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Old 07-11-2015, 06:40 AM   #1
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Name: Skip
Trailer: Looking at T@G Max
Florida
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New to This!

Hi all,

We are 'Plant Based' Travelers (vegans) so are looking at a small RV. Right now we are pretty serious about a T@G from Little Guy.

We have been doing long 'road trips' since 2012 and spend a lot on hotels as we usually require a kitchen (or at least a fridge and microwave). Not many restaurants serve food we will consume.

Now before I get any flack, the background on our Plant Based Lifestyle started out when I was diagnosed with Cancer and given 3 to 5 years; no matter what 'treatment' I might use. So I chucked it and told the doctors to stuff it and changed my (standard american diet) SAD lifestyle and now over 6 years later, I and my wife are healthier at 69 than we were at 40!

So, back to the T@G, it looks really sweet and since we have a 2015 Kia Soul (2.0 ltr) seems like a perfect towable solution. I was sorry to see there are no others with small trailers but that may change?

Enough for now. We have a web site: Plant-Based Road Trip USA if you want to see some of our previous trips and pictures.

Cheers,

Skip Stein
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Old 07-11-2015, 07:39 AM   #2
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Hi Skip and Welcome to the site....


A lot on this site have seen the T@B's and acknowledge them as being "Cute", but they are a bit pricy and a look at owners sites for T@B's might give you a bit of insight as to the kinds of problems that their conventional construction brings to the table. Add to that, for a very small trailer, they are a bit heavy.


Google T@B forums and you will get more than a handful of sites.


But, before you do that, the towing limit for a 2015 Kia Soul 2.0 appears to be 1650 lbs, (check the owners manual for your vehicle) which is the almost exact dry weight of a T@B, meaning that with your "Stuff" on board that you will be well over your maximum towing weight, a very bad idea. Here's the link I found: 2015 Kia Sorento Specifications


A 1650 tow limit is a bit dicy, but there are a number of new and used FGRV's out there that, with careful packing, can be kept well under that weight. There is a table in the general discussion forum about real world trailer weights that you will want to visit.


Be sure to ask a lot of questions but, bottom line, it doesn't look like a T@B will be in your future.



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Old 07-11-2015, 08:24 AM   #3
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Skip and Bob, I believe it may be worse than you think. The link in the previous post was for a Kia Sorento, not a Soul. I looked at the owner's manual for a 2015 Soul and it states that towing is not recommended for this vehicle (section 5, page 58). Skip, you might want to check the manual that came with your vehicle. I hope I am wrong, but that's what I saw.
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Old 07-11-2015, 09:36 AM   #4
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OMG... Yep, I asked for Soul specs and got the Sorento page instead. Again, always check the manual that came with the vehicle.



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Old 07-11-2015, 09:57 AM   #5
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Florida
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Hi Guys, thanks for the input! Minor correction, we are looking at a T@G Max with a dry weight of 900lbs. My KIA Soul with the 2.0 liter engine will pull 1600lbs up to 2000 so I'm pretty ok with the T@G. There is a big difference compared to the T@B; just one little letter makes a big difference. I already have a hitch installed that we use for a platform (200lbs tongue weight) for luggage etc. Our trips have been from 30 to 45 days in the past and hotels get expensive. Nancy needs that for goodies she buys along the way!

From 2012 to 2014 we did our travels in a Smart Car (30,000 miles in that time) so a Kia and T@G will be like a cadillac. Just returned from a 32 day hiking trip to Utah and Colorado.

Thanks again for the valuable input. Oh, yes the LittleGuy stuff is a little pricier but the detail and equipment that comes standard is really nice.

We haven't finished our research yet but it is looking better 'n better for a T@G. Haven't found anything in it's class that compares. Open for suggestions!

