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Family of 4, looking for smaller trailer

testing123
Explorer
Explorer
Hello all,

I have some young kids (5 and 2) I grew up tent camping and have gone several times with the 5yo. (had plans this spring for the family but all that is canceled). I also planned to get a truck for my next vehicle (in ~5 years) with an RV so the wife will come (also AC opens up summer for camping), I know it probably wont be her thing but between the kinds and I it will be fun. Now: the wife thinks we can get a good deal on a used truck here soon (due to economy) and I am sure it will get a lot of use between our families.

It got me thinking I could (currently unprepared on research) accelerate the purchase of a travel trailer. I have browsed here and there but the main thoughts are:

-We will spend most of the time outside like tent campers, would like trailer to shower/sleep. Don't need couch/TV/etc.
-Not sure I want to hassle with pop up/canvas.
-Probably keep for 5-7 years
-Thinking bunk beds for the kids and big bed for us (6'3" height): I don't want to be making a bed out of a couch every night.
-Minimal amenities (hot water, AC) would prefer something shorter/light weight/easy to tow
-Almost always staying at a site with water/power

Concerns
-Enough hot water for showers?
-Frequent empty waste water tanks?
-Insulation isn't too important as we are in the south and main use is for sleeping at night. I do expect the wife will spend some afternoons inside while we are out.


Budget: I would prefer to spend less than $10k, probably closer to $6-7k for a used trailer.

Length: was thinking 18-20 ft long as the target

Don't have experience towing but would want something about 5000 lbs or less. Looking at full size trucks (V8) so I think the weight shouldn't be an issue.

I am looking for any feedback and thoughts on my plan. Suggestions on what to look for. Any specific models you would recommend for these conditions. Hard finding a bunk bed model.

I am the type of person who will make do with what I got so if the TT is decent on average, I wont get too caught up on little preferences. I also figure buying a cheaper used one will limit downside.

The Gulfstream 198BH looks good (and new for $10k?) but the queen bed is going to have my feet hanging off the edge a bit.. thoughts?
19 REPLIES 19

mgann
Explorer
Explorer
Just an example if you shop around a bit. Found ours on Craigslist just a few moments after if listed. Checked it out and bought it for $2700. After repairs, I have about $6500 in it Things it needed/wanted: 2 new complete axles and 4 tires, battery, roof coating, converter/charger, and a few more small things. For a 25 year old trailer it looks new except for some fading paint. It's a 1995 Mallard by Fleetwood model 19n. Over all 21 feet long with 17 foot box.30 or 40 gallon holding tanks, full bed with dinette/twin bed and cabinet overhead that folds down to a bunk for up to 150 lbs. I pull it with no problem Chevy Silverado, 4.6 cyl, crew cab. even in the NC and W VA mountains
2014 Chevrolet 1500, crew cab, srw, 2wd, 4.6 gas, Stock class V, 1995 Mallard by Fleetwood model 19n

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Boomerweps wrote:
I know it would be a PITA to make a bed everyday, like a Murphy bed but....
My wife's biggest complaint about our TT is the east west bed. Somebody gets stuffed up front against the wall and has to crawl over the other for nighttime BR breaks and in the morning neither gets to sleep in easy. It is a major pain to make the bed with three sides against a wall.
Note that TT names are usually the floor plan size, overall length is 5' or so longer. My 16BHS is about 21' long overall.
Do look at small toyhaulers. Lots more play space for kids during bad weather.
Single axles are cheaper. Dual axles would better accommodate a growing family with much more cargo capacity. Semi-ignore dryweight specs. Plan on getting closer to the TT GTWR once you load it up for camping. Your tongue weight will be 13-15% of that. Your truck has to have the cargo capacity (yellow sticker) to carry everything (including 100# WDH), everyone, and tongue weight. That is usually the weight limit reached first.


Making up beds for evening and then turning them back into dinette and couch every day became a huge drag to us. It got to the point that we eventually left everything as beds and ate and lounged outdoors even in high heat and rain. At that time our DD was 3 yrs of age and needed naps through the day..

Our wishlist quickly became a queen bed in a separate "bedroom" with a separate bunk for DD.. Could not find that combination in anything less than 30ft.

Ended up finding a well used 26ft TT that needed total gutting.. I was able to fit a queen bed in a separate bedroom with real doors, galley kitchen, a full sized couch which could fold out to make a full size bed and a twin bunk over top of the couch which could be folded up and out of the way.

