Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

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Topic Author
FoolStreet
Posts: 1554
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

In the next couple years, we'd like to take more long trips for backpacking, biking, hiking, camping around the US. I'm enamored by the new Rivian and thought I would ask for experiences doing this. The thing is we want to bring our toys and I am very conscious about my footprint on the natural environment with a "leave only footprints, only take photos" mindset -- so I would really like to leverage electric vehicles for such long trips. Realistically, we would go from well known areas to well known areas (eg, Moab, Tahoe, Glacier NP), so charging infrastructure should be generally available. It would be just 2 people and we want more time doing physical activities than driving... meaning I don't want to drive 10hours just to sit by the campfire, then do it again the next day.

Offroading Option - Get a Rivian with built in tent and kitchen. We would get a trailer bike mount. Tesla cybertruck would have a better charging network, so we'll see what happens over the next year or so.

Self-contained Option - Get a Revel. I love the idea of being self-contained and being able to keep the bikes and toys under the back bed, but I really don't like the gas usage, and it seems big and bulky.

Trailer Option - If I drive an EV with a lightweight camper, like a Basecamp, we could drive the car and drop the trailer anytime. This seems like a lot of overhead to just be able to carry a bed, though.

Hotels and camp Option - The other option is to just fit out the car/truck with camping gear and camp when we have good spots, and stay in hotels when we have nice ones. We are not hurting for money per se, but are frugal. I always hear about people just putting their rear seats down with a nice foam mattress and sleeping in the back of their teslas. That's not ideal, but an option here or there. The point is that it shows how you really don't need a huge camper to get around.

Would love to hear ideas & experiences from active campers?
ThankYouJack
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:27 pm

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by ThankYouJack »

How long are we talking for trips and doesn't buying a new car create a good size footprint?

For me, I just drive my current car and stay in a tent, or with friends / in hotels. I think there's a lot of "adventure" marketing tossed at us and Toyota famously goofed with this ad - https://www.singletracks.com/uncategori ... right-now/ Not surprisingly, on Rivian's homepage there are 3 mountain bikers in the forefront. Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

So I guess my other question is why are you enamoured with the Rivian. Will it lead to much better and more fun adventures than your current vehicle or other cars you're looking at?

Regardless of what you decide, have fun!
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pm How long are we talking for trips and doesn't buying a new car create a good size footprint?

For me, I just drive my current car and stay in a tent, or with friends / in hotels. I think there's a lot of "adventure" marketing tossed at us and Toyota famously goofed with this ad - https://www.singletracks.com/uncategori ... right-now/ Not surprisingly, on Rivian's homepage there are 3 mountain bikers in the forefront. Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

So I guess my other question is why are you enamoured with the Rivian. Will it lead to much better and more fun adventures than your current vehicle or other cars you're looking at?

Regardless of what you decide, have fun!
Yes! You nailed it. I am totally enamoured by the marketing. Shiny car/truck/trailer/camper beside a glorious view of a lake/mountain/steppe. I want to buy the latter, not the former. Marketing works. ha ha.

I remember roadtripping a rockclimbing trip and noone drove a 4Runner. The *good* climbers (I was just okay) drove cheap honda civics.

If I took a 2-4 week roadtrip, I'd want to bring the toys -- rock climbing equipment, road bike, mountain bike, backpack, sleeping bag. So, I'm really looking for a way to do that in a simple way. I have a hitch on my current Model 3, so I don't need a new vehicle, but I'm also just doing some vision-planning...
JohnInAZ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:39 pm

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by JohnInAZ »

How about a Hybrid mini-van?

I can carry a bunch of toys and get great gas mileage in my Toyota Sienna. So not total electric but I can average over 35 miles per gallon so easier on environment.


I’m glad I went this route and I can even sleep in it if weather is bad.
gamboolman
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:32 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by gamboolman »

These Offroad small Campers might be a option ?

Here is a link I looked at that was referenced on one of the Outdoor Forums I read.

I do not have any experience with these but thought it might give you a idea to look at.

https://www.teardropsnw.com
ThankYouJack
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:27 pm

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by ThankYouJack »

FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:33 pm
ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pm How long are we talking for trips and doesn't buying a new car create a good size footprint?

For me, I just drive my current car and stay in a tent, or with friends / in hotels. I think there's a lot of "adventure" marketing tossed at us and Toyota famously goofed with this ad - https://www.singletracks.com/uncategori ... right-now/ Not surprisingly, on Rivian's homepage there are 3 mountain bikers in the forefront. Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

So I guess my other question is why are you enamoured with the Rivian. Will it lead to much better and more fun adventures than your current vehicle or other cars you're looking at?

Regardless of what you decide, have fun!
Yes! You nailed it. I am totally enamoured by the marketing. Shiny car/truck/trailer/camper beside a glorious view of a lake/mountain/steppe. I want to buy the latter, not the former. Marketing works. ha ha.

I remember roadtripping a rockclimbing trip and noone drove a 4Runner. The *good* climbers (I was just okay) drove cheap honda civics.

If I took a 2-4 week roadtrip, I'd want to bring the toys -- rock climbing equipment, road bike, mountain bike, backpack, sleeping bag. So, I'm really looking for a way to do that in a simple way. I have a hitch on my current Model 3, so I don't need a new vehicle, but I'm also just doing some vision-planning...
Funny you mention cheap Honda civics because my cross country adventure trips were in a Honda Civic. Plenty of space for camping gear, a mountain bike, a few months worth of stuff.

I’ve been going more in the other direction (backpacking) so trying to reduce down the size and amount gear I take with me.

Seems like you could just use the hitch rack for the bikes (with a great bike lock) and a roof rack if needed. It’s not as exciting as buying a new truck or trailer, but it’s all about the adventure, not the vehicle.

One thing regardless of vehicle, I would just make sure you have decent insurance in case anything gets stolen.
Californiastate
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by Californiastate »

Are you only going to charge your Rivian with coal free electricity? I suppose one could map out the US electrical grid and avoid those areas. Otherwise that footprint gets large quick.
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

JohnInAZ wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:39 pm How about a Hybrid mini-van?

