Making the jump from tent camping to RVing

[AmongTheTrees]

I'm a lifelong tent camper, but my partner and I are interested in switching to an RV for added convenience and comfort during our trips. I'd be happy to get some feedback on traveling in a small travel trailer.

A fifth wheel or Class C might be in our future a few years down the line, but I think we'd like to experiment with a smaller travel trailer in the meantime. It's just the two of us for now (hopefully with a canine friend in the near future!), so we don't need a whole lot of space. We like to visit National Parks and camp off-grid.

Right now, I'm thinking that a small travel trailer with a kitchen area and bed would be great for us. I've seen various teardrop designs and other small campers that fit this description.

But what's it like to stay in these? Do you feel cramped and crowded? Do you bring along a tent/shelter to give you more space to spread out on bad weather days? Happy to hear your thoughts on the matter!

[rexlion]

I have been happy with TTs in the 16'-17' size. A bed that can be left a bed full time, and a separate place to sit comfortably, are priorities for me. After a tent, even a small TT may seem spacious to you. And I bet you already are used to conserving water, right?

For outdoors, an awning might be enough for some. But for camping in skeeter country, I suggest a Clam or Gazelle screen room.

[toedtoes]

You need to decide how much "comfort" you want.

Do you want to sleep off the ground?

Do you want to have a toilet?

Do you want to be able to shower?

Do you want to be able to watch tv or a movie when it's raining?

Do you want to cook on a stove top?

Do you want to bake in an oven?

Do you want to be able to cook inside?

Do you want to minimize set up and take down?

Do you want to eliminate loading and unloading for each trip?

Do you want all the comforts of home?

Teardrops - these will give you a bed off the ground and an outdoor kitchen. That's it. No room to sit and relax when it rains. Most teardrop owners simply eliminate the sleeping tent and cooking table. They continue to set up tarps, screen tents, etc. It will be awkward dressing inside as all you have is the bed.

Popups - these will give you a place to sit inside, some storage, and an indoor stove. You might get a toilet and\or wet bath. You will still be sleeping under canvas, but you'll be off the ground. You will be able to dress inside, brush teeth, etc.

Hybrids - these will give you more floor space than the popup (good with a dog) and will increase the ability to store supplies inside without having to rearrange for travel. You will still be sleeping under canvas. May have a wet bath or dry bath.

Ultra small hard sided (eggs, etc. - under 18ft) - these will give you less space than the hybrid but you will not have to deal with drying out tent ends. You will likely have a dinette/bed conversion. Some may offer a cassette toilet. You will usually just have a stovetop and maybe microwave.

Small hard-sided (19 - 22ft) - these will give you less room than a hybrid of the same length, but you will not have to deal with tent ends. Most will have a wet bath, but you may find a dry bath. You will usually have a couch or 2-person dinette and a full bed or 4-person dinette. Stovetop and microwave and maybe an oven.

As you are used to tent camping, you are used to having limited water. For fresh water, a 20gal tank will be very similar to how you work now. A 40gal tank will provide you with the ability to use the toilet at night at the minimum. You'll be able to wash your face, brush your teeth and wash cookware. If you're conservative, you will have enough for drinking and cooking.

[goducks10]

If I knew what I know now I'd have a 1 ton truck and a 32-33' 5th wheel.
Bought our 1st TT (21') cause we had a Nissan Frontier and didn't want to get a larger truck. The TT seemed like a castle compared to 9x12 tent even for just the two of us. Couldn't believe how nice it was to be able to not need a cooler, have a stove inside and a toilet and shower. Heaven. Thats when the bug bit us. It was so nice to be able to go camping when the weather was less than ideal.
After one year we upsized to a 31' TT and a bigger truck. That was really nice. Two recliners, sofa table and chairs. Heaven.
Unfortunately the TT towed like a POS. Never could get it dialed in. 2.5 years latter we went the 5th wheel route albeit a shorter one. 28'. Same sq ft as the 31' TT. Way nicer for towing, storage and easier to get into smaller sites.
Still have it after 5 years. Only reason we aren't getting a slightly larger one is we'd lose too much selling or trading in and we have ours modded out exactly like we like it.
I would get the TT or 5er you really would like now. It will cost you more in the long run to keep upgrading.
Maybe buy used as that would cut your losses. Or even rent a couple.
Warning, it's really addicting. 🙂

[Johndanielscpa]

