When the pandemic hit, we, like many other families, stopped traveling on airplanes. Because we lived in Alaska, we also couldn't travel by car outside of our state since you have to go through Canada to get to the lower 48. So that first summer, with only our son in tow, we did an amazing and challenging canoe camping trip, an epic road trip with lots of public use cabins, stayed at airbnbs in Talkeetna, Girdwood, and Hope, and hiked out to our own remote cabin a couple of times.
Our daughter was born in March, almost exactly one year after our state's first shut down. We knew we were in for another summer of camping/cabin-ing in our home state, and suddenly the reality of canoe-ing or trekking the three miles to our cabin with two littles seemed daunting, and the idea of paying for a two-bedroom airbnb seemed silly. We started talking about how we could do some car camping with them, but the logistics often stopped our conversations short. I kept hearing about friends who had bought a camper or were "so glad they had a camper" in that first pandemic summer, and slowly...the idea of a travel trailer began to creep into our conversations about potential summer adventures.
While Derek is an avid outdoorsman and has slept in a tent or under the stars many a night, he did have a camper in his previous life. I, on the other hand, never thought that "getting outside" and an "RV" went together. In fact, I made fun of Derek when we were first dating because he called it "camping" when he stayed in in his trailer. From my perspective... if you have four walls and a bathroom and a real bed? That's hardly camping. Camping is the constant sound of birds and rushing water. Shivering (and cuddling) to sleep in a down bag. I liked the ruggedness of it - waking up at dawn and cooking on a camp stove; filtering water from the nearest stream or lake and playing cards by headlamp in the tent. I know how to set up a camp. I've backpacked hundreds of miles through the Olympics and the Cascades and the Chugach, for goodness sakes. What did I need a travel trailer for?
But then I had a kid. Being outside with him was almost always a joy, but there was prep and hard work involved, especially when going somewhere overnight, especially if that place was sort of (or entirely) off the grid.
There was that terrible time hiking out to our cabin when I fell through an ice puddle with Isaac facing out in the front carrier, and the broken ice cut his face right under his eye. And then there was the summer of Isaac and the attack mosquitoes. Or the time I forgot diapers and Derek had to hike three miles to the car, drive to a store, and then hike three miles back. Or the time we ran out of formula. Or in that public use cabin where the ceiling was so low that I almost knocked myself out trying to get up so the next night Derek slept on the floor and gave me the bottom bunk (the flies and mosquitoes were CRAZY inside that place!).
And then I had a second kid when Isaac was only 21 months old.
Yes, yes. I know that families sleep in tents and rustic cabins with little ones all the time. I have plenty of badass friends who take their kids on all sorts of tent-only adventures. But I was starting to have this sneaking suspicion that...um...I might not be that person anymore. In fact, the more I thought about camping with two small humans (or even rustic cabin-ing with no running water, lights, etc) - the set up, the lack of easy access to water through all those diaper changes, the challenge of keeping kids warm - the more I felt turned off by it.
Basically I had grown soft. I'll admit it. But I didn't want my shifting needs to stop our family from exploring our state and being outside as much as we could. So what to do? Derek started to think creatively - we could bring two tents and set up a tarp system where we could stay under them as we moved between the tents. We'd have another tarp for a kitchen. We'd invest in plusher mattress pads for sleeping and bring pillows. He was really amazing about trying to find a compromise - we could tent camp, but more comfortably.
Then on a whim I went to see a couple of campers just for fun. They were bigger than I thought, roomier. And cleverer. I have always been a sucker for multi-use spaces and hidden cabinetry kind of stuff. And honestly? The thought of an indoor bathroom was enticing. The thought of a bed? Even more so. And a place to eat or play or read a bedtime book out of the bugs and rain? Yes, please. But I still felt awkward, like I was betraying my true "nature self". Did we really need a camper? Couldn't I just do what my friends were doing with their kids? Wouldn't my kids be happier in the end to sleep on the ground and wake up to a pristine dawn? Plus, trailers are a real investment - both financially and time-wise because of all the upkeep. They're "like a second home" according to Derek.
But, but... the mosquitoes, the rain, the chill and the uncomfortable sleeping, the peeing in the middle of the night OUTSIDE of the tent, where there are bears and devil's club and more rain. And sometimes the "pristine dawn" comes too soon after a night of young people partying in the campsite next door. Sometimes the dog brings all his muddy joy into the tent before you can wipe off his paws. Sometimes it snows unexpectedly. Sometimes, sometimes...
I had to start facing the truth about how I had changed: I was an older mom with two very little kids and I wanted a bed, a dry bed.
Once I stopped denying the nature of my new self, I started to get excited about everything the camper could do for our little family. I was ready to take the plunge into the travel trailer world.
When it was time to find the trailer of our dreams (or at least the one for our family before the kids became tweens), we started with two big ideas: we wanted a "small/light" camper, and we wanted everyone to have a bed without having to convert any furniture. I was thinking of this endeavor as a means to sleep comfortably, but not so comfortably that we'd want to spend a lot of time inside. The point was to get outside more, right?
As we started our search, it was frustrating because we'd find one we liked online, and then find out that it was backordered. Sometimes we were told we could get on a list for a camper that "might" arrive 15 months later (summer 2022). Basically, the pandemic meant that lots of other people had the same idea as us. We started to feel pretty discouraged.
