Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel (bed, pickup, motor, towing)
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My family and I are knee deep in researching the purchase of a travel trailer or fifth wheel. We are two adults, 1 4yr old and 2 medium sized dogs. At times we will be living in this thing for 3-4 months at a time specifically in the summer. We would like our son to have his own space. My husband and I are both very tall. We like characteristics in both vehicles and there are cons for either as well. Just looking for feedback on both for any families that have "lived" in these for months at a time. Our 3-4 months would be stationary and not mobile. Other times of year it would simply be used for long weekend camping.
To live full time in a trailer, you want as much space as practical which means you're looking at a large unit likely in the 35 + foot range.
There are certainly bumper-pull units available in this size, and both the bumper-pull and fifth-wheel configurations in this size range will require a 3/4 ton truck to move. The chief advantage for the fifth-wheel lies in the vastly superior towing performance.
There are numerous floor plans in the fifth-wheel market which have a master bedroom in the front, common living areas in the middle and a bunk room in the rear.
Not sure what "very tall" translates into, but most fifth wheels have as much head room as comparable bumper-pull models.
Thanks for your reply Cornerguy. We currently have a Yukon which could pull a travel trailer but that could be traded in for the proper truck to pull a fifth wheel. Very tall means I'm 5'11" and my husband is 6'4" - in the fifth wheels we have looked at his head just about touches the ceiling in the master bedroom. Any particular manufacturers that stand out?
You'll find many more RV folks qualified to answer your question at RV.net. I agree with Cornerguy about a 5er probably being better. I disagree that a large 5er needs a 3/4-ton pickup. The bigger ones need at least a 1-ton dually, and the really large, well-made 5ers need a medium-duty or heavy duty truck to safely pull them -- due to the pin weight.
I know there are a few 5ers with extra high bedroom ceilings and shower stalls, but I can't recall which brands. That's where RV.net would help you out. I'd guess the now defunct Tetons and Travel Supreme would be a couple of them, but the top-of-the-line, high-profile Carriages, Newmars, Hitchhikers, Excels, Doubletrees, KZs and maybe the CrossRoads Seville would all be candidates.
Don't just check the ceiling height in the bedroom but also the length of the bed (or if there's room for a longer bed) and the height of the shower.
I lived in a 5th wheel for just about 8 years. My first husband & I traveled non-stop for his job. You could not pay me to tow a travel trailer. A 5th wheel is so much more stable to tow. I have hauled both types of trailer for other things besides RVs as we have horses. Bumper pull trailers are so much harder to drive.
There are plenty of trailers out there these days with taller head clearance. Look for one with the bedroom in the rear, there will be more head room. I remember many years ago looking at a Gulfstream 5th wheel that was a 2 bedroom apartment on wheels. It was nice, and I know there are other brands with 2 real bedrooms as opposed to "sleeping areas".
I upgraded from a travel trailer to a 5th wheel. I keep mine stationary in Maine for seasonal enjoyment. I would definitely tell you go with a 5th wheel over a travel trailer. The most important reason would be space. You can get 5th wheels with 4 bump outs. You'll be hard pressed to find travel trailers with two. The bump outs make all the difference as far as space goes.
Also, the 5th wheels are a big step up in quality.
When I was researching what to buy, I was told Montana's and Everest's were the top of the line. If you are considering buying used, I would strongly urge you to look on ebay. There are dealers from the midwest that offer brand new models well below what you'd find at your local dealership in price. If you buy used as I did, you are covered by the protection offered via ebay motors on your purchase.
You might also check out information on Camping World's website.
Another good quality brand is Alumascape. You might need to Google to get to their site. I don't know the link, but they do have good floor plans and their quality is very high.
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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For a top of the line fiver look at Newmar or Teton. Next step down you'll find the Royal's (made by Carriage), Mobile Suites, and Excel's. Your mid-range fiver's include Montana, Everest's, Cedar Creeks, and Presidential's by Holiday Rambler, (this was our fiver).
My husband at 6'3 could stand up fine in our fiver, but something you'll want to be sure and check out is the shower height. If you will be doing any winter living in it, you will want to make sure it is a four-season unit. And a word of caution.. don't just believe the salesman.. Do your own research. A friend of ours bought what was told was a four-season.. and the first time it got down to 32 he froze up quicker than poop through a goose.
Also, pick a floor plan that you feel comfortable with, and double check the amount of storage space, slides, and most of all the towing weight. You will want to make sure that the purchase of your truck is capable of not only pulling it dry.. but also loaded down with all your stuff.
We have full-timed now for over 6 years, both in a fiver and our coach, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. We RVer's are known for helping each other out...
Will you be using your truck bed too? The biggest knock on a fifth wheel is getting that huge chunk of iron in and out. It's not easy and if you can't just leave it in you need to think about it.
We actually have a fifth wheeler for sale ; both dh and I are tall so when we bought it in 2007, we wanted one with the master at the back. The kids beds are bunks over the hitch ; kids are 9 & 10 now.Ours is a Coachman Chapparal and we loved it. We did use it seasonally and since we bought a vacation home, we dont need the camper anymore.
Go with a master at the back. With slideouts, it is no bother at all.
in the past 5 years my wife and i have gone from a popup to a travel trailer to a fifthwheel. save yourself the money and go with the most you can afford. no one says that they have too much space. we bought a COUGAR with bunks in a seperate room for the grandkids. they evan have their own bathroom. you will need to match your vehicle to the trailer. we have a tundra, 381hp. we love every minute of it. good luck
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