Pop Top Camper Question

[melissab]

Hi! I was just admiring Larry's rebuild of his Compact since he has it for sale now. I was just wondering if the Pop Top style campers have to be dried out after a rain like traditional Popup campers do? Looking at the design, I cant tell if the canvas drops completely into the center of the trailer (just turned inside out but still smooth with no folds) when closed so it can dry and not mold or does it actually folds/compress like an accordian when closed and therfore must be dried out before storing?

Question 2: What's the difference between a Compact Jr and Compact II? I am trying to figure out which of ALL the "Pop Tops" are the largest.

Thanks!

[Larry&Carrie]

To answer your first question. Yeah, I think it would be wise... I do. The canvas (actually, vinyl just like an awning- in fact the awning and the top is the same material on mine) just gets wadded up between the part of the top that cups down and the part of the roof the sticks up. You never see the the "pop-up" material when the top is down.

To your second question, the Compact Jr (CJ) has a full length pop top, while the Compact II pop top stops about where the bed/couch-seating starts. Check the trailer types on the forum page.


Larry

[melissab]

So the only difference is the length of the Pop top? Out of all the Pop top trailers, which one is the largest or are they all the same Length? Looking at the Home Page, they all "look" to be the same cabin size but maybe looks are deceiving?

Thanks,
Melissa

Originally Posted by Larry&Carrie

To answer your first question. Yeah, I think it would be wise... I do. The canvas (actually, vinyl just like an awning- in fact the awning and the top is the same material on mine) just gets wadded up between the part of the top that cups down and the part of the roof the sticks up. You never see the the "pop-up" material when the top is down.

To your second question, the Compact Jr (CJ) has a full length pop top, while the Compact II pop top stops about where the bed/couch-seating starts. Check the trailer types on the forum page.


Larry

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by melissab

Looking at the Home Page, they all "look" to be the same cabin size but maybe looks are deceiving?

Compact Jr.
A narrow trailer, or at least mine was. Others have told me different. Mine was only 5'6" wide, exactly the same width as my Honda Odyssey. Sleeping is Fore-to-Aft. Tiny Closet next to Ice Box/Refer cabinet. Full length Pop-top.

Compact II
Wider than a Junior, interior rearranged to sleep Port-to-Starboard. This frees up a foot or so in interior length which creates a big closet; large enough to be converted into a toilet-only bathroom. Pop-top is only the rear half of the trailer, making the roof stronger.

[Larry&Carrie]

Our CJ is approx 72" side to side....??? I didn't think there was a difference. One of the bed combinations makes up into a 6 foot square bed. The body length is 10 foot, by including the tongue, this makes a 13 foot trailer. Larry

[Bobbie Mayer]

There are several other cousins to the Compacts- Trailswest Campster would probably be the next most common. The poptop runs intermediate in length, the trailer is 72 inches wide. Set up initially to have the bed run bow to stern but if you are shorter you can turn it sideways and get more leg room- I have mine set up with a 48 inch by 72 inch bed and then a seating area about the size of a side dinette (bed stays up all the time.)

The poptop mechanism is different in the Campster.

I don't think which one you get should matter much, just see what you find in acceptable condition and go with it.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Larry&Carrie

Our CJ is approx 72" side to side....??? I didn't think there was a difference. One of the bed combinations makes up into a 6 foot square bed.

As a famous tricyclist once said, "Verrry Eeen-terestink"

Mine was totally gutted when I bought it and I had never seen an intact one at that time. I followed the clues from the pieces of wood fiberglassed into the sides at seat level, and various holes and ghosts in the fiberglass.

When reconstructing the seats/dinette, I arbitrarily chose 24" for each seat cushion width and 75" for length. This wound up leaving me with an 18" aisle in the middle. I made each "Back rest" cushion 9" x 75". I had left-over foam and denim for the upholstery, so I made 4 "arm rest" cushions that were 9" x 16-1/2". all foam was 4" thick.

[Larry&Carrie]

yeah-- interesting.... I had to go back and measure so I wasn't blowing smoke. And yup, approx 72" either way. Long bottom cushions go both ways- front to back and side to side- so 72" square. Larry

[Tom Trostel]

For those who have not seen a Compact, etc. in person, there may be the impression that the body is an elongated cube. However, the side walls are not straight and they arc outward in the vertical and horizontal. If width is measured at the front floor (or roof), the number will differ from width at the front midline. Width at the midline 5 feet back from the front wall will also differ. So the figures on width and bed size can vary.