Hybrid Campers

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vaughisa000

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 21, 2020
Posts
71
Location
Indiana
Hello Everyone,

It is me again back with yet another question! This time about a completely different kind of camper. Now I want to ask about Hybrid campers. They are like a normal travel trailer, but then with the tent beds like a popup. I like that that they are larger, and would be more easy to deal with loading and unloading. I do not like that there is ones without slides, and you can just put the beds out and be good to go. I would assume this follows the same rule of thumb as a popup or tent. Which is make sure it is dry when put away. Other than that is there any reason to avoid these? I would assume they are lighter than a TT since they are smaller with tent beds.

Thank you,
 
In my opinion a hybrid is an ideal small trailer, combining the expandability and lighter weight of a pop-up with the advantages of a hard-sided trailer. I see no disadvantages except what you cited, and that is usually not major because the materials today are synthetics rather than canvas.

Be aware that there are also a few trailers in that size range with hard-sided rear slide-outs.
 
Hey Gary,

So far in my search i have found a lot of rockwood roo's. Their 19 model has no slides which i like and they seem to have all the things I would need. I also found the coachmen apex nano. It doesnt have an oven, but it is built with Azdel which holds up better to water than the traditional materials(Lauan I think is what it is called). However I am not able to find many of those out there. And they only have one axle and I would prefer two for safety reasons.
 
One thing to consider, if you ever camp in bear country, campgrounds typically require hard sided campers, which would rule out a hybrid.
 
It would mostly be for around Indiana, occasionally to the neighboring states. But we won't take very many longer trips yet. That is a very good point though. I do like the smoky mountains and that is definitely bear country.... What if i just keep the beds folded up and use the dinette bed? That would work for a temp fix to that if we reaaaalllyy wanted to go.

Thank you,
 
vaughisa000 said:
What if i just keep the beds folded up and use the dinette bed?
Click to expand...

I assume at some point you are asked if your camper is hard sided and you could just answer yes and would be OK. Also assuming, rangers cruising by would see just a hard sided rig if you left them retracted, so again I would guess OK.
 
Back2PA said:
I assume at some point you are asked if your camper is hard sided and you could just answer yes and would be OK. Also assuming, rangers cruising by would see just a hard sided rig if you left them retracted, so again I would guess OK.
Click to expand...

I looked in to it. And that is called "Turtling" when you use a hybrid with the things closed.
I am thinking this would be my best bet for a starter camper. Between a pop up and a TT. Decently priced. Smalled yet still roomy since the beds kick out. I'm finally feeling confident about a camper. Slowly but surely. Now it is time to over research about these hybrids. Common issues, building materials, price points, features, floorplans, and weight.

Thank you,
 
vaughisa000 said:
that is called "Turtling" when you use a hybrid with the things closed.
Click to expand...

Funny. I was today years old when I learned what "turtling" is  ;)
 
Back2PA said:
One thing to consider, if you ever camp in bear country, campgrounds typically require hard sided campers, which would rule out a hybrid.
Click to expand...

We?ve camped in many places that were bear country and many folks were in tents. The tent sites were equipped with food lockers. I got in trouble in Shenandoah for leaving our cooler out when we left the site for a day. Plenty of tent campers there. I?m sure there are places where tents aren?t allowed but we have never encountered them.
 
The only downside for me with a hybrid is, they can be like a tent.  Aside from putting away completely dry, in the evening you can hear other campers talking, the morning you will wake up with the campground, and they are very bright when the sun shines on the canvas.  We like to hang blackout curtains over our bedroom window and enjoy sleeping in until 9:00am if we choose to. Don't worry about 2 axle vs 1 axle for the type of camping you will do.  1 Axle works fin as long as you load it reasonably well, and you probably can use that F150 2,7.  (see your other post)
 
Phew you finally responded Spencer. I was starting to get worried about you, you are usually on it as soon as i post something. I could always get a phew canopys to put over the beds, keep some of the water and sunglight off of it when we are using it. And yeah its a lot like a tent, just more comfy and dry. And they all seem to be very light since they can fit more since the beds kick out. And therefore can shorten the overall length.

Thank you,
 
Oldgator73 said:
We?ve camped in many places that were bear country and many folks were in tents. The tent sites were equipped with food lockers. I got in trouble in Shenandoah for leaving our cooler out when we left the site for a day. Plenty of tent campers there. I?m sure there are places where tents aren?t allowed but we have never encountered them.
Click to expand...

Hello Lord Gator,

My family is actually going to Shenandoah this year, me my wife siblings and parents. They are going to be very annoyed when I keep singing John Denver in the car. Hopefully I make it back!
 
Oldgator73 said:
We?ve camped in many places that were bear country and many folks were in tents. The tent sites were equipped with food lockers. I got in trouble in Shenandoah for leaving our cooler out when we left the site for a day. Plenty of tent campers there. I?m sure there are places where tents aren?t allowed but we have never encountered them.
Click to expand...


Might be outdated info I was relying on. When I visited Yellowstone the first time I was on a motorcycle pulling a popup trailer, and I wasn't allowed in some campgrounds that had a hard side only restriction. Many years ago.
 
Back2PA said:
Might be outdated info I was relying on. When I visited Yellowstone the first time I was on a motorcycle pulling a popup trailer, and I wasn't allowed in some campgrounds that had a hard side only restriction. Many years ago.
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I saw that there is one campground at yellowstone that doesnt allow tents or soft sided campers. All the other ones allow it there, I think it was something like fishing bridge... I can't remember now
 
We camped all over the west in a pop up for years and years. There are a few places that don?t allow soft sides near Yellowstone and Yosemite, maybe a few others. Most campgrounds, even in those areas, allow them. However you must put all food in the car or a bear box whenever you are not with the food. Not hard to do if you are organized.
 
vaughisa000 said:
Hello Lord Gator,

My family is actually going to Shenandoah this year, me my wife siblings and parents. They are going to be very annoyed when I keep singing John Denver in the car. Hopefully I make it back!
Click to expand...

It?s beautiful there. We didn?t have electric, water or sewer. I had a solar system to keep the battery charged and we were across the street from the bathroom. Showers were up by the camp office. You have to pay for the showers. Bears roam around the campground. We saw three. The attached photo are some deer that wandered through the site next to us.
 

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Back2PA said:
Might be outdated info I was relying on. When I visited Yellowstone the first time I was on a motorcycle pulling a popup trailer, and I wasn't allowed in some campgrounds that had a hard side only restriction. Many years ago.
Click to expand...
You are still up to date. Several Campgrounds still quote this in Grizzly country for some reason......

https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2018/06/grizzly-bear-prompts-restriction-tents-soft-sided-campers-glacier-national-parks-many
 
I am trying to figure out what hybrids to look at, but dang near all of them are forest river.
They have the Rockwood Roo
Flagstaff Shamrock
The Geo Pro
The Palomino's

Coachmen only offers one, and it does not have an oven. Which the wife wants.
The geo pro is small, and only has one kick out bed and then a murphy bed(which the murphy would be nice for turtling)
The roo and shamrocks are the exact same. The palominos waste space with a counter with stools, and have an outside fridge for some reason. I guess coolers are out of style. They look nice enough and otherwise similiar to the roo and shamrock. It just doesn't seem to be to many options.

Thank you,
 
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