Biggest Bunk House

[JarheadTim]

OK, continuing to refine the search. I think we have decided Bunk House over toy hauler. We have looked at a couple locally and the kids (3) used the term "claustrophobic" on one of them... So WHO has the most spacious DUAL SLIDEOUT bunkhouse 40' or longer...

Thanx in advance!!!

[nremtp143]

I've had both the Sandpiper 355QBQ and the 365SAQ and both are big bunkhouses. I love the 'flipped' kitchen of the 365 much better as you don't have the cabinet in front of the main door while seated on the sofa. We love the 365. Just get it with 7k axles if you like it!

[ependydad]

JarheadTim wrote:
ependydad said:

"I've even "trained" my wife that if she wants to have a discussion with comparing things, it needs to be in spreadsheet form."


OMG... WE MUST HAVE SEPARATED AT BIRTH... LOL



Thanx for all the help Brother...!!!

LOL, Brother Tim - my requirements for a bunkhouse was that it had to be able to sleep 6 (my wife, I, our 2 kids and 2 "others") without resorting to changing the dinette or pulling out the sofa in the main living area.

Our 2 "others" are commonly my in-laws, so the beds for the 2 of them had to be adult friendly. That eliminated a few floorplans because the beds were extremely low to the ground. I think there was a Wildcat 344 or something that we liked but ultimately excluded because it didn't have good sleeping arrangements for them.

I can definitely tell you- most RV manufacturers are willing to talk about your requirements and see what kind of minor customizations that they can do for you. I know, for a fact, that my wife and I's opinion effected changes in the Sabre 36QBOK both while its design was being finalized and after our purchase when we had it for a while.

Prime Time had me on the phone with one of their VPs talking about design changes. Same with Wildcat (we wanted some changes to the bunkhouse and to the outside kitchen). And, like I said- we settled upon the Sabre and effected change in their layout (which they ultimately used for the production model).

[jevanb]

our 344QB will sleep 6 kids or adults in their own beds in the back room, duel slides, but you have to get it with out the OS kitchem. I think it is around 38-39 feet long, we even have a 40inch TV back their, and they have their own bathroom

[JarheadTim]

ependydad said:

"I've even "trained" my wife that if she wants to have a discussion with comparing things, it needs to be in spreadsheet form."


OMG... WE MUST HAVE SEPARATED AT BIRTH... LOL



Thanx for all the help Brother...!!!

[ependydad]

Ry-guy wrote:
We are in the same boat and looking for a large bunk house trailer. We are currently looking at the 36QBOK right now. We like the room and accept the fact there will be places and campgrounds that we might not be able to get into due to its length. We are also considering the Gateway 3650BH which is a five slide bunk house as well. We will be looking at both during the winter rv show in February. Ryan

The Sabre 36QBOK is a pretty awesome camper, if I do say so.

I would worry a little with the 3650BH with it's cargo carrying capacity. 2,500 pounds seems like a lot but with a 42' camper with a family in tow- it's not hard to end up loading that much into it. Especially when you end up carrying nominal amounts of water in the various tanks (likely 3 gray, 2 black, 1 fresh and water heater). Just something to think about. I do love the layout- Heartland didn't always offer the small U-shaped dinette (they only offered the big "party U" dinette back when we were shopping).

Depending on how important it is to you - the 36QB doesn't allow you to get to the fridge with the slides closed until you step onto the unsupported slide floor (which the factory rep discouraged). With the 3650, you'd be able to get to it.

The TV in the 36QB is 90-degrees to the seating area. But on the 3650BH, you have to look over the sink area (where people might be prepping meals/in the kitchen). Looking at pictures of the 3650, it looks like the TV is up pretty high, so it might not be a problem.

Windows-wise, both are pretty limited on the camp side of the camper. The 3650 seems worse in that regard.

The bunkhouse in the 36QB gives you one extra bed that the 3650 doesn't have.

I do love the extra main living area seating of the 3650 AND that there are a set of seats that run perpendicular to the others. We had 10 people staying total on one trip and the adults had a hard time talking while sitting inside because the seating is all in a line in the 36QB (love seat and dinette) unless someone stood or pulled a camp chair in.

