Thoughts - Travel Trailer

[nctraveler54]

Ok, new to the forum so please forgive stupid questions. My wife hit me with a new idea, buy a travel trailer. We have our beach condo on the market and she is looking at something different this time. First issue – I just bought a new GMC Canyon and do not want to upgrade it; just yet. Been doing some research regarding lite weight towable trailers. There is only the two of us, no need for something big. Any thoughts pleases – thanks.
Don

[afidel]

nctraveler54 wrote:

wrvond wrote:

nctraveler54 wrote:
Ok, new to the forum so please forgive stupid questions. My wife hit me with a new idea, buy a travel trailer. We have our beach condo on the market and she is looking at something different this time. First issue – I just bought a new GMC Canyon and do not want to upgrade it; just yet. Been doing some research regarding lite weight towable trailers. There is only the two of us, no need for something big. Any thoughts pleases – thanks.
Don

Buy a class ‘A’ or class ‘C’ and tow the Canyon.

I like that option! But I checked my lotto ticket and it did not match the numbers - thanks.

Hehe, once saw a class A towing an F350 and the F350 had a golf cart in the bed, talk about a heavy train.

[nctraveler54]

wrvond wrote:

nctraveler54 wrote:
Ok, new to the forum so please forgive stupid questions. My wife hit me with a new idea, buy a travel trailer. We have our beach condo on the market and she is looking at something different this time. First issue – I just bought a new GMC Canyon and do not want to upgrade it; just yet. Been doing some research regarding lite weight towable trailers. There is only the two of us, no need for something big. Any thoughts pleases – thanks.
Don

Buy a class ‘A’ or class ‘C’ and tow the Canyon.

I like that option! But I checked my lotto ticket and it did not match the numbers - thanks.

[wrvond]

nctraveler54 wrote:
Ok, new to the forum so please forgive stupid questions. My wife hit me with a new idea, buy a travel trailer. We have our beach condo on the market and she is looking at something different this time. First issue – I just bought a new GMC Canyon and do not want to upgrade it; just yet. Been doing some research regarding lite weight towable trailers. There is only the two of us, no need for something big. Any thoughts pleases – thanks.
Don

Buy a class ‘A’ or class ‘C’ and tow the Canyon.

[rbpru]

There is a lot od good information for the OP to digest. I have found that my F-150 E-boost is the perfect match for my 25 ft. Dutchmen trailer.

However, Just because if find it a delight, does not mean everyone would. My perfect match might be someone else's white knuckle adventure.

That is why I always tell first timers to Rent before you spend the big bucks.

We did and discover the 25 ft. was just right for us, however the 200 hp. tow vehicle was not going to do the job.

Renting is also the best way I know to check out the floor plan before you buy.

[temccarthy1]

SoundGuy wrote:

temccarthy1 wrote:
Take a look at Keystone Bulet Ultralites. You could get up to a 25 ft to pull with your TV with slide. You do not have to settle for a 19-22 ft TT.

SoundGuy wrote:
"Settling"? Who's "settling" when that's what we intentionally chose? :h

temccarthy1 wrote:
First of all Sound Guy, I was addressing the OP... that is not you! What you chose is fine, but has no bearing on this post. The OP has a smaller TV capable of only 7700 lbs.. I was giving him an Ultra Lite model idea that will give him more space and a slide and still be towable with his Canyon if he wants to move up to 25-26 ft and still be within his limits.

Doesn't change the tone of your post 😞 - a lot of us buy 19-22' trailers and don't feel we're "settling" in any way, nor does the OP have to feel he's "settling" for something less if that's what he prefers. My local dealer is the second largest Coachmen dealer by volume in Canada and the 192RBS is his best seller by far 'though he offers models of all sizes from Coachmen, including 25-26' which don't sell anywhere near as well. "Settling"? ... not at all.

Hey Soundguy-- relax.. ...I think your size TT is just fine.. I used to have a popup that size and we used it for 30 years! Loved it! After all I am going to spend 30 days visiting your beautiful country next fall and help the economy with my stay!...Quebec, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.. Can't wait.. maybe I'll stop by and say Hi!

