Newbie -- Considering Hybrid Purchase

[ricks99]

After many years in a tent, the wife and I are looking to upgrade to hybrid. Have been looking at Kodiak Express 172E, Jayco 16XRB, and Starcraft Launch 16RB.

We'd love to get any feedback on these (or other Hybrids we should be looking at).

[S1njin]

Sharopete wrote:

I sold my hybrid and purchased a large 5th wheel. It is a wonderful trailer, but it is not camping and is really best for two people. It is a luxury home on wheels, 40', 4 slides and requires a correspondingly large tow vehicle. I want to make camping memories with my grandkids and if I mange to sell the fiver, I will probably return to a hybrid. Quite likely another Jayco 23B. All the essentials, but still sleeping under canvas, at least preserving the illusion of camping. 🙂

My DW and I are in the same boat. We just sold our motorhome (for a myriad of reasons) and are considering a Hybrid again to get back to 'camping'. Or really 'glamping'. Our kids spent far more time outside enjoying the environment when we had a pop-up and a hybrid - in the motorhome they sat inside it most of the time. Really my motorhome was a rolling apartment. Also for all the big RV resorts we like, we have found they have nice cabins (really destination trailers) fully decked out that have none of the aggravation that comes w/ owning/paying for/maintaining something that big. This year our OC, MD trip will be in one of those cabins; the 3 years prior we had the motorhome down there.

So we're leaning towards a hybrid next year - and we'll use the cabins (OC, MD - Disney) for the big keystone type trips. We'll 'camp' for all our other outings.

At least that's the prevailing wisdom in the house at this particular moment. It could have already changed by now - I'll see when I get home !

[Juniorc]

Spent the New Years week in my hybrid. Ran a 12" 1500 watt electric heater. Kept the camper around 60 degrees on a 28 degree night. When using a furnace, it won't stay off 5 minutes in the winter, so we found that constant heat from a small heater was the way to go. We just cut the furnace on in the morning to heat up to 70 so we could shower. The bed areas are 10 degrees colder than the shell, but makes for great sleeping. Just use a good sleeping bag and winter camping is great being under the canvas.

[cmcdar]

llowllms wrote:
You don't have to unhook if you choose not to. You can always "turtle" and then leave the next morning without disconnecting. Also, you can buy pop-up gizmo's to reduce both temperatures and light. As far as weather one or two electric heaters will keep the rig nice and warm. We have camped in all weather, including snow, but be prepared to keep snow limited on the tent ends. As far as brands, everyone has the picks. The best thing to do is find one that will fit your needs, both now and a few years ahead. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

^^^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^^

I am in my hybrid camper RIGHT NOW and it is 34 degrees outside.

One of those oil filled electric heaters is keeping my wife, 2 cats, 1 dog, and myself warm.

Nice thing it is easy to tow and expands when we need it to. I have towed it from Maine to Florida (Florida twice).

When traveling these long miles, we overnight at Walmarts or Cabelas. No need to un hook. The couch opens to a bed as does the dinette. There is no slide in the way of ANYTHING in the camper. We use the stove, fridge, bathroom, everything. On the trip to Maine I even had my MIL on board and we all got a good nights rest in a Walmart and never had to unhook.

I was too cheap to buy a Gizmo so I use one of those, heavy duty, brown one side silver the other tarps. They keep my tent ends dry and clean and I can even close up the bunk in the rain without having to get it wet.

Nice thing about the tarps is that they overhang the windows so I can open the screens and get some ventilation even when it is raining out.

For cold weather I use reflectix ziped into the windows of the tent ends and a reflectix blanket under the tarp. The reflectix is amazing for helping to hold in the heat and at the same time eliminate any condensation on the inside of the vinyl.

Anyway, it may sound like a lot of work but it is not. This way, we get a whole lot of camper with out the weight or the added length.

[magnusfide]

ricks99 wrote:
Just to circle back around... we've now done two trips in our HTT and love it. Having two queen beds without sacrificing floor space is something you just can't get from a hard-sided TT.

We love the "openness" of the tent sides. The issues of noise or wheather are nothing new to us (having been in a tent for years). Packing up wet isn't a big deal for us (we've done it in our tent many times) -- we just open up when we get home.

Glad you're enjoying it! Welcome to the wonderful world of RVing.:C

[ricks99]

Just to circle back around... we've now done two trips in our HTT and love it. Having two queen beds without sacrificing floor space is something you just can't get from a hard-sided TT.

