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Does anyone make a quality travel trailer besides Airstream? I ask because I have been researching various makes and models, and most of the new models get crappy reviews lately. Jayco, Keystone, Forest River, etc. Arctic Fox seems to have a good rep, but they don't have a decent bath for our purpose. We are looking for a travel trailer for full time use, as I intend to be traveling ina medical career, staying in one place for a few months, then going to another location. We need a real shower, a decent kitchen, and a fair amount of storage. Want a four season rig. We like like the Airstream, but don't have a hundred grand or more thatn we care to spend on this. Are all the reviews just hot air, or are the newer models really that crappy? Should we look at an older model? We are looking in the 30 to 32 foot range.
Are all the reviews just hot air, or are the newer models really that crappy?
The only review that matters is YOUR personal experience of X. Or of Y. Or Z.
Rent a couple of likely prospects and actually use them for a week or more.
The deeper question is expecting ANY trailer to work for a full time use.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Newer have a lot of plastic (like cars).
Plastic is lighter.
Plastic breaks in applications exposed to heat, vibration, or sunlight.
Planned obsolescence.
+/- for customers.
1) They can get a new one every few yrs
2) Lighter = less expensive to tow and can use a lighter tow vehicle (SUV or van)
3) New Technologies (mainly electronics) are nice, but they break too. (humid / temperature extreme environment, vibration).
4) Some will want and enjoy new.
5) Others will keep the old iron serviceable. (vehicles / appliances / hobby & farm equipment and tools / TT...)
I’ve fulltimed twice: in a 30 foot travel trailer and a class A motor home.
I’d recommend a fifth wheel. We looked at them a year ago when we ultimately bought our diesel coach and wish we’d gotten one back when we fulltimed. Excluding the airstreams, they seem to be better made and more high end than most travel trailers and you can get them with the bells and whistles that make fulltiming more comfortable.
Most travel trailers are designed to be as light as possible so smaller 1/2 ton truck and SUV'S can tow them. Unfortunately as you have found out light often equates to cheaply built. Unwritten rule is the heavier the TT the better it's built (side by side size comparison)
If you decide to go with a TT I strongly suggest you buy a newer model that has the latest electronic upgrades such as 50 amp service because full timing you will want those extra amps. Buy a unit that has two AC units. Also look at things like holding tank size, water heater size, double pane windows etc. If you plan on being anywhere during the winter where it will get below freezing then you will want heated holding tanks etc. If you plan to boondock is there a place for extra batteries, the solar panels etc. These are all things to think about now before you even start looking at units...
You can full time in a TT but to get the shower, storage etc you want you will have to look at a 5th wheel or class A
Good info, thanks. I spent thirteen years living in an old Airstream when I was a young guy, it was fine. And I was single. We are ok with small space, the kids are grown, we are not big on material stuff( or electronics), and we were already planning a very small one bedroom house before the traveling job became part of the plan. We have been looking only at the cold rated trailers, with all the necessary mods for cold weather living. Of course, since I will be able to choose contracts in locations all over, the idea is to be south for the winter, anyway. North is for the summer. I will look into older Airstreams, too. We aren't huge fans of the slideout craze. Either that, or I may end up remodeling an older unit to our specs. I am hesitant to do that, as the winter aspects of the infrastructure are not something I have dealt with so far. If it is in a house, I can build, remodel or repair it. Trailers are a different beast, and especially the winterproofing of tanks, valves and the like. "All" we want is a queen bed, a real shower, room for a couple of recliners, a small table and chairs or booth for dining, a workable kitchen and small pantry, and a decent clothes closet to hold our small wardrobe. I had all but the bath in the Airstream from years ago, and if it hadn't been rented, I could have gotten a real bath out of the rear area formerly occupied by extra bunks.
I don't want to run a fifth wheel, as I planned to have storage for tools and extra items we don't use every day in the bed of my truck. Had an idea to use a 12 volt pump and collapsible bladder to augment the fresh water supply for dry camping, also in the bed of the truck. We plan a solar system and propane mix with a small genny for those times it is needed. We would be in a park most often, but also like to boondock when we get a chance between jobs. Of course if a fifth wheel has enough storage built in to negate the bed of the truck, it could be an option, although the extra water supply might be harder to accomplish. Understand, I don't intend to carry extra water all the time, it is more of an optional thing for times we might want to haul extra water. I will be running a 1 ton diesel truck, so we will have enough truck for whatever rig we are likely to drag along. I prefer to always keep tools well under their effective limit of function.
Follow the sun, north in the summer, south in the winter. We full-timed for 8 years, wife as a Travel Nurse, me retired. She chose the hospital once we decided on where we wanted to be....and never in a "park". We always searched out 'workamper" gigs, so we would be parked on private property. Yuma AZ always has a need for Travel Nurses in the winter, and there are plenty of options for RV parking, outside of a park atmosphere.
If you are going to fulltime for any length of time, get the biggest rig you can safely pull (suggest a 5th wheel), make sure you get a washer and a dryer installed...for convenience...nothing like doing a load while you make dinner or watch TV.
Pay close attention to the running gear....axles, wheels (16" bare minimum) /tires/brakes, less attention to the "fluff". Suggest you not buy the RV with a mattress, provide your own, of much better quality. Carpet looks cozy, but it's murder to keep clean. Spend some time on this forum group, do a lot of reading, and asking questions before making any decisions.
If you want a high-quality 4-season travel trailer that's cheaper than Airstream, look at molded fiberglass. Bigfoot would be my pick for you, but they only go up to 25' long. https://www.bigfootrv.com/bigfoot_rv...00_series.html They're 4 season with good insulation, but also fairly heavy. I think the 25' models have a (real-world loaded) tongue weight around 1400 lbs.
The other options (if you want smaller / lighter) would be Oliver or Escape. Oliver makes a 23' but it's only 7' wide. Great for towability and only 600 lb tongue weight but it's tight inside. At least it has a "roomy" semi-wet bath where you don't have to straddle the toilet. Also the interior is either "modern" or "sterile" depending on your preferences. Escapes are more traditionally styled, and also 1/2 the price, but are still fairly small inside and only have traditional wet baths. Both Oliver and Escape are built-to-order so you can do a bit of customization to get exactly what you want. Far more than traditional RV manufacturers.
If you're interested you could check out the Fiberglass RV forums, The Fiberglass RV Community. There's owners of all types there, including the three I mentioned.
A large RV show is the place to compare side by side. They have them around the country at various times, for instance the very large one in Tampa is in January every year, others are at other times.
Otherwise it can be an elimination process online.
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