Let's hear your camping misconceptions

[jasonl78]

For some it's been decades and for some it's only days since owning a camper. I'd be interested in hearing some of your misconceptions you had before owning a camper.

My big one was that I always considered that travel trailers were really meant to be pulled by smaller tow vehicles. I didn't think you would need a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck to pull some of them. If you had a big truck, you pulled a fifthwheel. If you had a smaller truck you pulled a travel trailer.

Sure was wrong on that one!

[Skiddy]

30 years ago we had a TT, could not afford a 5er. Then came boating and skiing and camping, rving was forgotten for a few years. When we got back in the game the 150/1500 series towable 5ers caught our eye. When we looked at them in detail, the space was about the same as a similar TT. No basement, higher ceilings (more to heat/cool) and usually a higher profile. Big misconception, so we went back to a TT.
No need for 3/4 or 1ton truck. The misconception was the grass may not always be greener......

[Walaby]

The biggest misconception I had was that I could actually figure out what I wanted the first time, and that my first purchase would be my last. Im on number three now, and first 5er. Wife names it "Mohican", as in "the Last Mohican". We shall see.

Mike

[D2Reid]

My biggest misconception was that when you spend a lot of money on an RV it will be perfect. Boy have I been slapped silly on that one. Now I expect there to be some issues and plan accordingly.

What's a little scary is that when I asked the service manager to schedule me at least a half day of service one week after I picked it up and then 3 days after 11 months for warranty work, he didn't even ask me why....

[JeffD68]

I had a massive camping/RV misconception. There was a time when I thought I wasn't a RV guy! I openly wondered and asked why anyone would go through all the effort instead of just staying in a hotel. In 2011, on a whim, I bought a small 2004 Outback bumper pull trailer to see what all the fuss was about. I was instantly hooked. Mods to the trailer, hooking up, towing, setting up, the final destination...I enjoy every aspect. For the first few years, it was all about getting the kids out on adventures almost every time they had a school break. The kids are now young adults and have their own lives so my wife and I look for any excuse to get out whether it's for a weekend someplace local or a 3,000 mile, 16 day road trip. 9 years and three trailers later, here we are planning (and dreaming of) a retirement that revolves around slowly exploring every corner of the USA.

[JColeman]

We are now on our fourth last RV. I believe that is more of a delusion than a misconception.

[Capt Jim]

We have no real misconceptions. Things are about as we thought they would be.
And, at our age we don't expect any conceptions either.

Safe Travels.

Jim

[Bradnailer]

Since I've camped all my life, I can't remember any before camping misconceptions. However, as the old saying (that I made up) goes, "when you think you've seen it all, you see something else."

[jasonl78]

I was thinking someone surely would have said, "I have a 3/4 ton diesel and I can pull/haul everything".

[backtrack2015]

I didn’t realize how far I’d have to plan ahead to get a spot. Growing up in Idaho, we could pack up and leave at 3PM on Friday and always get a spot (no reservations). Those times are long gone.