up and headed for interstate in under 10 minutes. Stopped at hotel about 40 miles down the road, just in time to see local news reports of the campers tipped over at that campground.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by Patty56

When we had one it was pain in butt. You can't setup or put away in rain.
It took just to much time.
I bought RV

Websters Dictionary

Recreational vehicle: noun

Definition of recreational vehicle
: a vehicle designed for recreational use (as in camping)
especially : MOTOR HOME

Synonyms for recreational vehicle
Synonyms: camper, caravan, motor home, RV, trailer

[Danhikeski]

We took about 45min - 1hour to set up ours, it was a Jayco sport 8. We most always had it set up at home to air out, and my son loved to sleep in it. It would get aired out and we could clean it, too. Saying that, we now have a 16BHS that takes even less time to set up.

You can put it away wet, if you have a place at home to open it up.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Websters Dictionary

Recreational vehicle: noun

Definition of recreational vehicle
: a vehicle designed for recreational use (as in camping)
especially : MOTOR HOME

Synonyms for recreational vehicle
Synonyms: camper, caravan, motor home, RV, trailer

Instead of using a non-RV source, how about the definition from RVIA and its GoRVing website:

https://gorving.com/compare-rvs

[1979 750 XS]

BAL makes a leveler that also acts as a chock. It shaved 10 minutes off our setup time.

https://www.ganderoutdoors.com/bal-l...iABEgL87_D_BwE

Wish we could use it for our double-axle TT.

[1979 750 XS]

BAL makes a leveler that also acts as a chock. It shaved 10 minutes off our setup time.

https://www.ganderoutdoors.com/bal-l...iABEgL87_D_BwE

Wish we could use it for our double-axle TT. Happy camping!

Tom