Community Forums

Becknuts · 01-01-2019, 09:30 PM

We are just starting to explore a trailer. I’m preparing for the Denver RV show in a couple of weeks and would appreciate some suggestions of trailers I should check out. We are leaning towards a trailer due to cost and flexibility (vs a Class C). We prefer state and national parks for the most part although admit having a trailer may change that.

Our ideal camper (in order of priority) would have:
Bunks (would be perfect if the bottom could lift up so we could travel with bikes)
<6k pounds GVR -towable with a 6 cylinder Durango
Sleeps 6
Curtain/door for parents bed
U-shapes dinette (so 6 could eat there)
Outdoor kitchen
Awning

I’ve been searching far and wide and a lot of camper have several of these options but none all - figured I’d try here in case anyone knows of a specific model that might be perfect!

Also anything else I am forgetting as a priority for a family with 3-4 kids (thinking of adding one or two more in the future - ha)?

Thanks for your thoughts!

merrykalia · 01-01-2019, 09:44 PM

I will say that we have 3 kids, one is grown and gone, but the other two are 14 and 11 (girls). We have done the popup, hybrid, travel trailer and two fifth wheels, so we have lots of experience in the RV world.

If you are purchasing your FIRST RV, my suggestion would be to purchase a good used trailer. Once you have camped for a year or two, you can see exactly what you want/need and what is just fluff. There are lots of really nice looking trailers that have lots of bells and whistles and many of them are USELESS! They look good, but....

If you purchase new, the depreciation on the new one is amazing in a years time while the depreciation on a used one is minimal in a years time.

I know that many of the things that we saw/read about, we thought we really needed, but after having the RV with those things, we found they were not worth the $$.

Go to the RV show and LOOK. Don't be talked into something that you will regret in the very near future. Find the floorplan/trailer that you like and then go spend a few hours IN the trailer and see if it will be workable for the whole family. Take some phones or other electronics to pacify the kids, but be sure they are in there. Think about what will happen in another 2-3 years when the kids have increased in size OR, they are no longer interested in what they are interested in now. How will that trailer work for you then? Then, look for a used one with that same floorplan. You might have to do some work, but it will be worth it in the long run.

tuffr2 · 01-02-2019, 05:12 AM

What do you have to tow the trailer? Every manufacturer makes a bunk house trailer where the back of the trailer has it's own door and room. Sometimes this room has a slide out. On one side you have 2 bunks and on the other side you have a folding bunk so you can fold it up and semi out if the way. That way you could carry bikes. Sometimes these trailers with have a 1/2 bath in the back also.

Agree with do not let the family get too excited and buy something that is not right. Also do not buy something that your tow vehicle can not tow safely.

But these trailers probably need a modern 1/2 ton truck or better yet a 3/4 ton truck.

Oh, Grand Design and Winnebago are two trailers I would look at. The Winnebago comes in colors like Red, Blue Yellow etc. Getting a family to agree on color could be an additional challenge

Good luck

Normal_Dave · 01-02-2019, 06:19 AM

If you want something to match your checklist, this should do the trick, and is a very well built and strong trailer even for boon docking, BUT, it's heavy, and you definitely will need a new tow rig.
Outdoors RV Timber Ridge 23DBS
ORV | Timber Ridge 23DBS

Mountain Dinette design:
https://youtu.be/ZYCbi41I3Tg

2018 walk-through at a dealer:
https://youtu.be/jooATjgTMHc

Another best kept secret is the Nash line, from sister company Northwood Mfg. (makers of the Arctic Fox). No outdoor kitchen, (often overrated in real world scenario), but everything else on your list is covered, bikes could be stored/attached inside the rear door at the bunks, until campsite.
Nash 25C:
https://youtu.be/f8ZLgWhcnZ4

If you use these as your baseline to compare, you may be surprised at how far short the name brands that look flashy, fall when compared to build strength, quality, and insulation. Strong, yes, heavy, yes, Durango towable, no. Be sure to look below the surface while shopping, and good luck. With all that said, I echo the "buy a good used trailer first", advice.

