With so many styles out there, the question is which one to choose? The simple answer is, choose the one you like best..Haha, right. Well seriously that’s all it comes down too. Which one do YOU want. Ask others all you want about what model, what style, what type and get a thousand different thoughts and opinions. The fact is you have to go with what fits your life best. That is literally all that matters.
I do not proclaim to be some pro on all things of every variety of camper out there on the market. However I know when looking at any unit, what I am looking for and that’s all that matters. What will this unit do for us and how well will it work in our situation. Quick tips below on a few pointers to help you out when hunting and owning certain units.
Truck Camper–speaks for themselves. Compact and simplistic. Great for consolidating up on the truck and towing what you want behind. Designed for those that really need to pull something and live simple at the same time.
Expandable or also called a Hybrid— These are great for those needing more space but don’t want the longer units or heavier units. Combining the comfort of a hard side and hard top with the ability to push out the walls with tented bedding areas while keeping the weight down. Pretty cool really.
Pop Up— These just keep it simple. Perfect for light duty tow vehicles. Good for keeping in touch at least a little with your old tent life. Far more simple, smaller, still a ton of fun for those that they fit.
Tear Drop—Simple living. Often chosen for one of 2 reasons. Simple lifestyle and or small tow vehicle. Can have some awesome amenities just squeezed into a considerably smaller space.
Toy Hauler—Perfect for bringing along your toys. Something to know here. They get heavy really quick. Make sure what you have to pull it, is strong enough. They come in a variety of styles in both travel trailer, 5th Wheel and even Rv types.
Travel Trailer—About as common as they come. With tons of layout options and sizes to choose from, this is by far the most popular style. Giving weight options for just about any tow vehicle and lifestyle.
Some thing of note on these 2 units. The Travel Trailer can get really heavy depending on manufacturer and lengths. Remember the longer you are, the harder it gets to turn and maneuver. When these start pushing the overall length of 35′ and over, they can start bottoming out on the back end when getting in and out of tight places with any incline change. That tail also needs a lot more room to swing. So keep that in mind as well. Some times you can save length by switching to a 5th Wheel. Putting some of that length in the truck bed saves on floor length behind you. Just remember though that your overall length needs to be considered when trying to get reservations in many campgrounds. Many state parks don’t have room for trailers over 30′ to 35′. Some are even less. The cool thing about 5th wheels are they turn better and much shorter. What people don’t realize is that you need to watch the truck bed when changing quick terrain like going in and out of parking lots. It is easier than you think to put a huge wrinkle in the bed. Just paying attention and remembering that will keep you out of trouble. Something else many don’t realize is keeping anything in the bed while driving requires it to be strapped down. This tow style allows air to flow into the bed and actually levitate items laying back there. Good way to lose items. Secure your load.
5th Wheel—Little different here, they hook in the bed of your truck so have something heavy enough to tow it. Typically have more living space than most others along with more storage, more length options, bigger fridges, washer/ dryer hook ups among other upgrades for a bigger lifestyle.
Destination trailer—-Getting more popular every year for those who have no interest in towing anything anywhere. People with these just have it set up on location and they go there when they can. Always set up and always ready to chill out. This is the travel trailer style of a tiny home.
These are little more out of my area. Very popular for their convenience of being able to ride along with a larger group per seat belts available. You can also get up move around freely with out all the issues of trailer. Downside that I see more than anything is the whole no run around vehicle. So you are either tied to pulling camp for any little move or towing something behind. Now you have 2 motors, 2 transmissions, 2 vehicles to insure and maintain. Not really our thing but they are cool.
Class B
Class C
Class A
Class A Diesel
