Small Camper for 2 people

[06honda]

My wife and I am looking to purchase a small camper for the 2 of us to spend our summers down in Newfoundland (we live in Ontario) and would like to go down for 3 months each summer. Having done quite a bit of online reading my discovery so far is that their doesn't seem to be a clear answer who (manufacter) makes a good solid reliable camper. We would need a small wet bath; TV hook-up and enough room to stand up. Hard top preferred as it can rain/wind for a straight week in NFLD. We go each summer and spend thousands on airline tickets; hotels; gas, etc. Like the to travel around the island on our own time and see much more than we normally do. First question is do most small camper trailers for sale these days get built the same way as far as materials and workmanship? We have been inside a few different models of a brand called Prolite that is made in Quebec. The size is perfect for us but their is not much online about owners reviews etc. Anyway heading off to work shortly. Sometimes I have been thinking that the less electronic stuff in a camper the less issues you will have but on the other hand their are some basic needs for sure. By used is not out of the question either. Budget would be max of $25k. Depreciation is similar to cars if not worse when buying new, and the warranties are no better but I could be wrong. Thanksa for any input.

[06honda]

profdant139 wrote:
There are folks on this forum who say "that's not a big enough tow vehicle" about virtually every tow vehicle except a monster dually -- I am not one of those folks.

But a Honda with a 1500 pound limit is not nearly sufficient. It kills me to say this. Don't buy a trailer till you get something beefier. This is a matter of safety, not just convenience.

So now, assuming you get a small truck (a Tacoma, perhaps, with a 6000 lb. capacity?), how about the smallest Lance trailer? I have heard that they are well made.

I have a very small Fun Finder -- we love it, but they no longer make such a small model.

Good advice, will look into this first. Thanks.

[profdant139]

There are folks on this forum who say "that's not a big enough tow vehicle" about virtually every tow vehicle except a monster dually -- I am not one of those folks.

But a Honda with a 1500 pound limit is not nearly sufficient. It kills me to say this. Don't buy a trailer till you get something beefier. This is a matter of safety, not just convenience.

So now, assuming you get a small truck (a Tacoma, perhaps, with a 6000 lb. capacity?), how about the smallest Lance trailer? I have heard that they are well made.

I have a very small Fun Finder -- we love it, but they no longer make such a small model.

[Larry-D]

In addition to our larger TT we have a Rpod 172. ~14' single axle. It doesn't have any slides and has a wet bath. I removed the top bunk so now we have a single and a "double" bed if we let down the table.

No problems with quality and pulls great.

[colliehauler]

06honda wrote:
"At the risk of being criticized for bringing up a topic you didn't ask about BUT what is your intended tow vehicle? ... the point being any trailer you may buy won't do you any good if you can't safely tow it. Are you restricted to particularly small trailers by your TV or is this a self induced limitation based solely on what you think might work for what you have in mind?'

My tow vehicle would be a 2013 Honda CRV EX AWD, some what limited for towing of 1500 lbs max. May need to swap for another vehicle?

Realistically you need a different tow vehicle 1500# would only work for the smallest pop-up camper, if that.

Just not practical to recommend a camper until you upgrade tow vehicle.

[Campteacher]

I come from Ontario too! I'm a teacher in northern Alberta.

I will camp for about sixty nights in my Keystone Springdale 179. I have a 2012, and it's never given me any trouble. The only issue is the queen bed is sideways, so it can be a little tighter to make. I'm by myself, so it's no problem. I googled it online, and found a dealer with prices and a floorplan. I think it's in BC, but it'll give you a ballpark figure. Feel free to ask me any questions.

https://www.travelandrvcanada.com/inv/2018-Keystone-Springdale-179-QBWE-19133/

thanks!

Kevin

[vermilye]

I hauled an Escape 17B to Nova Scotia, along with friends who were in a tent. It rained 28 out of the 37 days - I think I had a better time, at least when packing up in the morning! I towed the 17 with a RAV4, however it was a 2010 V6 with tow package rated at 3500/350. The trailer weighed 3010 lbs loaded.

2013 Nova Scotia Trip

Escape makes a 17, 19, 21, and a 21' fifth wheel. Escape Trailer Industries

I like their trailers enough that I now travel in a 21...

[SoundGuy]

06honda wrote:
My tow vehicle would be a 2013 Honda CRV EX AWD, some what limited for towing of 1500 lbs max. May need to swap for another vehicle?