Welcome, and good luck.
Edit: while you're at it, look into this E-350 V10 Club Wagon. Rated to tow up to 10K lbs, not glamorous, but amazingly comfortable, and stable tow platform. They don't have pics up yet...
https://www.montroseford.net/used/Fo...archDepth=6:82
Read posts or reach out to forum member KyleC for his SUV to Van decision.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f45/nissa...ml#post4517100

Road trip...(or transfer), E-150 Wagon, XLT premium package, factory 7 passenger leather, quad seating, tow package, backup camera, Sync, 5.4L V8, (built on the E-250 chassis), factory aluminum wheels. Top of the line, rare package, although tow capacity on the 5.4L is a bit weak for the Outdoors RV trailers.
https://www.carmax.com/car/16680546

Becknuts · 01-02-2019, 10:03 AM

Thank you all!

We haven't bought the tow vehicle yet but we are looking at buying a Durango - mostly because it can tow a little more and is in our price range. We want to stay between $30k-$40k when all is said and done.

We will not get roped into anything at the RV show but just want to get a sense of the type of trailer we want. And we never buy new cars, that won't be any different with a trailer! Hoping to get a used one for sure.

We can't do a truck because we would potentially need to seat 6 people (we have two kids currently, are looking to foster starting in March - so may end up with two more!). The Ford van looks interesting but also HUGE and maybe not so comfortable for long-hauls? I would have to check it out in person to be sure.

My husband is also concerned with the length because he doesn't want to be severely limited in where we camp - he still wants to be able to do state parks and such. Are we asking for too much? :-)

Terry78 · 01-02-2019, 10:41 AM

The biggest problem is your tow rig.
It won't be enough for what you are asking for.
I don't think you can pull 6K with a V6. You
Must understand the weight of the trailer is before
You start adding things like water propane food
Battery clothes and the like. I really think you
Need a heavier tow vehicle. The trailer You describe would be around 24' minimum.
Good luck. I know there are the ultra lites that
Are quite a bit lighter. Look into these.

rte1985 · 01-02-2019, 12:32 PM

If you need to stick with an suv I highly would recommend a full size suv such as expedition, yukon xl, suburban. Under 6000 gvw on a trailer with all of those wants is a touch challenge. I have a family of 5 and am just about sold on the winnebago micro minnie 2306bhs. Sleeps 6 and sits 6! No outside kitchen but you do get a fold up bunk for added storage. Gvw is 7000 pounds but it has a cargo capacity of 2800 lbs! So with a dry weight of 4200 lbs you can keep the weight well below that 6000 lb mark. Also it is 7 foot wide which does lessen inside space but will be a little easier on the tow vehicle if your stuck on the durango. I have a lot larger suv and still like the model just for easy towing and for getting in tighter camp spot in more rustic locations. Good luck on your search. The rockwood mini lite 2509s is also a nice unit but dry weight 1000 lbs more than the winnie. Same GVW though.

Oct Prime · 01-02-2019, 01:48 PM

You are wise to take your time and look at RV shows before purchasing.
We researched and read for over a year before purchasing.
Had I bought early in my research, I would not have been happy with our purchase.

I agree with prior posts that say your limiting factor is that tow vehicle. You will need a big, heavy SUV for anything you’re wanting. A Durango will put you in the pop-up category for that sleeping capacity.

If you go with an Expedition or Suburban, your options go up significantly, but you will still want to triple check all weights on potential trailers. We discovered that many trailers require big,beefy, expensive trucks to safely tow.

You mentioned the u-dinette. I thought we wanted this too. When we all sat down,we discovered that we were hitting each other’s feet when we sat down. We have been happy with our booth dinette, which offers us a bit of storage beneath. You. We’d more storage than fancy stuff when you travel with kids.

