Rear-Living TTs: Likes, dislikes, features, models...

[K3WE]

We are looking at a rear-living travel trailer (28 to 30 ft range) and even have a model in mind...

However, my objective here is discussion. I am not looking for directions to the search feature, nor the blow-off-no-discussion suggestion to "go shopping and figure out what's important to you" (We have done exactly that).

The real question is "What model do you have- what do you especially like about it, is there anything you dislike, and the biggie- what did you learn that you like, or wish that you had done different, or weren't sure then but are sure now...that sort of stuff.

It’s a fact that you learn some things AFTER you make the purchase: Sometimes pleasant surprises, sometimes some minor disappointments.

At risk of derailing the thread- our first camper (a 27 ft half-bunk house) had no slide out...A decision that SEEMED so wise beforehand...turned out to be slightly wrong afterwards- LOL

Always appreciate those here willing to have the beer + fireside, compare & contrast story telling!

[campigloo]

We have an Outback 298re. Love it! The floor plan is perfect for us. Rear living, kitchen and bath in the middle with queen walk around in front. It has nice kitchen counter space with no island eating up much of the living room. It has large opposing slides in the rear and the only thing inaccessible with the slides in is half the dinette and the living room. I replaced the two swivel rockers with one Lazy Boy. Yeah baby, I’m chillin now! The huge picture window and large surrounding windows are great. We didn’t like the tiny outside kitchen so I converted it to storage space.
The only real gripe about it is it isn’t prepped for a second a/c and I really, really wish it had double pane windows. Man can single panes get cold!
Have fun shopping and happy travels!

[RedRaider44]

For 15 years, we had a Jayco 27 BH that served us well....no slides, nice bunks, and good quality workmanship for a TT.....fast forward....kids are grown and didn’t need the bunks any more, so wife and I decided on a rear living TT. Looked at a Jayco 265 RLS SLX, and was close to buying it when I saw a Grand Design Transcend 26RLS at an RV show. Bought it a month later and have 2 trips to comment on.
Likes. Like the new smoother metal skin as opposed to the skin on our Jayco...it doesn’t have as many valleys and has a matte finish.
Like the couch/ bed in the rear as opposed to the the recliners in the rear ....no need to move and strap anything down when the slide is in.
Like the bar/ sink in the front of the kitchen....on the Jayco 265RLS, the bar extends out into the living area. Our floor plan seems more open without the bar sticking out.
Like the wider door to the pass through bathroom.
Dislikes Don’t like the storage in the bathroom.....much more towel storage in the Jayco
Don’t like not having a dedicated outside hot and cold shower...we have a cold water spray in the Universal Docking Station.
Don’t like to have one more stair to climb in the Transcend....it’s definitely taller than the Jayco.

One more thing to mention...the GD Transcend 26RLS is actually 29 feet long, plus a 3 foot tongue....not for sure where they came up with “26” in the name. So far, it’s a great, well built trailer that feels open and has plenty of room for us. Th Jayco 265 RLS is a good one too, but the GD worked better for us
Cheers and Happy Camping

[trailer_newbe]

We love our 28RL

[gregrc75]

We have a 2018 Keystone Premier 30RIPR. Its great as far as an open feel. Big back window, big windows behind the table and recliners. Also, with both slides in I can still access the bathroom, bedroom, fridge, and pantry for those stops heading down the road.
One thing I would change if I could, swap the slides - the slide with all the windows is on the side that faces the neighbors campsite, and not ours. But it hasn't been as big of an issue as I thought it would.

[GrandpaKip]

CavemanCharlie wrote:
I had a rear living TT once. The problem I had with the rear living TT is that this requires the bathroom to be in the middle. This causes it to be hourglass shaped with very little room in the middle of it. So narrow that 2 people have a hard time getting by one another.

I finally decide on a 20 foot ,rear bath, right side (curb side), dinette design. This still allows me to set at the dinette and look out the window at my campsite and things behind it. But, it makes the trailer FEEL much larger because the trailer is wider in the center.

This is the reason we didn’t look at RL campers, especially in our size range. We like the open feel of front bed, rear bath.

[CavemanCharlie]

I had a rear living TT once. The problem I had with the rear living TT is that this requires the bathroom to be in the middle. This causes it to be hourglass shaped with very little room in the middle of it. So narrow that 2 people have a hard time getting by one another.

I finally decide on a 20 foot ,rear bath, right side (curb side), dinette design. This still allows me to set at the dinette and look out the window at my campsite and things behind it. But, it makes the trailer FEEL much larger because the trailer is wider in the center.

[temccarthy1]

We have a 2014 Bullet 285RLS with a large rear window and 2 rockers in front of the window and a side sofa in the slide out. Love having a rear living setup because when you back into a site, thats where the view is-- not on the side or front!

