New pop up camper!!

2017 Flagstaff 228 BHSE (sportsman edition with raised suspension)

Fits in the garage and will be used for a handful of camping trips per year and a 2 week elk hunting trip in September!

I’ve spent TONS of time camping, so I know the basics, but does anyone have any pop up specific advice?

What I’m already planning:

- foam pads under mattresses
- reflective sheeting between flaps and windows around beds
- cleaning up wiring underneath camper all the way to the battery box
- replace all lights with LEDs

What else!?

 

Very nice.

 

Looks good. Contemplating getting an older one I've seen for sale. Needs some work to get kitchen going again, but it would work to get me out of the tent and off of the ground during hunting season. Hope this one treats you well!

 

Noice...Congrats

 

Sure beats a tent!

 

We thought a lot about getting an older one but the guy who owned this tool super good care of it and I wanted to minimize the potential for trip-ruining failures.

 

Nice! Get a surge protector . Water filter. Pop ups are fun. Much better experience than a tent for sure.

 

Makes sense. I hope you get good use out of it.

I dont have a place with a garage. So was thinking cheap and something to test the waters to see if it's worth a better investment in the future. Eventually I want to sell my place and get or build something with a good shop/garage.

 

We had one years ago and loved it. Nice that you have a garage with high ceilings as you'll probably have to open it when you get home to let it dry out. Ours was a Rain-on-Sunday jinx. The first summer we used it 10-12 times and I think only once we didn't have to dry it out in our driveawy.

LED lights are good, that will save on power and be much brighter.

Not sure about the reflective sheeting....never used it. The one risk is you cut off the circulation and turn the inside into a giant moisture bubble.

On the flip side, we used ours in cold weather and those things leak heat very fast. Our furnace was running probably 50% of the time if not more. Independent of the sheeting, I highly recommend having two batteries so your furnace can run all weekend and not drain the system. Yours may have dual batteries, but I think singles are standard most of the time.

Other than that, I'd recommend checking the weight of the trailer and only adding gear/accessories as needed. The axles on those trailer don't have a lot of remaining capacity, especially once you load up with minimal gear and water.

Enjoy!

 

Thanks for the tips! Dry weight is 2300 pounds and the axles are rated to 3800 - I don’t know but I doubt I’ll have 1500 pounds to load into it.

As for the furnace - we spend the vast majority of our time doing something while camping so I think just a quick warm up before we get out of bed and then again before we climb in bed will be sufficient! After being tent campers we know how to pack warm haha.

Here in Colorado we don’t usually have more than a day or two of bad weather at a time, so I’m not expecting to have to let it dry out too often but it can sit in front of the house for days if needed.

 

Is the weight an actual weight or estimate? When we got our trailer years ago, it had a mft "estimate" and didn't include accessories and the like. But the trailer we bought a few years ago had an actual weight for the trailer listed, which is nice. Either way, 1,500lbs is a lot of capacity.

 

The 2300 pounds is listed as “dry weight”, so empty with no water or propane.

 

My mom sold Star Craft tent trailers and pop up campers, and Roadrunners when I was in grade school.
Later in life a worked as a repairman/ PDI/ and bodyman for two different Camper/Coach builder companies.

advise on your new pop up.
Be sure when cranking up/ down the roof that you never let go of that crank handle. Almost lost a finger because of the handle spinning freely and trying to stop it.
Check all you LP gas fitting for sm refer a few times a year with soap water in spray bottle, inspect actual burner for crisp blue flame. Wasps like to make nests in these areas.
Check the 120/12v converter as well.
Open up petcock( if it comes with one) on fresh water holding tank and drain after each trip.

Add about 1/4 cup of beach to the water hose that you use to go from city water hose bib to inlet on side of trailer (to pressure and rinse/ disinfect system/ holding tank/ lines) us appropriate in line pressure regulator at hose bib to trailer inlet.( you might be surprised at different pressures in camp grounds you go to.)
Carry spare fresh water pump head parts, if you like.

