1/2 or 3/4 Ton? - Trying to decide.

I towed our old Jayco 26BH with similar weight as you describe. I had a 2007 Silverado 1500 the first year we towed that camper...the truck had the 5.3, 4 speed with a 3.42 gear. Missouri is not known for elevation but we have some moderate hills. That combination made for a miserable towing experience at times. The transmission just seemed to hunt for the appropriate gear and had to rev high to make power. I also had some handling issues with that combo...purposing was the main issue but it was always a two-handed white knuckle driving experience. I "upgraded" to a 2500HD gas a year later and that truck handled so much better and pulled with a little less effort. As others have stated, you can't have too much truck. Yes, the gas mileage of a 3/4 ton is horrible and the ride quality is a bit harsh but it's a sacrifice many of us make. If you are still on the 1/2 side of the fence, I'd opt for the ecoboost.