I can carry a bunch of toys and get great gas mileage in my Toyota Sienna. So not total electric but I can average over 35 miles per gallon so easier on environment.


I’m glad I went this route and I can even sleep in it if weather is bad.
Do you bring your bikes into the van when you go for a hike for a day or two? Or leave them on the rack with a good bike lock?
Mathematicus
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:46 pm

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by Mathematicus »

Have you looked into renting an RV for your trips? RV rentals used to be limited to larger campers (e.g. Cruise America) or stripped down conversion vans (e.g. Escape Campervans), but trendier 4x4 campervans are becoming increasingly available. I’d certainly suggest renting to better understand your priorities before making a big purchase!

My wife and I rented a Revel through Outdoorsy for a 8-day trip last spring. We picked up and dropped off the Revel in Moab and spent most of the week in the Grand Staircase Escalante area. We stayed one night in a campground at Lake Powell but were otherwise totally off grid.

Camping in the Revel was light years nicer than in a tent, and we appreciated the tiny bathroom and kitchen facilities. We could’ve got by with 2wd 99% of the time, but it was handy in sand and getting into dispersed camping sites that traditional rvs couldn’t reach. We drove on some fairly adventurous back-country roads and were only stopped by a true 4x4 road in the southern part of Capitol Reef NP. The weight and length of the Revel definitely limits it on roads with severe rocks and obstacles. The Revel felt a big in the traffic of Moab, but I doubt a Rivian would feel much smaller!

Our takeaway for the trip was that an enclosed camper is very nice for places far from civilization, but for most of our trips we’ll stick to driving our Subaru and staying in hotels/vacation rentals. We were also convinced that we’d never want to own an RV. There are so many little things to break and keeping up the maintenance on another vehicle would drive us crazy. That being said, I expect the used market for RVs will be a buyers market in a year or two as folks that bought new during Covid get tired of the upkeep…
tibbitts
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pm I always hear about people just putting their rear seats down with a nice foam mattress and sleeping in the back of their teslas. That's not ideal, but an option here or there. The point is that it shows how you really don't need a huge camper to get around.
I've had a modest travel trailer and also done the sleep-in-the-car thing with a foam "mattress" I built for the purpose. The problem with car sleeping is that you need enough room to sleep, enough for some kind of toilet-like device (and enough to use it), and enough for all your hobby/activity "stuff." I've never had an electric car but presume it would solve the air-conditioning and heating problem? Also you need some kind of window coverings, unless there's some sort of technological solution that would black-out the windows on demand - ?
JohnInAZ
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by JohnInAZ »

" Do you bring your bikes into the van when you go for a hike for a day or two? Or leave them on the rack with a good bike lock? "

It depends....

If the area is has a lot of people around I leave it locked on top for shorter hikes. If it is pretty quiet around then I put it inside. I also have covers for the windows so people can't see what is inside.. So far so good!
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

gamboolman wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:10 pm These Offroad small Campers might be a option ?

Here is a link I looked at that was referenced on one of the Outdoor Forums I read.

I do not have any experience with these but thought it might give you a idea to look at.

https://www.teardropsnw.com
I love the concept... I was actually considering the Sylvan Sport To Go. It is a mix between toy hauler and, well, just hauler in general.
rockstar
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by rockstar »

I spent a lot of time driving through rural Utah. I didn't see any EV stations, but I did see gas for $4.10 a gallon. I'd opt for hybrid before going full EV as you might not find stations in more rural parts of the country, which is where I enjoy road tripping.
stoptothink
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by stoptothink »

rockstar wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 6:40 pm I spent a lot of time driving through rural Utah. I didn't see any EV stations, but I did see gas for $4.10 a gallon. I'd opt for hybrid before going full EV as you might not find stations in more rural parts of the country, which is where I enjoy road tripping.
+1, I'm in Utah and we do a ton of camping in and around the state. It may be just because I am not looking for it, but I don't ever see any EV stations not in the city centers. And, yes, gas is $4+/gallon
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

stoptothink wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:11 pm
rockstar wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 6:40 pm I spent a lot of time driving through rural Utah. I didn't see any EV stations, but I did see gas for $4.10 a gallon. I'd opt for hybrid before going full EV as you might not find stations in more rural parts of the country, which is where I enjoy road tripping.
+1, I'm in Utah and we do a ton of camping in and around the state. It may be just because I am not looking for it, but I don't ever see any EV stations not in the city centers. And, yes, gas is $4+/gallon
There is a ton of EV charing in UT, you just have to look at plugshare.com. Tesla has the superchargers, so that's the bulletproof option. Otherwise, a lot of the hotels/resorts have plugs so you can charge while you spend the night. And RV places have electricity obviously, too. Brown icons are Tesla L3 superchargers. Green are L2 & L3 J1772 which can be used by Tesla and non-Tesla. L1 are anywhere you can plug in a hair dryer, so there's that. I would feel better about driving my Tesla in Utah today...but hopefully in the next couple years there will be more options for a Rivian or Ford Lightning.

I'd love to hear about your favorite places to go camp in UT. We enjoyed cottonwood canyon in the north and Brianhead in the south.
rockstar
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by rockstar »

FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:46 pm
stoptothink wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:11 pm
rockstar wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 6:40 pm I spent a lot of time driving through rural Utah. I didn't see any EV stations, but I did see gas for $4.10 a gallon. I'd opt for hybrid before going full EV as you might not find stations in more rural parts of the country, which is where I enjoy road tripping.
+1, I'm in Utah and we do a ton of camping in and around the state. It may be just because I am not looking for it, but I don't ever see any EV stations not in the city centers. And, yes, gas is $4+/gallon
There is a ton of EV charing in UT, you just have to look at plugshare.com. Tesla has the superchargers, so that's the bulletproof option. Otherwise, a lot of the hotels/resorts have plugs so you can charge while you spend the night. And RV places have electricity obviously, too. Brown icons are Tesla L3 superchargers. Green are L2 & L3 J1772 which can be used by Tesla and non-Tesla. L1 are anywhere you can plug in a hair dryer, so there's that. I would feel better about driving my Tesla in Utah today...but hopefully in the next couple years there will be more options for a Rivian or Ford Lightning.

