It might seem that the differences between RV and tent camping are obvious and that choosing one is just a matter of deciding what you prefer – the “home comforts” and ease of travel that comes with the RV or the more naturalistic “sleeping under the stars” experience that comes with using a conventional tent.
However, there are a lot of factors that could potentially determine whether you ultimately decide to hit the road in an RV or pack up and strap on the tent. Not all of them are nearly so obvious. Of course, there are benefits to both types of camping, and when it comes to what you ultimately select, there’s much to be said for either option and many enjoyable experiences to be had either way.
Yet when it comes to considerations like how much ground you want to cover, how much you can expect to pay for camping, how “off-road” you wish to go, and how much time or money your trip may ultimately cost, there are big differences between tent camping and RV camping.
It might be wise, therefore, to weigh up RV and tent camping with regards to the many considerations and desires that campers have when they embark on a trip. In some areas, you can be guaranteed success with either type of camping. In others, one of the two makes for a clear winner. Before you choose to go by tent or getting behind the RV wheel, there are some useful questions you may wish to ask yourself. Read on for some ideas about what type of camping you should opt for in each situation and why.
The Costs Involved
Just to get the obvious facts out the way first: of course, an RV is significantly more expensive than any tent. A tent of acceptable quality can be purchased for a little as $50 (there are cheaper tents, but this seems to be the threshold for quality) whereas even a secondhand RV will always run into the tens of thousands. There are of course very large family or even multi-family tents that can easily exceed $1000 but, of course, there is still no comparison where the relative costs are concerned. That much is obvious.
Renting an RV, on the other hand, can bring costs down significantly should you find yourself set on RV camping without actually owning one. By shopping around, you can find surprisingly good deals. In the vast majority of cases though, this will not be cheaper than simply buying a high-quality tent. Renting an RV will usually cost a couple of hundred dollars per night. Of course, this could turn out to be very affordable should you only be planning a weekend away.
The price of your nightly accommodation aside, there are a few other costs involved with tent and RV camping that are not so obvious and rely upon several factors. Foremost among these is, of course, the price of renting space at a campsite. Here again, tents come out as the cheaper option. A basic campsite without hook-ups can be an unbelievably cheap option for tent campers. Even at more luxurious tent campsites, the spots will rarely cost more than those designed for RVs, which usually have electricity supplies and other amenities attached.
A further consideration would be the cost of the fuel should you decide to go by RV. You might also wish to consider other costs associated with motoring such as toll roads and breakdown insurance. There are of course no such costs associated with tent camping, where all you’ll want to have to hand is a plentiful supply of food and the equipment necessary to pitch for the night.
Whatever way you look at it, tent camping will always come out as the cheaper option. Whether you select it or not will depend on how much you ultimately wish to spend on your adventure.
The Setting Up
In terms of how easy it is to set up your tent or RV, the two forms of camping are roughly matched, albeit with quite different challenges involved.
A small tent can usually be erected in about ten minutes and by one person, with larger tents requiring more time and manpower. Of course, if you find yourself setting up a large tent, the chances are you will not be the only person on the trip.
With an RV, the ease of set-up is a little more varied. A small trailer will require hitching and unhitching as well as other simple tasks, such as setting down stabilizer jacks. With a class B motorhome, all you need to do is park the thing (and perhaps connect up to any campsite gas or electricity supplies). With larger, luxury RVs you may find yourself contending with larger awnings and side-outs but, generally speaking, none of this should pose too much of a challenge.
Where Do You Want to Go?
When it comes to deciding where you wish to go (and for how long) tents and RVs come with a range of different benefits and disadvantages, which you’ll definitely want to consider before setting off. Indeed, no two camping trips are the same.
If you find yourself setting off for a short trip (for example, a long weekend or anything up to a week) along a planned route, then tent or RV camping makes less of a difference. Of course, travelling on the road with an RV is easier and faster than hiking with a tent. The important thing is to ensure beforehand that your campsite will accommodate your accommodation of choice and that you can easily get there. You may find yourself packing your tent into a conventional car, in which case you can cover the same ground just as easily.
Nevertheless, if you’re going for a long journey or a journey that is less strictly planned beforehand, then the RV certainly has the edge. Being able to traverse more territory and being able to set up camp more easily will make all the difference for such long trips.
Yet, if you are going off-road, then hiking with a tent suddenly has an advantage. This is for the simple reason that an RV is obviously unsuitable for travelling across smaller trails or uneven terrain – in which case a tent might indeed be your only option. For such off-road adventures, it’s important to pay attention to hazardous warning signs and other indications that you may be venturing into difficult terrain. RVs are designed for the road – not ‘off-road.’
There is also the issue of security and, of course, the locking capabilities and general sturdiness of a metal-framed vehicle make camping with an RV assuredly the safer option. But then, you have to make sure it can actually go to where you want to go before you can rely on this protection.
In the end, common sense will go a long way when you opt for the comfort of an RV or the experience of a tent. The trick is to plan your journey, and then choose what’s best for you.