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No we went "up" from tent to frame tent to caravan and back "down" to folding camper which is where we shall stay for the forseeable future. It tows easier, beds are always ready for a snooze kitchen is as good as we had in the caravan.

Thanks people i am convinced that a folding camper would be better for us but the wife is not YET. I would like one of those that are ok to put away when wet as we dont have much space at home to dry our TT

I take it you mean a dandy, we've been really lucky in that we have as yet always managed to pack ours away dry as we have no room at home also, but if the worse came we would have to put it up outside the garage door and hope for the best

All the above good points + NO pegging out if you don't use the awning, and if it is wet and muddy when you arrive on site you can use a hardstanding.  I could not get a caravan off my drive because of the slope, and even if I could I would not want to tow a caravan.  My FC is only slightly wider than the car and I do not need to use extension mirrors.

Ray.

towing is the big advantage, mine has set land speed records

along with the storage who wants a massive fridge in their front drive,

dandys are great in bad weather,and a really good design, but you have to be ecentric to own one

If TTs and folding campers are so much better than caravans why dont we see more of them and fewer caravans. A lot of people just aren't aware of FCs and what they offer. They assume they are just posh trailer tents. They are expensive.

Caravans must have some advantages. Caravans are quicker to setup, can be done by one small weak female person, and you can get in & out of them for cleaning, packing, unpacking, maintenance etc without having to erect them. If you pack up to come home in the rain you haven't got the bother of opening them up to dry them or they go mouldy. (Although the Dandy apparently gets round that one).

Quote: Originally posted by eileent on 01/8/2007

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If TTs and folding campers are so much better than caravans (we have a TT) why dont we see more of them and fewer caravans. Caravans must have some advantages.

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I've only just got my FC and I am delighted. It tows well, is light enough to move around and is up in minutes. It fits in the garage and we are lucky enough to rent a house with a high double length garage so we can even erect it in the garage if it got wet. One point no one has raised yet is that you do need to be able to erect it so it may not suit people with a bad back or a shorter stature. Having said all that it really is huge with awning up and we are really looking forward to a week or so in it soon.

There are advantages and disadvantages to all our chosen means of shelter and we all have preferences. Those that like caravans or motorhomes, or tents will all have their reason.

Let's just , like , live in peace man. Groovy!

Quote: Originally posted by Barbelblanker on 01/8/2007

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. One point no one has raised yet is that you do need to be able to erect it so it may not suit people with a bad back or a shorter stature.

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Most campers have gas assisted struts or springs to help open them, I am a 5' 7" pensioner with a weak back and I can easily set up the whole camper on my own.  I sold my Challenger because I could not lift the beds over on my own, my wife had to assist me. Correct me if I am wrong but I think all TTs have heavy beds.

Ray

Speaking as a 5ft 2ins female I haven't managed to find a proper folding camper yet that I can set up on my own. But I love my old Combi Camp as I can manage that..

It only tends to be the very large very newish ones like the Pathfinder that have gas struts - well out of my price range. I've not tried opening one to see if I could manage but I suspect my height (or rather lack thereof) could still be a problem.

Caz,  On my Trigano as soon as I release the straps each end holding the beds down they pop up at least half way on the springs, my wife can do the beds on her own and she is only 5' 1".  She only needs a step for the expanding poles of the main frames.   I don't know how the Pennines or the Conways work though.

Ray.