Why do people have such large trailers?

[Lance72]

the simple answer is BECAUSE THEY CAN or WANT. I have a small 19' trailer that will sleep 5. You certainly aren't going to dance in there. My house is way more comfortable than my trailer so when i take it out i don't want to sit in the trailer. I see these monsters on the road 35-40' with sometimes with 2 people but never more 5. In fact I spent a week on the rd recently and didn't see more than 4 people per trailer. This post isn't directed at people who live on the road with their trailer.

[gmw_photos]

I've met many folks in various campgrounds that have gone from smaller RV's to bigger and bigger, and then back to a smaller unit. Others go big, and stay with a bigger unit. Obviously it's all about finding what fits for you and makes you happy. Having spent many years tent camping on motorcycle trips around the USA and Canada, I now feel my 19' Funfinder is huge by comparison.
I think a really small pop up, slide in truck camper is going to be a great "second RV' for me in addition to the F-Finder. Sitting on my 4WD truck, I'm going to be able to get back into places I just can't really take the trailer.
But I am "done" sleeping on the ground in a tent. In fact, I gave my tent away to some youngsters here recently. they wanted to borrow it.... I said take it....and keep it !

[mike77leprechau]

simply put, find what you like and get it. we had a 2 slide bunkhouse, the kids still "shared" the (compromised from the bunkhouse) living space with us, so we traded for a rear lounge and we are all so much happier with the living space on rainy days. you find what works for you. I listened to the "bunkhouse" talk for so long and bought 2 of them when the kids were smaller it was nice but now (8 and 11 years old) we prefer what we have now. I can understand how a family with a smaller trailer can "share" space because we do it now, we just have more space to share.

[mike77leprechau]

spike99 wrote:

mowin wrote:
Why do people have such small trailers?

- Easier to tow
- Easier to park
- Less maintenance cost (re: less wax, less window real replacements, etc. etc.).
- Being smaller size is often less cost (for trailer unit).
- Being smaller size is often less cost (for Tow Vehicle as well).

- Easier to tow-OPINION. Skill, Tow vehicle, hitch and conditions determine "ease" of towing more than the actual size of unit.
- Easier to park- OPINION, with this logic my boat should be "easier" than my 35'TT but its not.
- Less maintenance cost (re: less wax, less window real replacements, etc. etc.).- So saving $4 worth of wax once a year? and Maint. is a crapshoot. you're furnace, a/c goes out in the small trailer the cost is comparative to a larger one.
- Being smaller size is often less cost (for trailer unit). On the other hand its usually so little more for much more space- case in point the local dealer has a 19' BH for $9995. the 26' is $13995 the 26' could be considered a better buy for the little more money

[dadmomh]

On the outside looking in now, since we're trailerless. I admit, I've wondered the same thing. We tent camped when our 2 boys were young. After boats, we went back to camping with a hybrid, ROO 23SS, box was just over 20'. We loved it, had plenty of room for just the two of us and occasional guests. We liked the coziness of it when we did have to spend time indoors due to weather, etc. When we felt we needed to make a change strictly for age/health issues, we moved to a 26' and it felt like a mansion. We did love it, but likely would have loved a size similar to our ROO...actually the ROO was about 30' with both bunkends opened, so technically, we downsized. Life changes are bringing a major move and that included saying goodbye to Rocky.

I suppose if a family has several children or maybe just a couple but they like to bring friends a larger trailer with a bunkhouse suits their needs more than some other styles. For sure I would not enjoy making up a sofa and dinette every night. For 2 people, I cannot understand the want or need for 35'of trailer. Fulltimers are a totally different situation. But living literally alongside I-40 I see monster trucks towing monster trailers and wonder why so much room. Sort of the McMansions the housing market went through a few years ago.

My cousin started with an Outback and loved it, but decided he needed to upgrade to a Class A, then soon a bigger one, a year or so later another bigger Class A and now they have a truly beautiful Class A that sits in their specially built garage because they can't fit in the places they'd like to go. Narrow roads, overhanging trees, tight curves in the campground, even sites that say 60'in length don't allow for maneuvering into one. They take a couple of trips a year. His DW is NOT happy, in fact is truly very unhappy that they can't get out and enjoy their retirement time. My DC has a pride issue and would not admit it if his life depended on it, yet comments that he'd like to go here or there, but doesn't.

We have had guests for a weekend that packed enough for a 2 week trip. Hey!, we're camping...you can wear the same pair of jeans or shorts twice if you need to. We had a rule, actually my rule just because I could get away with it, that we could take what fit in a certain size laundry basket that fit on a particular shelf and if it didn't fit, it didn't go. We never ran out of clothes other than on a very long trip and that's what laundries are for. We always, even in the ROO, had a good supply in our pantry and "in case" food for when we planned to grill out but the monsoon blew through and messed up our plans.

I don't get it, didn't get it when we were campers and likely will never get it. We camped for togetherness. But to each his own.

[Mr_MrsSchleppro]

oakbowery wrote:
I have a 37' TT. We have two kids and a third on the way. For us, we have family and friends that often come stay so we need to be able to sleep a lot of people comfortably. My parents have a 23' and after having mine, theirs seems tiny. It suits them just fine (just the two of them). For us, the 37' camper is awesome. Every family has different needs, hence the reason for various sizes.

^^This, we have three kids(two are adult age..18 and 21 and the youngest is 12) That's why we have a 37.5' TT. Plenty of room for us and others that may come along as well.

