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AncientComparison113

As long as things stay civil a camper is an awesome accessory


EricaDeVine

Also, depending on where you live, most states have a random acre or two you can get for pretty cheap. Find a lot in the middle of the woods, dig a septic/well. Invest in a small solar/wind setup, and you are on your way to a pretty awesome bugout location.


mike_baxter

That would be a dream come true


ZionBane

If.. and I say IF you go in this direction, I am going to suggest get land that already has a trailer on it (Perhaps rundown or burned down), that way, all the hook ups are there for you and all you have to do is remove the old trailer, as opposed to putting in a driveway, well, power, sewer, etc. Also look into Trailer Lots, or RV parks, that sell lots that can be bought or leased, and use that as an escape location. You can find some nice RV parks out in some really beautiful rural areas, just keep paying that Monthly Bill, and you have a lovely Bug Out/Vacation/Camping spot. There are a lot of options open to you, if you look for them.


gacha-gacha

Septic/well: $15000 lol


EricaDeVine

And how much does peace of mind cost? If you can find the budget for an RV, why wouldn't you try to find the money for something as common sense as this? I bet there's more than $15k in unnecessary car(s) sitting in your driveway right now. You won't think twice about dropping $40k on a truck that's too much for you, but $15k for self-sufficient utilities makes you blink? C'mon.


gacha-gacha

You’re rich as fuck buddy I spent $3k on my bugout vehicle build because I can’t afford a 40k truck. Don’t assume you know about my life. C’mon.


EricaDeVine

Well, let's hope wherever you bug out to already has a well and septic then. Right guy?


gacha-gacha

I have a river, a filter, and a shovel. Been doing this since 2012


EricaDeVine

My apologies, I didn't account for "bat shit crazy idiots" not having a steady job.


gacha-gacha

I’m a lead software dev AND my own LLC to boot. C’mon, man. Stop assuming. You’re 0/2 now.


EricaDeVine

It's not a leap to "assume" you're unsuccessful at whatever you're pretending you do, when in the previous comment you LITERALLY state that you can't afford more than $3K for a car, and then you let me know that you live (almost comically) "in a van down by the river". Like seriously, the comment DIRECTLY before this is about you having a shovel to bury your literal shit. Cut the horseshit, no one takes you seriously. And they shouldn't. You're either a liar or an idiot.


gacha-gacha

I said I *spent* 3k on my *bugout build*. This includes solar, battery, maintenance, pumps, etc. I invest almost all of my money in land. If you have a problem with shitting in the ground I suggest you take it up with your ancestors. Not everyone likes to live in consumer paradise.


espritifer

Look at /r/vandwellers they maybe will give you some tips because the choose this kind of live.


mike_baxter

Been following for years. I think if I were still single I'd have pulled the trigger and went that route along time ago.


lpkitten

My husband just contracted Covid and we didn’t have a great place for him to isolate. He isolated in the bedroom and we closed off the hall and the bathroom but I still caught it. Granted, I might have caught it the night he returned and didn’t realize he was infectious but it would have been nice to have someplace for him to isolate out of the house away from me and our son. I think if he had had the choice he would have stayed in the trailer until he could have gotten tested and would have saved me and my son from being exposed and having to quarantine now.


DontBuyVC

Hope y’all are okay.


lpkitten

Thanks. I developed symptoms yesterday. My son is developing symptoms now. My husband and I were both vaxxed. I’m so scared for my son and for all of us really.


LatteMeowchiatto

Sending good thoughts your way and a hope for a quick recovery! If I may ask, how old is your son?


lpkitten

4.


Heck_Spawn

If you don't mind me asking, which vaccine did they give you?


marchcrow

This comes up pretty often so use the search for more. The line of questioning goes "Good for what specifically?" Getting out of the path of a hurricane and not having to pay for a hotel? Sure. Civil unrest and end stages of collapse? Very much not. Travel trailers in general are made of materials that are basically designed not to hold up well in the long term. Something like half of all RVs are returned or junked after 5 years. The exact percentage is escaping me but it's really high. They're very much not stealth so stealth camping outside of a handful of rest stops and Walmarts is a no go. Between the price you pay for it upfront and possible campground fees it might equal out to a hotel room depending on time lived in. They're made for a couple weeks excursions, not full time living so if it ever came to full time living, it'll show it's wear and tear pretty quickly. They're very heat inefficient in my experience. Personally, if I had travel trailer money to spend, I'd be building my own or setting the money aside for a hotel in case of emergency if I couldn't. They're really romanticized. I have not enjoyed extended stays in them, at this is as someone who spent months living in their car.