I'd love to hear about your favorite places to go camp in UT. We enjoyed cottonwood canyon in the north and Brianhead in the south.
I was in Escalante UT. Lots of great camping. I also went to Capitol Reef. To really take advantage of it, you want a 4x4.
senex
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by senex »

Part of the joy of backroads is the spontaneity: taking an unplanned detour, seeing if this two-track shortcut is actually washed out ahead, etc.

Electric isn't there yet. You need to keep to a strict "route plan." You can't easily modify it when out of cell range. Without a strict plan, you risk bricking your car, or getting stuck for 24 hours at some podunk place, charging off a 120V outlet. Not to mention the difficulty of repairs should something go wrong.

If you can drop the "biking" part, any decent car/truck will do nicely for two people, especially with a rocket box. You can carry a month or two of outdoor supplies in an SUV, unless you turn the outdoors into a marketing-driven consumption exercise. (My 5-day backcountry pack, including food and all supplies, is <25 lbs and <2 cubic feet).
stoptothink
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by stoptothink »

rockstar wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:00 pm
FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:46 pm
stoptothink wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:11 pm
rockstar wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 6:40 pm I spent a lot of time driving through rural Utah. I didn't see any EV stations, but I did see gas for $4.10 a gallon. I'd opt for hybrid before going full EV as you might not find stations in more rural parts of the country, which is where I enjoy road tripping.
+1, I'm in Utah and we do a ton of camping in and around the state. It may be just because I am not looking for it, but I don't ever see any EV stations not in the city centers. And, yes, gas is $4+/gallon
There is a ton of EV charing in UT, you just have to look at plugshare.com. Tesla has the superchargers, so that's the bulletproof option. Otherwise, a lot of the hotels/resorts have plugs so you can charge while you spend the night. And RV places have electricity obviously, too. Brown icons are Tesla L3 superchargers. Green are L2 & L3 J1772 which can be used by Tesla and non-Tesla. L1 are anywhere you can plug in a hair dryer, so there's that. I would feel better about driving my Tesla in Utah today...but hopefully in the next couple years there will be more options for a Rivian or Ford Lightning.

I'd love to hear about your favorite places to go camp in UT. We enjoyed cottonwood canyon in the north and Brianhead in the south.
I was in Escalante UT. Lots of great camping. I also went to Capitol Reef. To really take advantage of it, you want a 4x4.
Most of my camping is close to the base of a prominent peak, as peak bagging is my thing. I don't personally like to camp just to camp, but wife and I have set up a tent quite a ways from anything in order to summit Graham, Deseret, Kings, and dozens of other peaks. Most of our camping as a family (with our kids) are the more popular places like Bear Lake, Diamond Fork, and Whiting.
levelride
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by levelride »

The Rivian R1S will be a beast. Looking forward to seeing these come into production.

My wife and I spent a few months out west exploring national parks while working remotely during the pandemic. I lost count of the number of Revels we saw on the road. Appears to be a nice setup, albeit pricey, for an ICE adventure mobile. They were in high demand during the first half of the year. I saw used models fetching sticker prices.

Another option might be the Ford e-Transit. The range is weak right now, but I suspect it will improve in the near future. A custom build (sleeping loft, cooking area, insulation, flooring, solar, etc.) would add on $50-75K, but that's still cheaper than buying a Revel or similar model. I've read about folks parking in RV sites at campgrounds and charging from the 220v outlets.

FWIW, we tricked our 2019 Subaru Outback for our trip. Luno makes wonderful, 4" inflatable mattresses (300-denier fabric) sized to fit select vehicles. We added a Thule cargo carrier and awning to the roof rack, loaded up some backcountry gear (only ended up using the Jetboil cooking system) , and boondocked on BLM and other public lands. It was a blast.
dknightd
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by dknightd »

FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pm In the next couple years,
. . .
Would love to hear ideas & experiences from active campers?
In the next couple of years every thing could change. Again.
I'm somewhere between a regular car, 4x4 truck, and small AWD camper van.
We've had some great family road trips in my 4x4 toyota truck, but those days are long past. The kids have grown up, and the spouse does not want to sleep on the ground.
Our last road trip was in a BMW convertible. It was fun, but not much room for toys. We pretty much had to find a room every night.
I've been looking at class B camper vans for years, have yet to pull the trigger. They are tempting . . .
My 1994 toyota truck now needs to be replaced. So I've been thinking about this again lately.

My current thinking is a hybrid highlander, or maybe sienna. Room for stuff, decent MPG, could sleep in the back if needed. Not 4x4, but AWD is probably good enough for most situations we're likely to encounter (I like the concept of at least AWD in case we drive in, and it rains or snows, and we want to be able to drive back out.) A true 4x4 camping trip requires at least one other similarly capable vehicle. Unfortunately these do not seem to be available right now. Wife and I might be sharing a car for the winter. The BMW is not really a good winter car . . .

If you want to take a road trip now, or soon, do it with what you currently have.
If you want to take a specific road trip, start looking now for a vehicle that will suit that trip.
Retired 2019. So far, so good. I want to wake up every morning. But I want to die in my sleep. Just another conundrum. I think the solution might be afternoon naps ;)
Hayduke
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by Hayduke »

We did the mattress in back of an SUV thing for a few years and explored tons of CO that way. It's a decent solution for short trips, but unloading and reloading the vehicle every night to make room to sleep gets old. Managing condensation is an issue and you're not separated from the driving area. This is a pro if you need to climb up front and make a quick exit but a con when you have to scrape frozen condensation off the inside of windshield every morning.

