Best Way to Camp (Tent vs Trailer vs RV)

Clearly a tent is going to be far less expensive than the other options and it isn’t close. For a large family, you can get a 6-12 person tent like the CORE Instant Cabin Tent or Coleman Skydome Family Camping Tent. Additionally, you will need sleeping bags rated for the temperature you will be camping, but you can still be under $1,000 for the whole setup.

Comparing trailers, a pop up camper can be purchased used for a few thousand dollars. Smaller travel trailers (like the R-pod) will sell new starting just under $20k. Additionally, we purchased our medium-sized No Boundaries 20.3EO for $25k and larger trailers will sell for even more. However, the shiny aluminum Air Streams will sell new for over $100k. Finally, Fifth Wheels are at the upper end of the trailer spectrum, starting around 40-50k and going up with size/amenities.

 RVs are going to be the most expensive, since you have to factor in the engine/drivetrain required to move the camper. A new Class B camper van will start around $75k, a Class C RV will start around $90k and a Class A will typically be well over $100k. 

Maintenance on a tent is about as easy as it gets. Just make sure to dry it out after use and you’ll be sure to get many years of use out of your tent.

Trailers and RVs on the other hand, have many more things that can go wrong. Leaks, appliances, slide outs and other nice to have items have a tendency to eventually need repairs. Tires need replaced with fewer miles than car tires. Also, since RVs have an engine, they will need to be regularly serviced with oil changes as well.

Something that not everyone considers is campsite costs. A tent site may start as low as $10 for a state park or free for backcountry camping. For an RV, you can find lower cost RV “boondocking” sites (without water/electric), Harvest Hosts type stays or even stay at a Walmart parking lot for free. However, to utilize all the amenities of your RV, you will need water, electric and sewer hookups. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for these sites to be $50 or even over $100 per night, depending on the location.

Since we’ve determined that a tent is less expensive overall, it is time to look at some of the places where the other options shine. And there is no bigger area than overall comfort.

An RV and/or trailer is going to be more comfortable than a tent since you can have a real mattress (most people replace the uncomfortable mattress sold with a new RV). Additionally, many RVs, travel trailers and fifth wheels have sofas, dining tables and much more space to move around. There are many things you can do to make tent camping more comfortable, but it is unlikely to get close to the “glamping” conveniences that comes with an RV or trailer.

Set-up on a RV is the easiest. Although pulling into and leveling your rig can take some getting used to, once you are parked you are ready to go. Full hookup sites will have a plug in for electric, water and sewer, but it still doesn’t take long and all you bedding and appliances are ready to go. Once finished with your trip, you just hop in and go.

A trailer is the next quickest, but you will have to hook and unhook to your tow vehicle if you want to drive it without the camper. Additionally, there are some stabilizer jacks that need to be put down. However, once you have it down you can usually be set up in about 15 minutes. A pop-up camper is last in this category as it will take some extra time to crank up and down camper when you arrive/leave, for us it was about 30 minutes to set up and tear down.

Finally, setting up a tent is the longest. Most tents can be set up in under 15 minutes, but you still need to set up sleeping bags, sleep pads or air mattresses and unload clothes and other items once set up. 

One of the unique advantages of a Class A, B or C RV is that you can access the living quarters while driving. That means that a passenger access the refrigerator or use the restroom without making a stop.

Although you can’t access the back while driving a travel trailer or fifth wheel, you can stop to use your own restroom without having to find a gas station or rest area.

If you are using a tent, then you are likely driving your own car, van or truck without towing anything. That offers a comfort level that shouldn’t be ignored. Additionally, you can usually drive a car faster than pulling a tow vehicle. Even if the speed limit is higher, many people towing a trailer will stick to 60-65 mph.

A RV on the other hand, is wider and longer than a passenger vehicle and definitely can create some anxiety in traffic or approaching narrow passages. We actually had a minor fender-bender in a rented Class C where I couldn’t see an overhang due to the cabin that is above the windshield.

Lastly, a trailer is going to be the trickiest. These can be minimized by having a larger and more powerful tow vehicle, but any trailer is going to be more difficult to backup and there are additional issues like wind and trailer sway. Also, while my wife was comfortable pulling a smaller pop-up camper, that wasn’t the case with our larger 26′ travel trailer.

With a tent, you can drive anywhere once you set camp. Additionally, with a trailer, you can drive just your car anywhere once you unhook your trailer.

However, with an RV, anytime you want to leave your campground for the day, you have to take the whole RV with you. Some RV owners will choose to tow an additional vehicle (referred to as a “toad”), but that is extra work and extra miles on that extra vehicle. However, being able to get around in a smaller car is worth it for many RV owners.

With a tent, you are only limited by the clearance and 4×4 capabilities of your car. Overlanding has become popular and is off-road combined with camping, often with a roof mount tent. There are some pop-up and smaller campers that are geared for minor off-roading. However, it is easier to get off road in a SUV or truck compared to an RV or a vehicle towing a large trailer.

Again, since you aren’t towing as much weight, you will get far better gas mileage with a car, van or truck when not towing. For example, my Ford Expedition, which normally gets 18 mpg on the highway, only gets about 8 mpg average when towing our trailer. Many people are shocked when they see the real world difference in gas mileage when towing a heavy camper. Expect similar mpg for a RV in the high single digits.