That goes without saying. Rather than tackle the trailer issue first perhaps your best bet is to establish what you might be willing to move up to in terms of a tow vehicle as that will have a direct bearing on what you can tow.

[06honda]

"At the risk of being criticized for bringing up a topic you didn't ask about BUT what is your intended tow vehicle? ... the point being any trailer you may buy won't do you any good if you can't safely tow it. Are you restricted to particularly small trailers by your TV or is this a self induced limitation based solely on what you think might work for what you have in mind?'

My tow vehicle would be a 2013 Honda CRV EX AWD, some what limited for towing of 1500 lbs max. May need to swap for another vehicle?

[gheicher]

06honda wrote:
Wow great feedback, nice to see such an active forum. Many good points:

"I'd be awfully cautious about thinking a particularly small trailer with a wet bath would work for such a long and continuous time. A few days at a time, maybe a week or so, sure - but 3 months trying to live out of a tiny trailer, especially where it rains a lot, is asking an awful lot." Very good point for sure. May be able to get away with no shower and just do that every few days at a truck stop or camp site.

I did come across a "Scamp" in Ontario: Small for sure but cost wise not too bad.

Scamp Trailer

I had a Scamp for one year. Yeah, its small inside and the rounded corners take away from upper storage space. The windows were small and so was the wet bath. The walls were covered with a soft insulating material called Ensolite, affectionately referred to as "rat fur". It does have the advantage of being all fiberglass but there are still roof penetrations that must be kept sealed. I did have a leak around the A/C that had to be fixed. I always felt like I was in a cocoon and actually preferred my Aliner, with no bathroom, to the Scamp.

Sold the Scamp and bought a 16 ft conventional TT with a real bathroom. Much more pleasant experience for me. However, Scamp/Casita has a loyal following and the are many that love their little "egg" campers, just was not my "cup of tea".

[06honda]

bmet2000 wrote:
We have been looking at the T@B 320 or I think now they call it the T@B S. It has a wet bath and is about 5'9" inside at the highest point. Around $20K depending on options

T@B .

Thats a good looking camper they start at around $25k here in ontario, a one to look at anyway.

[SoundGuy]

06honda wrote:
I did come across a "Scamp" in Ontario: Small for sure but cost wise not too bad.

Scamp Trailer

At the risk of being criticized for bringing up a topic you didn't ask about BUT what is your intended tow vehicle? ... the point being any trailer you may buy won't do you any good if you can't safely tow it. Are you restricted to particularly small trailers by your TV or is this a self induced limitation based solely on what you think might work for what you have in mind? :h

[06honda]

Wow great feedback, nice to see such an active forum. Many good points:

"I'd be awfully cautious about thinking a particularly small trailer with a wet bath would work for such a long and continuous time. A few days at a time, maybe a week or so, sure - but 3 months trying to live out of a tiny trailer, especially where it rains a lot, is asking an awful lot." Very good point for sure. May be able to get away with no shower and just do that every few days at a truck stop or camp site.

I did come across a "Scamp" in Ontario: Small for sure but cost wise not too bad.

Scamp Trailer

[bmet2000]

We have been looking at the T@B 320 or I think now they call it the T@B S. It has a wet bath and is about 5'9" inside at the highest point. Around $20K depending on options

T@B .

[Isaac-1]

Let me warn you that this is a bit of a personal opinion, but my first thought here was also one of the fiberglass egg trailers (Scamp, Casita, even the Lil Snoozy). In the case of the Scamp and the Casita the design has not changed much in many years with just some updates for the times like the addition of flat panel tv's a few years ago. They also tend to hold their value better than newer entry level RV's, it is not uncommon to find a 10-15 year old fiberglass egg trailer selling for 60-70% of new cost, where a traditional "lite" entry level trailer may be worth 20-30% of original cost at the same age.

On that lite topic, in my experience (I have never owned one, but have shopped for them), the vast majority of trailers with the word "lite" in the name is code for built as flimsy as possible so it can be pulled down the road by what would otherwise be considered an under sized tow vehicle. Just stepping into many "lite" trailer models I can feel the floor flex under foot compared to stepping into their non "lite" equal size brethren.

[SidecarFlip]

Of you have a pickup truck (at least 1/2 ton, I'd suggest a truck camper. Great for 2 people and easy to store and for 25 grand you can get a very well appointed one new.