Next we did a 4x4 truck with a topper and sleeping platform. This gives you dedicated storage under the bed and a capable vehicles. Pretty standard climbing/skiing/biking dirtbag setup in my neck of the woods. Can still tow or use the hitch for a bike rack. Get a mid or high rise topper if you go this route so you have enough headroom to sit up. The main drawback we found was the topper and platform are basically permanent installs and it's tough to use the truck for other truck things. Also it's difficult to keep dust out since pickup beds have holes to drain water and toppers never seal perfectly.

Our latest iteration is a slide in truck camper. We've had both hard side and popup styles. I like that the whole thing comes in and out as a unit, keeps the dust out and frees up the truck bed relatively quickly. Not towing a trailer is really helpful when exploring rough/unfamiliar roads or navigating city parking. Being able to stand up to put pants on is glorious and you can ride out storms in comfort. A slide in camper generally requires more truck than towing a trailer as you carry the whole unit as payload vs 10-15% tongue weight on a trailer.

All the solutions have worked for us at different stages of life and styles of exploration. I would think about it in terms of do you want to live 'in' the vehicle or 'around' the vehicle and do you want a basecamp approach or do you want to move camp frequently and make your choice accordingly.
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

levelride wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:00 pm The Rivian R1S will be a beast. Looking forward to seeing these come into production.

My wife and I spent a few months out west exploring national parks while working remotely during the pandemic. I lost count of the number of Revels we saw on the road. Appears to be a nice setup, albeit pricey, for an ICE adventure mobile. They were in high demand during the first half of the year. I saw used models fetching sticker prices.

Another option might be the Ford e-Transit. The range is weak right now, but I suspect it will improve in the near future. A custom build (sleeping loft, cooking area, insulation, flooring, solar, etc.) would add on $50-75K, but that's still cheaper than buying a Revel or similar model. I've read about folks parking in RV sites at campgrounds and charging from the 220v outlets.

FWIW, we tricked our 2019 Subaru Outback for our trip. Luno makes wonderful, 4" inflatable mattresses (300-denier fabric) sized to fit select vehicles. We added a Thule cargo carrier and awning to the roof rack, loaded up some backcountry gear (only ended up using the Jetboil cooking system) , and boondocked on BLM and other public lands. It was a blast.
What was your experience as a digital nomad? I could envision a world of traveling to some destination then working remotely there while exploring the surrounding area, maybe a month at a time.. I don’t see being able to work from the galley of a camper van though.
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

Hayduke wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:24 am We did the mattress in back of an SUV thing for a few years and explored tons of CO that way. It's a decent solution for short trips, but unloading and reloading the vehicle every night to make room to sleep gets old. Managing condensation is an issue and you're not separated from the driving area. This is a pro if you need to climb up front and make a quick exit but a con when you have to scrape frozen condensation off the inside of windshield every morning.

Next we did a 4x4 truck with a topper and sleeping platform. This gives you dedicated storage under the bed and a capable vehicles. Pretty standard climbing/skiing/biking dirtbag setup in my neck of the woods. Can still tow or use the hitch for a bike rack. Get a mid or high rise topper if you go this route so you have enough headroom to sit up. The main drawback we found was the topper and platform are basically permanent installs and it's tough to use the truck for other truck things. Also it's difficult to keep dust out since pickup beds have holes to drain water and toppers never seal perfectly.

Our latest iteration is a slide in truck camper. We've had both hard side and popup styles. I like that the whole thing comes in and out as a unit, keeps the dust out and frees up the truck bed relatively quickly. Not towing a trailer is really helpful when exploring rough/unfamiliar roads or navigating city parking. Being able to stand up to put pants on is glorious and you can ride out storms in comfort. A slide in camper generally requires more truck than towing a trailer as you carry the whole unit as payload vs 10-15% tongue weight on a trailer.

All the solutions have worked for us at different stages of life and styles of exploration. I would think about it in terms of do you want to live 'in' the vehicle or 'around' the vehicle and do you want a basecamp approach or do you want to move camp frequently and make your choice accordingly.
This is a really good write up of the options. I really appreciate it. I definitely see the pros and cons of each. If time wasn’t an issue, we could do them all.

For the topper idea, did you find it to be better than simply throwing down a tent at whatever campsite? I imagine that if you had nice campsite reservations, a tent would be just as nice. But if you were boondocking or in snow, the elevated platform might be more convenient.
Topic Author
FoolStreet
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:18 am

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:37 pm
FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:33 pm
ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pm How long are we talking for trips and doesn't buying a new car create a good size footprint?

For me, I just drive my current car and stay in a tent, or with friends / in hotels. I think there's a lot of "adventure" marketing tossed at us and Toyota famously goofed with this ad - https://www.singletracks.com/uncategori ... right-now/ Not surprisingly, on Rivian's homepage there are 3 mountain bikers in the forefront. Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

So I guess my other question is why are you enamoured with the Rivian. Will it lead to much better and more fun adventures than your current vehicle or other cars you're looking at?

Regardless of what you decide, have fun!
Yes! You nailed it. I am totally enamoured by the marketing. Shiny car/truck/trailer/camper beside a glorious view of a lake/mountain/steppe. I want to buy the latter, not the former. Marketing works. ha ha.

I remember roadtripping a rockclimbing trip and noone drove a 4Runner. The *good* climbers (I was just okay) drove cheap honda civics.

If I took a 2-4 week roadtrip, I'd want to bring the toys -- rock climbing equipment, road bike, mountain bike, backpack, sleeping bag. So, I'm really looking for a way to do that in a simple way. I have a hitch on my current Model 3, so I don't need a new vehicle, but I'm also just doing some vision-planning...
Funny you mention cheap Honda civics because my cross country adventure trips were in a Honda Civic. Plenty of space for camping gear, a mountain bike, a few months worth of stuff.

I’ve been going more in the other direction (backpacking) so trying to reduce down the size and amount gear I take with me.

Seems like you could just use the hitch rack for the bikes (with a great bike lock) and a roof rack if needed. It’s not as exciting as buying a new truck or trailer, but it’s all about the adventure, not the vehicle.

