Campers

[peppy]

My wife and I have been looking for a travel trailer. I am looking for models and ideas.

I have never pulled a camper, only flat trailers and boats, but nothing that had brakes on it.

What we want, bumper pull with slide outs, sleeps about 6.

We have a 2007 F150 supercrew FX4 with the long bed. towing capacity is about 7500 lbs.

I just talked my wife out of a 1996 37ft. trailer. So now I have to come up with something better.

[HardDrive]

Can't speak to the trailers, but my father has a Lance camper that has been excellent. Heavy useage for the past 5 years, not one problem.

EDIT: This is an camper that rides in the bed of his F-350.

[MT930]

Jayco offers many options. These are not high end campers

We have a 27 Ft we pull with a Suburban & 3/4 ton pickup. Kid's have ther own area, we have our own room. One of the best moves we have made, great family activity. Our destinations are 100 miles or less. With gas up there you should be able to deal.

[Aerkuld]

I need to forward this thread to my parents. They recently bought a 32ft (I think) Rockwood and an Expedition to tow it. It seems to do everything that you mention and I know they love it. Dad doesn't seem to have any problem towing it and he hasn't really had any experience towing anything that size before, only the self-powered RV's. Even Mum has had a go at driving I believe.

I'll e-mail them the link and see if they can offer any advice.

[RoninLB]

I only tent but I talk to many when hitting forests etc for over 35 years.

That silver camper thats been around forever with the curved front called the slipstream or silverline something is by far the best. Die hards will tell you same.

Buy a used one in Flordia. There's a million down there and a strong buyers market. Crack any deal you can dream up. Nobody else is buying.

New one costs in the upper limits.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by MT930

. Our destinations are 100 miles or less. .

peppy's back yard is the Smoky Mt's.

I've seen them all and the Smokys has very accessible wildlife and fishing. Very different ambiance from the Rockys.

Some of the best river side hiking for trout in the country imo.

[kstar]

Originally Posted by RoninLB

I only tent but I talk to many when hitting forests etc for over 35 years.

That silver camper thats been around forever with the curved front called the slipstream or silverline something is by far the best. Die hards will tell you same.

Buy a used one in Flordia. There's a million down there and a strong buyers market. Crack any deal you can dream up. Nobody else is buying.

New one costs in the upper limits.

Airstream!

Check out the "Basecamp":

http://www.airstream.com/products/2008-fleet/travel-trailers/basecamp/

[Rot 911]

Never buy a new camper. There are so many almost new ones out there being sold by people that just thought they had to have one and then realized they never used it.

Try renting one a few times to see if you really will get your money's worth out of buying one.

[widebody911]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=627166

[vash]

kurt is right on...unless you are looking for one of those off road, jacked up, rolling on 31" tires badarse pop up trailers. we looked and looked and never found one used, nearby. my bro bought one new from phoenix for lots less than new at home. i think he got a. it is awesome! sleeps six, one pop out side, shower inside and out, room for a ATV or dead elk. AWESOME,. he paid 12k new.

[vash]

like this.

[peppy]

I have been shopping some of the used trailers. I kind of like the Outback 25RSS. I think maybe it is the RS in the name though.

[911boost]

I also like the Keystone Outback's, the model with the side load area for four wheelers etc, is really cool.

Currently we have a 1979 Mallard 18 foot travel trailer that will sleep 6 if need be. I paid $2200 for it 4 years ago. I have real heartburn making payments on something like a camper. We usually only have 4 of us in it, and our two dogs. We don't go to any actual campgrounds, but prefer to camp with friends out alone. I have replaced the heater for safety, and wired in a new few blcok and inverter, but otherwise it has been great.

I have a hitch on the back of the Mallard and I pull a 5x8 small trailer with a 4 wheeler and two dirt bikes on it behind. It works great. I can tell at some of the higher elevations that my Tahoe with the 5.3 is laboring, but it has done it for years.

I second the comment on the Airstreams. They are really nice, no slide outs obvisously, and you can find them restored. Just make sure they have grey an black tanks, since a lot of the models were designed to be used at campgrounds.

