Your Thoughts on Camping with a smaller Travel Trailer

DW and I had a 25' TT and used it for years. Camping in the high Sierras, trips to Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Alberta, Washington and Oregon. Some of the best times of our lives.

Go for it.

Ron

We have a 23 foot trailer and in the past we had a 25 ft trailer. We also had a 35 ft 5th wheel and a 35 ft MH. For our needs the 25 ft trailer was perfect. Not too big, could get in and out of gas stations. better mileage, could be towed by 1/2 ton TV. could get into State and Federal parks. Larger trailers can get into the parks also but there are many more spaces for shorter trailers.

I wouldn't worry too much about making the transaction to a longer trailer. I had the same fear about making the transaction from a PUP to my 29' TT.

I had some experience pulling long trailers in the Army but it had been years since I had done that. In my opinion, short trailers like those for small boats and utility trailers are much harder to back (and jack knife) than longer trailers. If you have a tight place the trailer needs to go in (like a driveway) that maybe a consideration. Once you start towing and backing a longer trailer and get the hang of it, a longer trailer isn't much different than pulling a short trailer. You have to watch your turns and swing wide at times but practice will make it easier over time.

Pop-up for 6 years. 18 foot travel trailer about 2 and 1/2 years. 31 foot travel trailer 8 years. 35 foot travel trailer 2 years now.

Yes we've done various sizes. And yes, we have camped comfortably and happy for 30 years now (together), even when tent camping.

My wife and I both come from camping families. Both sets of parents had travel trailers in the 18 foot range. Both families had 3 kids. Both families camped happily. Both families instilled in their kids (me and my wife), to continue camping as adults.

About towing and backing .... the longer the trailer, the easier it is. Really!

Choose the one that fits your needs best! The only limitations with length are towing vehicle and camping locations. Your husband will have no issues towing it or backing especially after a little practice.

Best Wishes with your Quest!

I agree with most that length should only be considered based on what type/quantity of campsites you would fit into. Backing up a longer trailer is actually easier than a shorter one, all else equal.

It's what you make it. Many people share small spaces to live and/or play and do just fine.

With that, here are some questions to help you find your answer:

When you say "camping", what do you mean? Do you mean staying at traditional campgrounds and spending your time doing outdoor activities? Hiking, swimming, etc. Or do you mean staying at RV parks and sightseeing in the area? This could have a bearing on the other questions below.

How much time do you intend to spend INSIDE the TT on a regular basis? Do you plan on being in the RV whenever you are not out doing something? Or do you plan on hanging out outside unless the weather is bad?

How do you spend your time now? Do you each spend most of your time in a separate room from the other? Or do you spend most of the time in the same room?

What do you want to do when you're inside the RV? Do you want to watch TV? If so, do you watch the same shows or different shows? Can you read while the TV is on or do you need quiet to read?

Do either of you have habits/quirks that drive the other crazy? Does he nap during the day and snore? Do you tap your fingers when you're bored? etc.


Personally, I have no problem sharing my 21ft C with a friend (plus 2 dogs and a parrot). We spend most time during the day outside. If it rains, we come inside and talk, play cards or dominoes, etc. It's tight when we're fixing meals, but we make it work.

A few tricks I've found that make it easier:

1. Everything should have a dedicated place. If you have to move the lounge chair off the bunk bed and into the shower stall so you can go to bed; and then back to the bunk bed so you can take a shower; etc., you're going to get tired of it. I have very few exceptions to this rule - three items: popup canopy which I only bring for specific trips when I know it will be set up and used; folding table which I only bring for specific trips when I know it will be set up and used; and a set of dog steps which stay on the bunk bed during the day and get set up on the couch at night so the dogs can get in and out of the bunk bed. Everything else has a dedicated spot.

2. If it hasn't been used in a year, out it goes. No "but what ifs". For "emergency gear", I use the "if that breaks, can I still make the trip work?" rule. That goes something like: "if the fridge breaks, I can use a cooler and buy some ice to make it through the trip" - don't worry about fridge parts while I'm camping; "if the engine breaks down, then I'm stuck where I am" - keep some tools and parts to do basic repairs.

3. Get back to basics. People managed before microwaves and hair straighteners and entertainment centers. It's not that difficult to do without those for a week or two. That saves a lot of storage space and by not having to have a generator, you gain THAT space to store camp chairs, etc.

4a. If you have "sometime guests" (like the grandson), keep a set amount of space reserved for their stuff. Do not fill that space up with other things when they don't join you. Keep it empty. That keeps you from adding stuff you don't need because "there's space" and keeps you from having to find space whenever they join you.

4b. On the same theme as above, try to keep 20% of your storage space empty at all times. This gives you freedom to rearrange or add an occasional item (following the "if not used in one year, out it goes" rule).

5. Use packing cubes to keep things "confined". Instead of a junk drawer, put all that stuff in a small packing cube. It keeps those weird little objects from getting lost, etc. Use them for clothes - you can fit more clothes in a smaller space using them and keeps everything from falling out when you grab a shirt.

I traded my 34 ft. Class A in on a 17 ft. TT.
bumpy

We have the rig shown below but we spend weeks or months at a time.

If we were buying and only planning on weekend trips with an occasional weeks trip, we would look at something in the 16-24' range. Smaller, simpler and cheaper. Plus we wouldn't need the big truck.

Once you have committed to buying the bigger trailer and all that goes with it, it's not much harder to handle.

Everyone's different, so it's really up to you. I could be happy with a small enclosed cargo trailer with an air mattress. My wife and 2 kids (girls)...not so much. :) We have a '08 Jayco Eagle 31BHDS...I think it measures around 33ft or so from bumper to hitch. Honestly, if it weren't for the kids, it would be overkill. On the other hand, it does make it really nice if the weather is crappy and you get stuck inside for awhile. It's not so claustrophobic. Having the slide-out really helps in this regard. And the back bedroom would be nice for storing things so the living area isn't so cluttered with stuff. Towing it isn't too bad, but you do have to really pay attention to it when in traffic or navigating tight turns and intersections. Most places we camp, it isn't a problem backing into spots. We usually look for places with full hook-ups so they are set up for bigger RV's. But I have run into cases where spots that were big enough were slim pickings. So it can be a bit limiting in that regard.

The camper actually belongs to my parents, but they bought it so that I and my brother could also use it with our growing families. That's why they bought such a big unit. Recently though, they have been talking about downsizing to make it a little easier to move around and just go for short weekend trips and stuff. Plus, a smaller, lighter camper would be cheaper on gas to tow behind Dad's truck. I just hope they don't go too small before I am able to buy my own camper. :)