Thinking of getting into the TT market
I am a total newbie, I am thinking of buying my first travel trailer... my wife and kids are sick of the tent. I have been looking at a Jayco Swift SLX, but I don't know the first thing about RV'...
Forum Discussion
DSL70, Do't be afraid of looking at the Popups or Hybrids. With your towing capasity limited, they very well be the options that work out best for you. Just know what you are getting into.
Campers with tenting for beds (Popups and Hybrid) have the benefit of havig that sleeping space OUTSIDE of the floor plan, significantly increasing the size of the camper when it's opened up. Having 2-3 beds outside of the floor box leaves a lot of room for the dinette, bathroom, kitchen, seating area's. Thats the benefit over a hardsided travel travel. The downside is the canvas tenting needs some additional care and depending on the layout, you may have to open it up to pack things in or our of the camper. Popups will require you to raise the roof and pull the beds out to get into the frig or cabinets to preload or unload items from inside the camper. Hybrids may or may not, depending on where the beds are stored in relation to those inside storage area's. The other thing is if they tenting is damp or wet when folded up, It will have to be opened up to dry on a sunny day shortly after returning to prevent it from getting musty or mold starting. Just like you've done with tents. Not a big deal if you don't mind the extra crank it up (popup) or fold it out (Hybrid) and then once dry, putting it away again.
TT's or other hard sided campers, you don't have to do those things. It's pretty much load your stuff and go, camp, return and unload what you have to (Food/Clothes/stuff you will need prior to going camping again). You pay for this less work conveinence with a little less interior space per the same width/length floor plan since your beds are INSIDE that foot print.
GO check out some campers, walk around and inside and out of the different types. Take everyone that will be camping with you and have them check out their spaces they will be sleeping, sit in the bathroom on the toilet (often cramped in smaller trailers), sit around the dinette, etc. Spend a few minutes in each acting like your "living" in it for a few minutes and you will see the benefits of each. Then come back here and ask some more questions and tell us what your thinking and I'm sure we will have some that agreed with you and some that will bring up points for you to consider.
Good Luck in deciding!
Campers with tenting for beds (Popups and Hybrid) have the benefit of havig that sleeping space OUTSIDE of the floor plan, significantly increasing the size of the camper when it's opened up. Having 2-3 beds outside of the floor box leaves a lot of room for the dinette, bathroom, kitchen, seating area's. Thats the benefit over a hardsided travel travel. The downside is the canvas tenting needs some additional care and depending on the layout, you may have to open it up to pack things in or our of the camper. Popups will require you to raise the roof and pull the beds out to get into the frig or cabinets to preload or unload items from inside the camper. Hybrids may or may not, depending on where the beds are stored in relation to those inside storage area's. The other thing is if they tenting is damp or wet when folded up, It will have to be opened up to dry on a sunny day shortly after returning to prevent it from getting musty or mold starting. Just like you've done with tents. Not a big deal if you don't mind the extra crank it up (popup) or fold it out (Hybrid) and then once dry, putting it away again.
TT's or other hard sided campers, you don't have to do those things. It's pretty much load your stuff and go, camp, return and unload what you have to (Food/Clothes/stuff you will need prior to going camping again). You pay for this less work conveinence with a little less interior space per the same width/length floor plan since your beds are INSIDE that foot print.
GO check out some campers, walk around and inside and out of the different types. Take everyone that will be camping with you and have them check out their spaces they will be sleeping, sit in the bathroom on the toilet (often cramped in smaller trailers), sit around the dinette, etc. Spend a few minutes in each acting like your "living" in it for a few minutes and you will see the benefits of each. Then come back here and ask some more questions and tell us what your thinking and I'm sure we will have some that agreed with you and some that will bring up points for you to consider.
Good Luck in deciding!
