Downsizing and simplifying

CavemanCharlie wrote:
I love my 20 foot TT. I have no wish to get bigger or smaller and I love the floor plan. Unfortunately, this TT is getting purdy rough around the edges. They don't make very many like this size and this floor plan. I just keep hoping the right one will come along someday and I keep using this one until it does.

Outdoors RV Black Rock 18DB

or this one:
Black Rock 20RD

We made the turn a few years ago. Went from a Jayco Eagle high profile 5th wheel to a KZ-JAG mid profile 5th wheel. Last year we traded the Jag back to a TT. Not quite as small as I had wanted but it's hard to give up the recliners. We have no regrets. I've always preferred backing a TT. Even a 32.5' TT. Not needing a diesel keeps the TV cost in check as well.

xteacher wrote:
I think you were smart not to downsize too much.

Although I am and have always been in the "smaller is better" camp I'd agree, especially for someone like the OP who is wanting to downsize from a really large 5th ... go too far with this and you could well regret it later. :( However, where I do differ with some is I do think the OP could easily downsize to a mid size 23' trailer measuring ~ 25' to 27' coupler to bumper and not feel they've gone too far. When we downsized we chose a 19' couple's model measuring 22' 6" coupler to bumper and quite honestly it's really worked out well for us ...



However, had we to do it again I think we'd probably go just a bit longer to a 23' model, if only for a bit more open floor space, a larger bathroom, and an extra large dinette that converts to a full size queen bed for those occasional times we might want to accommodate one of our sons, relatives, or friends - the Coachmen Freedom Express 231RBDS being one of our favourites.



At 26' 10" coupler to bumper it's somewhat longer than my preferred 25' but no longer or heavier than our previous KZ Spree 240BH-LX which we never really had any difficulty towing with a 1/2 ton or placing on any campsite. Almost every manufacturer offers similar models which IMO are just that much easier to deal with than larger 30'+ models. :B

I think you were smart not to downsize too much. We did, and we regretted it. After trying to enjoy camping in our tiny trailer, we finally decided to go back to a larger one.

We still have our Aliner, and it's a great little camper, but we've decided to sell it. If we could afford it, we'd keep both of them. I go on ladies' camping trips by myself occasionally, and it's perfect for that.

We did the same thing kids are grown didn't need it anymore went from a 38ft fiver to a 28 tt opened up lot more places to camp,still have room when one of the kids can come along,this year we even tent camped more than we have in years,

What you said is a big reason I got an Eco Boost engine. The turbos in the mountains work really , really well. Makes the gasser seem more like a diesel.

However, I've also read that because of the smallness of the engine, it doesn't provide the "engine braking" a larger V-8 does, and especially not what a diesel does. Probably will have to drop down another gear or so on long mountain declines.

jerem0621 wrote:

garysol wrote:

bstar1952 wrote:
Thinking of doing the same thing - going from a 34' TT to a 24'-28' TT. Also going with a 1500 truck vs. my 2500. My 2500 is a great truck abut I'm tired of the crappy solo MPG. Looking at a Ford F-150, 3.5 eco ( that thing is a hot-rod) and the small Jayco White-Hawk.

I don't think I could downsize the truck quite yet. I sort of wish I never went diesel and experienced the ease at which it tows......

From what I understand the Ecoboost F150 behaves very similar to a diesel as far as towing power is concerned. I would like to experience this but I have also heard that pulling hills with the Eco is a positive experience.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

SoundGuy wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
It's all relative - your new "downsize" Heritage Glen is longer than the biggest trailer we ever owned, our KZ Spree 240BH-LX. We've since downsized from that "monster" to our current 19' couple's trailer which measures 22' 6" coupler to bumper. Hard for me to fully appreciate your "downsize". ;)

garysol wrote:
I would downsize more but our now 16 year old will still occasionally camp with us so I wanted something that still gave her some room to stretch out with friends....

I'm not sure how going to a couple's model with no bunk beds is going to accomplish your goal as your daughter and friend(s) would have to sleep on the sofa and/or dinette of a Heritage Glen 263RL anyway. :h



Having been there done that ourselves my bet is you'll find your daughter at her age camping less and less as other activities from school, to sports, to friends, to part time working, and a million other distractions increasingly take up all her time. Accepting this as reality ourselves we chose to focus on a floor plan and size of trailer that would best suit our overall needs, not those of someone else who may or may not ever camp with us anyway. Certainly it's great if this Heritage Glen best suits your own personal needs but as many of us have pointed out this can also be accomplished in a trailer that's still considerably shorter than 29' 9" and will be just that much easier to deal with in so many ways. To each his / her own though. :)

On the occasions that our daughter and a friend join us the sofa and dinette is exactly where they will sleep. Our 5th wheel has bunks and I am done with the wasted space now that she is older. You make a VERY good point that 30' is still a pretty big camper. I guess coming from what we are in now it seems small. Baby steps :) Next time we will shoot for sub 25!!

Be careful -- you'll get the "small is beautiful" bug, and you'll end up like me, with a trailer much smaller than my truck!

Seriously, though, we started with a used trailer with a box less than 12 feet long, just as an experiment. After six years, we bought a new trailer with the same dimensions, knowing how small it was and knowing what that would mean: close quarters but great maneuverability.

So I understand your desire to downsize. But keep going! ;)

We just bought a 2018 Keystone Passport 2520RL. It's 30 feet long. We had a Sprindale Summerland about the same size. The Passport has a wider storage compartment up front, a smaller slide out than the Summerland, outside grill, outside speakers, electric awning, step in shower, leg room on toilet, larger gray water, black water and fresh water capacity, and other upgrades. Never did want one of those big rigs. We are just 2 people.

SoundGuy wrote:
It's all relative - your new "downsize" Heritage Glen is longer than the biggest trailer we ever owned, our KZ Spree 240BH-LX. We've since downsized from that "monster" to our current 19' couple's trailer which measures 22' 6" coupler to bumper. Hard for me to fully appreciate your "downsize". ;)

garysol wrote:
I would downsize more but our now 16 year old will still occasionally camp with us so I wanted something that still gave her some room to stretch out with friends....

I'm not sure how going to a couple's model with no bunk beds is going to accomplish your goal as your daughter and friend(s) would have to sleep on the sofa and/or dinette of a Heritage Glen 263RL anyway. :h



Having been there done that ourselves my bet is you'll find your daughter at her age camping less and less as other activities from school, to sports, to friends, to part time working, and a million other distractions increasingly take up all her time. Accepting this as reality ourselves we chose to focus on a floor plan and size of trailer that would best suit our overall needs, not those of someone else who may or may not ever camp with us anyway. Certainly it's great if this Heritage Glen best suits your own personal needs but as many of us have pointed out this can also be accomplished in a trailer that's still considerably shorter than 29' 9" and will be just that much easier to deal with in so many ways. To each his / her own though. :)