We love the "openness" of the tent sides. The issues of noise or wheather are nothing new to us (having been in a tent for years). Packing up wet isn't a big deal for us (we've done it in our tent many times) -- we just open up when we get home.

[bid_time]

We owned a hybrid for 12 years. It was the right choice for us at that stage in our lives. My son went to more places in that hybrid in those 12 years than I could ever had thought possible. We wouldn't had done that in a tent, and a TT and the capable vehicle to pull it wasn't a possibility at that time in our life. Life is about serious choices, my choices may not work for you; but that doesn't mean they are not right for me.

[drenjoey]

RinconVTR wrote:
I'd skip the Hybrid entirely and get into a hard sided 19-23 footer.

Simple question:
Did you ever own an hybrid, and did you have negative experience with it?
We're on our third one, and with grandkids that want to come camping with us, this is the way to go !

[jodiwer]

DH and I are in our late 60's and over the years have gone the full route from tent to VW camper van to pop-up to Kiwi hybrid to luxury Alfa 5th wheel. A couple years ago we sold the 5th wheel and went back to a hybrid - an Aero Cub - for all the pros mentioned and so we can go more places. We love our hybrid Cub. It has a dinette and a sofa in the slide out so it makes turtling on the road easy. And when we have the two queen beds down we can (and have) easily fit 6 adults. It has more kitchen counter space than our Alfa did. We have been much more mobile and as boondockers, can get into many more places. We travel in the Cub all year round and often camp in the snow near ski resorts, with an electric blanket in one of the queen beds and a space heater. It's the only time we hook up and we've always been comfortable even at 0 degrees. Just my 2 cents on the pros of hybrids.

[mileshuff]

RinconVTR wrote:
I'd skip the Hybrid entirely and get into a hard sided 19-23 footer.

Went the typical route as our needs and pocketbook changed over the years.

Small 1000 lb pop up towed with a Suzuki Samurai!!
Larger 2000 lb pop up with shower, towed with a Nissan mini truck.
5000 lb Hybrid towed with a Durango.
Now have a 10,500 lb fiver towed with a diesel truck.

We had a hybrid for 10 years and loved it. No way would a TT do what our Hybrid did in the same weight range. Two queen beds and a sleeper sofa along with all the typical TT amenities is tough to find in a hard sided. Ours was 3450 dry, 5000 GVWR. We could easily sleep 5 adults plus 1 child and a dog! In a hard sided the bed(s) take up much of the available interior space. Not so with a hybrid.

[RinconVTR]

I'd skip the Hybrid entirely and get into a hard sided 19-23 footer.

[magnusfide]

DutchmenSport wrote:

I may sound like doom-and-gloom, but coming from experience, may I suggest you skip right over the hybrid and go directly to a conventional travel trailer, for all the reasons I stated above. Your life will be much more simple!

DutchmenSport covered it well and I second everything. While the OP has already made his purchase, I'll offer the following suggestions for others who may be reading this thread and making purchase decisions.

Another option if you want an easy to tow alternative is the tear-drop or modified tear-drop trailer. Here are some examples:
The American Teardrop
The T@B

You can even go with a foldable without the canvas and with a shower/toilet option.
The Aliner

[JimNH]

we have a KZ 16RBT which is "cheap and cheerful" I guess...the Jayco would be an upgrade in my opinion...but we love it and it does everything we need, plus is small enough to park when not being used. They even make a 14RBT (I couldn't find one near me though), which would have suited us fine. If you tow a long way, I would probably go with the Jayco just to get the double axle (safer, tracks better, easier to back up, etc.). ours was a year old when we bought it (trade in from someone who wanted bigger) and we only paid about $10K. It is very easy to two with our Toyota Tacoma, which was key.

[bikendan]

drenjoey wrote:
Sorry I'm going out of the subject discussed here but I have to say:

I'm in two forums (Forest River and this one).....and I much prefer RV net.
Most people in the hybrid forum all own an hybrid, and your question will be answered accordingly.
In Forest River Forum, they're all over the place. You have a question about your hybrid and someone with a motorhome will answer it, even though it won't resolve an hybrid problem.....it's very frustrating at time

Love this Forum
Dre

Dre, same thing does happen here, just not as often.:R

[poppin_fresh]

I owned a well cared for, small, used hybrid for three years. At the time it was what I could afford and tow safely. My small family of four enjoyed every trip with it!

I have since upgraded my TV and moved up to a travel trailer, but if having to choose between camping in a hybrid, or not camping at all...give me a hybrid any day!