One thing regardless of vehicle, I would just make sure you have decent insurance in case anything gets stolen.
After a nice backpacking trip, you deserve a good shower from a local hotel, right? And a salad.
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FoolStreet
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by FoolStreet »

senex wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:22 pm Part of the joy of backroads is the spontaneity: taking an unplanned detour, seeing if this two-track shortcut is actually washed out ahead, etc.

Electric isn't there yet. You need to keep to a strict "route plan." You can't easily modify it when out of cell range. Without a strict plan, you risk bricking your car, or getting stuck for 24 hours at some podunk place, charging off a 120V outlet. Not to mention the difficulty of repairs should something go wrong.

If you can drop the "biking" part, any decent car/truck will do nicely for two people, especially with a rocket box. You can carry a month or two of outdoor supplies in an SUV, unless you turn the outdoors into a marketing-driven consumption exercise. (My 5-day backcountry pack, including food and all supplies, is <25 lbs and <2 cubic feet).
How do you get your pack so light? I end up bringing some creature comforts, like…. a spare pair of underwear ha ha ha seriously, it’s about whether to carry a tent or a tarp or a hammock, and how heavy a jacket is needed. Portable backcountry espresso machine? Hmmm…

If I’m just driving to trailheads, I think we are going to be ok. If I want to do off-roading, that’s another story and not sure I would do that with a gas car. I understand your point, though.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by ThankYouJack »

FoolStreet wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 10:43 am
senex wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:22 pm Part of the joy of backroads is the spontaneity: taking an unplanned detour, seeing if this two-track shortcut is actually washed out ahead, etc.

Electric isn't there yet. You need to keep to a strict "route plan." You can't easily modify it when out of cell range. Without a strict plan, you risk bricking your car, or getting stuck for 24 hours at some podunk place, charging off a 120V outlet. Not to mention the difficulty of repairs should something go wrong.

If you can drop the "biking" part, any decent car/truck will do nicely for two people, especially with a rocket box. You can carry a month or two of outdoor supplies in an SUV, unless you turn the outdoors into a marketing-driven consumption exercise. (My 5-day backcountry pack, including food and all supplies, is <25 lbs and <2 cubic feet).
How do you get your pack so light? I end up bringing some creature comforts, like…. a spare pair of underwear ha ha ha seriously, it’s about whether to carry a tent or a tarp or a hammock, and how heavy a jacket is needed. Portable backcountry espresso machine? Hmmm…
I'm far from ultralight, but my pack, tent, summer sleeping bag and sleeping pad weighs under 10 pounds. I figure, then I could take 5 pounds worth of food and 10 lbs worth of underwear :)

But 25 lbs for a 5 day trip including food and water is very light, so I'm curious too.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by senex »

The first trick to weight management is to weigh everything. Two shirts or bowls or stuff sacks that feel "about the same" can differ by several ounces. Do that a bunch of times and it adds up.

For summertime in the mountains I expect mostly sunny and temps above 25F. I bring:

Clothes - 3 pounds. Down jacket, rain jacket, and wool thermals consume most of that weight. Plus extra socks & undies and some mylar.

Kitchen - ~1 pound. Pocket rocket stove, Chipotle fork/spoon, sawyer mini water purifier, small pot, some stuff sacks or ursack for storage

Sleeping - 4.5 pounds. 15 degree down bag (2.5 lbs), tarp + plastic sheet (1 lb), foam pad (10 oz)

Gear - 4.5 pounds. Mostly the backpack itself (3 lbs), plus some cord, small knife, matches, 1xAAA flashlight, map, tp, matches, bug + sun lotion, advil, duct tape

Fuel is about a pound, and food is 10-13 pounds for five days. I admit, water usually does tip me over 25lbs, into the 26-27 range. I mostly pound water at every stop (often 1L+) and then carry only 1-2 pounds of water (0.5 - 1L). I would need to bump that in the desert or in a dry year.

Cheers.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by Hayduke »

FoolStreet wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 10:10 am
Hayduke wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:24 am We did the mattress in back of an SUV thing for a few years and explored tons of CO that way. It's a decent solution for short trips, but unloading and reloading the vehicle every night to make room to sleep gets old. Managing condensation is an issue and you're not separated from the driving area. This is a pro if you need to climb up front and make a quick exit but a con when you have to scrape frozen condensation off the inside of windshield every morning.

Next we did a 4x4 truck with a topper and sleeping platform. This gives you dedicated storage under the bed and a capable vehicles. Pretty standard climbing/skiing/biking dirtbag setup in my neck of the woods. Can still tow or use the hitch for a bike rack. Get a mid or high rise topper if you go this route so you have enough headroom to sit up. The main drawback we found was the topper and platform are basically permanent installs and it's tough to use the truck for other truck things. Also it's difficult to keep dust out since pickup beds have holes to drain water and toppers never seal perfectly.

Our latest iteration is a slide in truck camper. We've had both hard side and popup styles. I like that the whole thing comes in and out as a unit, keeps the dust out and frees up the truck bed relatively quickly. Not towing a trailer is really helpful when exploring rough/unfamiliar roads or navigating city parking. Being able to stand up to put pants on is glorious and you can ride out storms in comfort. A slide in camper generally requires more truck than towing a trailer as you carry the whole unit as payload vs 10-15% tongue weight on a trailer.

All the solutions have worked for us at different stages of life and styles of exploration. I would think about it in terms of do you want to live 'in' the vehicle or 'around' the vehicle and do you want a basecamp approach or do you want to move camp frequently and make your choice accordingly.
This is a really good write up of the options. I really appreciate it. I definitely see the pros and cons of each. If time wasn’t an issue, we could do them all.

