How big is big enough?

VegasScotty wrote:


A fixed dining table

What do you consider a "fixed" dining table?.

I have seen dinette booths and free standing tables with chairs

Thanks

When I was in the service I moved without my family once and spent 5 months in my 24', single slide.

I agree with most of the people here....
A slide is a must
A recliner is a must (pull out your cheap couch and put in a chair if you have to)
A fixed dining table
and A ROOMY SHOWER. (I think the small, camper shower was my biggest complaint the whole time.)

Anyway, I would like more room and storage if I was full timing than my 24 footer gave me, I've got a 32' now and I think it would be almost too big if I was alone... so yeah, right near 30 sounds like a nice round number solo.

I am a single and I have fulltimed for the last 3 years in a 35 ft fifth wheel - Bighorn 3010RE. Since a fiver hangs over the bed of a truck, it may be equivalent to a 30 ft trailer (for maneuvering purposes).

I do not need nor do I want anything larger then 35 ft.

IMHO, these would be my suggestions.

Slldes ! The more the merrier ! Mine has 3 slides. I could not be a fulltimer if I didn't have the slides. Slides seem to add more room then they actually do.

A living room that can accomodate 2 recliners (I have 2 Lazy Boys) and maybe a couch that becomes a bed.

A nice big TV. Mine comes with surround sound which is great because I also subscribe to Dish and get their music channels.

A large shower that can really be used as a shower !

A permanent kitchen table that can double as your computer desk.

The option of a second AC unit.

Have the option of a king size bed if wanted.

I also added in a washer and dryer. That steals closet room so I wanted adequate closet space in addition to the w/d.

JFNM wrote:
I looked more closely at your tow vehicle and where you are located clarkster. Based on that info, I am betting you are a little like me - prefer to get far away from civilization and enjoy outdoors-ie type hobbies (fishing, mountain biking, hiking, etc.).

If not, ignore me. If so, some thoughts...

I occasionally consider trading a good bit of "comfort" for a setup that would allow me to get FAR off-road out here in the west (forests and desert). A 4x4 truck (which you have). A tough trailer with big tires and lots of ground clearance - probably not a 5er as I think a big topper on the truck is needed for storing stuff (bikes, kayak, fishing gear, etc.). I most often think of this setup as I am driving my Jeep deep into the forest or desert on ratty old "trails." I start wondering if the best approach would be an enclosed cargo trailer that I converted myself. Lots of what I want and very little of 'what the masses want.' So, lots of solar, battery capacity, water, insulation (cold mountain top air), etc. Very little designer fabric, custom carpet, etc.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like fancy and comfortable. But, I think a high level of capability to get me where I want to be would be an acceptable trade for some amount of fancy and comfort. I could be ENTIRELY wrong - I've never done it and I've not spent any real time researching the possibilities. So, just rambling on, hoping to give you some ideas.

I am 70 years old.....the idea of roughing it are long gone.
I want a REAL mattress and a comfy recliner.

The rig I have now is a popup style slide in camper.
6.5 bed on the truck makes it very small.
The overhead bed is a piece of foam.....4" thick or so.
I have to climb up into it.....

Just spent 7 weeks on the road with it from Las Vegas to the Oregon coast and back.
To put it mildly, I was ready to bail out of that rig.
But.....I can go anywhere with it and short campsites are not a problem.

IMO.....that style is a short term venture. Longer periods are just too tough for my old body.

While in Oregon, I spent some time at a RV park and the quarters were close....might as well have been in an apartment complex.
No thanks....I much prefer State parks or NFS campgrounds.

Just diddling around, a tentative plan for full time would be from the Colorado river around Yuma and on northward, staying close to the river, all the way to Lake Mead (Quartzite not out of the question)........in the winter of course.
There are quite a few LTVA (long term visitor area) around the Colorado River area.....stay up to 7 months for $180 bucks I think it is.....BLM land.

Bail out for the high country anywhere in the West... in the summer and repeat as the snow starts to fall.

I have looked at scads of campground spots and 30' seems to be the max vehicle length. Sure a handful are longer or shorter but 30' seems more common. If the "norm" was 40'....I would get a 36'-38' footer.

I would ditch the F-150 and get a F-250.....pushing the weight limits is not my style.

darsben1 wrote:
"How big is big enough?"
If you are like most people it is 3-4 feet longer than whatever size you buy.

Good Answer !!!

I've met folks living full-time for over 5 years who have a truck camper, a couple who has a 17' Casita, and up.

Our 36' TT is comfortable. I especially like the two Lazy Boy recliners. I can sleep on mine if my/or the wife's snoring makes the bedroom a single person night.

We would like a bigger shower. The toilet is large enough.

For us, comfortable means have a bedroom separated from the living area - by the bath is fine.

Some days we wish the rig was bigger, some days smaller.

Matching the rig to the tow vehicle is absolutely essential. Nothing makes for an unhappier time than having to fight the wind, grades, etc because your pulling too much trailer for the truck.

I looked more closely at your tow vehicle and where you are located clarkster. Based on that info, I am betting you are a little like me - prefer to get far away from civilization and enjoy outdoors-ie type hobbies (fishing, mountain biking, hiking, etc.).

If not, ignore me. If so, some thoughts...

I occasionally consider trading a good bit of "comfort" for a setup that would allow me to get FAR off-road out here in the west (forests and desert). A 4x4 truck (which you have). A tough trailer with big tires and lots of ground clearance - probably not a 5er as I think a big topper on the truck is needed for storing stuff (bikes, kayak, fishing gear, etc.). I most often think of this setup as I am driving my Jeep deep into the forest or desert on ratty old "trails." I start wondering if the best approach would be an enclosed cargo trailer that I converted myself. Lots of what I want and very little of 'what the masses want.' So, lots of solar, battery capacity, water, insulation (cold mountain top air), etc. Very little designer fabric, custom carpet, etc.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like fancy and comfortable. But, I think a high level of capability to get me where I want to be would be an acceptable trade for some amount of fancy and comfort. I could be ENTIRELY wrong - I've never done it and I've not spent any real time researching the possibilities. So, just rambling on, hoping to give you some ideas.

Our last RV was 40' but we full-timed 8 years in a 33' 5th wheel - two of us. It was very comfortable for us. I think for one person your planned 30' would be just fine for you. Our 40' fit very well in many national parks, national forests and other public parks.

To me, comfortable seating, the size of the bathroom and shower, insulation, etc., are all important. If you go too small, there's not room for a good chair (RV seating is generally not "good" seating). A shower that's too small to turn around in is not tolerable for any length of time. Insulation... check out Northwood Manufacturing (Actic Fox and Nash lines). In travel trailers, they are some of the best build on the market. There are people who full-time in truck campers and B vans - but are you willing to be that confined during a rainy stretch? All things to think about. Oh - and you'll almost certainly need to replace, or at least supplement, the OEM mattress, too.

Rob

Comfort is the key...

What we use as a guide is if we had to stay inside for 2 weeks due to really bad weather how comfortable would we be. Our first RV had bench seats so the only way to be comfortable for long periods of reading or watching TV was to stretch out on the bed. That would work for a few hours. But for all day I prefer a recliner so I would make sure a fulltime RV would have room for at least one recliner with plenty of room to walk by it. A swivel rocker recliner is best choice.

So an RV with a good sized bathroom, shower, and floor space to accommodate a recliner would be my must haves.

Whoops... from the other answers, it appears I may be working with the wrong definition of "comfortable."