From truck camper to travel trailer

[pava5000]

We are wondering about switching from truck camper(Lance 1040) to 23' travel trailer. Truck is getting older, 12 years, very good condition but we are planing a long 10 000km trip accross the country next year. Camper is very good for us outside the small wet bath and the really hard F350 truck not fun to drive unloaded with 80# inflated tires. Currently towing a small 8' utility trailer behind for the bikes and outside storage.

I saw a 23' travel trailer that would fit our needs.

Just wanted some feedback from those that went from truck camper to travel trailer to see where they improved and what they miss from their previous setup?

Thanks!

[TomG2]

The TC for traveling and the TT for parking. That's why I usually have both.

[PRodacy]

We started with a small (22-foot NASH) trailer, but then went to a TC. Trailer pros were: More space than a TC, could use the bed of the truck for stuff like chairs, etc., easy to unhook, leaving the campsite essentially reserved, and we could then take the truck exploring. Trailer cons were: Short trailer was not easy to back up, lower ground clearance when boondocking, it had a pull-out bed that needed to be taken down in the morning if you wanted to utilize much of the floorspace, and then pulled back out and the bed made up at night. The pull-out bed was also not as comfortable as a regular mattress. Also more limited as to where we could go as turning around on some of the back-roads we like was often nearly impossible. Finally, we couldn't take our Jeep or friend's boat when we went out, so the toys stayed at home. Switching to a TC, we found the following pros: Easy to take our toys with us, we could get into much more remote areas and rougher roads if we left the toys behind, better insulation than our trailer, larger fresh water tank in the trailer (54 gallons in the TC vs 35 in the trailer - bigger black and grey tanks as well), better ground clearance, comfortable bed that didn't need to be pulled out and made/remade every day, smaller volume makes it easier to heat so the propane lasts much longer in the winter, quality is better than the trailer was. TC cons: Harder to leave behind if we just want to take the truck somewhere without the camper, more steps to climb getting in (expected, but the greater ground clearance makes it worthwhile), the bed of the truck isn't available for miscellaneous stuff, so less storage space, a little less floor space inside, but we tend to spend most of our time outside anyway unless when the weather turns bad.
Finally, the TC just seems more "friendly" and "cosy" to us. Ultimately, what works better for us may not work for others. It all depends on where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there. As we get older, I suspect we'll cut back on the Jeeping and backroad exploring, and migrate towards more established campgrounds. At that point, I suspect we'll go back to a trailer (larger this time) or a small 5er. Good luck with your decision.

[Nvr2loud]

We didn't like having a TC since we had to tear-down camp for every trip to the grocery store, movie theatre, attractions, ect.

Now we just park the TT and unhook the truck and drive around. We now also have room for bikes and kayaks.

[Chuck_and_Di]

I've had both and prefer the TC. Advantages include parking during stops while travelling, the ability to turn around easily when that road you decided to explore didn't work out, able to use a wider range campsites and get that perfect view, using less refined roads, four season camping, faster set up and tear down, cheaper ferry rides, and so on. The trailer provides more space and room for more people, but we rarely need those attributes. It is easier to get in and out of being lower. It also tends to be cheaper to buy and maintain trailers for some reason. I guess if we drove down the highway to a campground, parked it for the weekend, and then drove home I might be biased in the other direction. It all depends on what you like to do. We like to travel.

[Doug33]

I've always thought a TC would be ideal for the two of us traveling. However, when I went inside TC models, I always felt claustrophobic. And now my two college-age daughters still like to camp with us, so a TC would not work. And due to health issues, we haven't been able to travel like we wanted, so the TT still serves us well.

One thing I've noticed is that availability of TC's seems very limited. Even at RV shows, I rarely see TC models on display.

[mleekamp]

We had a Lance years ago. It was just wife and dog and I. We also towed a small utility trailer, had a motorcycle on it.

Overall, the TC offered a "go anywhere" feeling, though we were always limited by freshwater tank, grey water tank sizes. Not much floor room.

We moved to a 24 foot TT in 2002, when pregnant with first child. What a difference! Open floor plan, bigger tanks, easy pull. We knew we had made the right choice.

Today, we have 2 kids (one teen, one almost) and our latest TT is even better...open floor plan, slide out, separate bedroom for mom/dad and the kids. Big table, etc. Pulls good, and we drop it at the campsite and explore.

Bottom line for us, we liked the truck camper, but the TT is what fits our lifestyle now. It all boils down to your preference.