For the topper idea, did you find it to be better than simply throwing down a tent at whatever campsite? I imagine that if you had nice campsite reservations, a tent would be just as nice. But if you were boondocking or in snow, the elevated platform might be more convenient.
Yes, as long as you can drive right up to the place you want to sleep we definitely preferred the topper. It gives you a permanent bed that can have a bigger/more comfortable mattress and you don't have to deal with setting up a tent in bad weather. You're up off the ground so less issues with rodents and feel a little safer in regards to larger four legged or two legged threats by having solid walls around you. If you're the DIY type you can have a lot of fun building the platform, designing storage compartments, setting up lights, electrical systems, water tanks, etc. The tailgate is perfect for cooking on and most toppers can be had with a roof rack for more storage of boats, bikes, skis, or a box.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by willthrill81 »

The way I see it, this basically comes down to whether the OP wants to car camp or travel via an RV. We've done a very little car camping but now own a small motorhome, and I can say emphatically that for us, the motorhome is a far better experience while traveling. It involves more maintenance when you're not using it than a vehicle, but that's the price you pay for having a vacation home on wheels.

All electric RVs that will have enough range to be appealing to the broad market are not even close to coming to the market. The new electric Ford F150 that many are buzzing about will have a pitiful range for hauling something like a travel trailer. In the real world, its range while towing a TT will likely be no more than 100 miles, and it will take most chargers 10-14 hours to recharge the standard battery. That's close to worthless for the RV community.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by phinanciallyfit »

When we upgrade from a tent, I'm planning to have a flush toilet in my set up, but it doesn't sound like that is a required criteria for you. So, I recently saw this awesome (and very lightweight) teardrop trailer that I would say is in the glamping category. It would definitely give you more space for gear. https://www.earthtravelerteardroptrailers.com/
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by retiredjg »

Another one into the mix.....

https://sylvansport.com
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

phinanciallyfit wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:11 pm When we upgrade from a tent, I'm planning to have a flush toilet in my set up...
Wet or dry flush? I can see some appeal to the dry flush variety, having had both the portable and fixed holding tank wet variety.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by ktip »

You might check out an Intech Flyer Explore. It is designed to carry gear (toy hauler). We looked at Basecamps too, but they are hard to get right now, we wanted more space for toys, and we didn't want to deal with a more complicated setup. The Explore is aluminum like Airstreams. Our's weighs around 2000 pounds with all the add-ons, and is just under 14' long. Minimal maintenance because no plumbing, and kitchen is a slide out so cooking is outside, which also keeps maintenance and mess down. We bought one this past winter and have been loving it. The main downside is that it's not aerodynamic, so our mpg is halved. We also added solar to the top and lithium batteries, which makes it even more convenient. We go camping more, take our bigger toys like kayaks and bikes more, and our way more comfortable (versus car camping).

About 20 years ago, I lived out of my Honda CRV for a few years, off and on. That was great at the time, but a trailer is very nice if you want to bring toys and/or are more than 1 person.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by willthrill81 »

For those willing and able to sleep in a regular vehicle, a Toyota Prius is widely acclaimed as ideal for singles. For couples, a minivan with the rear seats removed can be very effective. Bathroom needs can be addressed with a pop-up tent into which a camp toilet or a shower can be placed/used.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by phinanciallyfit »

tibbitts wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:54 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:11 pm When we upgrade from a tent, I'm planning to have a flush toilet in my set up...
Wet or dry flush? I can see some appeal to the dry flush variety, having had both the portable and fixed holding tank wet variety.
We want a wet flush because we want to be able to just hook to a dump station and be done with it. I'm not aware of a dry flush that can be cleaned out with a hose. Is there one? The idea of removing the tank in a cassette or compost toilet and having to dump the whole thing manually is not appealing. If there is an option that is a dry flush, but can be emptied at a dump station with a hose, I'd love to hear about it. Most (dry flush) I've seen recommend dumping the tank in a garbage bag and Putin the trash, but this is not legal in many (most?) states as human waste is not supposed to be in our trash systems.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

phinanciallyfit wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:45 am
tibbitts wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:54 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:11 pm When we upgrade from a tent, I'm planning to have a flush toilet in my set up...
Wet or dry flush? I can see some appeal to the dry flush variety, having had both the portable and fixed holding tank wet variety.
We want a wet flush because we want to be able to just hook to a dump station and be done with it. I'm not aware of a dry flush that can be cleaned out with a hose. Is there one? The idea of removing the tank in a cassette or compost toilet and having to dump the whole thing manually is not appealing. If there is an option that is a dry flush, but can be emptied at a dump station with a hose, I'd love to hear about it. Most (dry flush) I've seen recommend dumping the tank in a garbage bag and Putin the trash, but this is not legal in many (most?) states as human waste is not supposed to be in our trash systems.
I don't have any personal experience with dry-flush, but have experience with multiple instances of holding tanks and the traditional dump hoses, and with portable toilets. I find there's no greater "distancing" from the material you're dumping with holding tanks and the degree of messiness is probably more with a holding tank. Overall the holding tanks use a lot more fresh water for the rinsing and reverse flushing require to clean the tank and the typical sensors. But neither toilet type presents a pleasant or clean process. However a major issue with tanks is that either they terminate inside the RV (in higher end models) or they're exposed to outside air and can freeze and break. And if the termination is inside you have the mess of the inevitable spills (not really full spills, hopefully - just drips when you disconnect.) In the Bs that we've been discussing there's also the sewer hose storage issue, since many of them have the traditional bumper storage that many other RVs have. In any case for me neither of these toilet types have much of a cleanliness advantage over the other. I would absolutely not characterize using a traditional holding tank as "hook up to a dump station and be done with it." And finding a dump station can be challenging.

