New member looking for first trailer

[Excumbrian]

Hi folks,
About to go into semi-retirement in British Columbia and we will be looking to upgrade from tent camping to a new or used fiberglass camper, We drive a 2019 Subaru Outback (6 cylinder) with a towing capacity of 2700 lb, tongue weight capacity 200 lb.
We'd like the options of indoor cooking, a flush toilet, and possibly an indoor hand-held shower, but could make do with a portapotty and an outdoor shower. We'd probably be 3-season campers, doing long road trips in Canada and the US.
I'm interested in any advice and suggestions, especially from people who have towed trailers with a small SUV. We don't have any experience of RV camping other than having a look inside other people's trailers.

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome!

Your 200# tongue weight rating is going to be the limiting factor. You need a trailer with a fully loaded weight under 2000# to maintain at least 10% tongue weight for stable, sway-free towing. That limits you to a 13’er with a single LP tank on the tongue.

Scamp makes more 13’ers than anybody else, and that’s where I’d start looking. There’s a front wet bath model as well as a front sofa/bunk layout with a storage compartment for a porta-potty and the option of an outdoor shower. Both have a small but complete galley. There are deluxe versions with custom wood cabinetry if you prefer. A larger rear dinette bed (54”W vs. standard 44”W) is available, but it steals space from the galley and storage closet.

Happier Camper (Los Angeles) and Armadillo (British Columbia) also make 13’ models with bathrooms in some layouts. They’re both a step above Scamp in price and build quality.

13’ers are quite small- the cabin is only 10’ long and 6.5’ wide- so you’ll want to get a first-hand look before deciding if this will work for you. I was surprised at how roomy the front bunk layout feels and how efficiently the space is used. However, beds are small and storage is limited. We used ours with four people for over ten years, but we took shorter trips of up to a week at a time. We recently became empty nesters.

We tow our 13’ Scamp with a Pilot, and it does well in the mountains where we live. Since you will also presumably do a fair amount of mountain towing, I definitely wouldn’t go any larger. The H6 in your Subaru has the power, but the transmission is the weak link. Check the towing section of your owner’s manual for details and caveats. In many years of towing, my advice is not to push the limits of your vehicle. Choose a trailer that’s comfortably within your vehicle’s ratings, and don’t forget to factor in what you will carry in the vehicle besides the driver.

[Excumbrian]

Thank you for your reply. That's great advice -- much appreciated!

[Island Claire]

Welcome,


It seems that most used trailers are sold through online groups like Facebook market place. They go quickly so you need to be prepared for that.


Many of the trailer groups have Facebook groups, that like this one, provide excellent help. Most searches on google will pull up threads from this group and sometimes from Facebook groups.


Boler.ca has a good check list for buying a boler. It is good to familiarize yourself with this info as it is pretty typical of the fibreglass trailer issues.


There are some "local" groups of Fiberglass trailers in BC. Island Bolers and friends on Vancouver Island, BC Glass Eggs in the Vancouver area are two that I am familiar with. If you attend one of the Rallies, you will be able to talk with people about their trailers as well as have a look inside. check out the Rally map on this site for dates and locations.
Have fun, and maybe we will see you on the road.

[jerrybob]

Welcome!.....it's gonna be a tough fine for you....not sure what your price range is. Not having enough power can be an uncomfortable position to be in while towing. I personally like extra power but lots of folks tow with light rigs. Good luck in your search.....be safe out there.