Travel Trailers

[TxBrew]

I've always loved camping but with a gaggle of kids primitive camping became too hard and recently camping at a State Park our campsite was between two families with travel trailers, the longing set in. So I've come to the conclusion of getting a travel trailer, probably something in the 26' to 28' range with the limitations of my Ram 1500.

Who's got a travel trailer? What kind? Please bestow words of wisdom.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Long time RV'r currently without a hard side trailer, we have a small popup tent trailer but have had serveral 20+ foot hard sides.
Advice:
-Don't buy new, the depreciation is absurd and there are a ton of lightly used trailers available. Lots of people buy trailers and lose interest after a couple of seasons.
- Unless you live in the flatlands towing a 26' trailer with a half ton truck will suck and it will kill the truck. The guy at the RV place will tell you different, he is lying.
-Don't go to the RV place, buy private party.
-Educate yourself before you buy, there are some great RV forums. Depending on the vintage of the trailer you find you will need to know what to look for that will make you run away and what will be a good deal.
-Don't start out with a long trip, find a place a couple of hours or less from home and close to a town. Allow plenty of time to get to your destination and set up. Once you have a routine you will find you can set and strike camp faster than tent camping. The first few trips will take longer and you will forget stuff or think of stuff you want, hence close to a town. We have been RVing for over thirty years and still hit a campground 30 minutes from home for the first trip every year.
-Keep a log/journal. They are great for all kinds of stuff, remembering which sites are best at a particular campground. Stories about the kids. etc/ etc/

 

[Homercidal]

We have had the same 25' Jayco Feather Lite for a number of years. It's a love/hate thing. It's bigger than we really need, and I don't like pulling it or parking it usually. I pull with a 2000 Durango 4.7L 4x4. Until I replaced the entire cooling system it was touch and go if it would overheat going up long grades. Now that it's fixed it pulls easier (on my stress levels.)

Agree with not listening to the RV place. They want to sell you an RV, not make your life happy. Make sure you have the right vehicle for the job. We bought our Durango almost only because of the RV. It technically has a lower tow rating due to it's own weight, over my Jeep Cherokee, but it makes up for that by being bigger and heavier and thus more stable going down the road.

It's a nice camper. It's kind of like having a home wherever you go. Sure beats pitching a tent when the weather is bad. With practice now I can set up the camper in just about the same amount of time as our family sized tent. I also recommend practicing hooking up the camper, leveling it, water, elec, awning, etc. I hardly ever forget the sway brake anymore!

Pro Tip! Use wheel chocks to help limit movement and squeaking when walking about or otherwise making movements inside the camper. The last thing you want while camping in an RV park is the rhythmic Squeak squeak squeak at bedtime.

Oh, and gas mileage in your Ram is probably going to be pretty bad. Even worse with the camper being towed!

 

[Brickman]

We have Jayco Octane toyhauler at 29 feet and a bumper pull. I pull it with a large f350 and even with that it is a chore. We used to cook a lot of BBQ contests so that is why we have it.

The biggest thing we have learned is set the trailer up with stuff that you don't have to move from the house to the trailer every time you want to camp. It is a little expensive at first but we can be ready to go with just packing food and clothes. Also get out an look at the various camping web sites. They have all kinds of hacks on how to make camping easier or to mod your trailer.

We have had good luck with the Jayco. None of them are built very well so make sure you can get repair service done close to home or be able to do it yourself. We have had to replace the plumbing in ours as it had a leak and was sucking air into the pump. My other advice is look for one used. The depreciation on them is terrible.

All in all we love it. Some of our best vacations so far have been camping.

 

[NTXBrauer]

I started with a 32ft TT about 10 years ago, and now have a 30ft TT with the full bunks in the back the kids and friends. The above mentioned advice is solid. No need to buy anything new, find one a couple years new and save some money up front. As for what your Ram 1500 will pull, don't necessarily look at length. Consider the total weight of the trailer (loaded) as well as the tongue weight that your truck can handle. I pulled the 32ft and now the 30ft TT with ease with my F150 4x4 and the ultra light models out there allow for this.

You should look to rent a couple different trailers first. Take them to the local state park for the weekend and this way you can determine for yourself which works best for your family and situation.

Lake Somerville SP is a great place to camp and try one out within a couple hours of Austin. The sites are spacious and this will allow for you to get used to backing in and out and help with determining what length you are comfortable with. Good Luck! Take your time and you will find exactly what suits you.

 

[kristiismean]

All of the above but start in spring:
1. hit up garage sales, you will need the following:
Plates, silverware, toaster, cups, bowls, welcome mats, etc etc.
If going with a hard side, get a large rug to put down under the awning, like 15 x 30, etc
Get string lights, (christmas lights, etc) and these will go on the awnings
Get a solar charger for the DC battery on the trailer
get a generator, or generators. I love the honda's, but they can be pricey. if you ONLY go to campsites that have power, then that's fine, but if unsure, keep and eye out for a good deal. the honda's are quiet compared to others, and dependable. (I have 2 of the honda's, and one larger "predator" harbor freight one, happy with both"
power adapters, 15 to 30 amp and who knows what else. get the one you need, and then an extra one. keep them all together

Now, as far as size goes, go to a dealer, see what they have to offer, and at least it will give you an idea on what size you want/need, layout that you like, or even a specific model so when you are looking, you

This list can keep going on and on btw...

search up on glamping, sometimes going with a restored "shasta" is worth it, and it's different..

