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Why do people have such large trailers?

Lance72
Explorer
Explorer
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.
154 REPLIES 154

facory
Explorer
Explorer
We find that people with large 5ers and MH's tend to stay inside when "camping". They are more comfortable inside their plush surroundings than outside with nature, people and a cozy campfire. That, to me, is not camping. It is a home that you stay in during your stay in a campground. This is very true when they stay in a RV Resort. Inside you have climate control, comfortable couch, dinette, TV/cable, etc. Why do they want to stay inside? Obvious. We, however, have a 20' trailer and love being outside, especially an evening campfire with a brandy rocks and good conversation. Now that's camping!!
2008 Cruiser RV Fun FinderXtra
Ford F150 Lariat 4x4 SuperCrew 5.4L 6.5' Bed 150" WB 3.73
Schwinn Mountain Bike

rbpru
Explorer II
Explorer II
Coming from a canoe camping back ground our 25 footer is just the right size for us. A weekend, week, month and longer we have done it all. I need to maneuver through city streets with ease but still not feel cramped with two adults and a big dog.

Others would feel cramped in a 40 footer, so there is no logical reason for them to have less.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

fanrgs
Explorer
Explorer
Lance72 wrote:
In fact I spent a week on the rd recently and didn't see more than 4 people per trailer.
Spend an entire summer on the road in that 19' trailer, instead of "a week," and you'll answer your own question. In 2013, we spent 3 months in a 22' TT and towed it for 10,000 RT-miles to Alaska. Earlier this year, we bought a 5th wheel trailer and a diesel pickup because of that trip and several other month-long, non-peak season trips. And it's just been the two of us on all those long trips!
"Retirement is the best job I ever had!"
2015 RAM 2500 4x4 crewcab 6.7L CTD; 2016 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 5th wheel

MM49
Explorer
Explorer
The answer to OP's baited question is the length to price ratio is not linear. You can add on length at a lower rate that any other RV feature, My 29' TT was only $2000.00 more that the 24' TT. There was 12 years in between purchase. The only question here, why did I wait 12 years.
MM49

alexleblanc
Explorer
Explorer
Went through this thread and one thought came to mind, man people are judgemental. To each their own I say, do what makes you happy.
TV - 2017 F350 CCSB SRW Platinum 6.7 + 5er - 2021 Grand Design Reflection 311 BHS + B&W Companion
On Order - 2022 F350 CCSB SRW Platinum 6.7

RobertRyan
Explorer
Explorer
It really comes down to what you need. People do not stay in caravans in one place for too long so they want something that can be easily moved a 21ft Internal length, 28-30ft external seems to be the optimum for lengthy stays and constant relocations

Vintage465
Nomad
Nomad
My wife and I just re-sized our set up. Went from a 25'(21'box)bunkhouse to a 24'(20'box)single queen with a U-shaped dinette and a smallish bathroom, no slide. For us the U-shaped dinette and the walk(well maybe shimmy is a better term)around queen bed is the deal breaker. I want to go as small as possible and have those features. But, having said that we are planning for being out at least 30days at a time, maybe up to 60days. We may find out that traveling that long with out a recliner may start to wear on us. So I have another plan if that happens. We will buy a second trailer that is 26' long that has the recliners in the back of the coach and keep the little guy for going to the desert with the dirt bikes! My wife thinks I'm nuts.................
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!

punomatic
Explorer
Explorer
I think the answer to BOTH questions, "Why do people have such big trailers?" and "Why do people have such small trailers?" is "BECAUSE."
DW and Me
2016 Riverside White Water Retro 195
2014 Nissan Titan SL Crew Cab
Formerly, I used to work for the department of redundancy department.


Life in Black and Blue

drcook
Explorer
Explorer
We have a 30 footer, our last 2 legged child just got married and moved away. Now we travel with 6 (sometimes 7) 4 legged children, ranging in size from 15 lbs to 125 lbs. It gives us the room for all of us to have some space and when our daughter and her airman husband meet us for a vacation next year, the back bedroom will still be there.

We are also the ones with the room in case there are unexpected stay overs or bad weather or whatever. After all, snugglin' with one of my dogs is better than sleeping in a water logged tent.

HOWEVER, there are times when I would like to have one of those small, aerodynamic trailers for when I go to Nebraska (or other states) to shoot in a long range old time rifle matches. Going by myself, I don't need the full sized unit. A small one would work.
2004.5 2500HD CCSB Duramax/Allison - was an Overheater fixed it!!! Bilsteins, Banks stuff, Hellwig Sway bars front and back
2010 Crossroads Cruiser 30QBX

2 Doberman/Rhodesian Ridgeback Crosses - brothers
2 Beagles
1 Shih Poo
1 Shih Tzu
1 Camping Cat
1 wife

Rick57
Explorer
Explorer
I offend wonder about that. Is it comfort or just prestige. Both are fine but I think that most first time buyer's regret large RV's when they find out how much it limits were they can stay and fill up. Also the size truck they will need. I think if I could afford it I would by smaller and deck it out to the max. That way I can show off and have no worries on were I can go.
The Robinson Family

Tequila
Explorer
Explorer
I bought the shortest trailer that:

1) Would satisfy my wife
2) had a bed I could get at from both sides.

Golfcart
Explorer
Explorer
This topic just got really good!
2009 Sun Valley Road Runner 16ft
2010 Chevy Silverado 1500

goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
westend wrote:
silverfz wrote:
PAThwacker wrote:
I'm in a 21ft hybrid bunkhouse for a family of 3. Wife is history so it's perfect for a part time father.

what did you do to her :E .
He probably left her at the dump station. It's a fairly standard way of dealing with separation in the US. If you drive by a dump station, you'll probably see a few women with gloves, holding the cap to a sewer hose. This was the derivation of the slang term "hoser", now in popular use across North America, especially Canada. 😉


LOL, that's hilarious.

silverfz
Explorer
Explorer
My wife has been camping from a kid from smaller TT to big 5 ers. I never camped as in my country of origin, homeless camped. explains why she asks me to empty the black tanks lol.
2014 avenger 28 bhs
2008 Toyota tundra crew max
guarded by bear the mini dashound
running from payload police edition

westend
Explorer
Explorer
austinjenna wrote:
silverfz wrote:

PAThwacker wrote:

I'm in a 21ft hybrid bunkhouse for a family of 3. Wife is history so it's perfect for a part time father.

what did you do to her [emoticon] .
He probably left her at the dump station. It's a fairly standard way of dealing with separation in the US. If you drive by a dump station, you'll probably see a few women with gloves, holding the cap to a sewer hose. This was the derivation of the slang term "hoser", now in popular use across North America, especially Canada. [emoticon]


All true stuff there. Thats where I picked up my wife from, the dump station at the local CG. I figured if she was good enough to be able to hook up a sewer hose and dump tanks then this is the girl I want, plus she was pretty cute.
You too? I picked up my gal there and solved the missing sewer cap problem all at the same time. That's the problem with a big trailer, you're always losing something. :B
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton