Brands of Travel Trailers

We just bought a new TT one week after we sold out 03 lance TC, "but" I had been looking for almost a year, looked at everything on the market and narrowed it down to 3 trailers 3 brands, ( we had an extencive list of wants ) but if you add in a weight limit and size limit you can cut out most of the field.

we are happy so far but we had to "settle" for one that the awning didn't cover the outdoor kitchen.......

oh the problems we have in a 1st world country.

We have a 30 ft Dutchmen Kodiak. It has 2 slides and empty weight is 6000 lbs. We love it and have had no trouble with it, by the way its a 2014. Ours is aluminum framed and easy to tow with our F150 pickup. We looked at TT for 3 years before buying this one, you will not find one that has all the bells and whistles you want. One may have all but one of your bells or whistles and another may have two of your bells and whistles. Sometimes you have to just settle on what you really need. Mods and upgrades are always available.

buy the one built by lippert :B

You have much to learn. As suggested you need to know how much you can really tow first and then realize that nearly all RV trailers share many common parts regardless of price. The major differences in trailers are found in construction technique and some materials each of which has advantages and disadvantages. Often overlooked is the actual chassis components which can have an impact on longevity. Do not get mesmerized on the fluff on the inside and gadgetry that rarely works well. Make no mistake, every maker builds these things as cheaply as possible to maximize return regardless of brand but if you research enough you can make an informed purchase. BTW, I bought a bottom of the barrel TT 11+ years ago that I'm still using very successfully.

TTs generally into two catagories. Wood frame and aluminum frame. Wood frames tend to be the lower grade, often termed light weight. They will have cheaper grade cabinets, thinner seating materials, less insulation and smaller tank capacities. Aluminum framed TTs can also fit into that catagory, but generally will have larger tanks, better cabinets and furniture. There really is no "high end" in TT world. They are almost always geared more to families who tend to use them 1 or 2 weekends a month. That does not mean that any TT cannot have a long long service life. Many do. It really all boils down to how well owners take care of their RV, and not so much how much you pay for one.
As for brands I would consider if I were making a purchase today? Northwood, Nash and Arctic Fox would have to be high on my list.

SoundGuy is 100% correct. You need to first determine how much trailer you can reasonably tow. Once you know that, you can then start looking at floor plans of various trailers. When you've determined a handful of trailers that meet your needs and wants that you can reasonably tow, then you can drill down on them concerning relative quality, etc.

No need to waste time finding a trailer you absolutely love only to find out it's not a realistic choice for your tow vehicle.

412lorie/dave wrote:
We are new to buying a travel trailer. It's overwhelming trying to decide. My question is can you give me your opinions on 3 or 4 of the better constructed trav trail.. I know its somewhat personal opinion but we don't want bottom of barrel. Requirements are around 30', and 1 or 2 slideouts. Thank you all

412lorie/dave wrote:
I know its somewhat personal opinion but we don't want bottom of barrel. Requirements are around 30', and 1 or 2 slideouts.

I don't know of anyone who wants "bottom of the barrel". ;) My suggestion - start the process with determining just how much trailer you can really tow, then based on that start your search for a suitable trailer.