Best choice for long road trips

New trucks have anti-sway built into the truck these days, anyway. TT just have less living and storage space.

Yeah the big issue I have with class A or C is that you have to drag a small vehicle around with you so you can get around while camping. That means you have two engines and everything thing else to maintain. Class B are just darned expensive for what you get and very small anyway.

We have a MH now but between TT and 5th wheel I'll go with the TT. No sway if set up right, can be pulled with an SUV,and no stairs inside.

As far as long distance travel either a TT or 5'er will work. Neither is superior than the other when connected to the correct tow vehicle with the correct hitch.

Lantley wrote:
As far as long distance travel either a TT or 5'er will work. Neither is superior than the other when connected to the correct tow vehicle with the correct hitch.

This is the best answer. You can quickly tell from the other answers that it is primarily a personal preference. With a 5er you will have to have a truck. Depending on the size and weight of the travel trailer you might get by with an SUV or even full size car if that matters.

My folks have a very nice 5th wheel. It's towed with a big dually Dodge. I think there are at least 3 steps on just the outside step ladder. Then there are a couple more steps once you are inside.

The living area is nice however. It has a rear kitchen and a huge slide on the side with the dinette and a couch. Nice entertainment center once you open the slide.

But, to get to the bedroom, there is some 4 steps up that. Toilet is in it's own little "closet". Sink is right there in the bedroom and the shower is right there in the bedroom as well.... It does have another slide for the queen bed, but I mean the shower and the bathroom sink is just right there..

My folks are getting up in age.. Mid 70's and they don't full time, so Dad takes the 5th wheel hitch out when not in use.. That's quite the chore. I've suggested using a hand winch to lift it in/out of the bed of the truck.. They don't use the 5th wheel as much anymore.. A shame, because they love camping!

Anyway, I know I've rambled on too much..

It's all personal preference... Either option is not "better" than the other in the sense of the term... It's only the "better" one if that's what suits YOU and your style of camping and what you want, need, desire in an RV...

I only have a little 22' TT, but it suits me and my wife just fine.. Hauling around my parents 5th wheel would just not suit us and we don't need or want that kind of rig at this time..

Good luck with the decision OP.. All I can say is get out there in something and then you'll know if it works for you or not.. ;)

Mitch

For towing (including a MH because you likely will want something to drive around in once at your destination), it's all about the same if you are properly set up. None will be problematic.

Having driven all 3 types, I think the 5th wheel is the best towing but it wouldn't be enough to drive the selection.

In both TT and 5er the wheels make a big difference for highway speeds. For me highway speed is a big factor in long distance travel. With 16 inch wheels and tires I can drive 75-80 MPH. With 15 inc wheels and tires you cannot safely go over 65 without expecting blowouts. So get 16 inch wheels or drive around 60 mph as your top speed, if you have the standard 15 inch wheels.

When we had a TT we pulled it with a van and it was like having an additional bedroom available if we needed it. When traveling we could take the van seats out and provide extra storage or a sleeping area. Even with a weight distribution hitch the Van and TT were susceptible to wind gusts.

With the 5er we have a truck that is more comfortable for travel than our van, suv or sedan. For long trips it is a great ride and pulling the 5er there is no wind impacts-except on mileage ;)

This may not apply to you but in NM you cannot pull a boat behind a TT but you can behind a 5er. I pull double in AZ, TX, and NM for fishing trips.

If I was going somewhere to spend a lot of time in one spot I would pick a good size 5er. If I am traveling frequently and spending a week or less I would take a smaller TT. If I am just driving and moving on then buy a van and porta potty :)

I would also choose a 5th wheel over a tow behind especially when you start to get into longer lengths, but agree wholeheartedly that a MH is much more convenient. Economically when you add the cost of a truck and trailer vs. Something like a smaller Class C the cost isn't always much different. If you currently have a car that's towable then you've got a convenient way to get around as well.

That means you have two engines and everything thing else to maintain.

Agree but two things: If it's a car you are going to use as a daily driver you will have it anyway. The up side to have two vehicles is that if one has issues you are not stranded. This saved us when our Endura broke down in MD a while back.

I also agree that most of what has been stated is personal preference and sizing truck/trailer, etc. is the most important. Go to a large RV dealer and look at both. Decide on which layout you like better. Do not buy a tow vehicle until AFTER you decide on a trailer. Many recommend buying a tow vehicle that has more capacity than you need. It will save on vehicle stress as well as allow you to upgrade to a larger/heavier trailer if you so decide (which many of us have done!). Ultimately none of us can tell you what is best-you'll need to decide for yourself.

We are on our 4th travel trailer.No sway issues at all.I would stay in the 26 ft range for TT's.You can go a little longer for 5th wheels because part of the trailer is over the bed. I like the fact that I can use the full bed for storage with the TT.We have pulled from Pa, to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon on sepperate trips with no issues.

Setup / Tear down time is the key factor in road trips.

A 5er without leveling jacks vs a TT with leveling jacks is going to be less convenient.

Every slide-out you have is going to require more work on the inside before your are ready to fold up the chinese puzzle box.

Can you get to the bathroom easily with the slides in? You will definitely need to do that.

Can you get the fridge open, use the stove with the slides in? Being able to fix a quick lunch at a rest area or fuel stop parking lot will save a lot of money.

Among people who TRAVEL vs people who go to a destination to stay a while - Class A, Class C and Class B rigs are most popular. Because they are easier to setup/ tear down.

We are full-timers, we travel and do the teardown/ setup thing often. (and have probably one of the worst rig layout/ equipment combos for doing that.)

# of travel days per year
2014 - 44
2015 - 33
2016 - 63
2017 - 35 so far

The best thing to make your setup/ tear down easier is automatic leveler jacks. And more 5ers than TT have those.

The next best thing is fewer slide-outs, and smaller slide-outs. But that limits the 'liveability' of the rig.

When you look at the rigs with opposing slideouts - they really open up the space. We have those. But that also means more work to get ready to travel.

Do the recliners at the back of the rig have to be turned sideways to pull in the slides? Are you going to be able to store stuff and not have to move it around? How much 'tie down' work is required? If you forget something - how easy is it going to be to get to the location to retrieve / check?

(Be aware that the snap type latches on overhead cabinets will almost certainly not be strong enough to keep everything inside/ closed. You will need supplemental items like bungee cords.)

Make sure you see the rig with the slides out, and with the slides in before making a final purchase decision.