Knowledge base: I go camping 3-4 times a year for the past 16 years. I currently use a pop up, since we always go to the same place. I have worked through hard sides, UL's, etc. We go camping with other family members, who have anything from tents, to Full out RV's with slide outs, etc. it all depends on what you are going camping for... (we go to lake Koshkonong in Wisconsin so boating is a big part of what we do, we are not camping for the "nature" side of things.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I was in the same boat as you...bought a small TT and haven't regretted it since.

2 years ago we camped at the Grand Canyon and got in late (around 10:30 pm). While we were sitting up the tent it rained so hard I swear I saw an Arc loaded with animals floating past our camp site! I told my wife no more camping - we are getting a trailer or we'll never do this again!

My wife wanted something large so we can accommodate the whole family but 99% of the time it is (and will be) just the two of us so I wanted something small and easy to accommodate that "99% outing" and will figure something out for the outlier trips. We researched for several months and decided to get something on the lower end of the spectrum because in all honestly, we thought we knew what we wanted but until you do it for a year or two, you don't know what you don't know.

We now have a long list of things we like/dislike so it's time to upgrade and I can make a much more educated buy.

I have a Ford F150 w/V8 and travel package so I can tow quite a bit. This was a big consideration when we bought the truck. If you want something big and large you need to look at a 3/4 or 1 ton vehicle (and/or an ultra light TT). As noted above - pay attention to weight!

Some of the things that are important to our next buy:

1) Want dual tires in case there is a blow out. I think this is an important safety factor. And pay close attention to your tires and follow the speed rating! If the TT comes with low end tires consider an upgrade ASAP.

2) Slide. You can get a shorter trailer and a slide will really expand the living space. Our next TT will be ~25' with a slide.

3) Storage (inside and out). We keep everything in the trailer year round - kitchen utensils, towels, cleaning supplies, clothes, tools, etc. Having adequate storage is very important.

4) Pay attention to water storage (fresh, grey and black). We have a 29 gallon fresh water and wish I had something +50 gallons.

5) Fridge size and type. Our current trailer has the small fridge and we want something larger. We like to eat well while camping so we always lots of good food!

A few other things that are important (to us):
- The trailer came with one battery and I added a second for some extra juice
- I replaced most of the lights with LED for longer battery
- Make sure your mattress is a good one, or use a nice pad (I added a memory foam pad and I sleep like a baby)

FWIW - I bought new because I just didn't want to potentially take on somebody else's problem (i.e. did they clean the tanks after each use, did they winterize properly, etc).

Good luck with the process!

 

[Weezy]

The city nearest you may very well have an annual RV show. It's a great way to see a lot of brands quickly and get a feel for the layout, if not even the model, you want to shop for.

 

[Homercidal]

You may not find it necessary, but we purchased a heated Mattress pad for our camper (actually, I think we just borrow the one on our bed since we don't use it during camping season in the house anyway.)

Makes those spring and fall camping trips a bit more enjoyable.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Good suggestion to hit garage sales for housewares.
We never realized how much stuff we had in our trailer until we sold it to get another, it was like moving out of an apartment.

One thing we do is keep EVERYTHING in the trailer, including clothes. The only thing we ever have to pack is food. After a trip we wash the clothes and towels and put them in a bin that goes back in the trailer.

 

[Kaniut]

We have a Keystone Cougar x-lite 26RBI that I pull with my 2012 F-150 v6 turbo without any issues at all. There are plenty of good "lite" campers out there. Its all about what you want to use it for and personal needs. We chose this one because it is extended season capable.
Good luck!

 

[jrgtr42]

I'm not an RV'er, but I have been a boater for most of my life, so most things can actually translate over - except for the towing part.
I agree with the part about buying used (pre-owned?) You'll get a lot more for the price, and many things that you would otherwise have to buy separately will be included.
Keep in mind weight if you're going to be towing it a lot - if it is parked for most of the year, that's not a big deal. Don't overload with glass dishes, cups and so forth for 12, when there are only 2 of you going to use it most times (adjust numbers to match.)
And related to that is thinking about storage. Are you going to keep it at home in the offseason? Many home developments may not allow it, and neighbors may not be happy. Many you-store-it places have parking for boats, RVs and such - something else to think about.
Are you going to tow it around all the time, or maybe find one resort to leave all season? Plusses and minuses each way.

 

[Kharnynb]

wow...you americans really don't do anything small do you?

We've been camping with the family most my youth and my parents still go to france every year with the "caravan".
Over here in Europe, we tend to have trailers that can be pulled by a normal family car and have bed/seating combo's.
I do second the suggestion to get everything for the trailer that's needed and just keep it in there, but preferably as much as possible use plastic plates and cups etc. to not have to enjoy a pile of shards when a cupboard isn't closed well before driving..

 

[MaxStout]

Rent one for a short trip before you buy. Find out what you like and don't like before you drop a load of cash.

 

[CKuhns]

Max, thats some of the best advise i have heard in a long while. Did something similar for my last two car purchases. (I travel a lot for work and tried a number of rental cars on extended trips.)