Need advice on TT

[walleye]

First of all, hello to all. As you can see this is my first post here. Looking forward to learning lots and it is appreciated. When I was young, some of my best memories with my grand parents were camping. Now that I have grand kids of my own,I am looking to start them on the same adventure. I am looking for help on what to purchase as I am about as novice as I can be on what is decent and what to avoid. I consider myself very mechanically inclined, and a do it yourself kind of guy, but no experience at all with TT. I do know that I want a fiber glass shell and I need at least room for 5. My wife and I in one bed, then 3 grand kids. So basically what I need to know is what manufacturers offer good products and service VS what to avoid. Once I know that, I can start looking. Some requirements of course will be AC and self contained. I stopped by a dealer a few days ago that sells Jayco and Coleman TT's, but that was my first stop. Thanks All.

[rgrugg]

I think most of the molded fiberglass trailers will most likely NOT have sufficient space to sleep 5. A few years ago we took our three grandkids, none very big, out in a 22 ft stick trailer. All three had to sleep on the floor which made getting to the rear bath from the front bed a real challenge. I'm gonna guess that, in molded trailers, only Escape and Bigfoot might work. I'm sure some more knowledgeable people than I will be able to give you better info. Good luck.

[Thomas G.]

I believe that some 16 / 17 footers come with gaucho bunks in front and a side dinette, plus the double bed in back.

Scamp layout #7
http://www.scamptrailers.com/Showroo...loorPlans.aspx

Casita claims sleeps two to 6

http://www.casitatraveltrailers.com/...chematics.html

[Francesca Knowles]

It would be helpful if we knew what the tow vehicle is to be, if you already have one, and what if any size/weight restrictions it has.

Also, since you mention "self-contained" as a prerequisite: sleeping five is one thing, but holding tanks for five may be another matter!

Would your camping style mostly involve parks etc. with hookups, or are you more of the boondocks/roughin' it type?

Francesca

[Mike Magee]

Mark, welcome to the forum. From one Okie to another!

We are mostly owners of molded FG trailers, sometime fondly called "eggs" because most brands sort of look that way with their roundedness.

I had an egg, a Burro, but sold it a couple years back and bought my current unit, a KZ Spree Escape. It has FG gelcoat laminated onto wood, which looks nice but is subject to delamination if water ever intrudes into the walls via roof seams or leaking window gaskets. Pricewise, it seemed like a fair risk for me to take under my circumstances. But be aware of the difference. The Scamps, Casitas, Escapes from British Columbia (unlike mine), Li'l Snoozys, Eggcampers, Trilliums and such are fiberglass out of a mold with basically no wood in the shell structure. So the body lasts a long time, and no edge seams at the corners to leak (which just leaves windows, doorways, and plumbing to potentially leak... hey, it's an improvement! ).

I took my son and 2 granddaughters camping last spring to Petit Jean SP in AR. It was challenging during the evening... rain set in and we were all trying to do our thing inside, and not enough space. Setting up for bedtime was nuts! My son and I shared the main bed (dinette space, but I leave it as a bed), one girl on the gaucho, and one on a piece of foam on the floor. This was all in a 16' trailer, which is really 14' interior since they include the tongue in the overall length of any travel trailer. If I were to do it again, I would want to buy an EZ-Up type outdoor screened room that we could mostly hang out in outside.

For 3 kids sleeping, you might get away with a 16' Scamp or 16'-17' Casita with no bath and side dinette. 2 adults in the rear, 1 kiddo on the side dinette, and 2 in the front bunks. The front couch converts to bunks (top bunk for kids under 80 lbs, unless modified). But get an outdoor shelter as well, for sanity's sake!

Another possibility is a Bigfoot or Escape (from BC), as mentioned by Bob. Escape is coming out with a new 21' unit, and depending on the floor plan they offer it might be a good option; their quality is top drawer.

Or you could look for a stick-built like mine, only larger.... something with bunk beds might be in order.

[Jared J]

tow vehicle is the big thing. a 19' scamp would do that with ease.

[Bob Miller]

Although not an MFRV, the 17 ft Coleman (and it's brand twin Kodiak) hybrid might be a solution. We bought one for our children and grandchildren to use and it has worked out great. It has large tent/bed tip outs at each end to sleep 4-5 and a dinette plus a couch that will sleep an additional 3-4. And it has huge holding and water supply tanks.

The good side: It's only 17' long when closed but like a 27' when open, has lots of inside space, a huge bathroom/shower and is fairly easy to store & tow
The bad side: It is a bit heavy, almost 4000 lbs loaded. We tow it with a sons GMC Yukon/Denali.

Jayco has a similar model as well.

BTW: If you can't get at least 25-33% off the msrp, keep looking. We got ours new for a tad over $14k last September.

[Raz]

Hello Mark and welcome. One possible solution is to put the kids in a tent with dinette, gaucho, bunk beds, floor space as a back up plan. Make it an adventure. Especially bathroom runs in the middle of the night . Works for the weedend but not for a week. Good luck and tells us what you end up doing. . Raz

[walleye]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

It would be helpful if we knew what the tow vehicle is to be, if you already have one, and what if any size/weight restrictions it has.

Also, since you mention "self-contained" as a prerequisite: sleeping five is one thing, but holding tanks for five may be another matter!

Would your camping style mostly involve parks etc. with hookups, or are you more of the boondocks/roughin' it type?

Francesca

1/2 ton Pick up, mostly parks, no rough roads at all. Mostly within 100 miles as well.

[walleye]

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

[Glenn Baglo]

Put the kids in a tent. They'll appreciate you for it.
My buddy has a 19' Escape. Plenty of room for the girls, but they like to have their own space, their tent.

[Bob Miller]

Tell us a bit more.... "1/2 ton pick-up" is very generic and, while some can pull 6000+ lbs, other are limited to as little as 1500 lbs. Give us a year, make, model and a driveline hint...

[walleye]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Tell us a bit more.... "1/2 ton pick-up" is very generic and, while some can pull 6000+ lbs, other are limited to as little as 1500 lbs. Give us a year, make, model and a driveline hint...

Right now I have a 2010 GMC 1/2 ton Sierra 2 WD with a 5.3 (I think) V8 and Auto tranny. Good chance within a year I will have a equivalent Ford or another GMC only next time a 4WD.

[Bob Miller]

According to Trucktrend.com, all 2010 GMC Sierra 1500's with that engine are capable of towing well north of 8500 lbs, meaning anything we talk about hereabouts, including 5th wheel's, are fair game.

That said, have you ever seen or looked at pics of a 10 y.o. Bigfoot 5th wheel. It's all molded fiberglass and will sleep the entire clan in style. Sweeeet!

[walleye]

Sorry, but what does 10 y.o. mean?

[Bob Miller]

10 y. o. = Ten Years Old..... I don't think that they made any of the 5th wheel versions in the past 10 years, but I may be incorrect.

I have been inside several of them and they are, IMHO, the bomb of FGRV's. I would buy one in a NY minute if I have a tow vehicle that was capable of pulling one, and I could afford the fuel costs.

I'll try to find a few pics to post.

Here's an older listing with comments and pics:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-37529.html

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

That said, have you ever seen or looked at pics of a 10 y.o. Bigfoot 5th wheel. It's all molded fiberglass and will sleep the entire clan in style. Sweeeet!

Oh-h-h-h-h YEAH! With all that muscle, a Bigfoot fiver would be stylin'...

Here's a real nice looking 1991 (Interior pics at link)



Francesca