Pop-Up Camping Trailers

Above, a 1985 Starcraft Starlite 17. Mine was a 16, with a shorter back bunk end.

Yesterday, I was at the Valencia Camping World doing some shopping and browsing while waiting for Denise to get off from work nearby as her Explorer was in the shop.

During my browsing, I wandered over to Camping World's RV sales lot and spotted three Starcraft pop-up camping trailers (tent trailers) for sale.

My first RV was a 1985 Starcraft Starlite 16 pop-up camping trailer. It was a fun trailer to camp in and I traded it in for a 1990 Gulfstream Conquest Micro-Mini Motorhome (on a Toyota chassis). I used to tow it with a 1980 Toyota Pick-up and attended many E Clampus Vitus "Clamp-outs" around the state with it.

As I recall, the trailer cost me around $3,400 new in 1985.

As I was looking at the new Starcrafts, a sales lady came by. I told her I was just looking and said I started out with a tent trailer. I asked her how much are these going for these days. She replied, "About $15,000."

I was amazed at the price. Granted, the ones I was looking at were big, had slide-outs, bath facilities and other amenities that my old tent trailer didn't have. Back in the old days of 1985, I could have bought a top model travel trailer (hard-sided) for under $15,000.

Amazing!