Stupid Question - But how many that compete dont have RVs and Motorhomes

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Mahoney86

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Ive been starting to prepare for entering a comp this year and with all the over night, food prep etc all I ever really see is people with food prep tailers, RVs or Motorhomes... Do any of you compete without any of that stuff? Ive got to worry about saving for a house, forget buying and RV to try BBQ comps! Tell me your stories about those of you who sleep in tents or in the back of your truck
 
We don't. We blow up air matresses and sleep on the farkin ground in a couple of EZUps or at best a 10'x20' carport canopy with walls on it (the one in my avatar).
Everything we bring to a comp (other than the Jambo) can fit in the back of one pickup truck bed.
We've literally taken 1 Supercrew F150 (which has a 5.5' bed), full and pulled the Jambo behind us to many a comp and that's it.
A couple of fold up tables, cambro a couple of bins, the canopy and some chairs. That's us.
 
For my first couple of years, my set up was just my truck and an open 5x10 trailer. Slept under the EZ up most of the time and if the weather was too crappy would retreat to the truck for a while.
 
2 10x10 EZ-Ups
2 cots or a backpack tent if it is going to rain
Couple sleeping bags
6 foot and a 4 foot table

Years ago I just used the tailgate of my truck because it was just me and that was more than enough room to do everything.

We would like to get a toy hauler especially for camping during the summer.
 
I did my first KCBS comp in 2007. I have slept in a chair, in a tent, on a cot without a tent, in the bed of a truck, and the backseat of a truck.

Last fall I finally got a small camper to sleep in.

For me...I didn't do more than 3 comps a year so roughing it was not that bad. This year I plan to compete at least 12 times so the camper is nice.

You will see "LOTS" of teams roughing it.

Oh...and welcome to the madness! :shock:
 
i sleep in a tent and have another tent for prep work. both are 10x10 popups haven't had a problem in over 2 years of competing
 
We've competed in KCBS events since 2006. We had a big 8 x 20 mobile kitchen for a couple years out of that time, but the cost of dragging it around and hassle of needing extra space at events led us to changing back to a smaller, simpler setup. We currently pull a 6 x 12 pure cargo trailer and set up two 10' pop-up tents. No AC, no TV, etc. etc.

We do use a portable sink with a hot water heater, but that's about the limit of luxury in our camp. If I hit the lottery I'd probably have a porch trailer built, but then again if that happens I would hire a crew to set up, break down and transport and just have my driver bring me over to the contest from the Hilton in the Bentley.
 
Glad to hear all this info. I don't think I would be roughing it too bad as I have generators, TVs and AIR Satellite from Tailgating, air mattresses etc... The few comps I have went to check out were larger ones and roughing it was probably nothing less than a small box truck with beds inside haha...
 
Mahoney86 said:
Glad to hear all this info. I don't think I would be roughing it too bad as I have generators, TVs and AIR Satellite from Tailgating, air mattresses etc... The few comps I have went to check out were larger ones and roughing it was probably nothing less than a small box truck with beds inside haha...
Click to expand...

Hell you are in better shape than we are.

No TV, no generator, and definitely no Satellite.

I have a smart phone so maybe I can kill a couple hours screwing around on that.
 
Like CivilWar, I've scaled back on luxury. I actually have an RV but dont bring/use it for most comps (other that MBN, which is another story altogether). 2 10x10 tents, can make do with just 1. I have a full sized van that we bring in the stuff with, pull-behind smoker, sleep in the van for those quick cat naps or raining cats n dogs. It's just easier... No generators for me, as I got started in comps where electricity was a no-no. If they have electricity, great, we'll bring a few lights. If not, great, we usually have a camping lantern or two ready to go.
 
A carport and one ez up. Did a comp a few weeknds back where it was cold. Dropped the sides of the car port and fired up a small (very small) propane heater. Nice and cozy.
 
One of the guys that sometimes goes with us has one and its nice when he does, especially during summer, but you certainly don't need one. When he doesn't go, we have taken tents and even slept in chairs under the ez up. I don't usually sleep a whole lot anyway though. I've found the only real advantage to having the RV is when doing parsley boxes in the wind.
 
Ron_L said:
Around here there are more teams without RVs than those that have them

BTW, you mentioned generators. Please be sure that you are using a quiet generator, not a construction generator.
Click to expand...

Yes its my Honda EU2000i that I have had for quite some time.. Don't think they get much quitter than that
 
Ron_L said:
BTW, you mentioned generators. Please be sure that you are using a quiet generator, not a construction generator.
Click to expand...

AMEN on that!

Nothing worse than having your neighbor plunk down one of those $300 contractor-grade screamers thirty feet from where you have to spend the next 24 hours. Personally, I believe those things should be banned, or at least the owners made to shut them off during quiet time.

After all, it's a BBQ contest, not a NASCAR pit row. A little consideration goes a long way towards being a good neighbor.
 
Mahoney86 said:
Yes its my Honda EU2000i that I have had for quite some time.. Don't think they get much quitter than that
Click to expand...

That's perfect!

CivilWarBBQ said:
AMEN on that!

Nothing worse than having your neighbor plunk down one of those $300 contractor-grade screamers thirty feet from where you have to spend the next 24 hours. Personally, I believe those things should be banned, or at least the owners made to shut them off during quiet time.

After all, it's a BBQ contest, not a NASCAR pit row. A little consideration goes a long way towards being a good neighbor.
Click to expand...

I've been at a few competitions where the reps or organizer told teams to shut those down. Not always, but most of the time.
 
We look like a garage sale. 2 10x10, 3 folding tables, 2 wsm and a kettle. Sleep on a gravity chair. I bought a 5x8 enclosed trailer. Plenty of room for all the gear. Toy haouler RV is on the wish list.
 
We started in 2008. We cooked out of a tent and 1 or 2 EZ-ups our first year and a half. Being in our late 40's at the time, wasn't a big fan of sleeping on the ground, especially when wet (which seems to happen a lot at comps) so we upgraded to a 20 year old Jayco pop-up camper.

That held up for about 2 seasons, but started falling apart as well, so last year we got a small (22') travel trailer. Makes things easier and more comfortable, but as others have said, there are as many or more doing the EZ-up/anti-gravity chair route as those with some sort of trailer/RV
 
2 ez ups a couple of cots and a WSM. All fits in extended cab pickup. start small and add as you go. Keith
 
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