Travel Trailer Size Experiences & Recommendations?

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Yeah, it would have been really tough had it been with my horse, though turns out there's an rv park/"Horse Motel" outside of town near the Hualapai Mountain. All working out.

 

[Opah]

Small and lite as you can and still be comfortable, Maximum axle and frame clearance .
Multiple energy options recommended, solar, wind and propane. Get and keep it as efferent
as possible.

 

[scp]

Man, super helpful forum. Truly. I’m a new RV owner myself and the thoughts and openness here are appreciated. Thanks for the lessons learned, all.

 

[307]

Northwood has a budget line that isn't as fancy as the Arctic Fox called Nash. I have a Nash 25c. Bunks for the kids, 1 slide, well built, insulated, and comfortable. True 4 season is key IMO and I really appreciate the built in LP generator.

I upgraded the 12 volt batteries to 6 volt deep cycle "gomf cart" batteries. Much better performance!

The down size is weight. Mine weighs 6k. Its maxing out my 1/2 ton dodge so I have to drive like a little old lady when towing, which doesn't bother me much. Next vehicle will definitely be 3/4 ton.

 

[CO-AJ]

Northwood has a budget line that isn't as fancy as the Arctic Fox called Nash. I have a Nash 25c. Bunks for the kids, 1 slide, well built, insulated, and comfortable. True 4 season is key IMO and I really appreciate the built in LP generator.

I upgraded the 12 volt batteries to 6 volt deep cycle "gomf cart" batteries. Much better performance!

The down size is weight. Mine weighs 6k. Its maxing out my 1/2 ton dodge so I have to drive like a little old lady when towing, which doesn't bother me much. Next vehicle will definitely be 3/4 ton.

I have the Arctic Fox 25R and absolutely think there is not a trailer out there better built. There are ones more expensive but love mine. I tow with a 2500 Dodge Ram and would not tow it with a 1/2 ton. NW is a beefy trailer line, also make sure you have a good eq hitch. I did the upgraded Equalizer and have 0 sway issues even in wind.

 

[CO-AJ]

I have a 27ft Outdoors RV (ORV) and I absolutely love mine. It is much larger of a rig that I thought I would ever buy but its been great. We mostly camp in the NF random sites and dry campgrounds which is where my ORV comes in. They are built to drive up/down the not so great roads and with LED lights, larger fresh water tanks/grey and black tanks, solar panels you can stay out for a while with a minimum amount of generator use.

There are lots of trailers that can do what you are looking for, but I wont be buying another brand anytime soon.

Pic is from two weeks ago, in the Ochoco National forrest.

Great manufacturer IMO. It was my number 2 choice behind the Arctic Fox.

 

[CO-AJ]

First thought is ground clearance. Even though the roads are actual roads they do get deep ruts and pit holes in them. Second thought is for length. I would say 20’ to 26’ total trailer length will get you a lot of places. We traded our 23’ overall length keystone for an Outdoors RV. Much more ground clearance. Actual suspension with shocks. Much larger tanks for water, onboard generator and solar. Total length is 25’10”. First off-road trip is this weekend. But we bought it because we felt limited in the places we could go on the keystone. When we looked the Nash, Artic Fox and the ORV were the finalists. We went with the ORV as this is intended to be used for many years to come.


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Same finalists for me except for the Nash. Mine was ORV, AF, Bigfoot, and Lance. Went with the AF because I like the 25' floorplan and sofa location just a bit better. Lance fell off pretty quickly as they have 0 counter space and smaller wheels. Bigfoot I really like but you cannot get one, and I was concerned about repairs to such an exclusive coach. ORV and AF were my 2 out front coaches.

 

[4and1]

I have a Nash 27F. Yes it's heavy, but you get what you pay for. The interior is much better quality than the other brands. Mine is a '03, I did have to replace the rubber roof. I was "told" by the dealer to never touch the roof, it gets flakey and dusty and is normal. Well, that is bu!!$h!t.
$3k later I was told to use the rubber roof treatment each year, if not more often, and you wouldn't have to replace it. I now keep a tarp over it during the winter months, but otherwise it looks very good. I don't boondock so a single 12V deep cycle does fine for me.

