Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

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Originally Posted by Dromond

I think we are headed for a correction on this, in part due to how bad the numbers look for a lot of young people right now. People who can’t afford the best of everything want to have fun and be cool too.

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I know some kids these days who are buying vans/campers instead of houses or paying crazy rent. It just makes more sense for some in that 20- early 30s range, at least in the summer. Depreciating asset for sure, but a shitload cheaper than rent or a mortgage.

I was doing it for a while every summer when it was a lot easier to do. Pretty nice, I had everything I owned in my truck. It was a lot more efficient. Skateboard, disc golf, rock climbing, hiking etc. Could do it at a drop of a hat without having to run home or really maintain any gear. Rec center pass meant that I went to the gym a few times a week so encouraged me to work out.

Nowadays the toys are bigger, more expensive, more labor intensive, and still fun, but shit man, life sure was simple and easy back then.

I wonder if modern RV parks won't get to be far more common and popular. Be pretty cool if there were tons of affordable and legal places to park rigs for extended periods.

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Originally Posted by Dromond

Did you fully replace your DIY camper?

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Nope just took it off to enjoy more space of our 30yr old truck camper. Going on a three week mostly paved trip in June so comfort wins vs off road capable.

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Originally Posted by climberevan

The $200k Sprinter crowd is kind of 2 types, IMO: older folks who have made $$$ and are not interested in being dirty/cheap/uncomfortable anymore; and "influencers" who borrowed money or work remotely to buy the van. These groups are not dirtbags!

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I think there’s a 3rd type. The last 40 years have seen a major transfer of wealth (widely reported in other contexts) and one of the results is a lot of 20-somethings with the family money to have whatever they want. And playing outdoors has become attractive to more people than in previous years.

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Originally Posted by heckacali

Make sure you put your online IDs and hashtags painted on your vehicle so we can look at pictures of you on our screens instead of just looking at you out our window

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Wait. Don't forget your Venmo addy soliciting money from anyone for your amazing adventure.

( I did Venmo this one couple I ran into at the hot springs last year, they had a wheelchair bound special needs kid they were taking all over the county to see the sights. The three of them in a pro master looked difficult)

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Originally Posted by heckacali

Make sure you put your online IDs and hashtags painted on your vehicle so we can look at pictures of you on our screens instead of just looking at you out our window

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I pulled some guy out of the ditch a couple months ago had all his socials on the back of the van when he opened the back to get a strap which couldn't find the thing was barely built out but he was going to amazing places

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Originally Posted by Dromond

Did you fully replace your DIY camper?

I’ve also been trying to understand the appeal of driving bad roads for hours for the sole purpose of doing it. Having a decent amount of clearance has real utility for going a short distance on a bad road to a camp site, or through deep snow, but that doesn’t mean I’m seeking out washboard. I just don’t understand. If you don’t hike our mountain bike then maybe there is more appeal.

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Ya agree. My 130” WB Quadvan is very comparable to an FX4 F150 truck from 10 yrs ago. Ie moderately capable but not a jeep. Can get me where I want to go, and the occasional times I use 4WD Lo are for short sections getting to that sweet campsite near snowline or whatever activity is happening the next day. In the E Sierra the limiting factor is often the washed out rutted sections that are easy in a jeep but hard in a stock outback or whatever due to clearance (driver skill limited).

After 9 yrs of driving it on trips with friends in their rigs, typically on rutted washboard roads, if they have a full size truck with a 4WC or a stockish taco with GFC then we’ll drive the same speed on that 20 miles to the trailhead. If they’re rocking a lifted HD truck with a legit winter slide in, and 10,000 lbs and 10 or 11 ft of height, IME they’re slow & I’ll go first & nap or drink at the trailhead while they putter along.

Ive pulled three vehicles out with my truck w/ camper. A sprinter, probastard, and a class C. Two in mud one in snow.
Just added more leaf springs and new airbags w/ cradles. Ride is plush AF on and off road. I aint doing donuts or drifting corners like i would bit otherwise i pretty much roll it the same as i usually would on washboards and stuff.

Yeah, put me firmly in the "4-wheeling at a walking pace for hours fucking sucks" camp.

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Yes to all of the above. Living in a B- ski town, I get a look into both the low grade/smart version of all the trends. Compared to pandemic time, the van life/RV/homeless crowd tends towards pro level working folks. What cracks me up is the "no over night parking...oh wait those are my employees" flip flop in mindset.

Oh and the campground at Smith Crossing in Granby is $2k a month with amenities. The twig pigs love to enforce the 2 week/relocate 30miles thing but do nothing about the true vagrants/drug addicts/felons with warrants living up by the Jim Creek Trail Head. I guess it makes the city folks feel at home.

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Originally Posted by frorider

Ya agree. My 130” WB Quadvan is very comparable to an FX4 F150 truck from 10 yrs ago. Ie moderately capable but not a jeep. Can get me where I want to go, and the occasional times I use 4WD Lo are for short sections getting to that sweet campsite near snowline or whatever activity is happening the next day. In the E Sierra the limiting factor is often the washed out rutted sections that are easy in a jeep but hard in a stock outback or whatever due to clearance (driver skill limited).