EDIT: We can sleep 10 before we put anybody in the floor on a blow up mattress.

[oakbowery]

I have a 37' TT. We have two kids and a third on the way. For us, we have family and friends that often come stay so we need to be able to sleep a lot of people comfortably. My parents have a 23' and after having mine, theirs seems tiny. It suits them just fine (just the two of them). For us, the 37' camper is awesome. Every family has different needs, hence the reason for various sizes.

[mtofell1]

Kids, pets, climate/weather, usage frequency, type of usage, age, disability and just good old fashion freedom of choice are all motivating factors. It always makes me laugh when people assume their choice is the only choice and anyone else is a fool.

[toedtoes]

I agree with 4x4Dodger's comment. I think that since the 80s, people are more susceptible to advertising and the advertising ploys are more sophisticated. I don't think manufacturers are building bigger because people wanted bigger - I think many people are buying bigger because they believe the marketing that bigger is better.

I also think that we have gotten spoiled about "personal space" and we have a much harder time sharing our stuff.

[colliehauler]

4X4Dodger wrote:
There has been a trend in American Design and Manufacturing for about 15 years or more now to go to bigger and bigger everything.

Furniture, houses, refrigerators, TV's, Stoves even BBQ's have all taken huge leaps in size compared to the 1980's and previously.

So it's natural that this trend has hit the RV world and boy has it.

40+ foot Motor Homes and fifth wheels, huge slide-outs.

Sometimes I watch that big long infomercial called Extreme Motorhomes and just sit slack-jawed as one 40 or 45 foot monstrosity after another that is decorated like a cheap Casino in Laughlin is paraded on the TV.

Want Horsepower? OH get the 500HP Cat!

Everything has gone "Extreme" This is a big part of the answer. And no it wasn't necessarily in response to customer demand. It was one MFG trying to outdo the others to offer something new and different. I think that market was created by the Mfg's.

Yes it is in response to customer demand. They do not build something that does not sell.

As I get older I want things smaller and more easy to manage and maintain.

Like I said earlier they make small campers up to large coaches to fit the needs of the people who buy them. If it didn't sell they wouldn't build it.

[mich800]

We are up to 8 pages of greedy capitalist's with there Cayman Island tax dodging bank accounts trying to justify their mansions on wheels. Complete disregard to their carbon footprint and destruction of our Mother Earth. 😮

If only we had more poor working class inquiring why maybe we could regulate RV size relative to family size. But I dream.

Now I need to get out of the sun and retire to my air conditioned 30' TT. :B

[4X4Dodger]

There has been a trend in American Design and Manufacturing for about 15 years or more now to go to bigger and bigger everything.

Furniture, houses, refrigerators, TV's, Stoves even BBQ's have all taken huge leaps in size compared to the 1980's and previously.

So it's natural that this trend has hit the RV world and boy has it.

40+ foot Motor Homes and fifth wheels, huge slide-outs.

Sometimes I watch that big long infomercial called Extreme Motorhomes and just sit slack-jawed as one 40 or 45 foot monstrosity after another that is decorated like a cheap Casino in Laughlin is paraded on the TV.

Want Horsepower? OH get the 500HP Cat!

Everything has gone "Extreme" This is a big part of the answer. And no it wasn't necessarily in response to customer demand. It was one MFG trying to outdo the others to offer something new and different. I think that market was created by the Mfg's.

[Steve_B_]

My trailer is 15 1/2 ft. from back to tip of the tongue It's perfect for me. I don't know why you would need a big 19 ft. one. 🙂

[DinTulsa]

We haven't bought one yet, but we are looking at one with a overall length of 37.... Why? It's the only style we can find with opposing bunks in the rear creating a room for our 3 year old. While still proving enough room for meals and hanging out if it's raining or 110 degrees outside. Plus it has a front bedroom that has a door to provided extra privacy if someone is sleeping. We could start smaller and lose money trading up like most do, but why?

[BubbaChris]

"Why do people have such large trailers?"

So I have more choices when I go shopping! We thought we were buying a 20-footer when I spotted my 22FBS on Craigslist. I said it's only 2 feet longer, so lets go take a look.

Turns out it has a 26-foot box in spite of the model number. It has so many great attributes that we think we bought the right TT the first time out.

[RedRocket204]

OBSPowerstroke wrote:

RedRocket204 wrote:
As far as having a larger trailer... what else would I do with my 1 ton truck?

Use it for a slide in camper! 😉

I plan on buying a new truck within the next year and it's going to be a F350. I keep looking at the F150s, but the payload runs out exceptionally quick, especially with a slide in. Heck, I'd be at or slightly over rear axle weight ratings on any new F150 configuration with my current setup since I like to haul so much stuff in the bed.

Yup. Agree with you. As mentioned, I've got a 1 ton, specifically the 6.7L F350 SRW. After looking at slide-ins, I'm getting the feeling I would be better off had I a DRW. My truck actually has a separate certification for a slide-in (heavier front springs and rear sway bar), but I'm still limited by ~3300lbs payload. Some of those very nice AF or Lance slide-ins with multiple slides are up to 4500lbs. Add in a loaded 2 up ATV trailer, that's a good amount of weight and way too much for my SRW's payload.

I do wonder if my wife would let me buy a lighter weight, basic slide in. That way my son and I could go ride in more remote places but we can still do family land yachting in the TT.

Why doesn't money grow on trees?