 

[ZValentine]

I learned don't let the wife talk you into a camper mansion. We started with a 1972 Prowler that was basically a bed and table with a stove. She wanted A/C for some lake trips with fiends and I was game. My idea was a 24-26' with bunks for the kids. we came home with a 32' with a slide out and couch. It is "offroad" ready because it sits pretty high and I don't mind crawling it into some smaller spots in the mountains but I still feel like we should have dumped the couch and would have been 6' shorter and had same function. Plus her slore friends wouldn't be as inclined to assume our convertible couch/bed was always available.

 

[cyrus799]

It's crucial to know the width of a travel trailer to see if it'll fit in most parking spaces. Knowing the length and breadth of a travel trailer can also save you money on government fees. The width of a travel trailer is usually determined by its class. Travel trailers in the Class A category are typically 100 inches wide. The typical width of a Class B model is 84 inches. The typical width of Class C travel trailers is the same as that of Class A RVs.

 

[ben h]

My girlfriend lived for 2 months in a 17' Winnebago with her dog and 2 cats while her home was being finished. I stayed with her for about 1 week of that time and it was pretty rough in that space to live and work. I think something 4-5' larger would have been a big improvement, but still not be too large. A buddy of mine has a large 5th wheel and it's nice, but what a pain in the ass to haul around, park, store, pay for, etc. I think something in the 22' range is a pretty good and practical length to be comfortable with 1-2 people or dogs and you could still work in it. I've worked remotely for quite a few years and I'm debating doing the same thing this summer. I just need decent internet speed and power.

 

[polemtn]

I have the same Nash 25c. It's a great trailer if you have kids, lot's of years of good memories. Now that the kids are grown, its a bit much. The room is nice but its overkill for 1 or 2 people. We're gonna sell it and get something smaller.

 

[BadDogPSD]

It's crucial to know the width of a travel trailer to see if it'll fit in most parking spaces. Knowing the length and breadth of a travel trailer can also save you money on government fees. The width of a travel trailer is usually determined by its class. Travel trailers in the Class A category are typically 100 inches wide. The typical width of a Class B model is 84 inches. The typical width of Class C travel trailers is the same as that of Class A RVs.

Uh, wut?

 

[BadDogPSD]

I've owned a handful of travel trailers & 5th wheels over the years. Here's my experiences-
Once you get over about 24' in overall length, your options for campsites goes down, especially in state and national parks.
Having a fixed bed is very nice to have. It sucks to have to set up and break down a bed to sit vs sleep.
For the fall season in that area, you'll definitely want a true 4 season trailer with fully enclosed underbelly and heated tanks. Tanks that are heated with electric pads AND also by the furnace are best for cold weather camping.
Dual pane windows help control the temperature inside the rig, and also more quiet. There are other things you can do to better control the temps too, like foam blocks for the overhead vents, magnetic solar covers for windows, etc...
As others have mentioned, Northwood Mfg. (Nash, Arctic Fox, Desert Fox) makes a really solid trailer that are designed to be taken on dirt roads. I've owned all three of these and currently have a Desert Fox 24AS toy hauler. Arctic Fox is a bit fancier than Nash, but the quality of construction is the same.
Don't rely on model numbers to determine the overall length of a trailer- my 24AS measures 30.2' tip-to-tail.
Most trailers are going to be either 96" or 102" wide. Realistically, the only time you'll notice the difference is when using your mirrors.
Personally I've always been more comfortable staying around 75-80% of the tow rigs ratings. This has more to do with being able to stop vs being able to go. I've towed with gas and diesel. In the mountain west, I much prefer towing with a diesel.

