Where Are the Fiberglass RVs for Families?

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by ZachO

It must be where I live. I mean yeah, I see plenty of R-Pod style trailers too, but a LOT of what I see getting pulled down the highway are the kind of 5th wheel campers whose bunk, "upstairs" area is roughly the size of my entire trailer. They sit easily 5' higher than the roof of the tow vehicle. Tons of them around here. Many named "Montana", to my annoyance. Guess everything's gotta be huge around here.

We have taken to calling the Montana fifth-wheels and similar units "Cumulo-trailers" for the way they loom up over the distant horizon as they approach. While they certainly work for some folks, they aren't our style as I prefer driving a much smaller package on the road. Not that it's particularly relevant to this discussion, I think I would rather go with a diesel bus conversion towing a mini before having that much trailer. But, to each their own.

Cumulonimbus, from the Latin cumulus and nimbus, is a dense towering vertical cloud associated with thunderstorms and atmospheric instability, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents.

[J Selleck]

We just want to travel without mechanical issues. Empty nesters!

Eriba importing puck or familia.
Kool. Classics in UK or automotive leisure.
Love options quality price of these German manufactured units.

[Worto]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I understand the desire for more space, and I'm sorry to use your thread for my rant, because I get it, but as I drive around on US roads and see the massive size of current RVs, I think it's time to step back and think about what we "need".

When my Mom and brother and I made our yearly trip from upstate NY to Virginia Beach in the summer, we'd load into her VW Rabbit and start driving. One night sleeping in the car in a fast food parking lot near DC, then a long weekend in a tent at a KOA.

We'd stay at campgrounds in the Adirondacks, along with families of 5+, and rarely saw an RV.

Now I have friends who have one child and so have come to the conclusion that "we need a camper" to camp. And when they have their second child, then "need" a 22' camper instead of a 20'.

I go to southern Utah and rarely see a tent anymore. Everyone has an RV, sometimes one guy in a 20+' camper. Not sure what's going on..

If someone needs space for all humans to sleep and hang out comfortably inside...they need a hotel room. That's not camping. Why tow all that space behind you? Larger truck, more money more gas more everything. If everyone needs inside space, VRBO or hotel.

Having said all that...I get it. And yeah, 25' Bigfoot or a non-molded fiberglass trailer is the way to go.

I know what you mean. I camped from age 7 to 57, then switched to pop-up trailer and now a 17 ft Bigfoot. By "camping" I mean sleep on the ground and cook and eat outside. Anything else is RVing. Even a 13 ft MFG is no longer camping. And I agree about using a hotel; we do that now and then too. Still tent now and then, whatever is the appropriate technology for the given road trip.

[Rzrbrn]

We like to RV or "camp" in remote places, most such areas do not have motels or cabins close by. Also not a good idea to tent camp with Grizzles or really even Black bear. Sometimes we have 4, or even 6 people with us, for short periods of time. We also have a difficult time in high wind and rain areas. So for the two of us, the Casita is acceptable, but for four, not so much.

We have looked at stick built trailers, Class C and Older Class A, and now Airstream. Airstream has the floor plan we would like. So when I win the lottery....

[ZachO]

I get what you're saying, but as I'm sure you know, thousands of people camp every summer in black and grizzly bear country, in tents and sleeping under the stars, myself included.

Campers are sort of like airbags. We all did without them for...ever. Now we're afraid to drive cars without them. Except that airbags save lives. Not sure you can say the same for campers. As was already pointed out, if a bear wants in, it's going to get in. More of a false sense of security going on there.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I get what you're saying, but as I'm sure you know, thousands of people camp every summer in black and grizzly bear country, in tents and sleeping under the stars, myself included.

Campers are sort of like airbags. We all did without them for...ever. Now we're afraid to drive cars without them. Except that airbags save lives. Not sure you can say the same for campers. As was already pointed out, if a bear wants in, it's going to get in. More of a false sense of security going on there.

Takata has filed bankruptcy and federal law prohibits reporting non defective airbag deaths estimated to be 1 to 3 thousand per year.
Trust only Securefoam!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnyhkBU1yaw

[erobb]

so, none of the fiberglass TT offer a slide-out?

[vintageracer]

Originally Posted by erobb

so, none of the fiberglass TT offer a slide-out?

None to my knowledge at this time. They sell without em!

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by erobb

so, none of the fiberglass TT offer a slide-out?

You don't want one; they leak.

/Mr Lynn

[Jon in AZ]

So do windows, but I absolutely want some of those in a trailer.

Slides add space but require maintenance. Don't care for them myself due to weight, maintenance, and aesthetics, but clearly many find the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Thinking one reason molded trailers don't have slides is they lack structural framework in the walls to support them. Northern Lite did offer a hybrid-style slide out bed on a small molded trailer. It used external supports that attached to the tongue like a tent trailer, I believe.