I don't have a good solution for the dry flush disposal problem. I'm not sure about the legality of dumping the bags with human waste, although I believe the majority of landfills accept the quantity of human waste contained in a dry flush toilet bag. I believe it's possible to put chemicals into a dry flush toilet bag that will make the contents acceptable for all landfills, although I don't know that any or all products on the market include them, nor do I know whether it's practical to d-i-y the chemical treatment. Hopefully someone else can comment on that.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by Oreamnos »

ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pm
Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

100% normal and common for surfing here in the PacNW. Scene is straight out of any of the popular Oregon surfing sites throughout the winter (or even summer, often).
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by phinanciallyfit »

tibbitts wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:07 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:45 am
tibbitts wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:54 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:11 pm When we upgrade from a tent, I'm planning to have a flush toilet in my set up...
Wet or dry flush? I can see some appeal to the dry flush variety, having had both the portable and fixed holding tank wet variety.
We want a wet flush because we want to be able to just hook to a dump station and be done with it. I'm not aware of a dry flush that can be cleaned out with a hose. Is there one? The idea of removing the tank in a cassette or compost toilet and having to dump the whole thing manually is not appealing. If there is an option that is a dry flush, but can be emptied at a dump station with a hose, I'd love to hear about it. Most (dry flush) I've seen recommend dumping the tank in a garbage bag and Putin the trash, but this is not legal in many (most?) states as human waste is not supposed to be in our trash systems.
I don't have any personal experience with dry-flush, but have experience with multiple instances of holding tanks and the traditional dump hoses, and with portable toilets. I find there's no greater "distancing" from the material you're dumping with holding tanks and the degree of messiness is probably more with a holding tank. Overall the holding tanks use a lot more fresh water for the rinsing and reverse flushing require to clean the tank and the typical sensors. But neither toilet type presents a pleasant or clean process. However a major issue with tanks is that either they terminate inside the RV (in higher end models) or they're exposed to outside air and can freeze and break. And if the termination is inside you have the mess of the inevitable spills (not really full spills, hopefully - just drips when you disconnect.) In the Bs that we've been discussing there's also the sewer hose storage issue, since many of them have the traditional bumper storage that many other RVs have. In any case for me neither of these toilet types have much of a cleanliness advantage over the other. I would absolutely not characterize using a traditional holding tank as "hook up to a dump station and be done with it." And finding a dump station can be challenging.

I don't have a good solution for the dry flush disposal problem. I'm not sure about the legality of dumping the bags with human waste, although I believe the majority of landfills accept the quantity of human waste contained in a dry flush toilet bag. I believe it's possible to put chemicals into a dry flush toilet bag that will make the contents acceptable for all landfills, although I don't know that any or all products on the market include them, nor do I know whether it's practical to d-i-y the chemical treatment. Hopefully someone else can comment on that.
I actually found a perfect option, well almost. It is very pricey. https://www.thecabindepot.com/products/ ... ion-toilet
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

phinanciallyfit wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 9:49 pm
I actually found a perfect option, well almost. It is very pricey. https://www.thecabindepot.com/products/ ... ion-toilet
Wow that does look interesting - and I guess there's an electric version too.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by ThankYouJack »

Oreamnos wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 12:14 am
ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pm
Then there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.

100% normal and common for surfing here in the PacNW. Scene is straight out of any of the popular Oregon surfing sites throughout the winter (or even summer, often).
Maybe it was shot in Oregon. But I'd rather just see the vehicle than a model sitting on a "mountain bike" or standing next to a surfboard. Seems like a lot of marketing bull to me
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by clutchied »

I've been waiting for an electric truck that can haul a camper or something similar. The "camp kitchen" and a roof top tent are a pretty compelling combination.

We do quite a few summer trips around the great lakes and it fits the type of camping we do and it appears to be a great general use truck so that it's not just sitting around waiting for the next summer vacay.

I didn't think I'd like the R1T as much as I do but it's up near the top for me at this point. The F150 Lightning is really compelling as well but it's a huge truck and not really what I'd like to drive around town.

Having a a great EV truck means I can still tow a sailboat or add a trailer at some point if needed.

Really pumped about the options that are turning up recently!
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by hppycamper »

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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by willthrill81 »

clutchied wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:41 pm I've been waiting for an electric truck that can haul a camper or something similar.
As we discussed above, the Ford Lightning isn't even close to being able to tow anything of significant weight for a meaningful distance. Even towing a small camper, the real world range will probably be no more than about 100 miles. And if towing a heavy one, the range might drop to just 50 miles.

With existing technology, the only way for manufacturers to overcome this is to install batteries with at least double their existing capacity in the trucks, which will also increase the price tag. And even if they do so, that also means that the time it takes to recharge the batteries will roughly double also, and it already takes 10-14 hours to recharge the Lightning from most chargers.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

willthrill81 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:58 am
clutchied wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:41 pm I've been waiting for an electric truck that can haul a camper or something similar.
As we discussed above, the Ford Lightning isn't even close to being able to tow anything of significant weight for a meaningful distance. Even towing a small camper, the real world range will probably be no more than about 100 miles. And if towing a heavy one, the range might drop to just 50 miles.

With existing technology, the only way for manufacturers to overcome this is to install batteries with at least double their existing capacity in the trucks, which will also increase the price tag. And even if they do so, that also means that the time it takes to recharge the batteries will roughly double also, and it already takes 10-14 hours to recharge the Lightning from most chargers.
I don't see electric as practical for a small RV yet. I remember with my 26gal capacity pickup and small 4500lb (very full) travel trailer, I'd start seriously looking to refuel after 150 miles or so, and also carried an extra 4 gallons or so because there were a couple of times when I couldn't find gas. That seemed like the bare minimum requirement for travel. If the pandemic ever ends and I can buy another RV I do hope it will have better range and lower fuel-cost-per-mile.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by willthrill81 »

tibbitts wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:53 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:58 am
clutchied wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:41 pm I've been waiting for an electric truck that can haul a camper or something similar.
As we discussed above, the Ford Lightning isn't even close to being able to tow anything of significant weight for a meaningful distance. Even towing a small camper, the real world range will probably be no more than about 100 miles. And if towing a heavy one, the range might drop to just 50 miles.

