Ready to pull the trigger...

Donnab

hi guys...just about ready to commit and buy my tab outback...concerned it might be too small any owners regret purchase?

Verna

Nope. I consider my T@B purchase one of my most liberating purchases ever. Who would have thought a small vacation home on wheels could find so many wonderful friends and so many gorgeous sights?

You will find you adjust to the size. I can't buy anything for the T@B or truck without getting rid of something. I have to be careful that I don't stock up on sales. It could be said that I actually save money on my AZ wintering trips. 

jkjenn

If we are honest, you won't know until you get one and try it. Some owner's do find it too small. If that turns out to be you, the good news is that they seem to retain a strong value for resale. I like that mine keeps me strategic in what I bring along. I am on year 3 and love it!

Donnab

Thanks! I'm super excited!

ScottG

No regrets here. However, we are reformed tenters who spend almost all our time outside and treat the T@B as a rolling bed and very occasional shelter from the worst weather. Couples who enjoy their indoor time and like having a lot of stuff might find the accommodations a wee bit cramped. Just my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions...).

If you haven't done so already. Poke around the older threads here. This topic has come up in one form or another several times! 

ericnliz

Donnab, WE agree with ScottG and his assessment. In our decision to buy a T@B, the biggest question was: How much time do we actually spend inside, and will it suit us for the time we actually do spend inside? We leave our bed made to the full "queen" size the entire time, and have found it very pleasant to use for us. That being said, we LOVE our T@B, and wouldn't change a thing. If room is a concern, you can always "up-size" to the 400 model. Good luck in your decision, and welcome! 

Smullis7

I LOVE my Outback and do not regret it at all.  It's easy to maintain, easy to maneuver into places, and I never worry about whether the exit has a service station big enough for my rig.  I boondock most of the time, and it's typically just me and a couple dogs, so the space is perfect considering we are out hiking or around the campfire most of the time.

dragonsdofly

Most of the forum members are solo or couples. Very few have kids, and those that have children are usually younger. DH and me have two boys who will turn 11 and 12 this summer. Last year we bought our t@b and took the boys on our vacation of a lifetime. Six weeks, 25 states and the best of the best of our national parks and locations. The t@b was great. We only have the xl visor for outdoor space, no side tent. We packed everything for us, clothes, towels, shower shoes etc. In 4 18 gal. Rubbermaid totes, which were placed in the t@b during travel. All necessary gear for the t@b, including microwave were packed inside the t@b in all the usual storage places. The only things inside the TV were 2 bicycles, the t@b spare tire, the largest weber q grill and a cooler for drinks and food for daily travels. We were never cramped, only cozy a few times. We had weather ranging from 124 F to 25 F, with snow. The t@b kept us cool and warm, each in turn. To say we bought it cuz it was so cute and we loved it, is true, but we have so grown to appreciate it. The boys love to push it around to position it. They loaded and unloaded the 4 totes every day, and converted to bed or couch morning and evening. We all found it was less work and more fun than we imagined. The first question the boys asked us when we arrived home, besides "can I use the bathroom first?" Was "when are we going again and where?"
If you are curious, adventurous or outdoorsy, you'll enjoy it. I'm a firm believer in new experiences, get the t@b and get going. And all this from retirement aged people raising kids who had never camped once!

JohnDanielsCPA

I like the simplicity and quality of a T@B.  Everything you need (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, dining room, indoor plumbing, heating and air conditioning) are all contained in a very small package.  Yes, a VERY small package.  Coming from much larger RVs, there was a bit of an adjustment to "small-size" our camping experience.  If you can handle living in 67 square feet, you will be happy with it.

Donnab

Again thanks everybody..all info is helpful
Anybody have big dogs they take in their Tab? I have two Goldendoodles and concerned about space just slightly we are an outdoor clan. I think we'll be fine since they will be worn out by nightfall.

Verna

@Donnab, there are many who have dogs of all sizes. Mine is a 12 lb Shih Tzu who owns the "twin" bed. A search of dog or dogs will give you lots of stories and scratching of your head -- how did they travel with that?!

Nomad

It's always amazed me at the size of some peoples travel dogs:-)

hymie

Could always get a tent for the humans...

Subism

Yes, It is a small space, especially with two people and a 60 lb. Weim. We purchased the side tent and love the extra room, even if only using for storage and dressing. Solo, as with most of my trips, it is absolutely perfect!

db_cooper

There are enough used T@bs around now that I have to assume some owners find them too small.  JKJenn is right though, they are holding value well if you decide it's not right for you 

Sharon_is_SAM

I would be curious how many owners who quickly turn around on their purchase were former tent campers vs RVers.  I think if you are a tent camper, you probably view the T@B as a very comfortable tent rather than somewhere to live IN.  It is certainly somewhere to get out of inclimate weather for short periods of time, but I think most people are spending most of their time out doors.

Nomad

Sam - Have noticed a lot of comments over time where it is tent campers that have gotten old and either look at popups or T@Bs :-)
I'm very comfortable full-timing in the T@B but if I had company I'm not so sure it'd work.

Sharon_is_SAM

Yes, but I am unclear of the pre-purchase expectations of tenters vs RVers.  