Check 12V battery’s if you trailer has that option, before each outing.
Service wheel bearing each year.
Check spare tire too. Carry small but robust bottle jack or floor jack, star lug wrench, 2x8x10” (2) hardwood boards just in case you get a flat tire. Hand make some wheel shims to level out trailer.

Refer round level placed on lower shelf to verify refer is level.
Several ratchet straps in Cobby cabinet.
Small assortment of tools.
couple of different plug adapters for 120V plug in, or spare one.
trailer stabilization jacks at back end of trailer if equipped with them. Check to make sure they operate, don’t forget them in down position.
Spare 25 ft water hose.
We made a check list for before/ after trip so you don’t forget things
Cheap set of pots/pans, silverware.
plastic cups/ mugs.
Biggest cooler you can buy and fit in it, for outside when you in camp ground.
Rope.
Check operation of door/screen door before each trip.
My suggestion for a 4” mattress topper that has straps on each corner to keep in place, X2.
Check that all 4-6ft rods that stabilized the beds when pulled out, in use.
Look at every seam on outside body, re calk if needed. Look it over frequently. Water gets in and can cause dry rot.
Check operation of vent hatch if equipped with.
Check hitch, and brake away switch if equipped with.
Check out water heater / temp heater if equipped, like refer inspection. Use drain and inspect PRV couple times a year. Don’t exercise it.(PRV) Look for leaks.
Use “Grip Superior” shelf/ drawer liner in all cabinet drawers to prevent things from walking during travels. (Con-tact) is a good one.

Use rugs of hall way runners on your nice floors to keep them nice.
Inspect all fabric/ windows zippers, small amount of soap here and there on the zipper keeps them working without issue.
sorry my finger is soar from typing...
I’m sure I left something out, BUT you got this seasoned camper... good luck and nice trailer you have.

 

Man thank you so much for the information!! That’s super helpful!

 

Might be a stupid question, but you do need to have a WDH to pull one? We are looking at getting a older one and just kinda curious. I know with a TT it is a good idea.

 

Looks nice

 

I don’t use a weight distributing hitch. The tongue weight is only like 290 pounds. When I put an atv in the back I’ll evaluate and see if I need airbags.

 

We used a pop up for years and loved it. It was sort of a unicorn, have never seen another like it. Just for the wife and I, it only had a slide out for one queen size bed. The other end was a second awning that gave a place to store firewood. I added dual batteries and carried a 36” x 12” solar panel. Exterior grill and a screen room for when the bugs were bad.

 

I have owned, restored, and eventually flipped 5......we now have a hybrid trailer. The mattress debate is age old - you get what you pay for. We always opted for the foam mattress with sleeping pads. Never did buy into the reflective sheeting. Wires - I just used wire loom and wrap to clean it up. Be careful with replacing the lights with LED's - they have been known to cause electrical gremlins.

 

That's a good looking rig, congrats!

 

Very nice ! Something about a pop up i still love. Easier to pull for sure. If I didn't have so many camping with me I would probably still have one.

 

They often don’t include the battery in that number as well.

 

Hey, good choice. I have this same exact pop up. Here are a few things I’ve done and or noticed.

1. heated mattress won’t work with foam on top (can feel the heat) but I still use foam.

2. Put a kill switch on the battery

3. It’s already set up for Zamp solar but you can use any panel (Zamp switches their positivitie/negative wires making it only work with their wiring kits but it can easily be switched back). There are plenty of YouTube videos on this specifically

4. The hand crank in front sucks because of where the battery is mounted on mine so I bought a new front crank instead of the top crank one it came with.

5. buy a socket for your drill to put the feet up and down (just make sure you grease them once in a while)

6. the water drain on the side is a bit slow when you hook a hose straight to it. I made a little PVC adapter thing with a air vent and it flows much faster.

I’m sure there is a bunch more but that’s a good starter. Let me know if you have any specific questions. Have fun

Stephen