I really don't want to buy a PU truck. I have a SUV and it can tow 3500 with the tow package on it. I don't mind cooking outside but I don't want to sleep in a tent. I am thinking of cooking a little, like maybe breakfast and eating dinner out. I'm sure the gas prices will be at the $3 and up range this summer in most places. So a big rig would be expensive to operate. All though it would save in other areas. Decisions--decisions

Good point.

We went with a 24' that had a walk around bed and a slider which is a sofa long enough to sleep on. I'm a minimalist and try to keep things small. I didn't even own a full size pick-up until a few years ago and I've had 4 or 5. My wife drives a Civic. I would still have a Tacoma but you just can't tow much with a small rig.

Corner beds are the pits and mfg's are all going to walk around. A friend of mine just paid $26000 for a new Arctic Fox. He decided to sell it last fall and didn't get a single offer. Reason, corner bed. Nobody wants them anymore when you get around 22'.

__________________
That's just somebody talkin.

Don't forget to get your passport. Last I checked, you can't enter Canada without one. They tightened restrictions. It takes about three weeks so apply ahead of time.

I've got a passport. I need to find out the process to carry a shotgun through Canada. Someone said I need a permit.

Yes that, and remember Canadian gas prices are higher.

I gave this one lots of thought. I was thinking man this will be cheap and great. My wife had one thought on this, NO!. We bought a small used one and traded up in a year.

We spent 20 some days in the little one, Missouri deer season 12 days and Kansas Deer season 13 days.

The 30' one with a slide out in the kitchen is beyond nice.

You can get the info online, maybe even print off the forms. I think the permit cost is $20 or $25.

They are tough, about 20 years ago I was going to Canada Salmon fishing, I had my NRA sticker on the window of my truck, they asked me if I had any firearms with me, I said no, a few minutes later he asked me again, again I said no, he said if you don't have any firearms on you, why do you have an NRA sticker on your truck, they ended up searching my truck and found nothing, they said I was OK to go, I said turn me around, I will go spend my money in NH instead, I haven't been back since.

__________________
Don

Expect much higher fuel prices in Canada, especially alone the Alcan highway. At one point, we paid $1.99 a liter for diesel - about $7.50 a gallon. IIRC. Diesel was normally cheaper than gas, at that time, though it was as more expensive than gas in the US

Just remember that like boats, the RV is always going to be 2ft. too short...so don't run out and buy one thinking "that's all we need" cause next year you will be wishing you had something a little bit bigger, or some other feature you didn't get on this one......so do yourself a favor - give it a lot of thought before buying. Research - read, talk to others before you buy and if possible, rent one for a trip to see if it really "fits you". We started out in tents, then a TD looked cute and "had it all - what more could we need?" Well, today mine is 42ft. long with a 400 Cummings and a tag axle cause "it's got it all - what more could we need?"

Pete

__________________
Don't tread on me

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree. The big question is whether you want to live IN the RV, or live OUT of it. I could never figure out why someone, sorry Pete, would want a huge motor home. If that were my idea of camping, I'd stay home. We live out of our camper. We are retired and don't quite full time, but we're traveling at least as much as we are home in the sticks and bricks. Neither need or want 'longer'. Each of us is different, and only you can decide for yourself.

Well, I'm on the outside looking in since I don't own one yet. But I'm not sure the word “camping” is the correct term any more. A campground was known as a place to spend the night that was not in a motel and generally involved using a tent. The campground of today is not what it was 25 or 30 years ago. The terminology just hasn't kept up with the technology. 30 years ago a pop up camper was a big deal.
We want a camper/RV, which ever term you choose, to stay in national or state parks close to the next days adventure. I don't camp any more which means to me sleeping on the ground and eating beans out of a can and carrying a round a 30 lb pack. State parks have lots to offer in terms of outdoor activities but there are few motels close to state parks. Ever stayed in one of the cabins on the south rim of Grand Canyon? 2 people can almost turn around at the same time and I hang off both ends of the bed and pay $140 a night. I hiked and slept on the ground in a tent 30 years ago. I can’t do that any more and technology has advanced so much that I don’t have to and I’m going to take advantage of it.

