Need recommendations for Travel Trailer

If you have narrowed down your choice of campers, go to their respective dealerships and spend some time in those units. I don't mean just go in, take a look and go home. I mean spend a couple or even 3 hours inside it. Bring along a DVD and pop it in the player and sit and watch TV a while. Look around, lay on the bed, open all the cabinets. AND have the dealer retract the slides and then spend 15 minutes in it, doing the same thing. This will tell you a lot, that only you can learn by yourself. Make sure you sit on the potty with the door closed. Men have different reactions than women ... trust me! Make sure it's comfortable for the guys! (really!) You'll see what I mean when you try it!

Someone else will chime in on your tow vehicle. I'm not going there.

Either camper will serve you well, if you are prepared to take care of it and maintain it. That's the #1 secret to having a "good" camper opposed to a "bad" camper... how well the owner maintains it!

It can't be emphasized enough for you to learn EVERYTHING about your intended camper. Where are the dump valves, how does it heat and perform in the winter, cold weather, where is the water pump? Does it have a winterizing kit already installed on the water pump? Where are the electric and water connections? Are they easily accessed on the outside with slides in and out? The dump valves are they under the slides when out? or off to the side, front or back, or middle. Find the fuses? Easy to access if slides are out or in? Kitchen accessible with slides out or in? Bathroom?

Lay one bed, move around. Is the fabric on the mattress sound? Most RV have inadequate mattresses. They are usually the very first modification folks make, they toss out the old mattress and get a new one. Your's will probably be no different. But if the camper has bunks, those are not so easy to exchange or replace.

Dinette? Convert in into a bed? Bunks? have the kids crawl up in them, then YOU crawl up in them. Claustrophobic? If so, it won't be comfortable for the kids either.

The only way you can know what you are getting is to spend time in it. Don't let the salesmen bully you. If you are serious about purchasing, he won't like it, but he won't stop you if you want to spend the time in it first.

Most of all, have fun in your search!

I have a Coachmen, and we love it. 3 daughters, and they love their bunks.
We ordered ours from the factory, and one thing I regret not getting is a ladder. Too late now, Forest River tells me that I don't have the support to mount one. I could have, had I known to ask when it was still being built.
We've had ours just over 1 year, and are still happy.
The Coachmen looks great on Table Rock Lake by the way.