Before you begin shopping for a pop up you should take the time to do a little research. This can save you time, money and headaches down the road. You should do the following: research towing, floor plans, what to look for in a used camper and put together a budget.

First and foremost, make sure you have the appropriate tow vehicle to safely pull a camper. Check the manufacturers towing recommendations in you owners manual. Sometimes this information is not clear in the manual so a call to the dealer may be in order.

A visit to an RV dealer may be your best choice, as the first question they ask you is “What will you be towing with?”. A dealer always considers safety first before selling someone a travel trailer, so they have the resources to give you the correct information.

Having a budget set can be a great help when shopping for used campers. This will give you a starting point when looking for a used pop up. You will probably need to make some minor repairs and/or do a little redecorating when you do purchase a camper. With that in mind it is a good idea to set aside ten to twenty percent of your budget for these items.

The layout of pop ups very greatly and you should have an idea of what will work for you prior to shopping. RV shows and dealer lots are a great place to view the available floor plans. You will have to compromise, since you are purchasing used, but you will be able to find a layout that suits you well.

The condition of the used camper you are looking at should be high on the list of priorities. The number one problem with pop up campers is water and moisture. Left untreated water can quickly ruin the structure of the camper. If you see any signs of water intrusion, make a very thorough inspection of the surrounding areas to look for damage. This type of damage is very costly, if not impossible, to repair.

The canvas and mechanical systems are next on the list. Inspect the canvas and screens for rips, holes and mold. Check that the lift system works properly and that the roof seals tightly when lowered. Run all the systems in the pop up, such as heating, cooling, water and electrical. On the outside check that the lights function properly and that the tires are in good condition.

Take notes of the problems you find during your inspection of the used pop up. If the problems are major and costly consider walking away and looking for something in better shape. If only minor problems are noted use this information to calculate your offer. Your purchase price should allow you enough money from your budget to make the needed repairs, if the seller is unwilling to deal walk away from the transaction. Remember you will be able to find another pop up for sale and maybe even a better deal!

Getting to the campground can be made so much easier with the use of a Satellite Navigation System(Sat Nav for short). Sat Nav is becoming very popular and advances in technology have made it affordable for the masses. Why fight with folding a map or flipping through an atlas when, with a few taps on the screen, your course can be generated for you.

The new Sat Nav units are very user friendly, portable and becoming more and more affordable. This makes them perfect for camping and the outdoors. Not only can you use the unit to get to your destination, many units are small enough to be taken on hikes, bike rides or fishing trips. Never get lost or forget where that great fishing hole is located again.

Take a look at Sat Nav Guru to find all the latest Sat Nav units at discount prices.

Tubing and canoeing has always been one of our favorite activities while camping. Having small children put a stop to the day long tube or canoe float. Wanting to get back on the river we decided that rafting would be a safe alternative to get us back on the water. After researching the prices the outfitters charge for rafts, we decided to purchase our own boat.
Doing what anyone else would do we turned to the internet and started doing research. We finally decided to purchase a inflatable raft from Sea Eagle. The raft of choice was the Sea Eagle 9 with the startup package. The start up package includes the boat, oar set, foot pump, high seat and rowing seat. We purchased directly from Sea Eagle and received free shipping on the entire package. Having small children on the raft we also decided to purchase the optional canopy to keep the little ones shaded during the trip. We hit a few snags during the ordering process, but there customer service is top notch and took care of our problem promptly.

Once the raft arrived we opened up the packaging and found everything to be in perfect condition. The raft has five separate chambers made from 38 mil polykrylar, and I must say this material feels very strong. The raft weighs in at 38 lbs. and is very easy to carry. Wanting to get a feel for everything prior to hitting the river we followed the instructions to inflate the boat. Using the foot pump was very fast and the deluxe valves made the inflation process painless. Once inflated the children got in for a closer inspection and it of course passed. Take down was just as fast using the deluxe valves, following the directions the raft folded up very nicely.

The real test came in July when we took the raft to Jacks Fork river in southern Missouri. After shuttling vehicles around we set up the raft for our trip which was an 8 mile float from Alley Springs to Emminence. Again set up fast and uneventful and we set out on our trip. The Jacks Fork river is somewhat shallow this time of year so dragging was definitely an issue. The raft handled the river rocks and the stray tree stumps without suffering any damage. The canopy was a great add-on as it kept the front passenger in the shade and out of the cold rain that caught us about 1 mile from the take out point. We also managed to hit a few low hanging trees with the canopy and it made it through without damage.

The Sea Eagle 9 also has a motor-mount option that allows the use of up to a 4 hp gas motor. Wood floorboards are also available to allow a fisherman to stand in the boat. Overall I would say the SE 9 is a great value for the weekend rafter. I would not hesitate to purchase another boat from Sea Eagle. They also have inflatable kayaks, yacht tenders and small sailboats.