I know I've been moaning on about the length of time it takes to put up the tt awnings, and then I read someone's post about tt's which have quick erect awnings.. so I've been off looking at them. I think I've found my absolute perfect thing (until we're not taking 3 kids with us and can afford to get a fc!) only problem is it's a brand new thing and all in (sun awning, kitchen, annex, roof bars, front box, delivery) looks like £6k... gulp. It's a big tt - two doubles that fold out leaving the space in the middle to sit and eat, but the awning is permanently attached, no zipping, and just pulls out (well, obviously I don't know how 'just' it is but the website talks about 5 minutes set up time?!). The bonus is that you can zip out one end of the awning and add an annex, which if like me you have a teenager who is refusing to sleep in an underbed while her siblings get a comfy tt bed, looks like the answer - it obviously adds some to the set up time, but not that much I shouldn't think, anyway.. she can be doing that while i'm opening the wine!! The whole unit looks to be about the same size as my current tt - but at a very small fraction of the put up time!!! Result! (except we'll need a lottery win to pay for it... *sigh*)
At the moment the trigano olympe is only being sold in a couple of far off places (far off for us anyway!) which is a big problem for us - I'm hoping more places will start stocking it so we can go and see it. They're selling like hot cakes apparently, camperlands in Manchester have none in stock, one on display, trigano are making more but they won't be in until July! Anyway - check them out here.
Hi there. We started off with an ordinary tent, no elec, no nothing! Just wasnt for us and a bit too cold. So we moved onto a trailer tent (sunncamp). That was absolutely fantastic and only took about half an hour to erect. Masses of space and two double beds. We thought we would stick with that forever, until one time we arrived at the camp site and it had started to snow! While we were trying to put up the tent, the rain and snow and wind were absolutely dreadful. Worst experience of camping we have ever had. Never again. We promptly sold the trailer tent and acquited an ordinary caravan. That was pure luxury but again the storage and towing seemed to be a nuisance. So now we are happily in possession of a folding caravan. THIS is for us. Arrive at the camp, if its raining or cold or dark the caravan is put up in 5 mins flat and you can sit and have a cup of tea or go to bed! We do have an awning but if necessary we put that up the next morning. Towing is an absolute dream for the small car we have and we store it in our garage so no storage charges which can be as high as £400-£450 a year (or even higher depending on where you store it.) So it depends on what suits you and your circumstances. I wouldnt recommend any of the above (including the folding) as your circumstances might be different to ours. Just think what is really important to you and your priorities and then choose what fits that. Our priorities were easy towing for a small car and getting set up at the site with heat, light and a cuppa - even if it is midnight!!
Hi Sammie16, thanks, and I totally agree about doing what's right for you - the unfortunate part is that you often have to go through the (expensive!) process of buying different things, realising that it's not quite right for you, then selling it on - normally at a loss, or just choosing to hang on to it (often the case in this household!) and slowly filling up the loft/shed/garage/utility room (I could go on!!) whilst emptying the bank at an alarming rate! Wouldn't it be lovely to just get it right first time and know that you're going to be happy with what you've got for at least the next ten years so you know you've got your money's worth out of it!! Also there are of course different types of camping breaks - the main two weeks holiday where you don't mind the longer set up to get more comfort and space, versus the weekend away way you don't mind sacrificing a bit of space for a quick setup (although space would still be nice!).
I suppose we are always looking for the ideal thing - let's face it, we'd probably all have a lovely big caravan and awning if we didn't have to store it, tow it, or put up the awning! To just arrive on site and it be there - oh, but without costing you a fortune too! The wonderful thing that is constantly happening though is the new innovations in design which is enabling us campers who yearn for more comfort/quicker put up/more space coupled with affordability to start to achieve some of those goals. The tent designers and manufacturers should be applauded for some of the advances made in previous years, and these new types of trailer tents with integral awnings which claim 5 minute put up times seem to be the latest innovation in my mind and certainly is the future of trailer tents - I imagine it won't be long before the technology is also used on folding campers too! Let's hope the cost comes down quickly for those of us who just can't afford £6,000 for a trailer tent - that or lots of people go and buy them now and decide to sell them next year!! Please??!!
I wonder what innovations they'll come up with next!
Thanks you all for your comments and opinions. I will definitely be choosing a folding camper once we have less need for beds - although a fc with one of the new integral awnings would be even better! For the time being we're going to make do with our tt but may try and 'bodge up' a weekend/overnight lightweight awning using a second hand motorhome awning. Can't see us ever having a caravan though! And if we win the lottery I'm buying a Trigano Olympe! I'm sold! That and a new car.. kitchen..
Hi, we moved up to a FC because as everyone says they are easy to put up and you have everything you need there ready. We have a trigano ranger TC so we dont need to use the awning as we also have the toilet on board, in fact we have only used the awning twice as it is soo heavy to take and a pain to put up. We only use the main unit and it is great, plenty of room 18ft when open. Hope that helps.
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Topic: Moved up from TT to folding camper?
