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There are lots of ways to enjoy camping. Some people love to go basic, carrying everything they need on their backs and sleeping under the stars. Others are tent campers. Still others prefer small travel trailers, fifth wheels, or even deluxe motorhomes. Then there is the glamping crowd. Some in that crowd like to insist that glamping is ‘just like RVing’.
For the record, glamping is somewhere in the middle of tent camping and RVing. Its name is a combination of ‘glamour’ and ‘camping’. However, it is hard to see how anything about it is glamorous. No matter how big or well apportioned a camping tent is, you are still not staying in a luxury hotel with all the amenities.
At any rate, Winnebago Lifestyle contributors Scott and Jamie Sichler wrote a post earlier in 2021 explaining their own experience with DIY glamping. They concluded that glamping was nice, but it was no substitute for RVing. A brief perusal of the post makes clear why they feel the way they do.
Set-Up Is Not as Easy
For starters, set-up is not nearly as easy when you’re glamping. Note that this assumes you are not going to an established glamping resort where all you have to do is register upon arrival. You could do the same thing with an RV. But if you are setting up your own RV as opposed to a DIY glamping site, you’re going to find RV set-up a lot easier.
Most modern RVs can be leveled with the touch of a button. Another button activates the slide outs. That’s it, unless you’re hooking up to shore power and sewage. Even that takes mere minutes. On the other hand, glamping requires setting up the tent, inflating your bed, setting up the lawn furniture and kitchen equipment, and so forth.
Weather Is a Factor
Glamping and RVing are comparable when the weather is ideal. But when it’s not, glamping can be somewhat uncomfortable. Even the best tents don’t hold up well against damp conditions. They don’t do the best job of keeping out the cold, either. And if it is extremely hot out, air-conditioning a tent is not doable unless you have a lot of money. At that point, why not just buy an RV?
RVs are not as weather efficient as stick-and-brick homes, but they are far more efficient than tents. Most modern RVs come with HVAC units offering both heat and cooling. During cold weather, you can insulate an RV with a skirting product. For example, AirSkirts is a Connecticut company that makes inflatable skirting. A good RV skirting kit can help keep a motorhome or trailer cozy and warm even in frigid temperatures.
The Amenities of Home
RVing appeals on many levels. One of its biggest draws is being able to take the most loved amenities of home with you in the great outdoors. You have a stove to cook on, a shower to stand under first thing in the morning, and a private toilet that mitigates the need for an outhouse or portable camping toilet.
Unless you are going to an exclusive glamping resort, none of those amenities are available. You have to fend for yourself. DIY glamping ends up being little more than staying in an oversized tent with an inflatable bed. You are still cooking over a fire and using public toilet and shower facilities – unless you’re in the woods, of course.
When you get right down to it, glamping really isn’t ‘just like RVing’. It is better than basic tent camping, but it’s still lacking compared to staying in a motorhome or trailer.