After 9 yrs of driving it on trips with friends in their rigs, typically on rutted washboard roads, if they have a full size truck with a 4WC or a stockish taco with GFC then we’ll drive the same speed on that 20 miles to the trailhead. If they’re rocking a lifted HD truck with a legit winter slide in, and 10,000 lbs and 10 or 11 ft of height, IME they’re slow & I’ll go first & nap or drink at the trailhead while they putter along.

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Or even stock HD trucks - - they're all brutal on washboard. Truck with a camper in the bed means higher tire pressures, which means washboard gets even suckier. I tightened down every bolt and screw in our old pop-up camper after 100 miles of visiting Jarbidge in northeast Nevada.

A unloaded Tacoma or similar (anything lighter weight and with IFS - - no solid front axle) is about as good as it gets on washboard. Or spend a fortune and buy a Raptor, cruise along at whatever speed you like.

I used to be very into Jeeps, but the ratio of fun trails to slow boring group rides became less enjoyable. And the time and money spent repairing shit wasn't great. I can go anywhere I realistically want / need in a stock 4WD truck - - BLM or forest service roads, basically. Then set up camp, and go hike or bike. I'm the one puttering along slowly until I can get to the camp spot and drop the trailer.

You can run truck campers with lower PSI, I've done fine with 2,000lb camper at 25psi.

Low psi on sand dunes a long time ago…
Attachment 493614

Anyone have this antitheft device? https://cyclopsantitheft.com/home
From what I’ve read it’s pretty legit.

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Originally Posted by frorider

Anyone have this antitheft device? https://cyclopsantitheft.com/home
From what I’ve read it’s pretty legit.

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I use a brake pedal lock:https://www.ebay.ca/itm/166055784415...EaAhNaEALw_wcB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGvoGB3nRoM

fkin guy doing us vanners no favors.

The "Cheddar Tour" from NS is parked outside with WI plates. They are eating tacos. I don't think they have much cheddar.

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I had to tag it:

Attachment 493761

I saw that NS van yesterday too. We had burgers at the taco joint. Korean bbq burger is so damn good.

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Originally Posted by byates1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGvoGB3nRoM

fkin guy doing us vanners no favors.

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I think you were looking for the shitty human thread. Has no relevance here


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

^ heed the arbiter of all things thread. He hath spoken.

I’m not sure if you were going for humor or what? It just doesn’t seem relevant to this thread


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Compared to the old Land Cruiser that sold for $35k (see GOTOS thread), this seems like a deal.Attachment 493833Attachment 493834

Mondo

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Originally Posted by climberevan

Compared to the old Land Cruiser that sold for $35k (see GOTOS thread), this seems like a deal.Attachment 493833Attachment 493834

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If that truck is in good shape, that’s a pretty fair deal for a pre DEF diesel and a solid TC. I hope that one turns into a good ski camper for someone!

I really wanted one of those (or a Northern Lite) for my family, but didn’t want the diesel dually crew cab long bed to haul it, because that truck would have been useless to me for anything but hauling the truck camper. It’s too bad BF stopped making Class Cs a while back. A buddy of mine has one with a bunkhouse layout, but it’s on the Ford 6.0 PSD platform.

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Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio

I really wanted one of those (or a Northern Lite) for my family, but didn’t want the diesel dually crew cab long bed to haul it, because that truck would have been useless to me for anything but hauling the truck camper. It’s too bad BF stopped making Class Cs a while back. A buddy of mine has one with a bunkhouse layout, but it’s on the Ford 6.0 PSD platform.

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It is too bad those high quality class C RVs are no longer manufactured however they are still available on the used market particularly if you are willing to shop in Canada.
The exchange rate doesn't hurt either. Big Foot is the rarest but Triple E is very close
to equivalent and much more common up here. 24 feet is the hardest to find (I have one) but 28's are quite common and they sell for $35 to $40,000 Cdn with no depreciation.
Like that truck and camper, most Class C RVs are useless for anything else and you have to find a place to store them. Also not 4x4 but that has never been a problem for me in the 20 years I have skied ours in BC. Gas mileage with the V10 is abysmal but you can buy a lot of gas for the $125,000 price difference for a new and inferior Class C.

Spitball crazy ideas but this seems like a good place for feedback. We have a 20yo Coleman tent trailer that is great from a towing perspective but cheap in all senses. We used to have an escape which was well built but harder to tow and store.
With the coming EV push it seems like there would be a market for a well built hardside pop up. On the rivian forum a standard travel trailer gets <1mi/kwh and someone with a trailcraft popul was getting more like 1.5mi/kwh which is a huge range difference.
I’m thinking of a fiberglass model version of a hilo camper with modern systems (lithium, solar etc) probably 25’ and 4-5klbs or so with a powered lift system could be made for $60k and would be awesome for towing with an electric.
Obviously the devil is in the execution but am I crazy on this as a business idea?