Pop-up campers offer an affordable and easier route to RVing. They are inexpensive, offer great fuel economy, and are versatile enough to travel over any terrain. More importantly, they have just the right amount of space and amenities to accommodate a medium-sized family. Now, if you’re new to camping in a tent camper, there are plenty of tips, tricks, and hacks to learn. Here are the best pop-up camper camping tips.
16 Tips for Camping in a Pop-Up Camper
Draw inspiration from these resourceful pop-up trailer solutions.
Practice Setting Up at Home
Expanding and folding a tent trailer involves a series of steps that must be done in just the right sequence for everything to fit together. This process can be intimidating initially, but the last thing you want is to have issues while setting up your pop-up camper at the campground.
Top Tip: To avoid attracting unwelcome stares, perfect the skill of operating the lift system before your camping trip. Practice pitching and collapsing the pop-up camper trailer several times at home to understand how the puzzle works. Of course, bring the user manual and record a walk-through video of the set-up process.
Practice Hitching, Towing, and Leveling
If you’ve never towed a trailer before, it can feel different, even if you’re pulling a small camper. One of the best pop up camper tips is to practice connecting the trailer to the vehicle you’ll use for the camping trip. Make sure you have all the manufacturer-recommended hitching equipment and use the correct steps to hitch up.
Forgetting even a single element in the hitching process could result in big problems. Next, head to an empty parking lot in your neighborhood. Practice accelerating, backing up, braking, and making turns. Also, set up towing mirrors to eliminate blind spots. Finally, return home and learn how to level, place blocks, and unhook the camper from your tow vehicle.
Travel Closer to Home the First Time
Keep your trip simple the first time out by picking an RV park close to home. This will allow you to gain confidence in towing, and you can learn how to operate your new rig without worrying about getting stranded in a region you’re unfamiliar with. In case things go south, you’re on familiar turf and can get home fast. Make sure you also leave early, so you can arrive at the campsite and set up everything before dark.
Choose a Pop-Up Friendly Campground
Not every RV park or public campground is ideal for pop-up campers. Some national parks and state parks campgrounds restrict soft-sided trailers due to bear activities. In addition, some private parks feel that pop-ups could lessen the appeal of their campground, so they deny them access. Others restrict them because most pop-ups aren’t self-contained.
To avoid last-minute disappointments, read the campground’s policy carefully and call the management if you’re unsure. And if you have a campground in mind, research the size of the campsites as some small spots won’t accommodate extended, larger popup campers.
Consider an Off-Beat Campground With Lots of Space
Pop-up campers have thin walls, which allow noises to penetrate. To avoid noise distractions from generators, pets, and other patrons, and to keep your conversations private, stay at an off-grid campground with nicely-spaced sites. Or look for one that has strict noise restrictions. Good options are campgrounds in state parks, RV parks near small towns, or even dispersed camping areas on BLM land.
Know the Expected Weather
Tent campers aren’t great for camping in rainy conditions. They are prone to leakage, and the wet canvas may also cause mold and mildew problems. So, check the weather report for the area you plan to camp in. Preferably, pick a destination that’s not expecting any rain.
Bring Duct Tape and Water Repellent
Rips and tears in the tent fabric are rare, but they do happen. To prevent interior water damage, pack duct tape. Use it to temporarily plug the slits and holes before they can get fixed properly. Alternatively, use RV awning repair tape. You can also apply water-repellent spray to the canvas’ surface to keep the material from getting damp when it gets rained on. It also protects from mold.
Pack WD40
WD40 should be a staple of every RVer’s toolbox. Sometimes, the slide-outs or roof of your pop-up tent trailer can get stuck. This inexpensive product helps lubricate things. It’s also versatile enough to loosen stubborn bolts, silence squeaky hinges, loosen carpet stains, and clean battery terminals.
Invest in Clever Storage Solutions
Due to their small size when folded, tent campers offer very little storage. One brilliant pop-up trailer camping tip is to measure the dimensions of the useable interior space when the unit is in a collapsed state. Now buy watertight stackable storage bins that can fit in that space. Label the storage containers depending on the contents each holds.
Use bins and totes to pack clothes, dry food, small kitchen utensils, toiletries, and first aid supplies. Where there’s idle space, use wire shelves, hooks, and nets. When packing, only bring the necessities and buy multi-functional items and cookware that nest together.
Add Storage to Your Pop-Up Camper Frame
Another smart pop up camper tip is to have a storage rack mounted at the front tongue jack, where the trailer connects to the tow vehicle. Alternatively, you can add a storage box or rack at the rear or roof. Just make sure you aren’t exceeding your vehicle’s towing limit and the cargo-carrying capacity of your pop camper.