Like others have said, don't buy a new one. There are WAAAY to many good deals on used ones out there. Also, with an F150, I don't think I'd want to pull anything over about 25 feet.

Bill

[peppy]

Thanks Bill, the length and weight are what I am concerned with. I do not want it to be a chore to go somewhere with it.

[Superman]

If you're looking for something big (it sounds like you are) and nice, Ron's advice is good. Go to Florida and buy a gently used Airstream. They are the best. Plus, they look like airplanes without wings.

For smaller units at a bargain total price (purchase, maintenance, etc), tent trailers are a good way to go.

Me? I'm trying to get my backpack to under 20 lbs, not including consumables (food and fuel).

[911boost]

Be careful with the Airstreams though, while not a lot of the technology has changed, they are getting older. You will want one that has been taken care of, or restored properly. My wife really likes them, so I always have my eyes open for a nice Overlander (they have smaller windows on the top like the old 21 and 23 window VW's). There are ton's of websites on the Airstreams out there.

Since you want slide outs, and the ability to sleep 6, take into account that anything with a sofa, or table that you make into a bed, you have to unmake in the morning, if you want to use the table etc. I like the campers with a couple of bunk beds in them, they don't take up as much room, and you don't need to make / unmake them on a daily basis.

Also, look for one with fiberglass sides. Are you going to be camping when its cold out?

I know people with new campers, and other people with older Red Dale's, Mallard's, Layton's, etc., and whether you buy new or used, they will all require some work. Since you have an older 911, I am assuming you are like me, and will DIY all the work on the camper. Its not too tough at all.

I hear you on the back pack Sup, before we had kids, my wife and I were strictly back packers. Once we had our daughter 5 years ago, we had to make some adjustments, and I do say that having a cooler with some cold beer in it is very nice. I still get out in the boonies though. Over the 4th, we are going to use my little Garmin GPS and find a really remote back way to the North Platte River, as I have heard there is some good fly fishing in the remote areas of Southern Wyoming along it.

Bill

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

Never buy a new camper. There are so many almost new ones out there being sold by people that just thought they had to have one and then realized they never used it.

Try renting one a few times to see if you really will get your money's worth out of buying one.

Good advice. I wonder if airstream has rentals? My father in law was once in the trailer/camper biz....he told me airstream was #1 in quality and design, and he didn't sell them.

[Aerkuld]

OK, I got this response from my parents I hope it's of some help...

Earlier this year we bought a 34ft Rockwood Ultra-light travel trailer by Forest River. We have only limited experience so far but what we have has been good.

We spent a long time deciding what we wanted in terms of accommodation and then searching for a layout that met our particular needs. Most of the major manufacturers were examined both on the web and "in the flesh". We found two that made a layout that suited us, the Jayco Featherlite and the Rockwood. We have since seen one by K-Z that we liked even more but we found that only after we bought the Rockwood.

Only the models that met our needs were examined in great detail and in general quality of materials and workmanship were similar in both makes. The overall impression was that there is not a lot to choose between different makes. It seemed that the three makes that had the layout we wanted were all built on the same chassis and differed only in the interior trim. Our decision was made purely on things like the fact that one had a sofa bed which had a gap in the middle and the other had a proper bed in the same place which suited our needs better.

Several tips that we picked up by talking to various sales people and looking on the web were worth considering.

1. Leave something in reserve on the towing capacity of your vehicle. We opted for about 20% because we are hoping to spend some time in the mountains.

2. Fibre glass bodies are easier to clean and repair than corrugated aluminium.

3. Check out after-sales reputation of both manufacturer and dealer.

4. There are recommended limits for trailer lengths and vehicle wheelbase etc. in several places on the web.

5. If, like us, you have little or no experience of RVing there are some good books available. We recommend "The Complete Idiot's Guide to RVing" by Brent Peterson, published by Alpha. (whether this is a complete guide for idiots or a guide for complete idiots we are not sure).

6. Do as much research as you can first and then spend time shopping around. There are significant savings to be made by doing so.

Good luck.

[peppy]

Thanks for the info Aerkuld, and forward a thank you to you folks.