You didn’t say much about how you like to do things. That plays a lot into it. We are a family of 4. Our children are ages 9 and 3. We use our camper as a personal hotel while traveling. We often do not even stay at the campground during our daytime outings. For that reason, our small, slideless camper has served us well since we don’t spend much time inside.

We own a Jayco Jayflight 26bh. It has a GVWR of 7,000 lbs. We tow with a Ford F-150 (4 door) 3.5L v6 with Ecoboost, which has a towing capacity of 10,000lbs when using a weight distribution hitch.
Our trailer has an island queen, a jackknife sofa, a small kitchen, a booth dinette, full-size bunk beds, and a bathroom large enough to accommodate one of Santa’s elves. (The bathroom is seriously our only complaint.)
This unit had more storage than any of the others we looked at.
There is a curtain that separates the queen bed from the rest of the camper. I wouldn’t depend on it for any sort of privacy with one’s spouse, but it works when someone wants to change clothes without an audience.

Persistent · 01-02-2019, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becknuts

<6k pounds GVR -towable with a 6 cylinder Durango

I looked up a 2018 Dodge Durango on Dodge.com. The new Durango's towing maximum range from 3500# to 7400#. Trailer Tow IV group is optional. That may bring tow capacity up to 6200 - 7400#.
You did not say what year your Durango was or what options it has. You need the trailer towing options package.

GVW of 6000# is the weight your Durango can carry including the weight of the Durango.

The 2018 model can carry payload of about 1300#.
Two Adults = 350#
4 children = 350#
Cargo = 100#
Total = 800 #

1300
-800
500 # TT Tongue weight max

500 X10 = 5000# TT wgt
With no cargo in the Durango, You could have 600# tongue wgt and so 6000# trailer. It would still be touch and go as explained below.
If you carefully balance the trailer to put 500# on the tongue you can pull a 5000# Gross Vehicle Weight Trailer. You would need a tongue weight gage to insure you are not below or above that weight. You would need to move cargo in the trailer around to balance. You would be on the edge of dangerous trailer sway. You need a weight distribution hitch with sway control to safely pull at moderate speeds (60 mph).
Trailer towing capacity is not just about engine size. It includes upgraded engine cooling, transmission cooling, transmission, and axle load capability. It includes stability when braking and turning. It needs stability in crosswinds and when semi’s pass you at high speeds. You need the factory towing package. Otherwise your trailer weight maximum is going to be 3500#.
A sleep 6 trailer under 5000# is probably going to be tight. It will at least be a bunkhouse model. It will probably have fold out beds with canvas sides and top.
I have a 2015 Pathfinder with towing package and rated to tow 6000#. I tow a Kodiak Cub with a GVW of 4300# and an Anderson weight distribution anti sway hitch. It works fine towing at 60 mph. Towing faster or up steep hills runs the engine RPM up to about 3500 RPM. I have never had any sway problems. Gas milage is about 11 mpg at 60 mph.
Here is a list of brands of TT recommended by iRV2 members with first hand experience. Most will be too heavy for the Durango. You may experience plenty of warranty claims and much personal time making changes and improvements for other brands
Artic Fox
Difficult to find east of the Mississippi
$25k to $50k thermal pane windows
Hamersville Ohio (Cincinnati)
Outdoor RV
Difficult to find east of the Mississippi , $25k to $50k
Thermal pane windows, dealer in Denver.
Cooler in sun, Excellent support
Lance are $10-$25k more than the same length ORV Creekside or Timber Ridge.
2018 28'8" Timber Ridge was $34,700
Air Stream
Recent corrosion problem
Grand Design
Insulated well
Winnebago
Was Sunnybrook
Grand Design
One bad review
Elite Suites
Lance
Newell
TIFFIN
Excellent service
Nash

shane_the_ee · 01-02-2019, 03:17 PM

We’ve got 4 kids and you’re absolutely right to be asking “how short can we go, including the tow vehicle?”.

