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What Is A Hybrid Camping Trailer?

After a year of being cooped up due to the shutdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, North Americans across the continent are ready to get out of the house and get some fresh air.

Camping boomed during 2020 as a relatively pandemic friendly activity, and 2021 is looking to be a record-setting year for campgrounds, national parks, and recreational areas throughout the US and North America.

More than 10 million households went camping for the first time in 2020, making up about a fifth of the roughly 48.2 million households that went camping at least once during that unforgettable year.

In both the U.S. and Canada, RV ownership is up.

While some people might prefer backpacking through the wilderness, taking with them only what they can carry, and camping under a tarp or under the stars, others would rather maintain some of the comforts of home while exploring the great outdoors.

There are a lot of different camping trailer options out there, and choosing the right one for your needs is an important factor in having the best possible camping experience.

Are you curious about whether or not a hybrid camping trailer is right for you?

What Is A Hybrid Camping Trailer?

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.

What Is a Hybrid Camping Trailer?

Hybrid camping trailers allow you to have the best of both worlds when it comes to travel trailers.

This type of camper combines traditional hard-sided travel trailers with ‘pop-outs’ on the back, front, or sides with beds in them.

You can open these pop-outs manually and usually have walls that are mesh or fabric.

It can also come equipped with slide-outs that have additional living space.

These morphing campers look just like a regular travel trailer or fifth wheel until it’s time to set up camp.

This can be ideal for people who travel in warmer climates, need a lighter-weight camper, or camp for short trips.

If you’re interested in buying your own hybrid camper trailer, check out https://caravanwoods.com/.

What Are the Pros of Hybrid Camping Trailers?

There are a lot of reasons why hybrid camping trailers might be the perfect fit for you and your camping crew.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of choosing this type of recreational vehicle.

Lighter Weight Than Regular Travel Trailers

You can typically get more space in a hybrid camping trailer than a standard travel trailer while having a lower overall weight. This means that you can use a smaller vehicle to tow a camper that has more space.

An Open Floor Plan

Since the beds pop out from the front, back, and/or sides, this means that beds don’t need to take up precious floor space.

Throughout the center of the camper, you can have a much more open floor plan.

This also means that you can have more storage space, bigger dinette tables, and a bigger kitchen.

Less Expensive Than Travel Trailers of a Similar Size

When you consider how much square footage you get including the bed space with a hybrid, you can typically get more bang for your buck.

There are a lot of different factors that go into the total price of a camper, though, so it’s obviously going to depend on the amenities, finishes, and features you go for.

Larger Beds Than Pop Up Campers and Travel Trailers

You usually get two queen size beds with hybrid trailers.

A lot of them will also have a couch that can fold down into a bed as well as a dinette that can also become a bed.

If you choose a larger model, you might even be able to get one that has additional bunk beds if you have a big camping party.

More Amenities and Storage Than Pop Up Campers

When you have a pop up camper, you usually can’t keep many camping supplies in them because they fold down so far.

You also won’t get many of the nice amenities that you get with a true travel trailer.

With pop up campers, you’re choosing to get by with just the essential and nothing more.

Hybrid campers, on the other hand, are basically like a standard travel trailer expect that the beds are expandable.

This means that your fridge, kitchen, and storage space can be larger, allowing you to have a more comfortable and luxurious camping experience.

What Is A Hybrid Camping Trailer?

They’re Easy and Quick to Set Up

How long it takes you to set up your hybrid camping trailer is inevitably a question of the model, its age, and your experience with doing the task.

That being said, extending the beds and setting them up typically only takes a handful of minutes.

Able to Sleep More People Than the Same Sized Standard Trailer

What do you do if you want to take a lot of people camping but you don’t want a giant fifth-wheeler and the powerful truck required to tow it?

Hybrid camping trailers mean that you can enjoy the benefits of a smaller, more standard travel trailer without sacrificing sleeping space.

No one has to get left behind for lack of beds with this type of trailer, and everyone can have a more comfortable sleeping environment without being crammed together in a small space.

You Don’t Need As Much Space to Store Them

When you aren’t on the open road or set up at an idyllic campsite, you’ll need to store your RV somewhere. Storing your RV in a driveway can be tricky, particularly when they’re on the large size. This type of camper allows you to only take up the footprint of a standard travel trailer without losing square footage.

You Can Be Closer to Nature

Another awesome thing about this type of trailer is that they tend to have fabric walls where the pop-out beds are.

This means that you can hear more of the sounds of nature, allowing you to feel like you’re in a tent while being in the comfort of your RV.

You even have the option to leave just the screens up after zipping down the sides, allowing you to sleep totally immersed in the natural environment.