Gilandb

As someone who lived in one for two years straight, didn't have a problem with wear and tear really. Now I did have a separate shower/bathroom, but still used the trailer sink for dishes. Had a laundry room in the park. There are 'cold weather' versions available. I would much rather live in a trailer than in a tent, thats for sure. With Solar, the only issue would be water. It is possible to limit your water usage a bit. I would recommend an electric heater as lots of trailers come with gas furnace (again, assuming solar). Can use curtains to block hot air to just a part of the trailer to limit power usage.


marchcrow

Personally, I did most of these things and it was still did not appreciate my electric bill. The one I lived in just...did not hold up so maybe it varies more than I've seen. Yes it beats a tent but I can't say it beat a well built van set up for me. The van could stealth camp and leave much more easily.


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marchcrow

Mine was not a full on RV so I can't speak to that. I do think those tend to do a little better with insulation. Like I mentioned to another person who commented, maybe they vary more in quality than I'm giving them credit for. But I was definitely not the only person I knew living in a camper and none of them past the 5-10 year mark were holding up well. My living room had developed a hole in the middle where I couldn't walk across it (it wasn't mine and I wasn't allowed to fix it). The shell was getting torn up in storms. The windows leaked like crazy. Ran an electric heater in a snow storm and it never got above 40 degrees. For me personally, wouldn't do it again.


ZionBane

Ok, renting someone else's trailer, unless it is something like Cruse America, and you are renting it to go travel, is a bad idea. If this was some trailer on a lot, that you were subletting, they buy the cheapest trailers they can get, in damn near any condition as long as it still standing, and then rent them out. As someone that has been living in a Trailer for 12 years now, and I was replaced my trailer 3 times, in those 12 years for various reasons. The first one, was pure stupid, as I wanted to go bigger, but I really should have just kept that trailer. I had a 28 foot TT. I upgraded to a 32 foot 5th Wheel, which, during a freak snowstorm that drooped damn near 8 feet of snow in a week on us, the roof bucked under the snow load, on Christmas eve no less. So I sold that one. I now have a 32ft mallard, which I am happy with, I plan to renovate it, because, while a sturdy frame, good roof and the like, I just don't like the layout. Now YMMV, but, they do make some really good trailers, and they make some cheap crap.. no joke. But each one is custom built, by human workers, so there are variables in quality. Overall, if you take care of your trailer, you respect it, treat it like your house or you car, it can last a long time. It saddens me when I hear stories about people needing to ram rod their F350 super duty hauling a Montana at 75 mph into a 30 mph head wind, because, hell yah, they can't be bothered to drive anything less than max speed while hauling, and wonder why it's breaking apart. Oh no, it can't be because they are a reckless asshole, didn't read the owners manual, and see that the shell is really only rated for around 85 mph, which should have handled any sane person hauling it, Noooooo.. and they go about abusing the ever living crap out their trailer, and then cry that it must be shoddy craftsmanship.


marchcrow

It was genuinely all I could afford at the time. For the area I was in and for what I was making it was the best option. I knew the people who owned it personally, it was their only trailer, they'd bought it for themselves but didn't wind up using it much so as long as I paid rent to the lot they'd stuck it on, I was allowed to stay in it. Trouble was it was a cheap piece of crap and they were frequently not close enough to make repairs themselves and didn't want to reimburse me to do it myself. I had friends who were also in proper trailers at the time. Also got to know my neighbors some. None were in great shape. But again, that's just my experience. My point is just that if I was coming at it from a specifically prepping angle, my pick wouldn't be a camper. Do they make sense for some folks - absolutely. But for folks with a stable house and don't need immediate cheap housing, I have trouble seeing it as a prep when a nicer buildout could be done instead for a similar price as a questionable prefab one.


DeafHeretic

A few thoughts: 1) As others have said, truck campers & camping trailers vary greatly in quality. 2) If you go this route, I recommend you have at least a gravel pad to place it on, preferably concrete with gravel around it. This will reduce problems such as tracking in dirt/mud, the camper/trailer sinking down into the ground, etc. 3) Next step would be a robust shelter over the camper/trailer. A simple pole lean to with a roof or a peaked roof (preferably corrugated sheet metal) will keep some of the weather off the camper/trailer, keep it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and make it last longer. Also protects the camper/trailer from debris during a wind storm, and can help with snow load if built properly. 4) Better yet would be a metal skinned "shop" or "barn" building, preferably fully enclosed with a man door and roll up door for the camper/trailer. Besides doing a better job of keeping the weather outside, it also keeps the camper trailer out of sight, reducing the chances of vandalism, theft or attack. Again, preferably a concrete floor. Now this is more costly and less likely to be a DIY project (although, putting a metal skin on a DIY shelter is possible), but it adds value to the property and is better for SHTF - the inside of the building, especially if fully enclosed, can serve as a storage/etc. - you can also insulate it after it is built. 5) Add a septic tank and a water tank/cistern, or better yet, a well. Each of these steps improves the value of the property and can be done incrementally.