 

[Centralcoastca]

I have a 17’ Winnebago micro mini tt and for my wife, dog and myself it’s been great for us but the longest we take it out out is a week or so. It’d definitely be too small for most to live in but over the last couple years I have learned a lot about what I would choose for the next one. Ours has no slide which I specifically did not want for weight, and associated issues with them. Ours has a dinette which is nice, but if I had a choice I wish it had a couch with recliners instead. The dinette is not comfortable to spend much time at and occasionally in bad weather or just watching a movie in the evening we spend more time in it than usual and it’s not great. Lance made a model we checked out that had two swivel recliners with two tables that swiveled in front of them that was an awesome setup. The best thing about the size we got is being able to get into way more spots than most, my brother got a 30’ and hated it. It was so big that it kept him out of tons of places and was just generally a hassle at gas stations etc. I think something in the low 20’s would be about right to get more room but still be agile. Easily accessible storage with big hatches is very nice and the more I use ours the more I appreciate that. Our refrigerator is too small really. I overlooked that when we got it and won’t the next time. Bathroom placement is important and I didn’t realize that either. Rear bathrooms like ours have the drain plumbing in the back and was low enough it was a potential clearance issue until I got lift blocks for it to gain a couple inches. Middle bathrooms typically have the plumbing towards the middle and aren’t as much of a dragging issue. The the tires that come on trailers are usually the cheapest crap they can get away with and ours immediately got replaced with maxis m8008, I’ve heard that Michelins are good trailer tires too. TV placement is pretty important too. Most people don’t plan on spending much time watching tv when camping, but occasionally that’s what happens and when it does, it sucks when the tv is randomly placed in the only empty spot on the wall and only one seat in the whole place has a good view. I have often thought that a smaller toy hauler would be nice. Even if you didn’t have a quad or whatever to haul it’d be great for totes with hunting gear, coolers, bikes, kayaks etc. or in the case of working out of it, a desk. Seems like it’d be very versatile. That’s just some stuff off the top of my head from my travel trailer experience that I hope might be useful for someone thinking about getting one.

 

[colersu22]

I see a lot of love for outdoors rv and was looking at the 21bh or 23bh but being my first trailer I keep having a hard time pulling the trigger.

Has anyone here had experience with the baja/off-road jayco trailers? You can pick them up for quite a bit less than the outdoors rv models.

I was looking at the 19-24’ range and would like a bunk model to accommodate the kids when they are older. I am still on the fence on if I want/need a slide out. The slide out would be nice for the extra room when camping but I hear a lot of issues with leaking at the slide.

 

[ToolMann]

We've taken our 2015 Lance 1995 trailer on more crappy roads in 4WD than I'd care to admit. Makes a great camp when the hunt allows. But I buy stuff to use it. Only thing I refuse to do it tow it over mountain passes in snow. Always afraid I'll see it pass me by. For 2 people it is perfect for long trips.

 

[ben h]

I have a 17’ Winnebago micro mini tt and for my wife, dog and myself it’s been great for us but the longest we take it out out is a week or so. It’d definitely be too small for most to live in but over the last couple years I have learned a lot about what I would choose for the next one. Ours has no slide which I specifically did not want for weight, and associated issues with them. Ours has a dinette which is nice, but if I had a choice I wish it had a couch with recliners instead. The dinette is not comfortable to spend much time at and occasionally in bad weather or just watching a movie in the evening we spend more time in it than usual and it’s not great. Lance made a model we checked out that had two swivel recliners with two tables that swiveled in front of them that was an awesome setup. The best thing about the size we got is being able to get into way more spots than most, my brother got a 30’ and hated it. It was so big that it kept him out of tons of places and was just generally a hassle at gas stations etc. I think something in the low 20’s would be about right to get more room but still be agile. Easily accessible storage with big hatches is very nice and the more I use ours the more I appreciate that. Our refrigerator is too small really. I overlooked that when we got it and won’t the next time. Bathroom placement is important and I didn’t realize that either. Rear bathrooms like ours have the drain plumbing in the back and was low enough it was a potential clearance issue until I got lift blocks for it to gain a couple inches. Middle bathrooms typically have the plumbing towards the middle and aren’t as much of a dragging issue. The the tires that come on trailers are usually the cheapest crap they can get away with and ours immediately got replaced with maxis m8008, I’ve heard that Michelins are good trailer tires too. TV placement is pretty important too. Most people don’t plan on spending much time watching tv when camping, but occasionally that’s what happens and when it does, it sucks when the tv is randomly placed in the only empty spot on the wall and only one seat in the whole place has a good view. I have often thought that a smaller toy hauler would be nice. Even if you didn’t have a quad or whatever to haul it’d be great for totes with hunting gear, coolers, bikes, kayaks etc. or in the case of working out of it, a desk. Seems like it’d be very versatile. That’s just some stuff off the top of my head from my travel trailer experience that I hope might be useful for someone thinking about getting one.