There are Motor Homes, towed trailers and pickup campers. As I already posted I have owned all and used others which belonged to friends of mine.
They all have advantages and disadvantages. The cost range is wide.
Many are so large they cannot be taken into the National Parks.
Considering that you apparently have never used one, I absolutely recommend that you borrow-rent several before you buy one.
Just one short war story before I go-
A good friend of mine was selling RVs in Albuqurque. He sold a trailer to a guy from CO.
Giving a towing lesson to the new owner Was a standard thing he did.
This buyer turned him down and headed for CO. He wrecked that new trailer before he got to the stateline.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

No doubt rent before buying and one of each, pull behind and drivable. As mentioned before I was originally looking for one with a steering wheel but not as sure right now. You can upgrade your pull behind a lot cheaper than upgrading the drivable unit. My problem is I don't have anything to pull one with. Looking at numbers you can get a new, not that I would get new, pull behind and truck/SUV for maybe $50k and have a new everyday vehicle or a drivable one for $75k that sits a lot. We still have a year or so but we are getting educated.

Pete99004, I'm with you but I'm only at 38ft. And mine is a gasser!
I am a traveler, not a camper! I and my wife travel around and stay in our Motorhome in lieu of Hotels and Motels!
Camping is as photobiker put it, staying in a tent, eating beans out of a can , sitting around the campfire and so forth. I'm too old for that and I'm not interested.
What I'm interested in is loading up the MH, heading south to Myrtle Beach for some golf and the wife can hit the beach, we come back and shower go out for some good seafood and back to the coach for the evening. Maybe build a fire for a bit, have a drink and maybe a good cigar and enjoy the rest of the evening.
If not go inside enjoy a flick on the tube and then go to bed in my bed!
Do the same the next day and the next unless you decide to move on?
I can't wait to take my granddaughter to Disney in mine!
It's all about what you want to do!

I don't disagree with you on that at all. The point I was trying to make is that your first rig isn't going to be the catch all - so think about what you're buying and why. Over time your mind and your needs will change. As to my rig, we travel a lot since we show our dogs and we pack 6 dogs along on our trips, sometimes as many as eight. "You can never have enough room or comfort!" is our motto!

Pete

__________________
Don't tread on me

A typical trip for us:

Ontheroad.jpg

Roughing it.jpg

Guarddog.jpg

Attheshow.jpg

Dogkennel.jpg

And a good time was had by all.....


Pete

__________________
Don't tread on me

Motor homes are for the motor homeless. That being folks that don't have a home and move around a lot. Those baby's are expensive to own AND maintain. They are a one purpose rig that can only do one thing, replace the comforts of a house that you no longer live in or hardly ever live in. Most of the people that I talk to that have motor coaches or homes as they call them don't have a permanent residence.

Trailers and fifth wheels are very popular. They probably make up the majority of RV's. A tow vehicle can do double duty as a daily driver. If you only want a 1/2 ton pick-up you can still find light trailers/5er's that can be towed with a 1/2 ton pick-up. You just have to be careful how you match them up.

Campers are cramped but give you the option of towing toys like a quad, boat, snow machines or dirt bikes.

For me a trailer/5er works the best. I don't spend a lot of time outside anymore so I want more room inside. I use my pick-up as a daily driver when my trailer isn't on the road. I've hiked with a tent, car camped with a tent, had a pop-up, and a small hard sided trailer. Everyone was good at the time in my life that I used them. I'm now retired and I want a shower, range, toilet and heat. Now if you talk to a woman about it, well they may need more stuff. Don't forget that you have to live with that also.

A teardrop trailer would be in the same category as a camper. Better than a tent but not much.

__________________
That's just somebody talkin.

I vote you get both. That way when the spouse becomes unbearable one can stay in the camper and one in the trailer.

I was sitting at a stoplight in the #1 lane when a guy pulls out of the RV dealership about 500 feet behind me. He's driving his brand new, $100k motorhome. Pulls into the left turn bay next to me, where he has a green arrow.

Unfortunately, it was a really narrow pocket with a traffic signal on the island that actually stuck out into the lane. He didn't hit the signal, but my driver side mirror put a four inch high, thirty foot long gash down the right side of his rig. When the guy got out and saw the damage he tuned fifty-one shades of grey.

Well it got etched in stone tonight with our 4 year old granddaughter, our Motorhome of course with her aboard, will be traveling to Disney World, Fort Wilderness this fall! She would like to see Mickey's house with Nanny and Pop !
And I'm more than willing to oblige !
Will start making reservations tomorrow!

