Looking for small, lightweight trailer with dry bath

[Fourkidletts]

Hello all,

We have been shopping for a TV and TT for our large family of 6. We probably aren't going to be able to meet payload for many larger TT options. We also may be taking 2 vehicles, still working all that out.

I'm thinking of going back to my original thought of "Wouldn't a towable bathroom be nice?" With a disabled son, and me HATING public bathrooms (The last place with vault toilets DID ME IN...the FLIES!!!) The kids don't mind sleeping in tents, (I have two Boy Scouts, they are used to it, even worse, snow caves, survival camping lol) and we love sitting around the campfire at night. I really would not want to spend much time in the trailer, so why not go small?

One issue I'm finding is the black water tank. Might be too small in a small trailer?

Anyone have any thoughts on a TV/TT lightweight option that would fit our needs? Leaning towards an F150/250 option so it can also be hubby's work truck.

Edited to say: I don't know much about tanks at all. Do places usually have a place where you can dump the tanks? I guess I need to do some research on that...

[Fourkidletts]

Thanks Laura! That 14 footer you mentioned gives me hope we can find something small to fit our needs. There are so many choices out there, which is great!

[lgarcia]

I have only used our TT for two trips and it was for the two of us, but I got this one with grandkids in mind for future camping - mostly for the reason in the second to last paragraph.

The top bunk weight limit on my Shasta is 250 lbs. Mine is an 18ft bunkhouse (single upper and lower bunks) with a dinette/bed combo that fits 2 more kids, and a queen bed that has two sides against walls, but the other side and bottom are open, so it is easy in and out. Sleeps six in the literature, but we can fit one or two more small grandkids in the queen bed with us - that is an advantage of one side next to a wall since kids don't fall out of bed.

Since your kids are all grown, I would say five comfortably - 2 in bunks, two in queen bed, and one in the dinette bed, which is only slightly wider than the bunk beds. But, as someone who usually shares a full size bed, the queen seems luxuriously wide to me at 60" and could easily hold three adults.

The bathroom has plenty of room to turn around in, but no sink. I prefer the extra space, and just wash hands at the tub faucet.

Ours has no slides (I consider it a hard sided tent with a bathroom and really nice amenities), so I don't know if that fits your needs, but other Shasta models do have slides. I prefer no slides as we can access everything when traveling and it is very quick to set up - once leveled, connect electric and water, hit the button for the hot water tank and we are pretty much good to go.

My 18ft is easily pulled with our half ton truck. The GVWR is 3,830 lbs. Specs and pic of the floor plan are in my profile.

Regarding tents and trailers: I used to have a 14ft Dutchmen - now made by Coleman - and it would suit your priority need for an indoor bathroom. It had a dinette that can be made into a bed for two. When we had it, I always took a Coleman Instant Tent and set it up at the back bumper of the TT to store camp chairs etc. We never had a problem in Ohio or West Virginia camping at state parks, COE, and the occasional private campground, but when we looked into Maryland, there were places where there could only be one dwelling per campsite - either a tent or a trailer, but not both. So, you may not always be able to put your kids in a tent. I felt it was a bit unfair since my 8ft tent and 14ft TT combo was still smaller than most RV's, and you had to look for the tent behind the trailer to see it, but their campgrounds, their rules.

Good luck in your search.

[Fourkidletts]

rvten wrote:
Check Wiiebago out.they build custom RV's for people with Special needs.
MH and trailers.

Thanks! I should have been more specific, he is developmentally disabled. No walking restrictions. He is autistic, and in the pitch black took off to the bathroom by himself last camping trip. Thank GOD my husband put a headlamp on him, that is how we were able to track him down. Scared the **** out of me. Another HUGE reason we want a bathroom!

[Fourkidletts]

VTR wrote:
Oh heck. Sounds like you know what you want to do, and maybe the budget is part of it. Do it, look for good weather and take off. Look at the little Colemans, KZ, Jayco, you will have to inspect the roof day one. Little basic camper with all the goodies we expect at home, your set. Couple of boy scouts, do not mind tents. Go have fun.

In honor of Barney Fife (just because)

Yes, comes down to budget...I do wish money was no object! It would make things a whole lot easier! What do you mean by "You will have to inspect the roof day 1"?

[VTR]

Oh heck. Sounds like you know what you want to do, and maybe the budget is part of it. Do it, look for good weather and take off. Look at the little Colemans, KZ, Jayco, you will have to inspect the roof day one. Little basic camper with all the goodies we expect at home, your set. Couple of boy scouts, do not mind tents. Go have fun.

In honor of Barney Fife (just because)

[rvten]

Check Wiiebago out.they build custom RV's for people with Special needs.
MH and trailers.

[SoundGuy]

Fourkidletts wrote:
Thanks. I will explain again...we aren't looking for beds for everyone. I'm not looking for something we can all hang out in. As I said, we won't be spending much time in there. I would continue to tent camp but it's getting harder for me to sleep on a cot and we need a bathroom.

Edit: Although I do like that model you mentioned! I wonder if the weight limit is better than a bunkhouse would be?