My wife and I have gone from tent camping to a 23’ hybrid trailer to a truck camper to a 30’ fifth wheel. We love the fifth wheel, but we found we missed the “camping” experience; getting into the back country and being away from it all. So, we kept our fifth wheel for our “glamping” trips, but bought a Jeep and a T@B teardrop for our “camping” trips. If you are looking for a somewhat minimalist camping experience, a T@B 320 may work out well for you. As others have mentioned, it’s not an RV you are going to spend a lot of time in, as it is small (and, therefore, easy to get into tight spots)! But we have watched a movie inside while waiting out a passing rain storm. Ours is equipped with a 71” X 71” bed (which can be converted to a dinette if you wish - we just leave ours made up as a bed), toilet, shower, kitchen sink, stove, refrigerator, air conditioner, ALDE (which provides quiet heat and hot water), 12 volt television and stereo. It has fresh, gray and black water tanks, and, although they are rather small, we have yet to have a problem with capacity. But, again, we are “camping.” If we have hookups (which is rare), we have A/C. But most of the time, we are “off-grid,” so we have two six volt batteries and a 120 watt portable solar panel that keeps the batteries charged and runs everything else. To give us a bit more room, we have a “visor,” which is a small awning to keep us out of the sun and rain and a larger awning/room, which is used if we need to spread out a bit more. For the two of us, it works really well, but, admitedly, it is a bit minimalist. But coming from a tent, it will feel like a huge upgrade! I will also say, T@Bs are not cheap. But they are built exceptionally well. We have had ours for two years and have not had one problem with it and don’t expect to anytime soon. T@Bs are made by NuCamp.

[SoundGuy]

AmongTheTrees wrote:
I'm a lifelong tent camper, but my partner and I are interested in switching to an RV for added convenience and comfort during our trips. I'd be happy to get some feedback on traveling in a small travel trailer.

Bring your wallet 😉 ... any trailer is a quantum leap up in convenience and comfort from a tent but the costs increase exponentially. :E

AmongTheTrees wrote:
Right now, I'm thinking that a small travel trailer with a kitchen area and bed would be great for us. I've seen various teardrop designs and other small campers that fit this description.

Ultra small trailers do hold an appeal for some, particularly when the intended tow vehicle is limited in capability but small tanks, wet bathrooms, tight sleeping space can become awfully wearing in short time. I'd agree that for probably most of us a more reasonable solution begins with a more conventional travel trailer starting in the 17' to 19' category. My own Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS is one such example, having everything any adult couple could want in an easy to tow trailer that can be parked on pretty well any size campsite. :B

[azrving]

We could talk all day because nothing with RVs is one size fits all. I can surely understand getting out of a tent and into a real bed. If I was to concentrate on one thing it would be comfortable sleeping and having enough room for two people. The furnace is nice but in a smaller rig they keep waking me up every time it fires up.

In our 30' FW it's far away and below the fridge. You could buy a teardrop and be happy with the bed but then realize that with out spending a lot more you may be able to have a toilet and shower. As you climb the ladder in size you then realize that you are stepping on each other feet.

Overall though you have to start somewhere. You also need to size it low enough in weight compared to your tow vehicle or you will hate it.

[Merrykalia]

Friends purchased an R-Pod (I think 180) in the winter. We have camped with them twice and they really like it. They are smaller people - he is about 5'6", 150 and she is 5'0" and 100 lbs soaking wet. It has a queen bed, a 2-person dinette, a 2-burner stove, small fridge, sink and a large bathroom with shower.

If it were just the 2 of us and we were just weekend campers and an occasional week, that would be perfect for us.

[kerrlakeRoo]

First question is, how are you with towing? Have you any experience?
You may want to rent a u-haul trailer a couple of times, preferably a Sunday, and find an empty parking lot to get acquainted with the nuances of towing and backing a trailer. And get their biggest, its closest to the size of the small trailers you are considering.
If you are comfortable towing, then rent a small camper, there are rental agencies all around which have them available, usually for a price similar to a motel room in your area. You can try this a couple of times with different sized units to get an idea of what seems appropriately sized for your needs.
If it turns out you hate towing, go straight to a small motorhome, and thank god you didnt spend thousands on a trailer you wont use.
With the motorhome the box sizes are comparable to the trailers, so if a 20' trailer fit well, a 22-24 foot Motorhome likely will as well.
Happy motorin

[JAC1982]

Our neighbors have a Jayco Hummingbird trailer and for it's small size (around 20'), it feels very spacious inside and has a full kitchen, bathroom, queen bed, and dinette/bed. They are a couple with a dog. I believe it's the 17RB model. Each tank is around 25 gallons, which is a very good size for a small trailer, especially for a black and gray tank. Their camping goals are very similar to yours... they like to do stuff like mountain biking and hiking so they wanted something they could take into tighter camping areas.

The other item to consider is what your tow vehicle is/will be. If you're towing with an SUV vs a truck, your options will be more limited.

Another option for you, if you're willing to have a larger truck, is a truck camper. That's the best option if you really want to camp deep in.

[theoldwizard1]

DrewE wrote:
A pop-up trailer gives you a lot more usable interior space than a teardrop, which is more along the lines of a hard-sided pup tent (okay, somewhat bigger than that, but not a whole lot).

Concur ! A real "tear drop" is just a dry place to sleep. You can not stand up and cooking is outside.

DrewE wrote:
Maybe a little "egg" trailer like a Scamp or Casitas or similar would be worth considering.