We treat our truck camper as a hard shelled tent. Nor does one have to stay at a campground. Especially on BLM land, one can drive and park for up to two weeks at a time, move several miles, and park again. Can't use the AC or microwave, we don't use a TV, the bathroom and small shower are nice, as is the gas stove and refrigerator, though I prefer cooking over a fire. We use very little DC power, so the 400 watt of solar and 210ah of batteries lasts us a long time. Don't have a generator.

But I agree, there are different definitions of 'camping'. Sitting in a small driveway 10 feet away from the next campsite is not our idea of camping. But at our age, we dont do the two week hiking and camping as we did on our honeymoon. Old bones appreciate the mattress, and when you have to get up four or five times during the night to pee, it's nice not having to crawl out of the sleeping bag and two person tent into below freezing weather...*grin*

I should of mentioned this earlier. I have owned several truck campers and 2 toy hauler travel trailers. The toy haulers were 24' and 31' and served there purpose. I guess I'm not willing to drag the whole house down the road with me right now. The teardrop idea came up because it's light, small and should be easy to pull. I am thinking just a place to sleep and cook if necessary. Sixty-plus days on the road is going to be expensive no matter how I do it. I don't want to get back and only have a envelope full of motel receipts. Hopefully I'll use it many times and then sell it and get some of the initial investment back. I guess my wife is correct when she says "your just cheap".

My father in law bought a 32 foot Pace Arrow with slide out. He didn't know anything about RVs, camping, or pulling a trailer. He then bought a Ford Expedition with big V8 to tow it, and it wouldn't even pull it across the street. So, he then bought a F250 diesel crew cab and it was amazing how easily that pulled the trailer. We stayed in it a few times and as big as that trailer was, it seemed really SMALL after a couple of days, especially with kids in it with us. Its under 300 sf so even a low budget one bedroom apartment is enormous compared to that. My FIL also thought he would zip around to different places with that rig every weekend. He learned quickly that towing that rig and setting it up was a lot more of a hassle than he realized, and it was barely used for several years until he finally sold it and the truck.

Our 2012 diesel 3500 cost about $44k new (basic truck model, no frills) and the 2013 TC about $18k. Could tow a toy trailer or small vehicle, in addition, but have no need. The longer we get, the fewer places we can get to. We can load or unload the camper on about 15 minutes if we need a vehicle, or we can ride our bikes into town in some places. We rarely unload the camper. We do all errands before hitting a camping site.. When we go, the caper comes along. I can park in a standard parking lot, and back up well if I need to. Something which can't always be done with a larger unit. Canoe folds up into back seat of truck.

Do NOT get a truck, no matter what type of unit, which is not rated for more than weight than you intend to pull or carry. Better to buy too much truck than not enough, or even to max out the capacity of what you have.

Attached Images

image.jpg (121.2 KB, 15 views)

My brother sold a new trailer to a guy who was the smartest guy in the room.
He was a Denver based air line pilot.
He had a new SUV that he purchased from a Denver dealer.
The SUV had a towing package and the salesman told him something like ' you got everything you need to tow a trailer.
Towing packages are often larger battery, bigger alternator, bigger radiator and tranny cooler.
Probably the tranny cooler Is the most crucial.
Out west, the mountains eat up a lot of auto trannies!
So when my brother tells the buyer you need a brake controller, the response is no I don't!
After all, the salesman told him that he had everything he needed.
And when a car saleman tells you something, take it to the bank, Frank!
So they drove off pulling a trailer with no brakes.
About a month later, the Wife brings the trailer in for some service.
So they ask her, did you ever get a brake controller?
She said yes, we did. After we almost killed ourselves on a mountain out west of Denver.
When we went to a Denver RV shop, that guy says 'I can't believe that dealer didn't tell you that you needed a brake controller.
He should be run out of business and put in jail.'

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

We had a Low-Liner 16" that we bought for $1500 used. Left it out at a friends ranch and used it as a hard-side tent. Had a stove but we did our cooking outside except in really bad weather. Had a 12' pic-nic table set up outside (school district surplus) and set up a 5 gal propane tank with a post/lantern and a flexible hose to a stove. Permanent fire-ring and we had it made for a hunting camp. Lasted 10 years until our friend died and his wife sold the ranch.