Looks like the 3650 has more counter space in the kitchen.

The bookshelves in the 3650 are a nice touch. And I like the bathroom layout in it, as well. Looks like you can brush your teeth and shave without the fear of banging your head. But, the dinette table would be a no go for my wife- she didn't like the look of those kinds of legs.

Well, I've geeked out enough for now. 😄

[ependydad]

JarheadTim wrote:
ependydad I LIKE HOW YOU THINK....

DW says I use a spreadsheet to decide what to have for breakfast... lol

Thanx,

I honestly don't know how people plan anything without spreadsheets. I've even "trained" my wife that if she wants to have a discussion with comparing things, it needs to be in spreadsheet form. She has even admitted that it helps not that I'm sure she would tell anyone else!

Our purchase planning was in spreadsheet form, trip planning, our trip itineraries and all sorts of stuff. For instance, here was our trip planning for a Thanksgiving Trip that didn't happen (sad face):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvEDJnVFaozKdGZMdVJFMGdPNFUxZjNmYXhVRkRHc0E&usp=sharing

It let me compare a few things:
1) To do the "full vision" (Home --> Williamsburg --> NC), how much would it be
2) To do the "full vision" taking both car + truck and leaving the truck/camper behind in Williamsburg (mileage was my killer cost)
3) To do the trip to NC but staying in hotels
4) To do just Williamsburg and skipping NC

And it gave me a travel itinerary with places that I planned on staying, things we wanted to do, etc.

[Ry-guy]

We are in the same boat and looking for a large bunk house trailer. We are currently looking at the 36QBOK right now. We like the room and accept the fact there will be places and campgrounds that we might not be able to get into due to its length. We are also considering the Gateway 3650BH which is a five slide bunk house as well. We will be looking at both during the winter rv show in February. Ryan

[JarheadTim]

ependydad I LIKE HOW YOU THINK....

DW says I use a spreadsheet to decide what to have for breakfast... lol

Thanx,

[ependydad]

My Sabre 36QBOK has dual slides in the bunkhouse. The Sierra 365SAQ and 365SAQB all have dual slides in the bunkhouse.

This list is a couple of years old, so it is missing a lot of recent models, but here is a spreadsheet that I created at the end of 2011/early 2012 when we were looking for a bunkhouse RV:
RV List

I have a column for "Slide in bunk house?" and have a value in the column as "Y (2)" for when there were dual slides in the bunkhouse.

[abc40kids]

I have the Cardinal 362bhs LE model and we have lots of room in the bunkhouse along with a toilet and sink.

[calamus]

Floor plan This is the floor plan of ours the kids have lots of space. the bottom bed is like a day bed/couch and a TV center on the wall with drawers and a closet. I know they make one with 4 bunks in the back on 2 slides also if you have boys and girls. this is a bit shorter that 40' but might be worth a look
40' is a ton of camper to drag around unless you own a lot where you leave it all year. I know my fuel bill I would not want to go any bigger!

[jmtandem]

OK, continuing to refine the search. I think we have decided Bunk House over toy hauler. We have looked at a couple locally and the kids (3) used the term "claustrophobic" on one of them... So WHO has the most spacious bunkhouse 40' or longer...

Thanx in advance!!!

You might start your look-see with Keystone Montana, Mountaineer 346 LBQ, etc. series as they make at least one model with a loft and beds that also double as day seats in a separate kids room. Even has a kids bathroom. Not sure what you are looking for and 40 feet is long and will require quite a stout and powerful truck to tow it. Claustrophobic is THE word for almost any RV with a family. Kind of like living in a sail boat. Some homes have more square footage in their bathrooms than is found in the entire fifth wheel. Kids need to understand the RV trade- offs and that it is an adventure to be enjoyed, not complained about. If they don't see that, it won't work.

[Aridon]

DRV.

http://www.drvsuites.com/mobile-suites/floor-plans.html#fortyThree