Camping

[maxwelhse]

I am a Forest River Wildwood/Salem dealer and Keystone Springdale as well. I have been told no new Springdale units until after the first of the year. Forest River said I may get five or six units at most the rest of the year. I have been sold out of new units for three months and sold out of used for two months. We will not last long without campers to sell.

From what I have been told is the shortage of parts is the hold up to build them. I believe it as my parts suppliers are nearly sold out of parts too. In some cases we are resorting to buying parts off Amazon and E-Bay for retail.

Speaking from my wing of industry, we're able to run O/T with our supplies and our supply chain is just as Covid riddled as anybody's (and maybe even worse than average). OEs are buying every finished good we can provide. So, by that logic, the OEs should be able to run O/T as well or they're just stacking up our inventory for when they do get more other "stuff".

I had heard awhile ago that one of the big shortages was plywood since it pretty much all comes from China,but the Glueman would have more insight to that than I would. I would imagine if he's selling glue, they're buying plywood.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Speaking from my wing of industry, we're able to run O/T with our supplies and our supply chain is just as Covid riddled as anybody's (and maybe even worse than average). OEs are buying every finished good we can provide. So, by that logic, the OEs should be able to run O/T as well or they're just stacking up our inventory for when they do get more other "stuff".

I had heard awhile ago that one of the big shortages was plywood since it pretty much all comes from China,but the Glueman would have more insight to that than I would. I would imagine if he's selling glue, they're buying plywood.

I’m told my a good friend in Procurement at a large manufacturer that the wood shortage started with the logging crews being shut down during the COVID Scamdemic closures. They started receiving their unemployment compensation and made more sitting on their butts.

I have been running compatibility test on wood replacement products for flooring, walls and ceiling sections.

 

[maxwelhse]

I’m told my a good friend in Procurement at a large manufacturer that the wood shortage started with the logging crews being shut down during the COVID Scamdemic closures. They started receiving their unemployment compensation and made more sitting on their butts.

I have been running compatibility test on wood replacement products for flooring, walls and ceiling sections.

I can pretty easily imagine both things being true, but the news I heard of the Chinese wood shortages came before the enhanced unemployment benefits started. We started taking a hit to our production from it well before the US economy officially "shut down" and that was the inside story I was told at the time from a source I trust.

So now I'm wondering if they're looking at wood alternatives because they can't get wood right now or if they're trying to hedge their bets in the future so it doesn't happen again?

 

[OurDee]

Most of my camping happens from the motorcycle with a 1 man tent. If I come across a site with electric I like to sleep in the open on a thermarest with a box fan at my head. I run a rockpal 300 watt pack for my CPAP. Sometimes I get a couple few guys to split a hotel room. A/C is nice when it's over 90.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

We tent camped as a kid in my fathers household, when I was 12 my dad bought a new Coleman popup and the next summer my parents, sister and myself went cross country for two months.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

We tent camped as a kid in my fathers household, when I was 12 my dad bought a new Coleman popup and the next summer my parents, sister and myself went cross country for two months.

Sounds a lot like my childhood CP! We had a big 9x18 Sears tent that we used for years. It was canvas (long before they started using nylon) and man that sucker was heavy! I could set it up by myself though and that's what I used when I got old enough to start camping on my own. I'd throw it in the little 14' fishing boat and head out across the lake (Monroe) and find a spot on shore to pitch it.

 

[COOPADUP]

Remember how heavy and musty those old canvas tents were ?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Remember how heavy and musty those old canvas tents were ?

Oh yeah, but that smell takes me back to my childhood. Kinda like Hoppes No. 9.

 

[Lt Scott 14]

I miss those younger age campouts! Couple weekends ago, tried to drive in to 3 or 4 different campgrounds only to find that they are booked solid. All around the Dunes Park area, everyone is camping vs staying home. (must also be C19 driven).
I've always been a minimalist camp guy, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bags, and a close breakfast! My buddy usually joins in, but got hooked to work a double shift. Called me in the A.M. and asked if I was ready for breakfast, but I was 30 miles south at home. Oh well. Next year?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Nice looking rig and that's a solid deal.