With existing technology, the only way for manufacturers to overcome this is to install batteries with at least double their existing capacity in the trucks, which will also increase the price tag. And even if they do so, that also means that the time it takes to recharge the batteries will roughly double also, and it already takes 10-14 hours to recharge the Lightning from most chargers.
I don't see electric as practical for a small RV yet. I remember with my 26gal capacity pickup and small 4500lb (very full) travel trailer, I'd start seriously looking to refuel after 150 miles or so, and also carried an extra 4 gallons or so because there were a couple of times when I couldn't find gas. That seemed like the bare minimum requirement for travel. If the pandemic ever ends and I can buy another RV I do hope it will have better range and lower fuel-cost-per-mile.
Our experience has been similar to yours. Our motor home's 26 gallon fuel tank doesn't carry us too far averaging 14 mpg. 300 miles is about the limit of how far we can comfortably go, especially if we're running our generator much. I now keep a 5 gallon jerry can in our exterior storage compartment, and we would have been in a real bind during our recent trip to Mt. Rainier without it.

There are many places popular with the RV crowd where gas stations are few and far between. My guess is that electric charging stations are even more uncommon and will be for quite a while.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by tibbitts »

willthrill81 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 1:32 pm
tibbitts wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:53 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:58 am
clutchied wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:41 pm I've been waiting for an electric truck that can haul a camper or something similar.
As we discussed above, the Ford Lightning isn't even close to being able to tow anything of significant weight for a meaningful distance. Even towing a small camper, the real world range will probably be no more than about 100 miles. And if towing a heavy one, the range might drop to just 50 miles.

With existing technology, the only way for manufacturers to overcome this is to install batteries with at least double their existing capacity in the trucks, which will also increase the price tag. And even if they do so, that also means that the time it takes to recharge the batteries will roughly double also, and it already takes 10-14 hours to recharge the Lightning from most chargers.
I don't see electric as practical for a small RV yet. I remember with my 26gal capacity pickup and small 4500lb (very full) travel trailer, I'd start seriously looking to refuel after 150 miles or so, and also carried an extra 4 gallons or so because there were a couple of times when I couldn't find gas. That seemed like the bare minimum requirement for travel. If the pandemic ever ends and I can buy another RV I do hope it will have better range and lower fuel-cost-per-mile.
Our experience has been similar to yours. Our motor home's 26 gallon fuel tank doesn't carry us too far averaging 14 mpg. 300 miles is about the limit of how far we can comfortably go, especially if we're running our generator much. I now keep a 5 gallon jerry can in our exterior storage compartment, and we would have been in a real bind during our recent trip to Mt. Rainier without it.

There are many places popular with the RV crowd where gas stations are few and far between. My guess is that electric charging stations are even more uncommon and will be for quite a while.
Mine averaged 11mpg - a low of about 9 and high of 14, but both were with some effort to save fuel. Also some gas stations were less convenient for the truck and trailer (only about 43ft. but still...) than others.
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by texascrane »

ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:19 pmThen there's this page - https://rivian.com/r1t which makes me scratch my head thinking why are lugging surfboards around when they're camping with winter jackets and hats on.
This is a really odd criticism. Plenty of surfing happens in places other than sunny tropical beaches. Sometimes it even happens in places where you might wear a jacket and hat when you’re not in the water. That picture looks like it could have been taken at almost any Pacific Northwest surf spot. https://www.surfjunction.com/photos/
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by retiredjg »

The answer is actually right on the website...a picture of them (presumably later in the day) with their surfboards by the water...in Tofino (Vancouver Island, British Columbia). Chilly up there. :D
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Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by skime »

FoolStreet wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pm In the next couple years, we'd like to take more long trips for backpacking, biking, hiking, camping around the US. I'm enamored by the new Rivian and thought I would ask for experiences doing this. The thing is we want to bring our toys and I am very conscious about my footprint on the natural environment with a "leave only footprints, only take photos" mindset -- so I would really like to leverage electric vehicles for such long trips. Realistically, we would go from well known areas to well known areas (eg, Moab, Tahoe, Glacier NP), so charging infrastructure should be generally available. It would be just 2 people and we want more time doing physical activities than driving... meaning I don't want to drive 10hours just to sit by the campfire, then do it again the next day.

Offroading Option - Get a Rivian with built in tent and kitchen. We would get a trailer bike mount. Tesla cybertruck would have a better charging network, so we'll see what happens over the next year or so.

Self-contained Option - Get a Revel. I love the idea of being self-contained and being able to keep the bikes and toys under the back bed, but I really don't like the gas usage, and it seems big and bulky.

Trailer Option - If I drive an EV with a lightweight camper, like a Basecamp, we could drive the car and drop the trailer anytime. This seems like a lot of overhead to just be able to carry a bed, though.

Hotels and camp Option - The other option is to just fit out the car/truck with camping gear and camp when we have good spots, and stay in hotels when we have nice ones. We are not hurting for money per se, but are frugal. I always hear about people just putting their rear seats down with a nice foam mattress and sleeping in the back of their teslas. That's not ideal, but an option here or there. The point is that it shows how you really don't need a huge camper to get around.

Would love to hear ideas & experiences from active campers?
If you are that concerned about your footprint, walk out your door and go for a walk or camp or hike within a few miles of your house. Every purchase that you make is an impact on the environment. To build an electric vehicle, precious metals need to be extracted from the ground, petroleum is used for tires and plastic components, etc. There's no such thing as zero footprint. The old saying is true...you don't want to see how the sausage is made.

With that said, if you're determined to buy something, I wouldn't want to be deep in the desert and relying on an electric vehicle at the moment. If you're set on a ln electric option, get a sat phone.
texascrane
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:18 pm

Re: Road Tripping Options? Rivian, Basecamp, Revel, etc

Post by texascrane »

retiredjg wrote: Tue Oct 12, 2021 11:20 am The answer is actually right on the website...a picture of them (presumably later in the day) with their surfboards by the water...in Tofino (Vancouver Island, British Columbia). Chilly up there. :D
Ha! I didn't even notice that. I just said, "That looks like Vancouver Island" and linked to some pictures at one of the campgrounds at Tofino as an example.
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