We considered all sorts of options and everything is a compromise. A 1-ton van is a great tow vehicle, but it’s a couple feet longer than our extended length Expedition. A 3/4 ton truck would’ve been cheaper with more towing and payload capacity, but it’s cramped inside with 4 kids and, in crew cab configuration, almost as long as the vans. We spent lots of money on our tow vehicle and bought a used trailer. For the bikes, we had a custom 2” receiver welded to the trailer*.

For the trailer, we found a used ORV Creekside 18CK which is the same floor plan as the ORV Backcountry 18DB. 22’3” long, sleeps 7, big fresh and waste tanks, etc, etc. It’s cheaper than the aforementioned 21DBS, and can be towed with a 1/2 ton SUV. It’s tongue heavy (~930lbs), but not the ~1100lbs of the 21DBS. It’s also shorter and doesn’t have the slide out, so it’s lighter and we can overnight in places that don’t have room for a slide out. The dinette will be a little small when the kids are bigger, but there’s a couch and the flip up counter top makes a good table for one person on the couch. And, really, how many meals are you going to eat inside?

A lot of people shy away from having to put the kids to bed on the dinette and couch, but we use sleeping bags. It takes less than a minute to go from dinette to bed with two sleeping bags and even less time to unfold the couch and put down a bag. It’s far less frustration than having to deal with a 50’ rig like our friends with the Nissan NV3500 and Springdale 2400BH...

If you don’t want to spend that much money (or time searching), I’d recommend a used Yukon Denali (you really do want the 6.2L), a used Expedition (2015 or newer, so you get the 3.5L EcoBoost and with the tow package), or a used (2015+) Nissan Armada.

The other place to save money (although not as much as you’d think from reading these forums) would be a Springdale 189FLB or Keystone Hideout 19FL. They’re the same floor plan as our ORV also with the large holding tanks conducive to National Park and Forest Service campgrounds.

*Which is awesome because we now have a bike rack for

Persistent · 01-02-2019, 03:22 PM

Consider changing your requirements in order to use the Durango.
Sleep 6 inside.
Seat 6 outside. (In a screen tent for north east and north central and Canada.)
Be outside all day. Crowd inside only for inclement weather.

IBTripping · 01-02-2019, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Persistent

Consider changing your requirements in order to use the Durango.
Sleep 6 inside.
Seat 6 outside. (In a screen tent for north east and north central and Canada.)
Be outside all day. Crowd inside only for inclement weather.

I own a Dodge Durango with a 4.7L engine. The TT I tow has a gross weight of 4,600 lb. Easy towing. But, I can't imagine trying to tow a 7,000 lb TT.

I agree with others who advised getting a different full size suv. IMO all the ones suggested by others in this thread will work fine. You can find lightly used SUVs in your price range. Just make sure BEFORE you purchase that the one you want has the factory towing package. Also, check the yellow sticker on the driver's door or door frame for the max towing capacity of that SUV. The gross weight of the TT you want to tow should be at least under 80% of the max towing capacity of the tow vehicle.

Also, another full size SUV option not yet mentioned is a Cadillac Escalade.

Good luck and please keep us informed of your progress.

tuffr2 · 01-02-2019, 07:29 PM

A big pop-up would be a good 1st trailer. Easy to tow with an SUV and lots of sleeping area if you get one with 3 pop-outs.

Also gives the feeling of camping out. Not what a lot of people do with big 5th wheels that are like a house.

I think the kids would love a big pop-up trailer.

Reevesfamily · 01-02-2019, 08:19 PM

Lots of great advice here from many years of experience. Your issue will be your tow vehicle for the TT you seek. Buy floor plan in a trailer, they're all pretty much junk and the advice of a used unit for a couple years to decide what you want and learn the camper life is good advice. Don't overspend! The only V6 that would be sufficient would be a recent Ford Ecoboost. The Durango won't get the job done and will be more than likely unsafe loaded. Just another opinion for ya! Enjoy the journey!