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

So do windows, but I absolutely want some of those in a trailer.

Hey, mine don't (so far).

Even the salesmen admit the sliders leak.

One of the stickies we looked at had a slide-out kitchen. So you had water and propane pipes running into a room that slid in and out. No doubt the technology exists to make those lines safe and secure, and no doubt they used flexible pipes, but would you trust the slap-em-together-and-ship-em-out RV manufacturers to manage the kind of reliability required?

/Mr Lynn

[Jon in AZ]

Neither do my windows (yet), but my point was simply that every RV feature adds utility and carries a cost in routine maintenance and risk of failure. It's an individual call whether the benefits of a particular feature (like a window or a slide) outweigh the negatives.

It's unfortunate when buyers fall under the rosy spell of RV sales people and go for all the bells and whistles without thought to the maintenance/repair required. To some extent it's a failure on the buyer's part to do their homework.

My mother owned a Class C with a dinette slide. Stored outside uncovered, and no leaks or issues with the slide in about 10 years of ownership.

Hate 'em (slides) myself, but then, I choose not to have a bathroom in my trailer, either, because I don't want to deal with the associated maintenance and repair.

[Jon in AZ]

Getting back on topic, here is a family-friendly Escape 17B with the rare front bunk option.

2010 Escape 17B

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

You don't want one; they leak.

/Mr Lynn

I assume you are only speaking for yourself.?
Slide outs have there pro's and con's but if I avoided every trailer or trailer ammenity that has a possibility / potential of leaking , I would be left without a trailer.
Looking at this forum and reading about the issues with leaking windows , roof fans , doors , A/C's , belly bands , stove fan vents ETC, ETC ,ETC maybe we should noy be casting stones.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

You don't want one; they leak.

/Mr Lynn

I assume you are only speaking for yourself.?
Slide outs have there pro's and con's but if I avoided every trailer or trailer ammenity that has a possibility / potential of leaking , I would be left without a trailer.
Looking at this forum and reading about the issues with leaking windows , rivets, roof fans , doors , A/C's , belly bands , stove fan vents , rotted floors , ETC, ETC ,ETC maybe we should not be casting stones.
FG trailers are hardly trouble free !!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I assume you are only speaking for yourself.?
Slide outs have there pro's and con's but if I avoided every trailer or trailer ammenity that has a possibility / potential of leaking , I would be left without a trailer.
Looking at this forum and reading about the issues with leaking windows , rivets, roof fans , doors , A/C's , belly bands , stove fan vents , rotted floors , ETC, ETC ,ETC maybe we should not be casting stones.
FG trailers are hardly trouble free !!

You can say that again!!

[Jon in AZ]

And another very family-friendly molded trailer just turned up. Between the big back bed and the bunks, you could easily sleep 5-6 in this one, especially if some are smaller kids.

1997 Casita 16 Liberty Standard

They're out there if you're looking.

[Jennifer in Denver]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I understand the desire for more space, and I'm sorry to use your thread for my rant, because I get it, but as I drive around on US roads and see the massive size of current RVs, I think it's time to step back and think about what we "need".

When my Mom and brother and I made our yearly trip from upstate NY to Virginia Beach in the summer, we'd load into her VW Rabbit and start driving. One night sleeping in the car in a fast food parking lot near DC, then a long weekend in a tent at a KOA.

We'd stay at campgrounds in the Adirondacks, along with families of 5+, and rarely saw an RV.

Now I have friends who have one child and so have come to the conclusion that "we need a camper" to camp. And when they have their second child, then "need" a 22' camper instead of a 20'.

I go to southern Utah and rarely see a tent anymore. Everyone has an RV, sometimes one guy in a 20+' camper. Not sure what's going on..

If someone needs space for all humans to sleep and hang out comfortably inside...they need a hotel room. That's not camping. Why tow all that space behind you? Larger truck, more money more gas more everything. If everyone needs inside space, VRBO or hotel.

Having said all that...I get it. And yeah, 25' Bigfoot or a non-molded fiberglass trailer is the way to go.

The Pascowitz Family raised 9 children in this truck-bed camper, though I don't think any of them would recommend it.

Surfwise (2007)

[Gene Masse]

Maybe I missed it but no one mentioned the Scamp 19'. It sleeps 6. It has a queen sized bed, a dinette that converts to a double and bunks.
https://www.scamptrailers.com/showroom/19-standard-trailers.html#!image_04[/URL]

[Jon in AZ]

I can't speak for others, but I didn't mention it because you have to have an open bed truck to tow it. With only 5 seats tops and no enclosed cargo space (when the seats are full), a pickup doesn't qualify as a family-friendly tow vehicle in my book.