The couch doubles as dining seating with a expandable table that folds into the wall when not needed. Overall much nicer layout and very roomy considering the trailer does not have any slides (intentionally did not want slides).

The only downside with our master bedroom is the bed had to be elevated high enough to maximize the space in the front where the front wall angles come together and you can only access one side and the end of the bed.. Pretty much made the bed a high platform but it is nice to have a real wall with a real door and not a flimsy curtain.

Took a lot of noodling to fit everything from our wishlist in but we did it.

Personally, I would avoid the single axle trailers if possible, two axle trailers tend to tow nicer.

I would agree on ignoring the dry weight, concentrate on the GVWR which is the max weight rating of the trailer. It is too easy to get caught up in the supersize mentality which tends to leave folks counting the potato chips they can take with them.

YES, I am aware that SOME trailers have a huge cargo weight rating, meaning the empty weight is low and they can upsize to a larger trailer.. This can turn into a rather dangerous game of chicken in a hurry because the larger the trailer the more stuff you can stuff into it!

Using the trailers GVWR helps you stay well below the max ratings of your tow vehicle even if you fill the trailer to the brim.

Newer vehicles will have a YELLOW STICKER on the drivers door or door post.. That IS the max amount of cargo your vehicle can safely carry..

Your trailer tongue becomes "cargo" of the tow vehicle and ideally should be no less then 10% up to 15% of the trailer weight when loaded however for BEST towing stability MORE tongue weight is better so shoot for as close as 15% as possible..

A word of warning, many "1/2 ton" trucks on dealer lots are light on available cargo cargo weight by default (800 lbs - 1,200 lbs). To get higher cargo weights the truck must be properly configured with additional "payload options" and you typically need to order those higher payload combinations. Trim level, engine size, gear ratio, cab size, bed length, 4x4 options all can take away available cargo of the vehicle.

Make sure you check the YELLOW STICKER for the highest cargo weight available before buying the tow vehicle..

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
If your family has tent camping experience, then water conservation should be no big deal. Try solar showers.

When your kids are young the two of them can sleep in a dinette. When they get a little older I would set up a tent for them so they can learn some independence.

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
Sorry, stupid NO SERVICE resulted in double post
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
I hope that your wife comes over to the "I love camping" group. My wife had never camped until I met her and after 35 years together, she still loves it. I make sure that I do most of the cooking and meal cleanup so that she get a vacation also. When our 4 daughters were younger, we used a popup every summer to travel all over the country. She took care of the making beds up and with the girls they took care of keeping the inside of the popup clean. I did everything outside. The girls had daily chores. Even the youngest one had a job starting at 3 years old. 3 of the girls still love camping. We don't even bring up camping with the 4th.
Make every trip a vacation for the wife.
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

Durb
Explorer
Explorer
At 6'-3", you will hate sleeping in a short RV queen size bed. Try to find one with a full 80" long bed.

We took our granddaughters with us for years in our 25' trailer (22' box) with no slides with excellent results. The girls slept on the dinette bed. This worked good until the oldest was 10, then not enough room. An upgrade was necessary. Kids your age will fondly remember the camping adventures no matter where they sleep. Ensure the wife is comfortable.

GrandpaKip
Explorer II
Explorer II
My kids had a 21’ EcoCamp bunkhouse by Skyline (now defunct) for 5 years. They went all over the US with 3 kids (now aged 7, 12, 13). And pulled it with a Frontier.
They now have a 26’ camper and pull it with a Nissan NV3500 van.
Plenty of 20’ or so bunkhouse campers around.
Look for a walk around queen. Most campers in that range will have an RV short queen, but some beds can be extended to a regular size.
Double axles will give you more cargo capacity. Sometimes a lot more. The EcoCamp had over 2000 pounds. And they used a goodly part of that.
I would definitely go used to start with.
Good luck and happy hunting.
Kip
2015 Skyline Dart 214RB
2018 Silverado Double Cab 4x4
Andersen Hitch