[JRscooby]

richardcoxid wrote:

We dry camp 99% of the time in USFS/State CGs in ID, WY, and MT and on BLM land for a couple of months in AZ in the winter.
Our unit has 80G FW, 50G Gray and 50G Black. Taking 2 showers/day the Grey tank is our limiting factor (7 to 9 days) when the FW tank is still 1/3 full. We wish that the Manufacturer had installed a 60-70G Gray and a 30-40G Black tank, that way we could use most all of the 80G FW before dumping/refilling the FW tank.

You may already do everything, and have better ideas.
Use to dish pans, one with soapy water, the other to catch the rinse. Dump the dirty soapy water in the toilet instead of down the sink. This will move a gallon or 2 of water from grey to black. Save the captured rinse water. Next time you need to do dishes, boil some clean water, add it and some soap to the saved to wash in. This keeps a little out of grey, and in the fresh.
Put a bucket in shower to catch what you can of that water. Use that to fill the toilet before you deposit solids. Save fresh and grey tank capacity..

[dugwms]

We have a Flagstaff 26RLWS. The floorplan works out great for us. Like having 2 chairs, a sofa and a dinete table with 4 chairs. The wardrobe slide is what did it for us. Small but holds a lot of stuff. Drawbacks? I wish there was a bit more room between the recliners and the counter but it works. 2 doors is very nice and everything is accessible during travel. All in all, it's a great floorplan.

[Hannibal]

We have a Jayco 28RLS. The thing I like best about a RL is, it’s easy to load the weight over and forward of the axles. Ours tows great with no sway. Inside, we can access the fridge and bathroom with the slide in. However, we have to enter the rear door to turn the water pump on to use the bathroom through the front entrance. Can’t pass through with the slide in. I knew this when we bought it. Not a problem as I like to take a walk at rest areas anyhow. My main concern is how it tows and it must have a rack and pinion slide mechanism.

[gaymeadowsman]

We went from an Ultra light bunkhouse model(2007 Surveyor SV291) to the 2014 Prime Time Avenger 27RLS Touring Edition. While the length of the new trailer is shorter, going from an 18 inch deep slide to a a 42 inch deep one made all the difference in space. Just being able to move around with more than 2 people inside is something you will appreciate.I now have much more counter space as well. And all the window in the living area are larger than in a Bunk house model.
We didn't really give up any sleeping space because of the "Max-U" shaped dinette makes into a 50 x 84 bed.

[aftermath]

OK, I am an outlier here. We have an Airstream 25FB which stands for front bedroom. Our living area is at the back and I much prefer this to having the dining table up front. Where I camp, the view out the back is much better than the one out the front. Looking out the front is always the same, you are staring at the back of your truck.

Airstreams are small but that is OK with me. We had a small trailer before with a slide out and I continue to be amazed at how much extra space they provide. Stopping for lunch or a bathroom break with the slide out in, was always a problem. And, we had a few leaks that made me question the whole concept.

It sounds like you are aware of all of these issues. You are doing a good job in the research part of purchasing. I am sure you will get a trailer that will work well for you. Just remember, no trailer is perfect. Get one with the big things you want and don't fret over the small things you might be missing.

[hawkeye-08]

K3WE wrote:

hawkeye-08 wrote:
***We had a Terry 26' with no slide and rear bedroom, loved the front kitchen but it was bit more than our Yukon XL could handle comfortably.***

HA!

We currently have a Terry 27 ft half bunkhouse with no slide...

Towed it with a 1/2 ton Suburban for several years, now have a 2500 Suburban.

I did not join the weight police, but the truth of both sides became clear.

The 1/2-ton did OK, but it really was maxed out. The 3/4-ton doesn't PULL it any better, but the big leaf springs and big tires, and big brakes...it handles better and doesn't have the maxed out feel.

Don't get me wrong- the camper makes the 3/4 ton work hard, and you must drive smartly and safely, but the 3/4 ton "handles it" with "improved comfort"...more about the suspension!

I acknowledge a bigger motor and different rear end, but the actual pulling is not that much different.

Yep, it was the soft suspension and p metric tires that made it not the most comfortable, but if I went to LT tires, then my wife's daily driver would not be as nice.. glad we got the truck, she has a Tahoe now for her daily driver.

[K3WE]

hawkeye-08 wrote:
***We had a Terry 26' with no slide and rear bedroom, loved the front kitchen but it was bit more than our Yukon XL could handle comfortably.***

HA!

We currently have a Terry 27 ft half bunkhouse with no slide...

Towed it with a 1/2 ton Suburban for several years, now have a 2500 Suburban.

I did not join the weight police, but the truth of both sides became clear.

The 1/2-ton did OK, but it really was maxed out. The 3/4-ton doesn't PULL it any better, but the big leaf springs and big tires, and big brakes...it handles better and doesn't have the maxed out feel.

Don't get me wrong- the camper makes the 3/4 ton work hard, and you must drive smartly and safely, but the 3/4 ton "handles it" with "improved comfort"...more about the suspension!

I acknowledge a bigger motor and different rear end, but the actual pulling is not that much different.