Ease of towing an 8-ft wide trailer vs a 7-foot trailer

I want to thank all those that responded - your recommendations and insights were really helpful.

I would venture to say that the Casita would definitely be "easier" to tow. If that is your main concern about RVing, go with the Casita. However, I think you would need to consider which would be better to stay in a campsite with. There is a big difference between the two. More than likely, you will get used to pulling either one, as long as your tow vehicle is up to the job. Good luck and welcome.

I would think it would matter depending on what they are towing with. I have an 8ft wide tt and i have 2 enclosed cargo trailers, one being 6ft w and the other 8.5 wide. Behind my pickup there is no differance between the tt and the 6ft trlr but the 8.5 is noticable in trying to see behind. I tow the 6ft with our SUV but wouldn't even consider the other 2 with it as the SUV is too narrow to be able to see.

I'll throw another thought in here too that I don't think has been mentioned. Some of this ease of towing regarding width has to do with "where" you tow. If you stick to the interstates, and generally operate on wide well built highways with paved shoulders, then a wider trailer is "easy". But if you frequent twisty, narrow county roads that have no shoulder, then you will have to pay more attention to the width of the trailer while in tow.
I would not say it's more difficult to deal with the wider trailer, it's just that you have to pay closer attention to avoid dropping right side wheels off the edge, or to avoid getting the left side too close to the centerline.

As for the difference in fuel economy, I tow either my tall boxy camper, or a shorter, more rounded edge two horse trailer with my Nissan truck. The lower more rounded horse trailer allows me on average about 2 mpg more than the camper. They coincidentally weigh about the same. I would expect if I pulled a Casita/Escape/Scamp type trailer I would get another mile or two even better, but that is just a guess.
More important to me is the "livability" of the camper once I am parked, because when I am out in the camper, it's usually for several months at a time. So wider, taller, and a slideout room are mandatory for me.

dennisgt60 wrote:
Well, since you have never towed.....you won't notice the difference.

That is the correct answer. LOL

The length of the trailer isn't as noticeable as the width, when towing. You notice the width in your mirrors, and as stated previously, the aerodynamic drag is more with the wider trailers. Both my trailers are Avions, so I get the advantage of the aerodynamic shape. My shorter trailer is much higher and the reduced wind resistance makes a huge difference when towing.
You really need to decide how much room you need and then pick the trailer that best suits your needs. If you are the type of person who will spend most of your time in the trailer, bigger is probably better. If you like to be outdoors, then the size isn't as important but the towing qualities may be a top priority.

Well, since you have never towed.....you won't notice the difference.

IMHO The Casita has much better quality than the Jayco, and that overrides any concern about the minor differences in towing. The Casita will tow better anyways according to other posts here.

I have owned both .
What works best for us is an 8 foot wide 21T Komfort with no slide .
We pull that with a 2002 diesel supercab short box pickup with a SnugTop locking canopy .
We bought both new and have kept them twice as long as anything else we have owned.
That configuration gave us a 14 % ( 8' /7') increase in space while maintaining a shorter length .
We pulled our 7 ' wide Nomad 1661 significant distance and it was easier to tow but we wanted more space and the Komfort is taller as well as wider .
We also owned a 26 foot slideout trailer and we have found that the 21T works better for mobility and for the type of camping we prefer , which is without hookups.
For me , it is all about the Tow Vehicle .
The right tool for the job is a 3 /4 ton / 2500 pickup because the payload increase allows me to use a Heavy Tongue Weight which is the number one factor in safe handling in adverse conditions .
The reason to use a 7 foot wide trailer is because of a half ton pickup or less . If a 2500 pickup ( any brand ) is used then the advantage of an 8 foot wide trailer is a better solution .

rexlion wrote:


Not only is the Casita narrower, it is also lower in height and rounded on the edges and corners. Much less frontal area

Again: this front-profile difference really only affects fuel mileage- little to do with "ease of towing", which is the O.P.'s question. Towing "ease" is much more a factor of load distribution/balance/suspension/tires than is frontal profile.

And I'm speaking as a present owner of a trailer similar to the Casita, and a former user of wider/more conventional trailers.

TECMike is right. Whereas many of the other posters apparently have no experience with towing a Casita or similar 'egg' trailer.

I have had an 8' wide Rockwood and a 7' wide Burro (molded fiberglass 'egg' similar to Casita). I now have a 7' wide KZ. The Burro towed noticeably easier than either of the others. Wind resistance is a huge factor in towing. Much more so than adding a thousand pounds or so of weight. I got 14 mpg with the Burro, 12 with the KZ, and 10 with the Rockwood. Many Casita and Scamp owners get 15-16 mpg (the Casita is more like 6'8" wide, whereas my old Burro was 7'2").

Not only is the Casita narrower, it is also lower in height and rounded on the edges and corners. Much less frontal area. The rounded shape all around is very good at cutting through the wind vs. a more boxy trailer. Your drive train will thank you for getting the Casita.... that is, unless you have a big diesel, I guess.