Camping in hot weather

3500 isnt a large capacity for towing Im sure you can find a smaller rig maybe a hybrid
make sure you have your reservation by now
Good luck

Yes already have the reservation and both of these rigs are perfect for our SUV. I have a really great towing capacity worksheet. I'm just worried about the heat in a hybrid. It would have more room, but it also might be loud labor day and the baby needs to sleep by at the latest 9pm. I have never camped in either so any help would be great.

I hate to say this but it's going to be miserable. AC in RV's is really taxed at temps well into the 100's.
I would pick the smallest trailer with the biggest rated AC.

Travelinsarah wrote:
Yes already have the reservation and both of these rigs are perfect for our SUV. I have a really great towing capacity worksheet. I'm just worried about the heat in a hybrid.

Clearly you should be concerned about a lot more than just heat build up in a hybrid. :R Apparently you want to tow a full height trailer with your Sorrento which will have FIVE people in it at the same time, FOUR of whom are adults or adult sized but as others have already tried to say you're Sorrento isn't even close to being able to haul any full height trailer with all those people AND their cargo in the vehicle AND still allow sufficient capacity to handle the trailer's gross tongue weight AND deal with the significant effects of wind resistance when towing at highway speeds. Of course, that's assuming those of us who have been towing for decades may have this all wrong. :W

We had a Hybrid and did not like it; for more reasons than the heat. It was a little warmer in the beds, but my big issue was the leaking that occurred at when closed up. Had to take it back 3x to have seals replaced and finally got rid of it. I admit, it does give you more room, but that's the only advantage that I can think of.

O.k. Sound Guy - I'm not an idiot. We are taking two cars. I will for sure abide by my towing capacity - would you like to see the worksheet? These are single axel rigs under 3000 lbs dry.

FYI we also have the SX which is a V6 engine not the V4.

http://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

I don't think the heat will be an issue. I've camped at the NC beaches (Emerald Isle and Carolina Beach) in June and Aug. Daytime temps in the 90s. Our HTT's AC was fine. In fact, the TT next door was envious that I could open my bunk ends and take advantage of the ocean breeze more easily than he was.

Space-wise, the HTT is a clear winner: 2 queens without sacrificing floor space

Sarah, welcome to the forums! Please be assured that not everyone who posts here is grumpy -- some of us try to be as helpful as possible. Don't be discouraged!

Having said that, you really are pushing the limits of what you can tow safely with that vehicle. Most folks like to build in a big cushion of safety. The issue is not towing on flat ground. It is going uphill and (more crucially) downhill.

Coming from LA to the Kern, you will have to deal with the Grapevine. Up the hill northbound, you will be in the truck lane. Just be patient, and watch your engine temp.

Coming down the hill northbound is a little trickier. You will definitely want to downshift to save your brakes from overheating. That particular stretch of road is tricky because we tend to go faster than the trucks and slower than the cars, yet there are only three lanes on that downgrade.

On level ground in the San Joaquin Valley, keep your speed in the high 50s.

Will this rental come equipped with any sort of sway control? If not, be sure to load the trailer heavily in front of the axle -- inadequate tongue weight can cause sway, which can get very dangerous very fast.

Once you decide to buy a trailer, you may want to look at a beefier tow vehicle. I tow a small (2000 pound) trailer with a Tacoma, supposedly rated at 6000 pounds. It is sufficient.

Don't be discouraged by all of the technical stuff connected with towing and trailering. Yes, there is a steep learning curve. But it is incredibly fun, and great for folks with kids. We did not discover camping till our kids were grown, unfortunately. And living in California means that although the traffic is bad, there are lots and lots of places to go, all year round. Check out our blog posts (see link in my signature) for a taste of what is available to you!

Unless I am mistaken, I think it cools down on the Kern after sunset. So although you will need the a/c for the baby's afternoon nap, you might not need it at night. Hybrids have much better ventilation than hard-sided trailers (like mine), which is both a plus and a minus.

Hang in there, and have fun!

Thank you so much for your very educational post. I will make sure to have sway control. The hybrid is a shorter rig and might easier for a first timer like us. I was just worried about the heat. We are only going for 4 days so we don't need to pack much. My husband is an amazing driver and will downshift for sure. Thing is we have this car for another 2 1/2 years (its a lease) so no getting a bigger one until then. I think the hybrid might be the best bet for a first time travel trailer from what people are posting.

without getting into the can I tow it debate.. MY OPINION is you would be better off with the KZ..

the GVW is the same... the empty weight is 90# less.. the hitch weight is 65# less..

AND for me the MOST IMPORTANT feature that is different is that the KZ has a hard wall slide out... where the Jayco has 2 fold outs with canvas.... I THINK the KZ would be easier to keep cool with no canvas on each end.

AGAIN... JUST MY OPINION