Living in the woods makes camping for me sort of moot.

Same for me really, but I love to travel with my son to different state parks and other places with nice hiking and views.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

We tent camped as a kid in my fathers household, when I was 12 my dad bought a new Coleman popup and the next summer my parents, sister and myself went cross country for two months.

My son and I tent camped for years, and I still have 4 tents of varying sizes, from my back packing tent up to my Coleman Canyon Breeze. We would still be tent campers today if it were not for the awesome deal I came across. I have to admit though it is really nice being able to pack up most of my gear in 3 totes and just leave them in the camper vs. unpacking and packing them back up and moving them to the truck which was almost full already and them storing them in my already crowded garage. Now i just pack a food cooler, a drink cooler, and hook up to the pop up and go.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Sounds a lot like my childhood CP! We had a big 9x18 Sears tent that we used for years. It was canvas (long before they started using nylon) and man that sucker was heavy! I could set it up by myself though and that's what I used when I got old enough to start camping on my own. I'd throw it in the little 14' fishing boat and head out across the lake (Monroe) and find a spot on shore to pitch it.

We did the same before the popup, it was either a canvas Sears or Coleman square tent. He bought a Holiday trailer after I moved out and upgraded to a Airstream a few years later. Loads of fun...

 

[rvb]

I've been a tent camper pretty much my entire life except when I was young and stayed in my parent's popup. Well this spring I finally sprung for a popup of my own. It cost me a whopping $300 so I think I got a pretty good deal on it.


The previous owner replaced the floor in it and cut in a small window unit in the front which has been amazing for summer camping. It is not perfect by any means, but it will last me and my son a few years until we decide what camper we want next. I love popups, but a small self contained just looks so convenient. For a self contained though I would probably need to upgrade my truck or at least add a trailer brake set up I assume. My current truck just has the flat 4 pin hookup.

So what about the rest of INGO, are there any other campers here? I'd love to see some setups and here about where you like to camp. We mainly camp at the Ferdinand State Forest, or a small private campground in St. Anthony. We have been to Patoka and are going to Lincoln in a few weeks. The Covid campers are making it a pain this year to get a spot.

nice, congrats!
I love pop ups ... grew up camping in one. We tried one for a summer but w. two kids it was too cramped, and it rained -every- -time- we camped that summer... uncomfortablely hot to hang out in when it had to be closed up, and we were having to re-set up when we got home to air out... every. Time.

still have a good actual tent. Actually, just upgraded tents. Sometimes we’ll set the tent up beside the camper. Or the kids will tent camp at my in-laws. My son was in boy scouts for a couple years, got a little tent camping in during that time.

one of those classic INGO “why not both?” approaches.

Normally I own anywhere between 40 to 100 campers, but now I am completely sold out.

Pop ups are kind of going away. Some of my biggest sellers are the new 22 foot, single axle travel trailer weighing in at under 3000lbs. They can sleep six, have A/C, full bathroom, ect. If Forest River runs a special if I order 10 or more of a certain model I can sell them for just under $10K brand new.

On a side note, yes, you would need a brake control installed.

we upgraded from our pop-up to one of those single-axle trailers super bee is talking about... got it from him, actually. Before I knew he was on INGO. Great guy to deal with and we will likely be visiting him again in the spring (got a new truck, a 250... so now I “need” a bigger camper, lol)

I like the simplicity of the travel trailer, wife likes having a bathroom... But I miss the open air from a tent camper. Seldom do we get to sleep w.o AC, there’s just not enough airflow with the windows open unless it’s fairly cool out.

-rvb

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

The family did a tent camping trip this summer down by Marengo Cave. Just a two night stay. The kids' tent had never been used before and the five of them stayed nice and dry. Our tent was almost twenty years old and turned into a pond in the rain. When we broke camp, it went into the trash. It will get replaced. The kids all loved it.

