How Long Should Our Travel Trailer Be?

[davidshq]

We are looking at purchasing a travel trailer and I'm trying to figure out how long we should be looking at...

There are only two of us - so we don't need a ton of beds. We are also fairly minimalistic, so while we will need some storage room, we shouldn't have too much trouble in this area.

The biggest thing is I need room for my desk - it is a sit/stand desk - 2' x 4' - and for my desk chair. I think this is the biggest challenge...Smaller ones seem like a good fit, except for the lack of room for this desk...

What are the advantages of a larger TT (besides the obvious)? Of a smaller TT?

Is it a lot harder to handle a larger TT over a smaller one?

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Dave

[tatest]

You will be getting up to a pretty large trailer if you want one that leaves enough empty space for a four-foot desk. It also might have a lot of furnishing you don't want or need. RVs are built with all of the space against walls used by some furnishing, and to create open space they use slideouts, putting the space in the middle of the room.

I suggest you look at RV layouts with the idea of what size has the furnishings you want, and another piece you don't want, that you can sacrifice to build a desk into the space. If I finally decide to full-time, my jackknife sofa will be coming out to install a workspace. Sofa is in an 8-foot, 30" deep slideout, so it would be room for a 2x7 desk, at least.

There are floor plans that include desk space, with a shallow built-in desk. My motorhome put a 18x30 inch desk/vanity in the bedrrom, and I've seen a larger desk inthe living room of an Airstream TT in the 26 to 32 foot range. Probably not as long as 4 feet, however.

Depending on budget, there are high-end manufacturers that custom build towable RVs, just as there are custom builders for motorhomes (Sportmobile, Winnebago Specialty Vehicles). A lot of custom builds are to your purpose, creating an office/workplace combined with a living space, or sometimes just the mobile office.

In towables, also look at toy-haulers. These often have a compact living area up front, garage and some convertable living space in the back. That can be as small as what is needed to haul a couple dirt bikes, on up to enough to carry a small car. I've watched a 34 Ford cabriolet roll out of a fifth wheel toy hauler.

[davidshq]

I'm thinking replacing the dinette is a definite option - we could use the sit/stand desk as a table if needed, especially since there is only two of us.

We haven't purchased a vehicle yet, so that is why I've been specking out the TT first, so we can choose what we want and then get the appropriate vehicle. 🙂

Dave

[Old-Biscuit]

How much weight can your vehicle tow?

That will be the size of trailer you want to look at.

Then within those that your vehicle can tow.....find the floorplan you like

[mbopp]

One option may be to sacrifice the couch or dinette and replace it with your desk.

The TT in my sig is 26-1/2' ball to bumper. I wanted it under 30' so I could get it into some of our favorite sites. DW & I have spent 2 weeks in it at a time and it was adequate for us. YMMV.

[trail-explorer]

ScottG wrote:
Rather than be concerned about some arbitrary length number, why not just look at some and figure out what you need in a trailer. That will point you towards a necessary size.

That's what I'd do too. don't be concerned about "getting a certain length"

Go to a dealer and look at various RVs. How long do you plan to be out using it during a long trip?

What's your tow rig?

[MitchF150]

Are you willing to remodel in order to accommodate the desk?? I ripped out my bench dinette and this was the space left..



I put the benches end to end to get this because I didn't want the dinette anymore.



But, had I wanted to put a desk in it's place, that would have worked too.. 😉

This is only a 22' total length TT (19' actual camper size) and weighs #5000..

As has been already said.. You need to determine what other features you require for your "camping" experience.. 🙂

When it rains, I put out the awning and setup the propane fire pit and enjoy... If it's windy and cold and raining... Well, we get in the truck and go explore the local town or civilization.. We don't do much boondocking, so we are usually pretty close to some kind of small town.. 🙂

Good luck with the search.. As there is no answer WE can give you because we all have different needs and wants too..

Mitch

[old_guy]

we started out with a 23 ft TT and had four kids. then we went to a 25 ft TT. kids are grown up now and have their own TT's and DW and I went all out and got a 35 ft with two slides and I overheard DW telling someone that that it got small in a hurry while we were in Yuma last winter. I was fine. must be just her. kidding aside, size does matter in pros and cons. are you comfortable in towing a large TT. some people have trouble with that one, another is some parks can't handle big TT's. gas mileage goes down. but the comforts are really great. that extra elbow room is nice. you can watch tv in the living room, the DW can shut the bed room door and watch what she likes in the bedroom.

[jerem0621]

3 ft longer than you think.

We had a 31 ft'r and it got much shorter on cold rainy days.

For me... 33-35 ft would be about right...

As far as handling.... I would tow my FIL's 24 ft TT for them to the campground for him and could not tell much difference other than being a little more conscious of length.

Funny, I had to swing more with his TT than I did mine. His axles sat further back from the tongue than mine did even though my trailer was longer overall. So pay attention to the axle position.... My TT's axles were nearly in the dead center of the TT.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[hondapro]

Alot depends how much you each like your own space,all trailers can get small when you are stuck inside on a rainy weekend.
My wife and I have a 35 foot trailer we both like the space.
Also you have to think about where you plan on camping,when we plan to go to a Pa state park we really have to watch what sites are available to be sure they are compatible with our length.It is less of a problem at privately owned campgrounds.

[ScottG]

Rather than be concerned about some arbitrary length number, why not just look at some and figure out what you need in a trailer. That will point you towards a necessary size.