Leverage Your Tow Vehicle for Additional Space
The vehicle you’ll use to pull the trailer can be an invaluable storage resource. Use its trunk to store items you’ll need to retrieve fast, like coolers and clean water for drinking. You can also install a roof cargo carrier or bike rack on the tow vehicle to carry large gear items such as kayaks and bikes.
If you have a pickup truck, use the bed to haul fun outdoor gear, firewood, extra water, pet supplies, a generator, an RV grill, portable solar panels, leveling blocks, a first aid kit, a repair tool kit, garbage bags, and even a portable camp shower tent.
Pre-Make Your Food
To save space, weight and time, half-cook or fully cook your camping meals. In addition, you can pour whipped eggs into a bottle, bring pancake butter in a Ziploc bag, slice veggies, make salads, and chop and marinate meats. Make sure you freeze or refrigerate what needs to stay cold. This pop up camper hack means you don’t have to haul lots of heavy cooking equipment and bulky food items to the campsite.
Invest in an AC, Fan, and Space Heater
The interior of a pop-up tent camper can get uncomfortable in hot and humid conditions. The canvas exterior is more susceptible to absorbing heat than a hard-sided trailer. If your unit isn’t equipped with air conditioning, get a portable or roof-mounted AC unit. A fan will help circulate the cooled air, keeping you comfortable. Traveling to a cold area? Get a portable electric space heater and bring a sleeping bag.
Air Out Your Wet Pop-Up Camper Before Folding
Whether a storm has caught you by surprise or you’ve just finished cleaning your pop-up camper, never collapse the tent when it’s soaked. A damp folded canvas is a prime breeding ground for mold and mildew. Wait for it to dry before packing it away. If you have to leave a campsite, use a water-repellent spray to hold off the mold until you can get home and air out the tent.
Set Up a Shower and Toilet
If your pop-up camper doesn’t have a shower or toilet, there are plenty of products out there that can help you become self-contained. To enjoy hot showers, buy a lightweight outdoor shower enclosure. It can be a curtain that attaches to the wall of your trailer using suction cups or a tent-like stall.
For the bathroom, you can opt for a cassette toilet that has a portable holding tank. Once the tank is full, you empty the contents at a toilet or dump station. If your unit has tiny holding tanks, you can buy a portable black tank to hold more waste fluids. Simply place it on the rear cargo rack. Some eco-conscious pop up owners use a portable composting toilet.
Use a Waterproof Cover During the Offseason
At the end of your camping adventures, store your pop-up trailer in a shelter that protects it from rain, snow, and wind damage. Cover the unit with a tarp to keep it clean and dry. A cover with air vents will control humidity, preventing mildew and mold growth. Of course, make sure it’s dry before storing it in a folded state.
Pop-up Camper FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about pop-up RV trailers:
What Is a Pop-Up Camper?
Pop-up campers, also called tent campers, expandable campers, or PUPs, are RV trailers that collapse into a smaller package when on the road. Once you reach the campground, you raise the roof and deploy the canvas slide-outs to create ample living space. Essentially, it’s a blend between a tent and a regular RV travel trailer.
When in camping mode, tent trailers offer the most important features of a recreational vehicle: a bed, kitchen, seating space, and even a bathroom in some models. When in a folded state, these units are simple to maneuver, aerodynamic, and easy to store at home. Pop-ups can also be towed with nearly any vehicle.
What Is the Average Pop-Up Camper Weight?
Soft-sided pop-up campers (those with canvas walls) have a dry weight between 1,000 and 3,000 lbs. Hard-sided pop-ups are heavier, tipping the scales at 2,500 to 5,000 lbs.
Do Pop-Up Campers Have a Toilet?
Many pop-up campers don’t have a toilet or shower. The few options that do have a lavatory have a compact wet bath, meaning the toilet and shower are in the same space. Some PUP models with a bathroom and shower include Forest River Flagstaff 23SCSE, Aliner LXE, and TrailManor 3124 Series.
Happy Camping in Your Pop-Up Trailer
Pop-up trailers are a great way to minimize RV camping costs. These small campers are cheap to own and inexpensive to maintain. And when it comes to towing, you don’t need to invest in a powerful tow vehicle. You can pull them with almost any vehicle without hurting the car’s MPG.
More From RV Top Tips
Cynthia Measom is the founder and main content creator of RV Top Tips. Not just a writer, she’s a dedicated RV owner and enthusiast, alongside her husband, Joe, who is an experienced RV tech. With their joint knowledge, the two are up on the latest trends and technologies in the RV industry, as well as practical camping and lifestyle tips.
The couple own a 2020 Coachmen Chaparral fifth-wheel that they absolutely love. Their secret to being so satisfied? They purchased the model after a solid year of researching different fifth-wheel campers in person and online to find the perfect fit for their family of three.
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
