Over the last 5 years the husband/lover/best friend and I have attended RV Shows and visited many RV dealers, and we have nearly made our decision as to what camper to order. We are down to the nitty gritty as far as colors, design, etc.
We started out camping years ago in a pop-up camper. Like many campers do, we then moved up to a travel trailer. Currently we are in our second travel trailer, and we are ready to make the upgrade to a 5th wheel. We have a truck that is capable of towing a large 5th wheel, so the size of the camper is not a towing issue. Our plan is to use the camper for not only short weekend getaways and week long camping vacations, but also for extended cross country trips.
Thank you in advance for any help you may offer us. We will keep you posted as our purchase draws nearer. Woooweeeee! So exciting!
I, too, started out in a pop-up camper back when my two boys were young many years ago. In fact, when we moved to Texas, my youngest son and I lived in it until I could find a place for the rest of the family. I then went to a travel trailer which we loved. I skipped the fifth wheel and got class-C and now I have a diesel pusher. Never had a five'r but at the time I bought the first motor-home, I didn't have a vehicle that could pull one and the cost of a new truck plus the fifth wheel was more than my first motorhome.
ReplyDeleteDizzy-Dick, thanks for your comments. We are excited about this next venture. I agree with you about the cost, however, our last truck was dying and so whether or not we get a new camper, the truck is being replaced.
DeleteAs Dizzy said Kathy and I started with the pop-up, then the travel-trailer, then a Fifth Wheel. If we had not decided that we wanted more space for when we had visitors we'd probably still have it.
ReplyDeleteWe now have a bunk that can sleep up to eight people comfortably, has a bath and a half plus an outside kitchen. The extra bath allows our guest privacy in the middle of the night when nature calls without disturbing us in the front bedroom. We have so far travelled with our two grandsons and a senior couple that said their room was bigger than a state room on a cruise ship and the air mattress queen bed was super comfortable. That room also serves as a place for us to visit with guest when we are just travelling by ourselves as well as a TV/Computer room. It is like a small two bedroom apartment.
Many people only want to travel as a couple so they look towards a Rear Living/Entertainment floor plan. These trailers will give you lots of entertaining space but no privacy if you have sleep over guest. In other words a one bedroom apartment.
If you like to cook you might consider a trailer with a kitchen that has lots of counter space. Those kitchens normally have lots of storage as well as pantry space for food stocks. If you would rather have a larger Fridge you can get a doublewide fridge but then most will take away the pantry.
If you are planning on travelling to a location and staying a while a large trailer is a good choice. If your plans are more geared to travelling and not so much your comfort the smaller sized trailer is the choice or a medium sized for both comfort and manueverability. Whatever you choose look at something with a four seasons insulation package in case you decide to travel in the colder/hotter weather.
Some parks do not have room for the larger trailers and larger trailers also tend to be taller. Also the heavier the trailer the lower your fuel milage can be especially in mountainous terrain.
Now that I have given things to think about and hopefully not totally confused you the choice is yours to be made. Each individual's needs is different and what is good for one may not be good for another. Also your needs may change with time and you might be replacing it later in time.
Make a list of your wants and needs. Compare the different manufactures and choices out there. Take your time because this is not like a car that you would trade in every few years.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Rick and Kathy, thanks for your collection of things to consider. We appreciate it because we do want to take it all under thought in order to make the right choice.
DeleteWe also started with a popup. When we got back into camping we purchased a class c thn upgraded to an older A. Then two brand new fivers. The first one had a rear entry door into the living area...we sound found out that didn't work when we had company. We had to crawl over them to get outside in the morning. It's not like we had a lot of company but it was a pain when we did. Second fiver had rear living area again but mid entry door...worked much better. We are back into a class A...and now have a diesel pusher..I liked the fivers but I thing we were spoiled with the motor homes. So my suggestion is mid entry door with kitchen in the middle and living are in the rear. Our friend had a back kitchen and dishes used to bounce out and break during travel....good luck in finding your dream machine!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elaine for your advice. We are definitely leaning toward a mid entry door with the middle kitchen and rear living area. Thought I'd mention that the other day we looked in a 5th wheel that had an upper living room in the front and the bathroom in the back. We didn't care for that layout really.
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