Ahead of the Trend

The pandemic has dramatically changed travel and recreation for the nation. Recreational vehicle (RV) sales, even with slow sales in April and May of 2020 due to shutdowns, took off last year and that has continued into this year. Wait times for an RV, particularly special order, can be several months, or in cases of the type we own, a year. Pundits never really predicted the large increase in the use of recreational vehicles that has occurred. I think this shows more how the pundits think, than a commentary on those who bought an RV.  People want to do things, and many chose a new path during Covid lock downs. What could be better than your own self-enclosed space set up in a woods? My wife and I took delivery of our RV on June 4, 2019.  It represents a significant change from our over twenty years of tent camping, which you can  read about here and here. Whether pandemic related or not, with the purchase of an RV, I was once again ahead of the trend. Yes, I, with my wife, were ahead of the trend of RV purchases. Although, I still think she is surprised I pulled the plug to buy one when I did (even after having looked for two years). Yes, in the RV world and in other matters, I am a trend setter.

Loons spotted in August 2020 near our NE WI Campsite

The dealer from whom we bought our T@B in 2019 has broadened their customer approach. I noticed it this year when I went to find their phone number on their website and saw it was a toll free number rather than the old Madison number. I recall being there one time about two years ago and seeing an In-Tech Luna Sol being picked up by a couple from North Carolina. The couple said said this was the only in-stock Luna Sol they could find, so they called, made the deal and came to pick it up. In June of 2019 the dealer was on par to sell more T@B's (our style camper) than they ever sold before, over 200 of them. In early 2020, as Covid was ramping up overseas in January and early February our dealer anticipated higher demand and picked up an extra load of T@B's that the factory had produced, on the idea that more persons would wish to camp and use an RV. He was right. Their RV sales, at least for  new T@B stock was all sold out.  A few used ones which were traded in were be readied for sale.  This year, they have no used inventory and new inventory is rather sparse.

Being ahead of trends is not uncommon for me, I think it is a habit. I have an explanation as to why I find myself a trendsetter. I generally hang on to something so long that what I have will eventually come back into style.  Hence, I always have considered myself to be a trend setter. Two examples. First, when I was a teenager I wore large black-framed glasses, often referred to as horn rims at the time. At the time most were wearing wire frames. These types of glass frames are now back in style.  I probably still have the frames, and could market them as vintage eye wear. I was decades ahead of the trends for glasses.  Second, several years ago silver or nickle type finishes for light fixtures and door hardware was in style and some persons were shifting to this new look, but not me.  I said, to those who would listen, which is really no one, at some point our brass fixtures will be back in style. What do you know, brass is now back in style, and I am once again have a house that is trendy. Perhaps not the style of fixture, but who am I to quibble? I think my wife has been deliriously shaking her head as she reads this paragraph. Probably in an up-down fashion to signal yes, rather than her normal side to side head shake. She likes to shake her head when I talk to her; I think it is to get the hair out of her eyes. After all, when I do something, her favorite comment to me is: "I just shake my head!"  My RV purchase, like other things in my life, I was truly ahead of the trend.

RV Shipments 2019 to 2020 by Month
image from some website

What has occurred over the past year is that people have their eyes on RV's. Being on a Facebook site for our brand of RV, we find a some persons in our demographic group that are like us, retired folks who get an RV after having tent camped for many years. Since 1957 was one of the largest birth years for boomers, many at that age are retiring at this point and one would think that would help drive RV sales. RV sales in 2019 were about 404,000 units (which is fewer than the total sold in 2018) compared to 430,412 in 2020, but, with so many now following the trend (doing the IN THING, by following Tom) the estimated sales for 2021 are estimated to be 100,000 more units, or about 530,000. We bought our RV in 2019, and hence the figures show we were ahead of the buying trend for RV's.  The figures don't lie.  RV sales increased by over 30,000 units in 2020 even though supply was a big issue since many factories were shut down in the spring due to Covid.  And, to think their will be 100,000 more units sold this year than in 2020. To think, I led the trend. Trendsetter could be my new middle name. That is a lot of households following our lead by now buying an RV.  Those numbers do not include sales of used RV's.  