WAY better. A quad bunk travel trailer could easily hit 7000 lbs loaded and ready to camp, this Freedom Express 21TQX hybrid with a UVW of just 3650 lbs would average around 4700 lbs loaded and ready to camp. Many of us who've transitioned from tenting, to popups, to hybrids, and eventually on to travel trailers, 5ths, etc, probably enjoyed our hybrid experience but in many cases would never go back. Your case is different though in that it sounds like you very much enjoy camping under tenting ... and that's what a hybrid gives you, along with all the conveniences of a conventional travel trailer but in a much shorter, much lighter package. Guaranteed - compared to tenting you'd find your life dramatically easier. :B

[Fourkidletts]

Thanks. I will explain again...we aren't looking for beds for everyone. I'm not looking for something we can all hang out in. As I said, we won't be spending much time in there. I would continue to tent camp but it's getting harder for me to sleep on a cot and we need a bathroom.

Edit: Although I do like that model you mentioned! I wonder if the weight limit is better than a bunkhouse would be?

[SoundGuy]

Fourkidletts wrote:
We have been shopping for a TV and TT for our large family of 6. We probably aren't going to be able to meet payload for many larger TT options.

I know you've specifically said "Travel Trailer" but what you're asking for is a pretty tall order when you want to also accommodate 4 kids. However, if you were willing to consider a hybrid you could easily have pretty well everything you want in a triple bed model such as a Coachmen Freedom Express 21TQX which features 3 full size 60" x 80" beds. I've been in one myself and although I'm not a big fan of hybrid trailers I have to admit this particular model is pretty darned impressive! :B

[Fourkidletts]

Alabama Jim wrote:
Fourkidletts, I have the 195 and love it. The black water tank has to be emptied every third day with me, my wife and two grandchildren. It works fine for us, but I usually stay at full hook up to avoid hooking up and going to the dump station. It limits us from some state parks and national parks, but that is okay too. We like Corps of Engineers (COE) many of those now offer full hook up. Best wishes on your hunt.

Good to know! Thanks!

[Alabama_Jim]

Fourkidletts, I have the 195 and love it. The black water tank has to be emptied every third day with me, my wife and two grandchildren. It works fine for us, but I usually stay at full hook up to avoid hooking up and going to the dump station. It limits us from some state parks and national parks, but that is okay too. We like Corps of Engineers (COE) many of those now offer full hook up. Best wishes on your hunt.

[Fourkidletts]

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, as I stated the kids are fine in tents. I can't see us going into 26-30 ft range just for bunks. And in my research, it sounds like because of weight limits, no one will be able to sleep on the top bunk in about another couple of years. (150 limit, youngest is 115 lbs now at 14. 2 of my kids are adults, a disabled son and a daughter coming back home to do college post-grad work. Not sure the bunks would be useful. Everyone is 5'7-6'3")

Alabama Jim, I have been looking at those retro ones you have! LOVE. It is exactly what prompted my question about the black water tank. The 195 model I'm seriously drooling over, but it has black water of 17 gallons. So I've been doing water tank storage research and that does seem small, but do-able with being able to dump at the site (??)

[tatest]

Small and lightweight are relative terms, especially when talking about six people living in the RV and traveling in the tow vehicle. Lightweight often implies trying to stay within the carrying and towing capacity of some van or SUV somebody has, but if you are willing to use a F-250 as a tow vehicle you have a wide range of travel trailers that could fit your need.

Six people in a F-250, four children and two adults, you can easily carry the tongue load of a 24-30 foot trailer of at least 6000 pounds, maybe as much as 8000 pounds with any F-250 offered in the past 15 years. Most configurations of the F-250 today will tow at least 12,000 pounds, some diesel models 14,000 pounds. For that many people, 24 foot is small, you will be converting sitting and dining spaces into sleeping spaces. Going on to 28-30 foot, there is either bigger living space or more permanent sleeping spaces.

There are hundreds of different travel trailer models in the 6000-8000 range, from almost all major manufacturers. For that weight range in sizes suited for a family, i.e. separate sleeping areas and maybe a bunk room, you will be looking at models built as lightweight rather than conventional, but that is most of what is on the market today. One manufacturer I know has tried to better accommodate families in smaller trailers is Keystone, particularly models in the Outback line that put a bed in a slideout room that come in over seating space for travel.

Whether or not a black water tank is too small depends on how you are using it and how often you dump it. Mine is just under 30 gallons, I need to dump every 3-4 days with two of us, every other day with daughter and two granddaughters along. But most of the time with family we are on the move each day and so can dump on the way in or on the way out of the campground each day. Most RV parks and many modern campgrounds have a place to dump at each campsite.

[Alabama_Jim]

with a small trailer you will not be able to sleep 6 people. The kids would need to sleep in a tent or lean to. As to dump station, all parks have a place to dump. The only place that does not have dump facilities is federal land where people are boon docking. I use a F- 150, 8 cylinder, to pull my 24ft TT. It has been no problem. I would suggest that you look at manufactures web sites to see what models they have. I have a walk around queen bed. They call it an island bed. That was a must so we would not have to crawl over one another at nigh to visit the bathroom. Mine is a 2016 White Water Retro by Riverside. It looks like a trailer from 1959, but has all the conveniences of the modern TT. You can look Riverside Manufacturing web site and then visit others, such as Forest River. Take your time and pick the one that is best fit for what you want. There are wet baths, commode and shower together and some are separate shower and commode, as ours is. There are bunk beds in some Forest River TT's and most all TT's have a table that lets down into a bed. If you ask what is best you will get dozens of different opinions. Take a look at the various manufactures and then pick the one you like. Welcome and have a wonderful, fun, and safe time camping.