[nctraveler54]

APT wrote:
I think you will get really frustrated towing more than a 4k dry TT. That's 4500-5000 pounds loaded with larger frontal area.

These are the sizes I have been keying on so as to not have issues. THE WIFE and I are going to sold the condo first so we have some times to research and look around.

Don

[APT]

I think you will get really frustrated towing more than a 4k dry TT. That's 4500-5000 pounds loaded with larger frontal area.

[time2roll]

As always I recommend you keep the trailer GVWR within the tow rating for best results. Forger dry weight, shipping weight and anything the salesman says. Verify the trailer GVWR on the actual sticker.

[SoundGuy]

6door74 wrote:
Seems to me like you took a tone Soundguy. It appears you took that reply personal. You may not feel like you settled but others may feel that they did. Sorry for going off topic everyone.......

That's just my point ... why would you or temccarthy1 or anyone else assume that just because anyone chooses a 19' - 22' model that they've "settled" for less? The OP is a newbie and this should be important to him as that size of trailer might be just what he's looking for, whether he's figured that out yet or not. My objection is hardly "going off topic" as the last thing he needs is to feel he's compromising on his choice just because it's not a larger trailer. Fact is, many of us choose a 19' - 22' because it's precisely what we prefer, for many reasons, not because we've "settled" for less. :R

[falconbrother]

We started out with a 15 foot TT, back in the day. We really enjoyed it, a lot. Now we have a 27 foot TT with a slide out. That extra 12 feet and the room provided by the slide is awesomeness. I would really suggest that whatever length you get you get a slideout. Our annual two weeks traveling down the coast starts in 5 days. I can't wait. If you think you will upgrade your truck to more towing capacity in the future then don't go too small on a travel trailer. You'll loose a lot on depreciation trading that in. You have to be safe but, if you have 7000 pounds of weight rating to play with you don't have to go too small. The dry weight on our trailer is 5700-ish pounds. I figure, to be safe, that on the road we weigh 6500. I don't have water in the tanks when towing. I don't need it and it's heavy. The modern brakes and controllers are way better than they were back in the late 1980s early 1990s so, stopping feels a lot better. I think that the weight is balanced better these days as well. The hitches are better. For me it's relative. I have an experience base to know what it use to be like. These days anything new-ish that you buy will do fine, as far as towing (as long as you let the pros set up your WD hitch).

[6door74]

I can't wait for the shows next year. We've never been to one but my wife and I enjoyed looking at a few during a road trip pit stop to
a dealer. That inspired us to get a bigger tow vehicle!

[GrandpaKip]

nctraveler54 wrote:
You guys and/or gals are great, thanks for helping out a first timer. Wife is retired but I need to go another few years so we are just starting to look. We are in no hurry and searching / looking has turned into a little hobby for me.

Don

Yep, that was a lot of fun for us, too.

[6door74]

Seems to me like you took a tone Soundguy. It appears you took that reply personal. You may not feel like you settled but others may feel that they did. Sorry for going off topic everyone.......

[SoundGuy]

temccarthy1 wrote:
Take a look at Keystone Bulet Ultralites. You could get up to a 25 ft to pull with your TV with slide. You do not have to settle for a 19-22 ft TT.

SoundGuy wrote:
"Settling"? Who's "settling" when that's what we intentionally chose? :h

temccarthy1 wrote:
First of all Sound Guy, I was addressing the OP... that is not you! What you chose is fine, but has no bearing on this post. The OP has a smaller TV capable of only 7700 lbs.. I was giving him an Ultra Lite model idea that will give him more space and a slide and still be towable with his Canyon if he wants to move up to 25-26 ft and still be within his limits.

Doesn't change the tone of your post 😞 - a lot of us buy 19-22' trailers and don't feel we're "settling" in any way, nor does the OP have to feel he's "settling" for something less if that's what he prefers. My local dealer is the second largest Coachmen dealer by volume in Canada and the 192RBS is his best seller by far 'though he offers models of all sizes from Coachmen, including 25-26' which don't sell anywhere near as well. "Settling"? ... not at all.