Viking Hybrid Hardside Travel Trailer 21

[Greg A]

Viking

Thought this was too interesting not to post.

[Mike Watters]

I like the basic design of the pop-tops a lot. Gives you the ability to garage the thing with ease - and yet you have nearly all of the storage capacity of a full-up trailer (something that irritates me about our little pop-up.

Several companies made these at times in the 80's. Palomino was one that I recall.

All examples I've seen had very similar floorplans. Big bed (sometimes w/ dinette) up front with a couch or small dinette along the curb side. Kitchen (and sometimes a small bath) along the road side and door in back. Most I've seen have a big honkin' bunk bed over the main bed in the front. Sleeps a lot but strikes me as bothersome. I'd hate to be the person on the bottom bunk sleeping up against the wall. Talk about trapped...

Jayco in Australia makes some pop-tops that are much nicer IMHO.

Also - for one year (2001 I think), the Bantam hybrid came in a "garage" model with a pop-top in addition to the pop-out end bunks. Apparently it wasn't a big seller. Since that time I've seen exactly one used one show up online for sale.

[Bobbie Mayer]

I think the popularity of the tent trailer has made manufacturers less interested in garageable RV's. But I still think there would be a decent market for a Scamp or Casita-type trailer with a pop top, and I like the all-round one shown there. Having the pop top as a molded cap that sits down over a molded shell would make it pretty impervious to the elements. You'd lose the structural integrity of an egg so it would need a little more reinforcement, but since the cabinetry, etc, would all be in the lower part that shouldn't be hard.

Bobbie