Spending time in nature can have a positive impact on our well-being, reducing stress, boosting our mood, and potentially even lengthening our lives.

What Are the Cons of Hybrid Camping Trailers?

While there are some compelling advantages to hybrid trailers, there are also a few downsides you’ll want to consider.

Let’s take a look.

Condensation Build Up

Have you ever camped out in a tent? If you have, then you know how much condensation manages to collect on the tent walls during the night.

Condensation occurs when air that is warm and moist meets a surface that is cold.

Beds are the perfect spot for condensation to build up, as the average person actually breaths out more than two cups of water while they sleep.

The fabric walls of hybrid campers can have quite a bit of condensation build-up in the mornings. This can even start to happen under the mattresses, which isn’t ideal.

One thing you can do to overcome this issue is to fold up the mattresses when you get up in the morning. This allows time for them to dry and air out.

Temperature Fluctuations

Because the walls of the popout part of the camper are fabric, it means that you can feel fluctuations in temperature more than you would in a totally hard-bodied trailer.

Depending on what type of environment you’re camping in, this might be a minor inconvenience or it could lead to some pretty rough, sleepless nights.

Noisier Than Traditional Travel Trailers

In the same way that you can feel the temperature changes in the pop-out sleepers more than in a standard trailer, you can also hear more noise.

What Is A Hybrid Camping Trailer?

As you might notice, this was also listed as a pro, as it can allow you to hear the sounds of nature.

However, some people might not enjoy hearing the crickets, bullfrogs, or things that go bump in the night when they’re trying to get some shut-eye.

For these people, having more of a sense of enclosure might make them feel more comfortable and sleep more soundly.

Additionally, you probably aren’t always going to be camping in remote, incredible wildernesses.

From time to time, you’ll likely find it practical to stay at RV parks or other less bucolic places.

This means that you’ll also hear the sounds of an environment like that, too, which might be somewhat annoying as you’re trying to get some rest and relaxation.

That being said, investing in some ear plugs for sleeping in this type of situation might be a cheap and easy solution!

Who Are Hybrid Campers Best For?

Hybrid campers are great for people that have a big family or a lot of camping buddies but don’t have an enormous, powerful truck to tow a larger camper.

Also, if you have a huge camper that needs to be towed by a powerful truck in order to fit all of your camping partners, where are they going to sit on the ride to the campsite?

What Are the Other Types of Camping Trailers?

Hybrid camping trailers aren’t the only option out there.

In fact, there might be more potential trailers than you know what to do with.

Here are some of the other choices you have when it comes to camping trailers.

Travel Trailers

Travel trailers are the most common non-motorized RV you’ll see on the road. They come in all sizes with a variety of different features, amenities, and capabilities.

Fifth Wheel

This type of recreational vehicle is a popular choice among those who live full-time in an RV.

This type of travel trailer offers a lot more space for storage, stable towing, and lots of potentials.

Lightweight Trailers

If you are looking for something that can be towed with SUVs, light-duty trucks, or even sometimes a band, then lightweight RVs are the choice for you.

Even though you are dropping tons of weight, doesn’t mean that you can have all the amenities you need to feel at home.

Toy Haulers

This is a multipurpose trailer with a garage where you can store toys like ATVs, kayaks, and motorcycles. The “garage” of these trailers are easy to repurpose into a workshop, office, guest bedroom, or hobby room.

Often, they come with foldaway sleeping options that allow you to have all of your needs met no matter what.

Expandable Travel Trailers

Expandable travel trailers are any type of recreational vehicle that lets you add on additional living space once you have found your parking place.

This can mean either having soft-sided popout sections, hard-sided slide-outs in the living space or bedroom, or tents that protect you from the elements while allowing you to enjoy nature at the same time.

What Is A Hybrid Camping Trailer?

Are You Going to Get Back to Nature This Summer?

The coronavirus pandemic changed the way that people lived around the world at the drop of a hat.

With stay-at-home orders, lockdowns, and social distancing, people were forced to reconsider the activities they participated in during 2020.

As the world seems to be opening back up, many are still wary of spending time packed inside in close quarters with strangers.

Millions of Americans chose to go camping in 2020 and are planning to do so in 2021 partially because it is considered a fairly safe activity in the time of the coronavirus.

Because the fresh air is constantly moving when you’re outside, it is thought that one is much less likely to catch the virus when out in the open air.

If you’re considering buying a camper so you can bring some of the comforts of home when you go camping, a hybrid camping trailer can be a good choice if you don’t have a huge truck to tow it but also need space to sleep quite a few people.

No matter what your needs are, though, there is likely a camping trailer on the market that suits your needs and your desires.

Did you find this article on hybrid trailers interesting?

If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more fascinating and informative content!

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