 

[maxwelhse]

Great guy to deal with and we will likely be visiting him again in the spring (got a new truck, a 250... so now I “need” a bigger camper, lol)

Sticking my beak in here a little... Today I once again overheard one of "our guys" talking about the extreme inventory shortage in the market. If you're in the market anyhow, and you don't really mind a tent to get you the by the next few weeks of Indiana summer, it seems right now would be an excellent time to offload your smaller coach and stack your cash up for the spring or place an order now for delivery then.

I haven't a clue about how used RV sales go, but I'm thinking a guy in the right place and time might even be able to have used a camper for a couple of years for dang near free in this market. The demand right now is gigantic, but the supply is almost 0.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Remember how heavy and musty those old canvas tents were ?

I remember my father rolling it up a 2x6 into the back of Pontiac Catalina Wagon... And if it rained, unloading it at home and setting it back up to dry...

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

I grew up camping. When I was little we camped in my dad's sportsman van. We took a trip west with a rented Coleman pop-up, that hooked my parents. They upgraded to an older but well kept hard sided Palomino, it slept 8 comfortably. They divorced and got rid of the camper. I did a fair amount of tent camping as a teen into my 30's. Seven or eight years ago, I bought a 2001 Nomad 28' palace on wheels, which I still have. There have been some years that I haven't hooked it up, and others we're gone every weekend.

 

[churchmouse]

I remember my father rolling it up a 2x6 into the back of Pontiac Catalina Wagon... And if it rained, unloading it at home and setting it back up to dry...

For years and years. We had one that lived for so long that I got it later in life. The smell was "Camping" to me.

 

[thelefthand]

We camp several times a year. Currently we're using a 25' travel trailer. It's only really used for sleeping, storage, and a place to get in out of the rain. Other than that, we're outside and do most of our cooking over a wood fire (actually, I've used a pair of home made 6" rocket stoves for cooking everything for the last several years). I've never liked tent camping because I hate sleeping in a tent. I looked at some pop-ups when we started out, but the old used ones were running about $2K at the time and I wasn't wanting wanting something that i would have to air out after getting used in the rain. Instead I found a 7x14 single axle enclosed trailer that had been converted into a camper. It used a 4 pin flat connector because the trailer was relatively light weight. After using it a few times, I made some changes to simplify it, and it worked well until our family started to grow. In it's final configuration, it had a futon for a bed, and a small stand alone kitchen counter for storage, a microwave, and a window mount AC unit that had been installed through the side of the camper in the back corner. It wasn't much, but it was enough. We used containers from wall mart to store our cloths and things in. Originally it had a bathroom that took up most of the back half of the camper, and blocked half the rear door. The black tank and gray tank both needed repairs, so I removed them along with the bathroom. I added a small wall in the front of the trailer to create a tiny room (maybe 2' x 4') where I put a portable toilet and a night light. The wall was made out of 2x2s and some paneling, and it worked great for a bathroom. It was originally set up with a regular 120V extension cord. I used it some in the late fall and heated it with a pair of milk house heaters. 2 of those heaters are too much for a 20 amp circuit, so I added a 70 amp load center with two 20 amp circuits and some LED lights. I just had to make sure that I never ran the microwave on a circuit that had the heater plugged into it It was an ideal setup for one or two people who spend all their time outdoors anyway. We continued to use it for a few years after our daughter was born, but it was cramped. When our son came along, we had to upgrade to an actual travel trailer. The kids are now entering their teen years, and we're hoping to upgrade again in the near future. I've seen several tandem axle 7x16 enclosed trailers used like this. You can normally find a used one for around $2500. You'll spend roughly $1,000 converting it into a very basic camper. The up side is that, if you set it up correctly, you can also use it to transport ATVs and such so you'll have a make shift toy hauler. The group that I bird hunt with (30+ people) bought one of these trailers a few years ago and converted it into a portable kitchen. It has been a HUGE improvement to our hunting camp.

 

[flagtag]

Does it open up only on one side? I had one that had beds at both ends - queen and full size. That thing had HUGE storage space! I now have a 21 foot camper. I love both! (- sold the pop-up a couple years ago.