Ratkity

SAM - I've had 4 campers

1. My first camper (after backpacking for years) was a nice Coleman popup. Shower, AC, furnace, HW, marine potty... pretty nice for a used one. It lasted me 13 years (despite me not knowing a thing about maintenance!). I think there's a saying about Fools and Drunks (I don't qualify for the 2nd lol).
2. My next camper was the LG Reverse TG. I wanted NOTHING to do with water, but electric was ok. Even with having to cuddle with 2 huge golden retrievers when sleeping in the 5 wide!
3. Then I saw the T@B.. wow. I was ready for learning proper maintenance and didn't want something huge to tow with my Rav4 (with tow pkg). Then I found this forum! So much to know, but so much help here.
4. I loved the T@B, but I have two loves when in the outdoors - camping and riding my motorcycle. How could I do both and have a cute camper at the same time? Something not too big.... that's how I got the Retro. The T@B made me comfortable with my ability to tow. The people here made me feel comfortable enough to take charge of my purchase, do mods and make my camper mine (never as cute as the T@B).

So, if you wanted to know about expectations I had each time starting off as a tent camper, that's it!

Sharon_is_SAM

Ratkitty, your expectations were to be more outdoors than indoors, correct?  That is what I meant.  I wonder what the breakdown is of Tabbers who re-sell early and why.  Tenter -  living more outdoors or RVer - spending more time in a larger trailer/ MH with home-like conveniences.  I'll bet PV has some stats on this.  Need to know your market.  Of course, I am making the assumption that those with RV experience prefer to spend more time indoors relative to a tenter.  

Ratkity

Oh definitely SAM!! For me it's outdoors, campfires, friends and tall tales! Maybe strum mah guitar a bit. Totally want to experience the outside, but sleep and have a few conveniences of inside at night.

I usually keep my campers for a while. I saw a program on RV and campers and folks tend to keep them around 7-8 yrs on average (I was surprised). When I bought the T@B, I was looking at toy haulers as well, but they looked so... stark, and they didn't feel solid (for lack of a better word). There wasn't a small TH that had good reviews either.

Fast-forward 2 years later and the Riverside Retro TH (820R) came out. I reluctantly said goodbye to my lovely T@Bitha and now look forward to being able to meld my two loves, motorcycling and camping. That was the only reason I sold my sweet T@B early. 

The Retro camper is tiny (but not as cute) inside. It feels solidly built. When the bike is parked inside, the front tire goes past the kitchen, but I can get into the frig, bathroom and reach the kitchen sink (on the corner of the counter). Getting to the stove and microwave takes hopping over the front tire of the bike lol. I'm not going to always take the bike as a weekender, but love the idea of the day when I can go further to other places and spend more time in an area where I can ride!

On my first shake-down trip (at 19-21F at night... c.c.cccold - furnace and frig are A-OK!), I saw an interesting RV in the spot across from me. I talked to the fellow and he had what was called a C plus. Slide-outs, heated water hose (me want - expensive), heated storage and therefore, heated tanks and water lines - no freezing, etc. Nice, but 45ft! Wow. He was a sweet guy and said he and the family wanted to do the outdoor stuff, but some physical limitations prevented them from the non-automated setup of small bumper-pull campers. He pushed a button and it auto-leveled. They pull a small car (dingy style?) and drive to scenic places and walk short trails with their dog. Their kids can sometimes meet them where they are camping, but they don't impose on their household. Of all the people there that very cold weekend on our loop, he was the only one that built a fire and sat outside enjoying time with his grandkids (it was his shake-down trip too). 

In the end (of my verbose post)... I guess that fellow and I may be the exceptions to the demographics you are imagining. I've never claimed to be "normal" as I consider that to be a setting on a clothes dryer. I seem to always land on one or the other end of the bell curve!! LOL.

Sharon_is_SAM

Yeah, you needed that Toy Hauler!

JohnDanielsCPA

My wife keeps reminding me that our T@B is not intended to be an "RV."  I am to think of it as a comfortable, off-the-ground tent!  LOL.  When we RV, we take our fifth wheel.  When we tent, we take our . . . um . . . T@B!

It all comes down to perspective I suppose.  I love the T@B for what it is.  I have no expectations I am going to be as comfortable in it as I would my house or a large fifth wheel or motorhome, but it sure beats a tent!  When we camp with the T@B, we tend to spend a lot of time outdoors, and we go places I would not be willing to take my fifth wheel.  If I were to spend a lot of time indoors, the T@B would get very small very quick.  We bought it because we were looking for something that would be comfortable in those situations where a larger RV would not work well.

As with anything, if you take the time to thoroughly research your wants/needs and match what you buy to them, you are less likely to be disappointed with your purchase.  Aside from the T@B, we also seriously considered several of the "Northstar-type" campers, many of the other smaller trailers, price points, quality, etc. and found the T@B to best match what we were looking for.  So far, so good!

Ratkity

Hrm.... a new demographic!! The owner who has 2 campers for 2 different purposes... I need a new place with a large barn to store mah toys. They keep getting bigger and bigger (or they seem to multiply).

jgram2

Multiplying like widdle t@bbits!

Nomad

I like to describe it as my mobile cabin vs a mobile house.

Verna

I have a mobile vacation home. 

Dockguy

We just bought our T@Batini (T@B Max S ) and love it.  You get use to the size and it is very functional and easy to tow around.  You will also save on gas when towing and it is easier to find parking while on the road.  We feel it is a good long term investment if you enjoy traveling and seeing parts of the country that you would not see if traveling from hotel to hotel and eventually more economical.  Also, if you have a lien on the camper it is consider a second home and you can deduct the interest you are paying on it in many states, ( Check with a local CPA).

Good Luck and Enjoy the freedom,
Dockguy