Small C or longer B+?

nwade wrote:
I believe that the use-cases above define our needs as:

• We need towing capability - but we don't need to pull a huge amount of weight (its more about length & braking capabilities).
  
• We need the ability to dry-camp/boondock (although usually within a few miles of a town) for ~5 days at a time.
  
• The coach needs to be capable of remaining a reasonable temperature inside, on sunny/dry ~90 degree summer days.
  
• We need something that's easy to drive and has good maneuverability.
  
• We need something that requires minimal setup/teardown - both in the case of retrieving a glider as well as if we want to tour around inside a National Park and be mobile each day that we're there.
  
• We need something reliable and low-maintenance (we've been especially keen to get a coach that still has some time left on the warranty - at least on the drivetrain).
  
• We only need to accommodate my wife and myself; but we need to be able to carry normal travel supplies plus a couple of toolboxes for glider supplies.
  
• We need enough table-space for 2 laptops, and/or some soldering gear (for emergency-repairs on glider electronics).
  
• It would be great if there was enough seating to have one or two more people hang in the RV with us - for an hour or two - as its common at glider events to share a beer or a glass of wine with friends during the evening. :-) I don't want to waste space on a couch, but a dinette would be great. Especially as my wife and I will need a flat surface for working on a couple of laptops.
  

I can't answer on towing capabilities, but for the other concerns:

dry camping/boondocking - this could require a generator, larger battery bank, and/or carrying extra water. Learning how to conserve water while camping (military showers, baby wipes, bottled water, etc.) can help immensely. Power usage is all in what you plan on using while you're camping - appliances/tools that heat up will use a LOT of battery power, so if you will be using microwave, coffee maker, hair dryer, soldering iron, etc., you're going to need a way to replenish the battery (i.e., generator). Myself, I can go 4 days on my 31 group AGM battery without putting a dent in it - I don't use much more than an occasional charge of cell phone, kindle, laptop, and some lighting.

maintaining a "reasonable temperature" - again this could require a generator depending on what your interpretation of reasonable is. Temperature inside when outside temps are 80-90 degrees can really vary depending on a lot of external factors - breeze, tree coverage, window coverings, personal comfort level, etc.

easy to drive/maneuverability - Most folks will tell you that up to 28 ft class C is pretty easy to drive and for standard "RV sightseeing" trips is not really much more limiting than the smaller rigs. However, you mention being able to do u-turns on rural routes. That changes things. RVs are EXTREMELY heavy - trying to turn around on a narrow road could require you to drive off the pavement/packed dirt road, in that case, you could easily get stuck in the softer shoulder. Having someone else unfamiliar with driving the RV making these maneuvers will increase the likelihood for this type of problem. I have a 20.5ft (bumper to bumper) class C. U-turns can be difficult on simple residential width streets. Adding a 26ft trailer behind that and forget it.

set-up/teardown - this is what you make it. Some folks take hours leveling their rigs - others take 60 seconds. I like an easy setup/teardown, so I have learned that everything must have a home. No gear getting stored on the bed - so when I park, I can just climb into bed. No gear stored in the bathroom, so I don't have to climb over it to pee. Leveling gear is easily accessible under the cab seats - no need to crawl into an outside storage to get it or put it away. Simple outdoor gear that folds up and can go in the outside storage. All kitchen gear/food/clothing/toiletries/etc., must fit within the inside storage compartments easily. If I can't find a dedicated home for it, it doesn't go. And everything gets put away as soon as I'm done with it. The less sitting on the table/countertop, the less teardown needed.

reliable/low-maintenance - RVs in general are not reliable or low-maintenance. Even a brand new rig can spend months having tons of work done before it can go out for its maiden trip. Low-maintenance - RVs are houses on wheels. Engine-wise, you may have low-maintenance for years, house-wise, things are bumping and jiggling and bouncing around all the time. Knowing how to repair simple things (which sounds like you can with having gliders) makes a lot of those things become inconsequential overall. Preventative maintenance will go a LOT further than playing catch-up - pre-flight checks, etc., are important. RVs are a lot like boats, you put a lot of effort into them to get the most enjoyment out of them. Reliable - there isn't a standard in RV manufacturing like there is in other vehicles. Build quality is hit or miss even within a make/model. Knowing what you are buying and having the knowledge to catch potential issues before spending your money will go further than looking for a specific manufacturer, etc.

Space - many people don't like climbing in or out of a cabover bunk. If not, then you're looking at 24ft minimum (23'10" with the 22R) to have a dedicated bed below. Smaller than that, and you will have to convert the dinette each morning and night OR sleep in the cabover. With your need to be able to move out quickly, I do not recommend sleeping on converted space (dinette/sofa bed) - get a dedicated bed or sleep in the cabover. Storage again is what you make it. If you have to carry crock pots, toasters, coffee pots, multiple changes of clothes per day, entertainment, and so on, you're going to run out of cupboard space. The simpler you can keep things, the better you'll be. (see note below)

Visitors - a 4 person dinette is doable, but not real comfortable for 4 people for several hours. Your better bet is to get 4 of the butterfly camp chairs and sit outside when you have visitors. Don't forget - one of the biggest advantages of an RV is all that space you have available outside of it. With an awning, you can all be quite comfortable sitting outdoors with your cold beers and good conversation.

NOTE: a Class B+ is in reality a Class C, it has just eliminated the cabover space. That can be nice in that you don't have wasted space if you will never use the cabover. A lot of Cs have used the cabover space for the entertainment center (TV). It also eliminates the most common place for leaks. However, don't underestimate the power of a cabover bunk - it provides a LOT of dedicated storage space. That's a lot of extra storage space without adding any length. In general, the C may be about 6 inches taller than the B+ - you don't save much height by losing the cabover storage.