I ran this past my girlfriend and she pretty much agreed with every one of your points. I only lived in the trailer for about 5-6 days and it got old fast (cat boxes in that were terrible). I don't know how she hammered out 2 months in that thing, but she did. I think her camper is the same as yours 17' mini something or other which is fine for a couple days, but you're not going to like months, or working in it at all. The Toy hauler is a great idea for an office, and the chairs instead of a table is a good idea, because you don't need an eating area for 4 people if there's only one or two of you in it, and someplace to stretch out would be nice. The bathroom sucks in her trailer, I'd think about that one too. The plumbing clearance on hers is stupid low too; it almost drags getting it out of a typical driveway and no way would work on a dirt road. That one can easily be remedied with a replacement axle, but that is stupid on a new trailer.

 

[Centralcoastca]

I ran this past my girlfriend and she pretty much agreed with every one of your points. I only lived in the trailer for about 5-6 days and it got old fast (cat boxes in that were terrible). I don't know how she hammered out 2 months in that thing, but she did. I think her camper is the same as yours 17' mini something or other which is fine for a couple days, but you're not going to like months, or working in it at all. The Toy hauler is a great idea for an office, and the chairs instead of a table is a good idea, because you don't need an eating area for 4 people if there's only one or two of you in it, and someplace to stretch out would be nice. The bathroom sucks in her trailer, I'd think about that one too. The plumbing clearance on hers is stupid low too; it almost drags getting it out of a typical driveway and no way would work on a dirt road. That one can easily be remedied with a replacement axle, but that is stupid on a new trailer.

I spent a ton of time researching as much as possible before buying and it was still amazing what I overlooked. We’ll make do with what we have for our needs for quite awhile since it’s already bought and payed for, but when it’s time for a new one I will have a list… also, the lift for the trailer was about a $100 I think. It’s Basically just a lift block type deal and easy enough to install with hand tools and a floor jack and stands.

 

[JiminAZ]

We have boondocked with a 21 and 24' trailer in the past. Now we have a 25' toy hauler. The thing about toy haulers is they have RESOURCES! They typically have big water (mine is 100 gal), big black and gray tanks, and an onboard gas tank (mine is 30 gal), plus a decent generator, AC, etc. Mine also has solar. And also toy haulers typically have good ground clearance.

Even if you don't haul at toy (any at some point you may want to consider having a 4 wheeler or something), the space in a toy hauler can be configured multiple ways.

One other kind of neat thing about ours is the toy ramp in back can be configured as a little porch/patio. It effectively increases the perceived size without making the trailer longer. Glass doors in back just open the thing up visually.

Mine is a Grand Design Momentum 25'. We were also very tempted by the Offroad RV offerings but my wife did not like the window and slide arrangements (or lack therof) in the ORV. I was very impressed with the ORV build quality.

From what I understand Grand Design quality has taken a dive since the Covid thing. Be careful, all of these manufacturers have a very hard time hiring qualified people these days.

And plan on doing your own work. The dealers are pretty atrocious as a group. Again they have trouble hiring talent. I consider the warranty a last ditch thing - will fix it myself and keep my rig on the road thank you very much.

I also agree with the above assessments of Northwood build quality - very good stuff.

Get a rig with insulated floors/tanks and double pane windows if you intend to be out in the cold much.

etrailer.com is your friend for accessories and towing stuff.