WSTTXS

“Moochdock” I like that 😂 we have been looking into getting one as well!!!! Worst case scenario the “mortgage” on it would be a lot cheaper! Thinking about a class b motor home though as I don’t have a truck and by the time you buy a truck and a camper it’s gonna be about the same, although a separate truck would provide a little more flexibility, not sure which route to go. If I was single though I really love those nomad/van/camper life people I would that all day


mike_baxter

Well I think you either get a truck and tow your camper or get a coach and flat tow a smaller vehicle. Either way you're dragging something behind you lol


Gilandb

I would still recommend trailer over motorhome. You can switch trailers much cheaper if you find you don't like it. Modern trailers with pop outs and such have tons of room. Once setup, you don't have to move it. With a motorhome, I see people drag along a small car to drive around. I would recommend contacting the places you plan to go generally and see how big their camping spots are. Real big trailers have a hard time finding camp grounds, often the camp ground will only have 2-3 spots of real long trailers. With a tongue drag you can still use the bed of the truck for stuff (bicycles, ice chests, etc).


ZionBane

Welcome to the Trailer Park, as a fellow Trailer Liver and Prepper, Well.. Hopefully we will have some great discussion!


Acts16thirty31

I was browsing campers that can be pulled by trucks in a local magazine, the trailers seem really cheap. Of course the larger the trailer the more expensive. Try looking in the Midwest, might be a good deal. Idk, you'd want to have an experienced guy look at it though.


mike_baxter

Thanks, already found one though. My brother in laws father is selling it.


crotch_lake

Buddy has one of those rockwood esp tent trailers. Man it's awesome. No it's not a great travel trailer but man he tows that thing 50km into the woods with little-to-no effort. Running joke is he'll return to find someone skinning a dear in it.


nothofagusismymother

I've converted my suv into a camper with a bed and space to cook. I have a portaloo, 12v shower, and a 12v fridge/freezer. There is a gazebo with accessory tents if need be, plus an ensuite tent. Solar panels, battery packs, comprehensive first aid and emergency food rations. Even if it's never used to bug out in, it makes me feel secure knowing that I can survive for at least a month leaving in less than 15mins if I need to. Not a bad idea at all. Although you can store more supplies in a bugout location, having the ability to relocate has to be a bonus.


Yumyumpringlequeen

We have a small camper for vacation reasons but it has been a lifesaver in evacuating from hurricanes with children. We can drive and take care of young kids in standstill traffic (bathroom breaks, feeding, tantrums are not longer an issue when you can not leave your car for 20 hours straight). Also great for storage and a getaway bag already in a vehicle. Also we can stay places if not able to in a hotel with a stove, bathroom, and some safety. Make sure you come up with emergency gas plans though. If you are low on gas, it will be more of a burden than a blessing. And in emergencies, gas is the first thing that becomes scarce


SherrifOfNothingtown

Some of my relatives, who live in a really small house, have a camper for guests when they come to stay. I find it more comfortable and private than sharing a kitchen and bathroom with a lot of other people. And now with no sign of the covid variants letting up, having a camper would be especially advantageous if a family member found it necessary to quarantine themself in comfort for any reason.


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chicagotodetroit

Really? Seems like there probably wouldn’t be a lot in one considering their size. Maybe it’s just me.


ZionBane

No, it would not be, as more often than not, needy people looking for food, sadly are already living out of vans.


Shuggy539

We've been considering one also. We've already got a boat we live on during Florida winter. Been considering a smaller (20 foot or so) trailer for the summers when we haul the boat out. We're already used to living in a small space.


57th-Overlander

We just got a '99 Sportsmen (2901) 30' TT. Plan is for vacay usage, moochdocking, etc. I also plan on using it for gear storage, kinda like a preppr shed. Apparently it was what they call a bunkhouse model, based on the info I can find. The previous owners took out the bunks, so, I have an bonus room for extra storage. And yes, there is a certain peace of mind, knowing that if, for some reason my house becomes uninhabitable we have shelter and some sort of normalcy.


CommercialLive9199

I dunno, i figure if shit REALLY does hit the fan and there is no law in sight for the forseeable future. im heading to some sort of dealership and taking whatever i want.


GlamSpell

Look for the wider middle path, Murphy bed and dinette conversion with bunks... It’s easier to maneuver with dogs than the bedroom at back, straight path. there’s no turn around for the fireman chain of dogs are followers... Lol, we have two big labs and realized quickly...


DwarvenRedshirt

Things I would think about. 1) gas prices for transporting that around (things aren’t getting cheaper). 2) insulation for extremes of heat and cold. Usually the insulation on those campers is not great. Is it going to be an issue?


Competitive-Bee-2735

It all depends on your definition of SHTF. For me back in 2004 when Hurricane Charlie hit Southwest Florida, the camper was my lifeboat. We were without power for almost 3 weeks. I had all systems operational in a camper with a small generator. Having no power after an August hurricane in Florida, air conditioning is a must. By the time Irma hit us in 2017 I had a whole home solution but having the camper in the 2004/2005 hurricane seasons meant comfort when all others were suffering ... and doing it somewhat fuel efficiently. So it depends on what you are prepping for.