Newbie - 36ft vs 41ft fifth wheel

As others said, once you are rolling down the road, almost no difference.

I assume in that size range, you have a diesel one ton (probably dually), so running thru the truck lanes as truck stops is viable. If you have to go into a small local station, that can be a bit more challenging.

What type of camping will you do?

If it's just back and forth once a year snowbirding and you have a big site anyway, no brainer, get the biggest you can.

Likewise, if you stick mostly to newer wide open campgrounds with pull thru sites, not a big concern.

If you will be moving around a lot, particularly using state & national parks (or other more natural setting private parks), keeping the size down does make it easier to find sites or avoid stressful squeezing around wooded roads and into very tight sites.

No right or wrong answer and you can always adapt to what you have.

Our preference is around 27-32ft. Big enough to be comfortable but we can get into most parks.

My first 5th wheel was a 35 footer. Next I got a 40 foot toy hauler 5th wheel, which I still have. Towing them I can't tell the difference in length. I can tell the difference in the weight, though.

We started out full time travel in a 38.5 5ft wheel, then moved to a 36 ft. Zero difference in the actual towing down the roads, a slight change in some turning. Seems the rv parks sites that would fit a 38.5 and a 36 were about the same. Interior space changed a lot, you would think a bit over 2 feet would not make a difference, but it does. Find the trailer that will fit your lifestyle and you will make it work.

Thanks for your input can I use the truck gas in loves etc, looking at thousand trails and Naco sites for a month at a time

Towing you will not notice much difference but parking it you will notice a big difference.

Little to no difference in the actual towing. Getting into and out of service stations will be a bit more difficult with the larger 5th wheels. The longer trailers will make your selection of RV parking spots a bit fewer. Once you get up around 35 feet, a few feet more doesn't make a lot of difference.