In April, Mary-Beth Libby welcomed her new camping companion with a vibrant celebration set against the picturesque backdrop of a lakeside campground in rural Maine. Embracing the whimsical spirit of the occasion, the dress code was pink, and no shoes were required. After all — Mary-Beth was going Barefoot!
Mary-Beth’s journey with her pearl pink Barefoot began at Wahlberg Airstream and RV in Columbus, Ohio, where she discovered her dream trailer. Intrigued by an ad she stumbled upon on Facebook, she wasted no time in pursuing her curiosity, jetting off to the nearest dealer to see it up close. After its delivery to a campground just over three hours from her hometown in northern Maine, Mary-Beth wasted no time in acquainting herself with her new home on wheels, dry camping for five days.
The arrival of the Barefoot was celebrated by a group of friends who share her passion for vintage campers. Clad in pink, the ladies raised their pink plastic goblets filled with Barefoot wine to toast Mary-Beth’s newest adventure. A seasoned enthusiast of RVing since 2018, Mary-Beth’s affinity for vintage models has been unwavering, drawn to their distinctive charm and individuality — a sentiment she initially believed a new camper could never match.
That is, until she purchased her first brand-new camper: the Barefoot by nuCamp.
“New campers just don’t have enough character,” Mary-Beth explained. “The vintage ones, you can put your own pink on them and make them very unique. You get a modern one, and it just seems blah to me — until the Barefoot.”
A Vintage Flair
Mary-Beth was not in the market for a new camper when she first saw the Barefoot. She currently owns three vintage models she and her sister worked to restore, including a 50-year-old Shasta with a white and pink design.
“It just came out of nowhere for me,” recalled Mary-Beth. “Never have I ever thought that I would be so infatuated with a modern camper. That’s a pretty good testament to the appeal that the Barefoot has.”
The Barefoot’s aesthetic charm inspired her to affectionately nicknamed her camper “Twiggy” after the British model who rose to fame in the 1960s, paying homage to its beauty and vintage design.
“She’s a model girl with a vintage flair,” Mary-Beth said of her camper.
Mary-Beth’s penchant for naming her campers extends beyond the Barefoot, with her vintage Shashta christened “Skip to my Lew,” in honor of her late father, Lewis. Before his passing, Lewis never slowed down, still a spirited man at the age of 92.
“He was so upbeat and never slowed down,” she said of her father.
While Mary-Beth is looking to sell two of her retro RVs, she will not be parting ways with Skip to my Lew, which she will camp in during the vintage rallies. All other camping excursions she will take with her Barefoot Travel Trailer.
A Supportive Community
Mary-Beth raved about her experience with the team members at Wahlberg RV and nuCamp, who extended their assistance from her initial interest to post-purchase queries. After all, when you purchase a nuCamp RV, you get more than just a camper — you become a part of the nuCamp family!
“nuCamp has gone above and beyond with customer service,” she said. “That is very impressive. I just feel like they really want to connect with their customers.”
She was pleasantly surprised to find that support extends beyond the dealer and manufacturer to the vibrant nuCamp community.
Mary-Beth’s maiden voyage was not without its hiccups. She experienced a “gas failure” code on her Alde. She posted in the Barefoot by nuCamp group, and almost immediately got help from other members of the nuCamp community. It was an easy fix — the system was set to propane, but the propane was turned off. Mary-Beth marveled at the incredible support she received when she had questions. The swift assistance from fellow nuCamp enthusiasts exemplified the camaraderie that defines the community.
“It’s so nice to have that support if they have a question,” she said. “I’m just going to put it out there (on Facebook). It’s great to have that support.”
A Home Run
Residing amidst the rural splendor of Maine, Mary-Beth spends most of her time camping within her home state. She camps nearly all year, starting in early Spring and ending as late as November if there is no snow on the ground.
“Maine is a big state and has beautiful places to go,” she said. “I feel fortunate that there is so much for me to explore that isn’t cities with heavy traffic.”
Though her husband supports her camping escapades, Mary-Beth frequently camps with her sister and vintage RV friends. The ladies gather once a month for four to five days to camp together with a few larger rallies sprinkled throughout the year where up to 75 campers gather.
One of the standout features of her new Barefoot is the Alde Hydronic and Hot Water System, renowned for its silent, consistent radiant heat. Mary-Beth explained the Alde’s heat is must more comfortable than the forced air portable heaters she has camped with before.
“The heat was amazing,” she exclaimed. “That is going to be a nice feature. The heat was just so nice and even. It’s simple. I don’t want anything real complicated. I like to keep it simple.”
The Barefoot also fulfills Mary-Beth’s desire for a compact camper that she can confidently tow and set up on her own, embodying the perfect blend of style and functionality.
“There was nothing I was disappointed in or would change,” Mary-Beth said enthusiastically. “… You get what you pay for. To me, it’s so well done. I think nuCamp has hit a home run with it. Anyone who has seen mine has just raved about it — the looks and the quality.”
One response to “Barefoot Bliss: A Journey into Modern Camping”
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I am going to see a dealer next week and am planning to purchase a blue Barefoot after dreaming about it for over two years. I had to trade in my beloved coupe and get an SUV for towing after saying I would never give up the coupe – but it has been worth it.