Boomerweps
Explorer
Explorer
I know it would be a PITA to make a bed everyday, like a Murphy bed but....
My wife's biggest complaint about our TT is the east west bed. Somebody gets stuffed up front against the wall and has to crawl over the other for nighttime BR breaks and in the morning neither gets to sleep in easy. It is a major pain to make the bed with three sides against a wall.
Note that TT names are usually the floor plan size, overall length is 5' or so longer. My 16BHS is about 21' long overall.
Do look at small toyhaulers. Lots more play space for kids during bad weather.
Single axles are cheaper. Dual axles would better accommodate a growing family with much more cargo capacity. Semi-ignore dryweight specs. Plan on getting closer to the TT GTWR once you load it up for camping. Your tongue weight will be 13-15% of that. Your truck has to have the cargo capacity (yellow sticker) to carry everything (including 100# WDH), everyone, and tongue weight. That is usually the weight limit reached first.
2019 Wolf Pup 16 BHS Limited, axle flipped
2019 F150 4x4 SCrew SB STX 5.0 3.55 factory tow package, 7000#GVWR, 1990 CC Tow mirrors, ITBC, SumoSprings,

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
“Many "dry" campgrounds are pretty rustic, little to no Internet, no electric, no water, no sewage and offer very little to keep the modern day kids ”

Really? Dry campgrounds have no water, electricity or sewage? Rustic? Are you sure?
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

afidel
Explorer II
Explorer II
testing123 wrote:
Hello all,

I have some young kids (5 and 2) I grew up tent camping and have gone several times with the 5yo. (had plans this spring for the family but all that is canceled). I also planned to get a truck for my next vehicle (in ~5 years) with an RV so the wife will come (also AC opens up summer for camping), I know it probably wont be her thing but between the kinds and I it will be fun. Now: the wife thinks we can get a good deal on a used truck here soon (due to economy) and I am sure it will get a lot of use between our families.

It got me thinking I could (currently unprepared on research) accelerate the purchase of a travel trailer. I have browsed here and there but the main thoughts are:

-We will spend most of the time outside like tent campers, would like trailer to shower/sleep. Don't need couch/TV/etc.
-Not sure I want to hassle with pop up/canvas.
-Probably keep for 5-7 years
-Thinking bunk beds for the kids and big bed for us (6'3" height): I don't want to be making a bed out of a couch every night.
-Minimal amenities (hot water, AC) would prefer something shorter/light weight/easy to tow
-Almost always staying at a site with water/power

Concerns
-Enough hot water for showers?
-Frequent empty waste water tanks?
-Insulation isn't too important as we are in the south and main use is for sleeping at night. I do expect the wife will spend some afternoons inside while we are out.


Budget: I would prefer to spend less than $10k, probably closer to $6-7k for a used trailer.

Length: was thinking 18-20 ft long as the target

Don't have experience towing but would want something about 5000 lbs or less. Looking at full size trucks (V8) so I think the weight shouldn't be an issue.

I am looking for any feedback and thoughts on my plan. Suggestions on what to look for. Any specific models you would recommend for these conditions. Hard finding a bunk bed model.

I am the type of person who will make do with what I got so if the TT is decent on average, I wont get too caught up on little preferences. I also figure buying a cheaper used one will limit downside.

The Gulfstream 198BH looks good (and new for $10k?) but the queen bed is going to have my feet hanging off the edge a bit.. thoughts?


My KZ 181BH is very similar but the bed is full trailer width and it has a dinette slide which adds SO much space. The downsides are very, very small tanks, before Covid it was not an issue, we used the bathrooms and showerhouses at the campgrounds so the main issue was sink water, needed a blue tote to go two weeks without a sewer hookup. Now that public showers aren't a possibility it's limiting out options, have to find a site with full hookup even for a long weekend because navy showers won't cut it with my family, sites with water/electric or just electric are WAY more common so my advice for the next year or two is get 60 gallon grey minimum. We did not find size to be a problem 95% of the time, we did 5k miles with 5 of us, that said I do want a couch or recliner in my next trailer. I payed $12,500 out the door for my unit new.

hope that helps a little
2019 Dutchman Kodiak 293RLSL
2015 GMC 1500 Sierra 4x4 5.3 3.42 full bed
Equalizer 10k WDH

afidel
Explorer II
Explorer II
testing123 wrote:
Hello all,

I have some young kids (5 and 2) I grew up tent camping and have gone several times with the 5yo. (had plans this spring for the family but all that is canceled). I also planned to get a truck for my next vehicle (in ~5 years) with an RV so the wife will come (also AC opens up summer for camping), I know it probably wont be her thing but between the kinds and I it will be fun. Now: the wife thinks we can get a good deal on a used truck here soon (due to economy) and I am sure it will get a lot of use between our families.

