How Much Do You Use Your T@B?

Tampakayaker

manyman297 said:

bergger said:

We just bought a 2021 400 this past March and the pandemic canceled two of our trips.  We've used it on a 4 day trip and an 8 day trip.  I'll be retiring the end of the month but even with the wife still working we will use it a lot more next year.  We usually do several weekend trips and one long 7-10 day trip a year.  We love the 400, best trailer I've ever owned.  And  I've driven nothing but Tacomas from 1995 until this March when I traded mine in for a Nissan Titan.  So glad I did, love, love, love that truck.  Now the Tacoma will be fine towing the 400 just not as good as a full size so I  would not worry about that too much.  You'll just be a little slower in the mountains. 

However, if my daughter was still young and in the house with us I would still be using our popup or our a-frame pop up for camping.    They had more room in them for a kid with all the extras.   It'd be pretty tight with more than two people in a 400 all the time.  Just my opinion.  Or I may have bought a R-Pod or something similar, less money, more room and if the kid dirtied it or damaged it I would not be so upset over it.  But I'm kinda anal with it comes to the 400.   We waited until it was just the two of us to spend the money and get the 400.    

Thanks. Yeah, the pop up is definitely kid friendly...kind of. Not so much in the durability sense of things though. The thing is embarrassingly cheap. I've done more minor fixes here and there on that thing than anticipated. I think that's what's so appealing about the 400. Everything we consume is so cheaply made and it seems like the T@B is the exception (for the most part) when it comes to RVs. I want something that's quality. We're finally at that point in our lives where we can afford nicer things that will last. 

We had one of the smallest pop ups that Coleman made.  I think the box was 8 foot.

But for it's small size it had maybe twice the storage of our 320.

When we sold it I was shocked with the amount of items I pulled out of it.

AirBoss

Short answer...not enough! That said, in the midst of a 13 state, 7 week trek thru the south. Its been awesome! More than I had dreamed. The 400 has been flawless. Tows like a champ...and yes, draws attention from time to time. 

I had planned this adventure for spring but Wuhan raised its ugly head. All in all, I think I'll keep "Otto" around for a bit. 

Here's to more adventures across this great country. 

"Get Out There...Wear it Out! 

jkjenn

As much as possible!

I have 61 nights since June in my new 2021 T@b 320 and 272 nights, total, since I bought my first T@b in 2014.

I work FT, but have been able to do some remote work from the T@b and usually spend at least 85% of my vacation time in my T@b.

Amazonica

I live in my 400 100% full time and still work. I do a mix of true boondocking, and Park with hookups. Summer in the Rockies, Winter somewhere 'warm'.

 Will only touch on the towing (I know that may be a contentious issue). Started out with a 2019 JLUR 4 door Jeep Wrangler as a TV. While that was ok in the (relatively) flat roads of the SouthEast, I really wanted something more powerful. Absolutely agree with @Verna and @VictoriaP the fullsize pickup is a dream and makes my journey MUCH more relaxing. I don't even feel the 400 back there at all. I've towed it up very rocky dirt roads, over 8000 ft elev. into the Bridger in Wyoming and had no trouble.

I cried my heart out when trading in my new Jeep (had it less than 1 year). Even my dog seemed sad, but I absolutely LOVE my truck. And my 400 of course. 
Photos for size comparison.

Dereco

To the original question, not as much as we would like. We do about 10-20 nights per year, but less since COVID last year and vacation home purchase in 2019. 12 nights so far this year. But it sits in the garden at our vacation home so it’s a guest room there when needed. And a ‘den’ when in the driveway at our home. We plan on keeping it for the long haul and hopefully usage will increase. 

PNWtabber

I bought my T@B from the original owners in September 2020.  I have only used it 4 times in this first year (sure seems like more) largely because campgrounds have either been unavailable or overbooked due to covid.  Seems like a lot of people who couldn't do their usual travel bought RVs and went camping.  I was hoping to do more spur-of-the-moment camping, but that has been difficult recently.  I have been working full-time, but am cutting back in preparation for retirement.  I'm hoping that being available on weekdays will open up more camping opportunities for me.  Clearly campground availability will depend on your area.

bergger

In addition to my post from last year we also use our 400 as a guest space at our house.  Since my retirement we've moved to the mountains into a 1040 sq ft house.  Being a small house we use the 2nd bedroom for a tv room so in warmer weather our guests, or my wife and I, sleep in the 400.   In winter our guests just have to sleep on the pullout couch in the tv room.  Everyone loves the experience of staying in the 400, especially since it has full hookups to include sewer.  So we get more use out of it other than just camping trips. 

Chopin

We are both in our 40s and work full-time (though mostly from home). We took delivery of our 2021 Tab 320S in December and went on our first trip in March. So far we've taken it out 6 times, with trips varying from 2 nights to 5 nights. Mostly we're driving within 2-3 hours from home, as we have some great state parks within that range. I like to keep it ready to go, because sometimes we'll see a campsite open up and just take off on a Friday afternoon just for the weekend. We're about to take it out on our 7th trip, for 3 nights, next weekend. I can't wait!

With that trip, we will be up to 20 nights away from home so far this year, and we expect to keep camping well into the fall. 

When it's in the driveway it is not going unused. It makes a great little workspace or place to take calls. And sometimes we like to just hang out in it and watch movies. In fact, I'm sitting in it in the driveway right now. Can't get enough of it!!!

PS: We never went camping before we got the Tab!

JeffroNC

We were in it for 7 months last year and nearly 5 months this year. We camp host a good bit and people wonder how we can do it in the TAB. I don't even try to explain it anymore. I just compliment them on their bus or fifth wheel and smile.

Verna

@JeffroNC, I camp hosted on weekends from May to mid October in 2016 using my 2014 T@B S Max. It worked just fine. 

4 1/2 weeks so far this year camping, though it should have been 2 1/2 months. The forest fires out West cut a 2 month trip down to 3 weeks. That’s okay, safe is better than sorry.  Another 4 weeks planned for next month, with maybe a couple of shorter stays during the week here and there. 

MikeDawn265

About 7 1/2 weeks and over 4000 miles this year...so far! 

Mellow_Yellow

Forest fires throughout BC and rampant covid curtailed my Victoria-Vancouver-Kamloops-Jasper trip planned for next week. Plan B is Pacific Rim (Tofino), so I'm not feeling too sorry for myself. I have camped 2-7 days per month since January this year, so let's call it 1 month of camping this year so far.

SusanD

Last year, I was in it about 7 weeks which wasn't bad since I only got it in August.  This year, it'll be about 9 weeks, including my upcoming trip back east.  20,000 kms total - didn't realize I was such a road warrior!