Had travel trailers, 5th wheels and motor homes. Found for my use a 30 foot 5th wheel was the best for touring. Shorter weelbase and easier use of the pickup for sightseeing. A couple of years ago got the bug again but wanted something smaller for weekend camping. Bought a 5 foot wide basic teardrop, installed a small color tv and window air conditioner and was comfortable using it for shot trips. I think for a 2 month trip it would be ok as long as you are outside type people that enjoy the outdoors. If you decide to go that way do not get a 4 foot wide unless you are a very thin couple. A 5 or 6 foot wide is much more comfortable as you can get a gueen size mattress in it. Also doors on both sides so you dont have to crawl over each other to get out. If you look around there are a lot of people that build them for sale for around 4 to 5 thousand for a good basic unit. Good luck and enjoy your trip. PS, bought mine from a woman in Texas that built 5 or 6 a year and did a great job.

__________________
Semper Fi until I die

jarhead1178-- do you remember who that "woman in Texas that built 5 or 6 a year and did a great job" is?

Probably should mention that, no matter how you go, overall weight of vehicle, trailer and cargo is an important factor. I'm not qualified to discuss things like grass vehicle weight, etc, but you can find a tutorial online. Just because your SUV can tow x number of pounds, you still have to be concerned about the weight of cargo in the vehicle - including the passengers - which will affect how much the vehicle can ACTUALLY tow. Just one more thing to research to help your decision. You don't want to overload your vehicle.

This is great information from lots of different perspectives. I guess if I worked harder and saved more I could have 1 of each but I didn't and it's too late now. Picking one for all of our "might" needs is going to be really hard. It's just another reason to put it off. I guess our advantage is buying one it's still a year to two off. Give us enough time to rent a couple. From a dollars and cents standpoint a pull behind would be the best for us. At some point I will need to replace my 88 Cherokee or at least get a newer ride.

All absolutely true! Lots of folks are running the road overweight and eventually it nips the behind!
I prefer a full frame tow vehicle. In the SUVs you have choose carefully and get up into a middle sized ones to get a built on frame machine. The unabodies ate taking over the world!
The largest selection of built on frames available , all sizes,
various builders, all engine sizes and options, etc- drum roll , please-
Are of course pickups.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Concerning gross vehicle weight. I am not an expert, but there is one hard fast rule.

When one moves to Kansas your vehicles and trailer Vin's have to be checked by the PD if in a city and a county deputy or Highway patrolman for rural.

I got the highway patrolman, he is also the weights and large vehicle guy for the area.

My question was, if you pulled me over in my Ford F-250 Super duty with my flatbed trailer and my John Deere 3020 tractor how would you determine my legal weight.

He opened the drivers door and pointed to a sticker from the factory, it gives total GVW, he said we weigh all the axles, add it up and there you are, under or over.

He said we are not looking for a tractor behind a pickup unless it is not chained down. So you might be over some but probably will never be pulled over.

That sticker tells you what your vehicle total weight is rated for. Look at it and the bubble camper weight to see if you are safe.

And it may be prudent to take it to an empty lot and try a few emergency stops at slower speeds. And thanks for asking, I do this occasionally on my stock trailer, 24' flatbed and 30' /RV. A dirty connection connection on the RV made a double checker out of me.

Tear drops are cute little conversation starters. They are nostalgic of a time gone by. They are basicly armored sleeping bags. A frames are a step up and would get you past places with restrictions with canvas. They too have a following and rallys. A microlite trailer offers a cargo door in the back and a carrier in top for canoes and bikes. Store your gear inside and on top to hookup and go on a friday evening for a weekend of fun. Retros and Shasta style trailers are for couples with a large fixed bed and inside toilet. Coleman makes a nice 14ft for under 10k with a wraparound dinette with great windows that converts to sleeping at night with a shower I at 6ft can stand up in. Great for a rain out and still invite people in to eat or play cards. I am still wanting to check out truck campers and settle for tighter sleeping in exchange for being able to park in one parking spot vs tailing a trailer. Better downtown or apartment building parking. Boondocking for myself or one other with an extended season with air and heat. Match the rv to your needs.

__________________
CA ban no sharp pencils ovr 3"

Good thread and I'm reading with interest as we're talking about getting into camping. My wife wants a truck camper and I'm thinking something bigger. We "camped" for years in a 30 foot sailboat so know something about staying in cramped quarters especially in bad weather.
I had a truck camper I sold as it was older and heavy and also a small travel trailer I used a few times hunting.
Cost of an RV and tow vehicle is what is holding me back for now. I have a Trailblazer but could only tow the smaller trailers with it. We'll probably get a pickup in near future first and an RV in a couple years when my wife retires so am real interested in threads like this one.