Cheers,

Skip
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Old 07-11-2015, 09:59 AM   #6
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I had forgotten about the T@G! Nice little trailer and much smaller than the T@B if you can tolerate a teardrop.
The Roughneck is not the same , but it is smaller and lighter than the T@G, and it is fiberglass....
Roughneck Adventure Trailer - Compact Expedition Trailer - Outdoor Sports Cargo Camper
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Old 07-11-2015, 10:23 AM   #7
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I've been looking over your blog, very cool.
While not vegan, we eat very clean..no processed food, organic, non GMO, grass fed meat, wild caught fish..so it can indeed be a challenge. So..I prefer to cook for myself...so I feel your pain regarding finding good stuff to eat!
We have a Casita and love the 'small' way of traveling. You will have so. Much fun traveling with your own accommodations. Looking forward to reading more!
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Old 07-11-2015, 11:53 AM   #8
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Skip, first let me congratulate you on finding a way to beat the odds and I'd bet your frame of mind had lot to do with it.

Chapter 5 of the owner's manual for a 2015 Kia Soul states: “TRAILER TOWING – We do not recommend using this vehicle for trailer towing”.

When I started looking it was for a trailer my new Subaru Outback could pull but couldn't find one meeting my needs and wants. Finally I realized I should buy the trailer I wanted, and could afford, then get a TV that would safely pull it.
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Old 07-11-2015, 12:00 PM   #9
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Hi Floyd, those look good but I couldn't find any specs on the web site. Frankly the T@G has a lot of 'stuff' old farts like us like. We are looking at tent attachments to give us mobility and have found several really nice attachable ones.

Leej, I was requested to take down my like to our travel web site. We travel promoting Whole Foods Plant Based Lifestyles for health, wellness and longevity. (see wf4hl.com)

We have been on the road two-three months/year since 2012 and want more. A small teardrop will save us hotel bills and allow us to travel more often. With the T@G and back kitchen we might even be able to give Plant-Based cooking demo's! FUN FUN!

Now we just have to figure out how we can afford to buy one!!!

Skip
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Old 07-11-2015, 12:54 PM   #10
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Yep, I was kinds wondering also where the 1600-2000 lb figure for the Soul came from in as much as the larger Sorento can't pull 2000 lbs at all.


As you might guess, towing specifications are a BIG issue hereabouts.


But, if there is any real question about exceeding or ignoring the limits in the vehicles user manual, there are only two people you need to ask, your insurance agent and your attorney, if they give the okey-dokey you will be good to go.



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Old 07-11-2015, 08:23 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
Yep, I was kinds wondering also where the 1600-2000 lb figure for the Soul came from in as much as the larger Sorento can't pull 2000 lbs at all.


As you might guess, towing specifications are a BIG issue hereabouts.


But, if there is any real question about exceeding or ignoring the limits in the vehicles user manual, there are only two people you need to ask, your insurance agent and your attorney, if they give the okey-dokey you will be good to go.
Or maybe SEMA, a decent mechanic
and a balanced diet!
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Old 07-11-2015, 10:15 PM   #12
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We rented a T@G last fall. Perfect little Tear Drop and so easy to tow.
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Old 07-13-2015, 11:00 AM   #13
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What kind of vehicle did you have? We thought about renting one to try out but none around/near us.
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Old 07-13-2015, 01:10 PM   #14
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We have a Ford Escape V6 a bit overkill for a 1000lb T@G. We didn't even know it was there. Where are you located? We rented ours in Bracebridge ON Canada but took it to New Hampshire for the week. Others have rented from there and taken them for the summer to tour US and Canada.
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Old 07-13-2015, 03:27 PM   #15
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Well we are way down here in Orlando Florida USA. Canada is a bit far to drive for a rental!~ <smile>! We are close to a decision anyway; been researching everything over the weekend and will probably return to the dealer for a second look and kick the tires more.

Thanks for the response. Helpful.
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Old 07-14-2015, 10:36 AM   #16
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Congratulations on adopting a vegan lifestyle that has worked for you.

I looked at your web page/blog and wonder how you will store all your gear and food necessities, which now hang over the back of your TV, when you hook up your new trailer. I'm thinking that you might want to sleep in your TV and tow a trailer dedicated to your gear and food necessities. The T@G, while beautifully appointed and very cute, has about as much sleeping room as your tow vehicle (I'm guessing).