It got me thinking I could (currently unprepared on research) accelerate the purchase of a travel trailer. I have browsed here and there but the main thoughts are:

-We will spend most of the time outside like tent campers, would like trailer to shower/sleep. Don't need couch/TV/etc.
-Not sure I want to hassle with pop up/canvas.
-Probably keep for 5-7 years
-Thinking bunk beds for the kids and big bed for us (6'3" height): I don't want to be making a bed out of a couch every night.
-Minimal amenities (hot water, AC) would prefer something shorter/light weight/easy to tow
-Almost always staying at a site with water/power

Concerns
-Enough hot water for showers?
-Frequent empty waste water tanks?
-Insulation isn't too important as we are in the south and main use is for sleeping at night. I do expect the wife will spend some afternoons inside while we are out.


Budget: I would prefer to spend less than $10k, probably closer to $6-7k for a used trailer.

Length: was thinking 18-20 ft long as the target

Don't have experience towing but would want something about 5000 lbs or less. Looking at full size trucks (V8) so I think the weight shouldn't be an issue.

I am looking for any feedback and thoughts on my plan. Suggestions on what to look for. Any specific models you would recommend for these conditions. Hard finding a bunk bed model.

I am the type of person who will make do with what I got so if the TT is decent on average, I wont get too caught up on little preferences. I also figure buying a cheaper used one will limit downside.

The Gulfstream 198BH looks good (and new for $10k?) but the queen bed is going to have my feet hanging off the edge a bit.. thoughts?


My KZ 181BH is very similar but the bed is full trailer width and it has a dinette slide which adds SO much space. The downsides are very, very small tanks, before Covid it was not an issue, we used the bathrooms and showerhouses at the campgrounds so the main issue was sink water, needed a blue tote to go two weeks without a sewer hookup. Now that public showers aren't a possibility it's limiting out options, have to find a site with full hookup even for a long weekend because navy showers won't cut it with my family, sites with water/electric or just electric are WAY more common so my advice for the next year or two is get 60 gallon grey minimum. We did not find size to be a problem 95% of the time, we did 5k miles with 5 of us, that said I do want a couch or recliner in my next trailer. I payed $12,500 out the door for my unit new.

hope that helps a little
2019 Dutchman Kodiak 293RLSL
2015 GMC 1500 Sierra 4x4 5.3 3.42 full bed
Equalizer 10k WDH

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
OP, I agree with the thoughts that you're thinking a little small for 4 people, especially if you're thinking comfort for yourself or keeping the wifey happy.

But, with your budget of $6-10k, there are a lot of mid size TTs in decent shape in that range. Don't focus on age as much as condition, IMO and preferably not one that was used heavily. The majority of RVs are used infrequently, so no need to buy one that is 5-10 years old that was used half a year straight every year.
Just start looking, you said you weren't hung up on nuances, so the best condition trailer that is in your price range is the right one.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Lwiddis wrote:
Follow the rule. Buy or select the trailer first, then match an appropriate tow vehicle to the trailer. Rather than trailer weight, think TV payload first...tongue weight, people, hitch and stuff in the TV.

“Almost always staying at a site with water/power.” That’s too bad. You’ll miss camping in so many beautiful dry campgrounds.


Good lord man, the OP basically has figured out every important detail and is 100% on track and that's what he did, so why are you lecturing it?
I'll paraphrase. He said 5klb max and V8 pickup. Sounds like he did exactly what you said before you even said it.
Becasue how the ____does one buy a trailer without anything to pull it? Responsibly, anyways...
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

jerem0621
Explorer II
Explorer II
That is tiny for four people. I know what you say, being outside most of the time.

Except, you will have those times where you are not. Trust me, everyone being on top of each other is no fun.

Also, if your wife’s thing is not camping she may need a retreat where she can escape from camping Where she be comfortable. I suggest something with a Bedroom...a couch...a dinette...and decent bunks for growing kids. (Get a sturdy top bunk, one rated for 300 plus lbs)

No slide needed right now.

looks for models that say 25 or 26 BH like the Zinger, Jayco or Coleman. Those are GREAT first TT’s and weigh nothing hardly. Easy to pull (tandem axles for the win!) and have a decent cargo capacity. And that floor plan has been made for years and years and there are at least 15-20 years with of this floor plan to choose from.



Plus you can get a real bedroom for you and the Mrs. That is worth it’s weight in Dutch oven Campfire Chili.

JMHO based on experience.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
TV-2022 Silverado 2WD
TT - Zinger 270BH
WD Hitch- HaulMaster 1,000 lb Round Bar
Dual Friction bar sway control

It’s Kind of Fun to do the Impossible
~Walt Disney~