What were our requirements anyway? (And what did we hope for?)
Under 24' total (so that we could fit into the vast majority of National Park campgrounds). 21' was our ideal.
Under 4000 pounds dry weight (we have a RAM 2500 so we could pull quite a bit more, but going up and down mountains and thinking about gas guzzling made us want to go lighter).
Less than 8ft across (8 ft is the max, but at less than that we could use the regular mirrors on our truck). We hoped for a back-up camera.
A separate sleeping space for Derek and me with a queen bed. We wanted a true queen so that at least one child could sleep with us when that came up. We hoped that the bed would face "north-south" so we could both get in and out of the bed.
Bunkbeds for the kids. We hoped for double over doubles or even a single over a double. We hoped for a sleeping space under the bed for our dog. We hoped for a dining table that converted into another bed so the kids could bring a friend or two.
A full, dry bathroom - tub, toilet, sink with some storage. We hoped for a small tub/shower combo. We required a good vent fan.
A slide out that allowed for movement to the bathroom and kitchen even when pulled in (this took our first choice of brands - the R-Pod - off the table. That was a bummer.)
A table that seats four.
A full-sized (ish) fridge and a real freezer.
"Off-road" style - more rugged tires, higher off the ground
Air conditioning
We hoped for a convection microwave (which can also be like an oven).
We hoped for solar power on the roof.
We hoped for a ladder to get on the roof.
We hoped for great storage - small closets, lots of thoughtful cabinets/cupboards, some drawers, pass-through storage under the unit that you access from the outside, maybe more storage that you can access from the outside at the back under the bunk bed. Some trailers even have flip-up lower bunks for lots more storage - very appealing to us.
We looked at several models, and ended up with...(drum roll, please!)...
...the wonderful, cute, badass, totally functional and available in time for the 2021 summer season... Apex Nano 194bhs. Yay!
We got everything we "needed" and lots of what we hoped for.
PROS Highlights
HUGE interior with the slide out and plenty of room to move through the entire space with the slide in. We can fit BOTH pack and plays on the floor with the slide out.
A big table for us to have meals or play games together with bench seats facing each other. The table converts into a full-size bed.
tub/shower combo
TONS of storage
outdoor kitchen including a mini-fridge & Coleman stove "grill" that we swapped out with our Coleman two-burner
lots of windows, including picture windows out the front (so views from bed) and from the dining table.
outdoor speakers and a bluetooth stereo system
USB plugs that do not require you to be plugged in to external power to use them (like you would for the regular plugs)
a simple solar panel set-up
a neat storage set-up at the head of the bed plus a headboard shelf. Nice touch.
CONS Highlights
BUNKBED issues: 1) They are SMALL, like significantly narrower than a single bed. This isn't bad for a toddler, but it does mean mom and dad will not be snuggling anyone to sleep. The "roof" of the bunkbed is so low that it's possible Isaac will outgrow sitting up in bed before he outgrows sleeping in it. But the mattresses are comfortable so that's a plus. 2) The lower bunkbed is too high off the ground for a toddler to climb in (because of the outdoor kitchen that is stored under the bunk). Last summer Isaac was in a pack and play, but this summer we'll need a stool or ladder so he can get in and out. The upper bunk is stacked in such a way that you need a ladder to get into it (you can't just step from the lower bunk). 3) There are lights and window blinds in the lower bunk that are just perfect for a toddler to play with when everyone is hoping that he will fall asleep. I think (hope!) he will grow out of wanting to mess with these.
The outdoor fridge is such a good idea so you don't have to go in and out so much, especially after the kids go to bed BUT it only works when you're plugged into external power. Bummer.
The microwave is only a microwave and it's below the stove which means the kids can get to it. You have to be plugged in to real power for it to turn on, but it's still not ideal.
The queen bed goes east-west so the person next to the window has to climb over the outside person to get out.
I want to give you a full picture of the travel trailer because one of our goals for this blog is to provide information for families looking to get outside in all sorts of ways. So while I list a number of drawbacks to our Apex Nano, I want to say loud and clear that the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
We are so happy that we became a camper family. The best part about it is that we went camper-ing all summer, which means we got to spend a lot of time outside. We saw lots of new rivers and mountains and wildlife and we saw the old ones in a new light through our children's eyes. We could always bring our dog, Cody. We sat around camp fires, threw lots of sticks and rocks into the water, ate well, bathed well, and slept well (kind of, we still had a toddler and an infant), and enjoyed the wonder of our beautiful state. And if it rained? We had it covered! Mosquitoes? Bring 'em on! Noisy neighbors? No problem.
Our travel trailer has proved to be a worthwhile investment after just one season, and knowing we have a warm, dry place to sleep makes me certain that I'll be excited to get out there for many seasons to come. I still have trouble calling it "camping" because it feels so darn luxurious, but calling it "camper-ing" sounds about right. Derek sure pokes fun at me after all the crap I gave him about being "old" and "soft" for sleeping in a trailer. But he gets to. ;)
Check out our other posts that review the campgrounds we've gone to and that talk more about how we prepare for and then adventure with our kids when we go camper-ing. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch!
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