We had considered getting a teardrop when we were looking for trailers but ruled them out because we wanted to be able to cook and hang out indoors when weather was inclement and be able to stand while dressing. Most campgrounds have picnic tables where it is easy to set up a simple kitchen. Plus, we enjoy cooking outdoors, under the trees, as opposed to on the asphalt of the parking space. Our bare bones 13' Scamp trailer, without shower or toilet, turned out to be the (almost) perfect fit for us.

This is just my 2 cents worth and know that you will make the right choice for your needs.

P.S. Just one more thing to consider... I don't know if you've camped in bear country yet. In California bear country we are required to put all our food and toiletries (anything that smells attractive to bears) in provided bear-proof containers. This can mean a lot of "schlepping" to stock the container and a lot of "schlepping" to and from the container when cooking. All in all it is worth it because we camp in gloriously beautiful places AND we help bears to forage for natural foods and stay away from people. In Yellowstone NP they did not allow us to keep our camping stove out on the picnic table.
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Old 07-14-2015, 10:45 AM   #17
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One additional thought...If you decide to sleep in your TV you might want to consider a vehicle tent like this one Rightline Gear SUV Tent at Brookstone—Buy Now! to give you more room. Or you could sleep in the tent and have access to the stuff in your vehicle.
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Old 07-14-2015, 11:00 AM   #18
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Bears

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilda View Post
. (clip) In Yellowstone NP they did not allow us to keep our camping stove out on the picnic table.
Last month we were in Yellowstone and the camper next to us was heard walking around has campsite cursing the "Dammed Hippy Thieves" (his words) that stole his camp stove while they were away for the day.

I went over and showed him a pink "Ticket" that was clipped to his site number post advising him that: a)the ranger had picked up the stove and b) that it was available at the ranger station and c) that a small fine was being added to his camping fee.

Seems that no one in his entire family read the large warning notice that was laminated and attached to the center of every table to not leave anything out, including camp stoves.

BTW: There are campgrounds in Yellowstone where, due to bears, soft sided trailers (pop-up tent trailers) are not allowed.



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Old 07-14-2015, 12:08 PM   #19
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Florida
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Hi Gilda, lovely to hear from you! You raise some excellent points but may not have tried out looking at the T@G. It has a full queen sized sleeping area and lots of storage under the 'mattress' components. We plan on towing the T@G behind our 2015 Kia Soul so won't have our little hitch/platform we have used in the past with our Smart Car.

Because the T@G has a nice freezer, we can store lots of our frozen foodstuffs there in the 'kitchen'. We plan on putting our electric cooler inside the T@G while moving along with our little 'potty'. The side tent (changing room) can go in the SUV with the Napier 48000 rear tent/screen room.

Since we plan to camp mostly where there will be an electric hookup, we can use both the gas burners (included) as well as our small induction cooktop we have been carrying. Plenty of ways to cook our Plant-Based meals!

The door attached 5 X 7 tent room will be our 'changing area' and potty. Surprisingly there are some pretty nice portable, easy to clean' units available.

Since the T@G has a very nice kitchen in the rear, we can lock away any food with a simple closing of the hatch. Other food will be in the electric cooler at the rear in the Napier Tent.

So far we have avoided California but will no doubt try to visit sometime in the future. Lots of USA to explore that we have yet to cover over the past 2.5 years.

Major Point: We have never done this sort of thing before. This will be all new for us so who knows how it will play out. We have been researching the heck out of this and love the features of the T@G Max for creature comfort that we like.

We haven't bought anything yet, but are getting close.
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Old 07-14-2015, 12:11 PM   #20
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I will have to ask at Yellowstone if our attached side 5 X 7 tent would be allowed with our hard shell T@G. As long as no food is stored there it may be ok. I have no desire to deal with bears except to snap a picture from a distance! <smile>!
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