Comfort First

Before you shop brands, you should learn about features. What do you know about residential refrigerators in RV's, Never Lube Axles, self adjusting brakes, greaseable spring shackles, ducted air conditioning, fantastic fans, electric vs. manual awnings, four season packages, heated holding tanks, aluminium vs, wood framing, tow ratings for your vehicle, 13", 14", 15" and 16" tires for the trailer, electric vs. hydraulic trailer brakes, different brake controller, sway control hitches, weight distributing hitches, aluminium siding, fiberglass siding, rubber roofs, and the list goes on.

You get my point. Learn about all these things and more; then buy the trailer that really suits you.

Before you go shopping for a trailer, find out what your truck can pull. There are lots of info about that on the towing/tow vehicle forums, here. Don't forget to count the weight of passengers/gear. Make a list of must-haves and a list of would-be-nice items. Lots of folks start with a folding trailer/hybrid. The advantages are: relatively inexpensive, light-weight, more of an open, tent-like feel. Don't listen to the RV dealership about what your truck can pull, they 'tend to exaggerate'.

You should put Lance Travel Trailers on your short list. They are into the 2014 model year already and they offer a 2 year warranty (which is kinda rare in TT's)

Lance Travel Trailer

Good luck on whatever TT you choose!

WoodGlue

Thanks for the quick replies and suggestions. We did the research and math on the truck already and have 900 lbs of excess payload capacity.

We will definitely look into the Lance.

therewego wrote:
Thanks for the quick replies and suggestions. We did the research and math on the truck already and have 900 lbs of excess payload capacity.

We will definitely look into the Lance.

Make sure that your math used GVWR of the trailer - not brochure dry weight.

Also, none that I have seen come with a screen room.
Add to your list - counter space and larger gray water tank.
Reconsider recliner. (since you titled your thread, "comfort first.")

Good luck with your search.

down the road is right... be sure and look at the actual weights on the trailer yellow sticker. My TT has a brochure weight of 5035 unloaded.. the sticker says it is 5202.. not a big difference, but 200 lbs can be a lot of difference if you don't have a lot of carrying capacity (25 gallons of water will consume that 200lbs) I have seen more "deluxe" trailers that had an even bigger difference.

You might take a look at the Rockwood Mini Lites. May or may not have what you're after. They're pretty nicely equipped and have enough features to suit most folks. They're made in Millersburg, IN. Suggest you take a look at RV Wholesalers online...they sell the Mini Lites and their prices are hard to beat. Pick it up in Lakeview, OH, spend the night at Indian Lake SP to check everything out and be on your way in the morning. We just bought our second unit from RVW and they're good folks to deal with. They will email you the price...no haggling. The price is the price. Good luck in finding the perfect camper for your family + the cat.

therewego wrote:

Comfort for us equates to a nice sized shower, a walk-around queen sized bed, an awning with a screen room, and a beautiful view. We have no need for a second bedroom, space for recliner chairs, or elaborate AV systems. Value means reliability and resale.

We very much like the Bigfoot and Escape brands made in Canada, and the Gulfstream Visa made here in Indiana.

Of the two molded Fiberglass trailers on that list, only Bigfoot offers a walkaround queen bed. No Escape model is wide enough for such a configuration.

You might take a look at the (almost)all-aluminum Camplite 21 footer- it's in the same price range as the Bigfoot, it has a rear queen walkaround, and it's very lightweight for the size.

Per resale values: I own an FgT myself, and am an active member of a forum dedicated to the type. Based on my observations there, here's my take on the resale question:

Molded fiberglass has a reputation for value-holding, but those with wood interiors can have the same problems associated with any conventionally built trailer. If water gets in- and it often will- deterioration of interior cabinetry etc. will occur. Those molded trailers with fiberglass interiors are much less susceptible to such inside damage, but there are none currently in production that have the walkaround queen you want.

Resale on the Camplite is harder to assess since it's so new...those few used units that come on the market tend to go fast, and at a good price. It of course will have no problems associated with wood rot since Camplite doesn't use any wood....it does now offer "wood-look" interiors, but they're made of composites and are equally immune to water damage.

We just bought a Coachmen Freedom Express 233RBS. We love the floor plan. It is simple but is exactly what my wife and I needed and wanted. It weighs about 6,000# fully loaded.

Welcome!

Slide, or no slide?
5000# GVWR, or unladen weight?
You say under 24', is that your ball-to-bumper limit, the model designation, or the box size?
The screen room would be an add-on option since I don't know of any factory ones offhand.
A walk-around bed rules out a hybrid or Outback w/ rear slide. A true walk-around bed may be a bit hard to find since most have tables at the head of the bed (it's really the front pass-through space.)
Black / gray / fresh water tank capacities are considerations if you'll be camping w/o hookups.
Value would be a gently used trailer if you can find one, let somebody else take the hit on depreciation first. But you run the risk of getting one with hidden damage.
Jayco's have a 2-year warranty, and you can buy an additional year with Forest River products.
Since it's mostly my wife and I, we ended up with the TT in my sig but it's a bit bigger than your specs. Nice bathroom though, a decent amount of storage, and 26-1/2' ball to bumper.