soft top camper trailer

mariner · Member

soft top camper trailer

Happywanderer · The Master

I was parked beside a couple with a camper trailer at Moonie earlier in the year.
They set it up each night.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi mariner and welcome from me. The camper trailer is great, normally you just take the cover off and lift the frame over, that's it for a quick set up, you can add extras for longer stays. I actually have a Avan camper "sportliner" it only takes 30 seconds to open up and you have solid walls around you not canvas, then like the soft tops you can add things i.e. awning or annex. The Avan camper comes complete with 3 way fridge , gas stove and sink it also has 12 volt system. The Avan was my choice as I didn't want canvas around me but the soft top's are great too. Anyway have fun out there and on here.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Hi mariner, welcome from me too.

Firefly · Guru

We have a Jayco Hawk, not exactly what you are talking about I don't think. But we set it up everyday if we have to. Takes not a lot of time and has a hard roof and soft bed ends. Keeps us off the ground and no leaks either.

Very comfortable and all the benefits of a van without the size to be honest.

We have bought another fullish van with a shower and toilet but still opted for the expanda ends like the hawk.

Our hawk is now for sale. biggrin biggrin

03_troopy · Guru

We have a soft floor camper trailer that has 2 extra annexes with it. For over night use we usually just put up the main tent part (7'X10' plus the bed section over the trailer), which takes about 15 minutes maximum to set up (10 if you don't need to peg the corners out). For longer stays we put up the first annex with enclosed walls, and use a piece of shade cloth for a floor. We have never used the second annex when travelling as we found it unnecessary to use that much space. The only drawback when only using the main tent section is that it leaves the kitchen, which slides out of the back of the trailer, uncovered. We would normally cook in the open anyway, but not so great if it's raining.

here it is set up for overnight at Curtain Springs

-- Edited by 03_troopy on Tuesday 20th of December 2011 01:56:45 PM

Joe · Senior Member

mariner wrote:
i would be grateful for any tips on using one of these on a long trip.Do you erect them each night?or use a small tent at night & only erect the trailer when you plan to camp for a few days?

As 03 Troopy said, it is normal to set them up every night, but to have different set up strategies.

My brother insists upon setting up everything each time he campsout in his and as such he prefers to stay in one place for at least 3 nights to make the effort worth while.

Most people will do as 03 Troopy does and have an overnight setup that doesn't see them putting up awnings etc.

We have used a hard floored camper trailer (a Camp/o/matic) so setup was quick for an overnighter and we'd only add the awning(s) if we wanted to stay for longer.

Beth54 · Guru

I used to put my little camper trailer up every night...on my own. It's fine if you're pretty fit or maybe there are two of you. I've now stepped up to a Viscount Nipper.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Hi Mariner - we had a soft top camper trailer for over 10 years - it went everywhere - round Australia, as well as some absolutely amazing places. We left the bed made up, could have it "sleepable" in 10 minutes - 2 pegs basically held it up, clothes bags etc in the corners kept the floor down - no need for pegs there - had a single gas burner on a bottle, used it to boil kettle in morning, while tea was steeping, cooked toast - dinner - easy "one pan dinner" typical camping fare. if staying for a few days or more, did the whole bit - but never had a problem, the only extra thing we did was put a tarp over the bed in the morning, just so the moisture on the canvas from overnight didn't get on the bed - easy! I think minimalisation is the name of the game with camper trailers - friend have a hard top and they can take up to 2 hours to get it set up - crazy!!!

Pam · Guru

We have a soft top camper and for overnight stays we have a basic kit in the car single burner, billy,BBQ plate, 2 small chairs and then only throw out the main section. Only 10 mins to set up, about hour from rolling out of bed to rolling on the road in the morning.
For longer stays we put up full annexe.
Sometimes we motel the single nights to make the trip to our destination a little quicker.
each to his own though, what system suits one may not suit another.

milo · Guru

im also looking at a camper trailer, what are they like in wet windy weather??

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Pam - sounds like the way we did it - if we wanted an early morning start, especially down south with heavy dews, a motel was our choice as well.

And Milo - we never got blown away, or down - though in Exmouth we did tie the camper to a tree, never got wet - we looked after our canvas very well - if we had to put it down wet, we made sure we got it back up again to dry out properly as soon as possible, never used sprays of any kind (even deodorant) inside, especially not fly spray. Not a bad effort after 10 years and not one hole in canvas or the soft floor. Another thing to watch for is the cover, the sun can damage them, so when storing the camper, opt for under cover if possible or cover with a good tarp. Friends left theirs exposed outside, the cover became brittle from the sun, and in the first storm water got it, they went camping some time later and found mould everywhere - you could smell it - cleaned it with vinegar, which should have killed the mould spores, but the stains were still there - a lesson to be learnt.

Pam · Guru

milo wrote:
im also looking at a camper trailer, what are they like in wet windy weather??

Much much better than dome tents.

They need to get wet a few times to cure the canvas and it did leak a little bit at first. it doesn't leak now. We keep our clothes etc in plastic tubs rather than suit cases so if water does get in things do not get wet.

As far as wind is concerned ours seems to not be worried by it much. Sometimes the annexe ropes need adjusting if very windy but overall not a problem.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

True - canvas needs to be cured or seasoned - we totally saturated ours with the garden hose when we first got it - never had a leak - also used plastic tubs - double as small coffee tables, weights on the floor if you are overnighting and dont want to peg down, stacked up as a small table for toaster etc - even used the 3 burner gas stove on top of them occasionally - put a largish cuphook on the end of a broom, use this to pull and move boxes around under the bed - worked for us. Another tip re the awning, if it rains, drop your corner poles down a bit, allows rainwater to flow off, instead of puddling on top.
They are what you make them, but oh, so much better than sleeping on the ground in a tent -

Pam · Guru

We used the hook on the end of the broom trick until hubby made a kitchen unit and a storage unit. The storage unit holds tables and chairs at the back and our clothes tubs plus other bits as well. Its on rollers so works well. Kitchen unit is a drawer system and permanent places for most kitchen stuff. made to measure, eg draw height is mug height,other drawer is saucepan height. etc.

mariner · Member

Thank you to all the people that sent tips about soft top camper trailers Mariner