Lake Kegonsa State Park, June 2020

Now, I would have thought the follow the T-team lead was limited to those in my demographic, but it is not.  The ever trendy, and hip, millennial age group (generally recognized as those born about 1981-1994) have moved into RV's. To think they are following my lead, is well, rather surprising. But, this only shows my level of influence in trendsetting. Business Insider says that the increase of this age group has driven the increase in sales. In fact, per that source, the millennial age cohort has greater interest in purchasing a RV than any other age group. So much for tent camping. I guess they not only like their phones, but now like their RV's and the glamping luxuries found there-in. Rentals of RV's by millennial's increased by over 70% from 2019 to 2020. In 2019 14% of this demographic cohort said they would never take an RV trip and in 2020 that decreased to 6%. I now know that I am really hip when a millennial follows my lead. There are campers that cater to the younger set, the millennial cohort, for the brand we own, the model is called, T@G's, and our shorter, lighter weight, and are generally made for sleeping inside, or chilling out, and cooking at the back. They have a kitchen area in the back, that is separate from the sleeping area. I saw my first T@G in a campground setting last year, for a young couple. They had a nice awning off the back to cover the kitchen and provide more shelter.

T@G Camper by NuCamp, for the Younger Age Group
Image from NuCamp website

Of course, there is a downside to all those who have followed the T-team lead. First, is getting service on the camper, like packing of wheel bearings (which I did over 40 years ago on a trailer and recall it so difficult and challenging so I will not do it again) and changing the glycol fluid in our Alde to the new type, which requires a special pump to change out. I had our trailer at our dealer for over a week and both efforts of this work was still not completed. We went camping and dropped it off again for four days, and found the work all completed. Second, as we are retired we can camp during the week, but campgrounds are likely to be more full on weekends.  Those RV's have to go somewhere. These two situations make me wonder how many campers will sell their RV when the first major problem crops up? On the T@B Facebook site one person sold their camper after having difficulty backing it up. Contrary to what one may think, it is more difficult to back up a shorter trailer than a longer one. We really do not make full use of our campers amenities, as we have only once or twice used the stove to heat water, really to make sure it works, and we have yet to use the toilet. We do find the shower nice, particularly since we like to rustic camp at locations with no showers. We used the air conditioning one time for about 15 minutes, on a hot humid day, and the only time we connected to electricity. While we do not use all the features, sleeping off the ground, and having a more enclosed space is nice on cold nights. We have once turned on the heat, but I don't think the it had to kick in, as the cabin temperature stayed above the temperature level to which I set the thermostat. This was last September when camping at Gov Dodge.

One of our Favorite Campsites

Last year, the state made some adjustments for the demand. One example is that last fall, the Cox Hollow campground at Gov Dodge State Park was going to remain open longer than it normally would to better accommodate demand. It would normally shut down at the end of September, but was planned to remain open another two weeks, if not to the end of the month. The state did not open the inside loop at Lake Kegonsa early this year, which I found curious since the water on the loop was on, and there are no toilet buildings on the loop that would have to be cleaned.  I already see that persons have booked many of the campsites out west, much earlier it is said, than in normal times. Also, a Wisconsin camper posted in early May that all electric sites at every state park for every weekend from May through August were fully booked.  I think last year tended to be different since so many persons were working from home and home could be mobile, using their phone and data plans.  There are many on the T@B Facebook site that worked, or work, part of week from their camper. That is where state parks, many of which have electric hookups, have a leg up on many National Forest sites which tend more rustic. Which is fine with me since Land Girl and we like the rustic sites. Although the rustic sites have their problems--mainly those camper who use generators. Such is life camping.

The start of the 2020 camping season was delayed last year, at least in Wisconsin, with state campgrounds not opening until mid-June (most normally open May 1) and the national forest sites generally followed state guidelines there was pent up demand. Hence, you had more people, per the statistics, out camping, but starting later. In 2020, there were 94.5 million US Households who camped at least one time in 2020, with that number including over 10 million first time campers. On my block of fourteen homes, currently four households own an RV (one is selling their 5th wheel to buy an even larger one), and I only am aware of one other family on the block that camps, and they tent camp. One family used to camp, but no longer do so, and sold their pop-up. When we bought our camper, which has less room inside than the family tent we used, the dealer told us that people were going for the smaller campers or the really large campers, that sales for mid-size campers were not as high in demand.  I guess it is like, what I call, the missing middle in the housing market. 

Gov Dodge State Park, Sept 2020

Once again I find myself as a trendsetter, and a trendsetter, and for different demographic groups. We bought the RV for better shelter during rain, which always seems to happen on our camping trips, for warmth and to be able to travel and see the many wonders our country has to offer. Covid has left us mainly in Wisconsin for now, but hopefully in a year or two we can make excursions beyond Wisconsin and Minnesota.  And if we do, the chances are we will find some millennial aged adults enjoying life in an RV.  Following me as I am ahead of the trend.