Owner Spotlight

Aida & Harvey Kaplowitz (& Zammi)

From

Snow birds - Naples, Florida to Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania

Year and Make of your Happier Camper?

“Heart Rock” the HC1 #495 , 2021

What’s your tow vehicle?

Subaru Ascent

Why did you buy a Happier Camper?

For our 25th anniversary we bought a Sylvan Go trailer. We loved it. Camped with it for 5 years. We were approaching our 30th anniversary and with the passage of time we now wanted a few more comforts. Eating in the camper when the weather was cold and rainy was number one for us. We never did that in the tent trailer. The ability to arrive at a campsite and be set up in 15 minutes for a one night stay and heat , safe heat we could rely on. It was also important that it would fit into our garage in Florida. We didn’t get the air conditioner that was available at the time . The added height would keep us from storing it in our garage. (We tend to suffer the cold more than hot weather). Once the off grid became available we decided against that too. So far that’s been fine. We only camp in Florida in the winter and on our last trip we had to bundle up to keep warm. For sure a hot day will make us question our decision but knowing the a/c can be added should we change our minds is just the kind of flexibility we value with the HC 1. First glass of wine we enjoyed in the Heart Rock at Carpinteria the evening of the day we picked her up was the best!!!

Tell us about your camper

Our camper is Silver lake gray with weathered wood and gray cushions. We have the concession windows on both sides. Operable windows front and back . We prefer having everything at one cube height, so we kept it simple with no HC sink . We made our own sink hack and it has worked great. We keep a small Dometic fridge in the car and didn’t go with the dry flush just a luggable Lou. We sleep in Enlightened Equipment sleeping bags. I use an added mat and my husband likes the firmness of the cushions. Again it’s all so adaptable and easy to make our own.

What are your favorite HC features?

The design, adaptability, huge amounts of storage, light weight fiberglass double hull and of course the hatch and all the windows. So cozy and yet so open.

Best camping trip you’ve taken with your Happier Camper?

Our best camping trip started when we headed out from Pennsylvania to pick up our “Heart Rock” at the Happier Camper Headquarters. It took us 10 days to get there with some great stops along the way. White Sands National park was a highlight. Arriving at Happier Camper Headquarters we were welcomed by the HC crew and treated to coffees from their coffee bar. Our every need was attended to and we were given training and guidance. That first night we camped at Carpinteria. With the hatch open, gazing at the Pacific, the sun was setting as we sipped a celebratory wine in the camper it was the best start to our dream come true. That began our 5 1/2 week trip back home to Pennsylvania. We camped Joshua tree , Saguaro, and many more spots along the way and we knew we had chosen well.

What’s your next planned camping trip?

We try and camp at least once or twice a month and have several short trips planned while we are in Florida. In June we will camp at Nickerson state park on Cape Cod and attend a wedding in the area. In September as we have done for many years we are planning a 7 week cross country trip. We will be going to Gateway Arch, Garden of the Gods, Mesa Verde,Monument Valley, Death Valley,Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Pinnacles, Morro Bay state park,Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend.

What camping destination is on your bucket list?

We look forward to Glacier National Park. We are looking to possibly go next year. We are waiting to be fully retired so we can head out on our cross country trip earlier than usual to catch the summer weather. It’s one more reason we wanted a camper with heat.

Any advice for new owners?

I think it’s important to appreciate what a quality product Happier Camper has created. With that quality we have found HC stands behind their work. While we were waiting for our camper to be made we heard of issues some folks were having. Several owners with long term experiences commented that HC could be counted on . This gave us comfort. Now that we have our own experiences we can offer the same reassurance. Always make Happier Camper Support your go to for the inevitable issues that come up.

One more tip we can share. We always try to have things that serve two purposes. Our favorite is that any throw pillows we use in the camper are actually doubling as storage for bedding, down clothing towels etc…Happier Camping!!!