I really like eggshell campers, but they are tiny. Some do not have a bathroom so you need to decide if that is important. I always advise new RVers to buy something small and a couple of years old. Much lower investment and you get to see if you like the experience.

An interesting compromise these days are the hybrid trailer. They look like a short travel trailer but have one or more beds that fold down. The big win is, you can enter the trailer even on quick stops for lunch or a bathroom break.

In general, I am not a fan of motorhomes unless you are going to pull a toad or have bicycles. You need a vehicle to run to town for grocery shopping or taking a side trip.

[DutchmenSport]

We navigated from years of tent camping to a pop-up camper. The pop-up still gave us that outside open feeling with the comfort of a solid floor and a solid roof. It had a sink, 10 gallon fresh water tank, no holding tanks, just a connection outside for a garden hose that led to a bucket or some kind of container for the sink, no bathroom or shower. We thought we were in paradise.

Of course, coming from tent camping, this was a wonderful "upgrade". We still used campground showers. That was no change for us. We still brought along an ice chest, as the pop-up had no refrigerator. That was no change for us. We still used campground bathrooms. That was no change for us. We still experienced the "tent" feeling, the outside feeling, the non-claustrophobic feeling of being cramped inside a box. The camper had a furnace ... THAT was a marvelous change for us. We used the pop-up a lot for 6 years.

We got tired of dealing with wet canvas, and got our first travel trailer. It was a Dutchmen Sport Lite, 18 feet. We loved it. It came with the shower, bathroom, toilet, sinks, holding tanks, refrigerator. We thought we died and went to heaven. Best of all ... no wet canvas.

Since then we had 2 different travel trailers. Each one unique in its own way. But that step from the pop-up (tent feeling) to the hard walled trailer was something to get use to. Even though the first travel trailer was 18 feet, it still felt claustrophobic. We missed the open view because it just didn't have THAT many windows. We kind of missed experiencing the wind blowing and the campground noises. But the convenience of all the luxuries, not having to trek to the bath house in the middle of the night for a potty or using an out-house, showering in private, and having our own refrigerator without having to constantly make runs for more ice was a very welcome change.

Yes, regardless of what size of hard-sided camper you get, you'll have some adjustments coming from tent camping. BUT it won't take you very long to enjoy those changes either. Having thing a LOT more private, not hearing campground noises, and not worried if anyone can hear me talking in my sleep, or passing gas at 2:00 am will make someone laugh as they are walking their dog or going to the bath house themselves.

Adjustment in my mind set? Yes! Difficult to overcome? No!

And yes, bring that old tent along for a while. The old tent does come in handy for an outside storage area. If after a few trips you realize you really don't need it any more, then get rid of it.

Meanwhile... happy camping!

[DrewE]

A pop-up trailer gives you a lot more usable interior space than a teardrop, which is more along the lines of a hard-sided pup tent (okay, somewhat bigger than that, but not a whole lot).

Maybe a little "egg" trailer like a Scamp or Casitas or similar would be worth considering. As was mentioned, they do have quite small tanks, so water conservation is important if you don't have hookups available.

If you'll be spending a comparatively large amount of time actually traveling from place to place (rather than spending the time at any destination), a motorhome of some sort is definitely more convenient than a trailer. You don't need to go outside to get to the bathroom or fridge, just pull over and walk a few steps back. When stopping for a night, a minimal setting up of camp consists of setting the parking brake and turning the ignition and headlights off assuming the area where you're stopping is reasonably level, and breaking camp in the morning is pretty much just the same steps taken in reverse.

[the_bear_II]

Here's the typical sequence for RV'ers:
1. Start out tent camping
2. Buy a small RV and like the RV lifestyle
3. Buy a bigger RV right away for comfort
4. Buy an even bigger RV for more comfort and because you can afford a bigger RV or the family has grown

Most people start out with a small RV because they are afraid of driving or towing a larger vehicle. In reality once you get used to driving a large vehicle it's not much different than a small vehicle.

My advice to folks contemplating what to buy is to buy the largest RV you can afford at the time. Find one that meets your needs now and what you feel your needs will be in the next 5-10 years.

Keep in mind it's a lot more comfortable to wait out a storm for 3 days inside of a 25 to 35 foot RV than it is to be stuck in a teardrop.

[nosebreaker]

I second the opinion of getting a "regular" TT that is around the 19' range over one of those "compact" models. Especially when the compact models are the same price as the larger units! I had a 19' TT and was glad I bought it instead of a smaller one or one that had tent siding on it!

If you are concerned with gas savings with a compact unit, don't be. You have to drive tens of thousands of miles to really save anything on gas versus a regular sized trailer.

[jfkmk]

We have a small 17' trailer and are upgrading to a 19'. We really like the small trailers, but as pointed out, they typically have small holding tanks.

As far as going bonkers in bad weather because of being cooped up, that happens to me in our house! No matter what the weather while we use our trailer, we always do something outdoors. It's why we have a camper.